The Pandadog craze that took Japan by storm a few years ago actually has nothing to do with pandas! "Pandadogs" are not some mix of panda and dog - they are actually just dogs that have been dyed with black and white dye to resemble the patterns of a panda bear!
It first started with someone adopting an abandoned dog in Tokoyo because he was deemed "too ugly" by his previous owners. The person that adopted him decided to dye the fur around his eyes black - to conceal the tear-stained fur, and the panda idea started from there.