Strange looking sausage dog goes viral

Pitbull-dachsund mix Rami has been put up for adoption by dog home. Photo / Moultrie Colquitt County Humane Society

It may look like a Photoshop effort, but Rami the dog really does have the head of a pit bull and the body of a dachshund.

And now photos of the rare combination dog, who's looking for a new home, have been shared widely by Internet users proclaiming his cuteness - though some say he looks more like an alien or a dinosaur.

The Moultrie Colquitt County Humane Society in Georgia is currently accepting applications for Rami, whose adoption post has gone viral.

Rami's unique pit bull head has led him to be compared to a Tyrannosaurus Rex or bobblehead doll.

His body is long, but his legs are more muscular like those of a pit bull.

The dog breeding website Designer Mixes says that the combination of pit bulls and dachshunds is called a Doxbull or a Pitwee and can weigh about 11kg when fully grown.

The Humane Society says that Rami is "full of energy" and doesn't "listen very well, so you'll need to take some time to train me. Because I tend to be a bit hyper".

Rami's ears have also been cut for an unknown reason.

Potential owners will need to go through an interview process and pay for the canine's vaccinations before taking him home.

Photos and videos of the dog have been shared more than 40,000 times and generated more than 9,000 comments since last week, most of which say that Rami is adorable.

Some commenters were unconvinced and thought that the pictures were doctored or that the animal was not a mix but actually has canine dwarfism, a condition that affects dogs' growth and spines.

Others were not impressed by the dog's unique appearance, saying Rami is "freaky looking".

Fears remain that the overwhelming interest in Rami will lead breeders to try and manufacture more unnatural designer mixes, which often have health problems.

For those that may be disappointed by missing out on adopting Rami, the Moultrie Colquitt County Humane Society says there are many more unique animals at shelters across the country.

- Daily Mail