POTCAKE

  The potcake dog is a mixed-breed dog type from the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas. Its name comes from the congealed rice and pea mixture that local residents traditionally fed stray dogs. Although appearance varies, potcake dogs generally have smooth coats, cocked ears, and long faces.  The ancestry of the potcake dog is shared among dogs from both sets of islands, since many residents of Turks and Caicos were originally from nearby islands and took their dogs with them. Three types may have contributed to development: dogs the Arawak brought with them to the Bahamas; terriers protecting supplies from rodents on ships that arrived in Eleuthera, New Providence, and the Abaco Islands; and dogs from North Carolina that arrived with Loyalists during the American Revolutionary War period. In addition, many breeds were imported in the 20th century which interbred with the local dogs, so making the mix of breeds in the potcake dynamic.