Now that I have calmed down from a rotten day at work, I think that I can ask a cohesive question. As you will see, this example code consists of 2 subroutines, each returning different information regarding my "dogs". What I want to do, is to put all of the data into one hash so that I can print all the data together. The "code": 
#!/usr/local/bin/perl -w

use strict;

my $dogdir = "/path/to/colors";
my $typedir = "/path/to/type";
my ($color_file, @color_list, $color_blurb, @type_list, $type_string, 
+   $type_value, @breed)
my %colors = ();
my %type = ();
my %dogs  = ( barky => 1,
          fluffy => 1,
          licky => 1 
        )
  
&colors;
&type;

sub colors {
  
  opendir (DOGDIR, $dogdir) or die "Cannot open $dogdir: $!" ;
  while ( defined ($color_file = readdir (DOGDIR))) {
    @color_list = `cat $dogdir/$color_file | grep COLOR`;
    my $color = $_;
    if (exists $dogs{$color}) {
      foreach $color_blurb(@colorlist) {
    push @{$colors{$color_file}}, $color_blurb;
      }
      foreach $color_file (sort keys %colors) {
    $color_blurb = join "", @{$colors{$color_file}};
    print "$color__file:\n";
    print "===========================\n";
    print "$color_blurb\n\n";
      }
    } 
    
  }
  
}

sub type {
  
  opendir (TYPEDIR, $typedir) or die "Cannot open $typedir: $!" ;
  while ( defined ($type_file = readdir (TYPEDIR))) {
    @type_list = `cat $typedir/$type_file |grep Breed` ;
    if (exists $dogs{$color}) {
      foreach  $type_string(@type_list) {
    @breed = split(' ',$type_string); 
    if  ($type_string =~ m/(is.*?),/) {
      $type_value = ("$i[2] $1");
      push @{$type{$type_file}}, $type_value;
    }
      }
    }
    foreach  $type_file (sort keys %type) {
      print "$type_file\n";
      print "===========================\n";
      print "$type_value\n\n";    
    }
  }
}

[download]
The subroutine "colors" prints: 
Barky
===========================
is brown

Fluffy
===========================
is black

Licky
===========================
is bald

[download]
The subroutine type prints: 
Barky
===========================
is a beagle

Fluffy
===========================
is a terrier

Licky
===========================
is a bald mutt

[download]
I want the program to print: 
Barky
===========================
is brown
is a beagle

etc., etc, etc,

[download]

In reply to Hash Question by Limo

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