What are Mixed Dog Breeds

A mixed breed dog is what is commonly known as the mongrel, mutt, or sometimes and rather unkindly I have to say ‘the Heinz 57’. The mutt is in fact a mixture of several dogs and qualifies when bred with more than 2 different breeds in it, otherwise they are called cross-breeds. If you are wondering whether your dog is a purebred you can work on the basis that unless the dog has registration papers, it is safe to assume that the dog is a mixed breed. Even mixed breeds can closely resemble a purebred.

So, it follows that mixed-breed dogs vary enormously in size, shape, color and personality, making them almost impossible to classify physically. Historically, all purebred dogs have been selected from a mixed-breed population way back in time…

As we have just said mixed-breed dogs can be any size, weight, or colour, but some colors are more common than others. No matter what their parents' colors were, mixed breeds are often a light-to-medium brown or black, frequently with a white chest and other white markings. Mixed-breed dogs, however, don’t classify except according to height; there is tremendous variation in physical traits such as coat, skeletal structure, gait, ear set, eye shape and color, and so on. When conformation standards are applied to mixed-breed dogs, such as in events run by the MBDCA, the standards are usually general traits of health, soundness of nature, symmetry, and personality.

Anyone who appreciates how genetics works will understand that mixed-breed dogs are more genetically diverse than their pure bred cousins, due to the more haphazard nature of their parents' mating. Happily also, as would have been predicted by Darwin, he offspring of such matings are less likely to express certain genetic disorders because there is a decreased chance that both parents carry the same detrimental recessive alleles.

Purebred dogs are those dogs which are the recognized breeds of the national kennel clubs (for example the American Kennel Club, and the UK Kennel Club), and are of course, more predictable as their personality traits and health issues are more predictable and for certain breeds which have developed a bad reputation are well known.

Purebreds may be less hardy than mixed breeds, both physically and often emotionally, as a result of inbreeding. Inbreeding has become a big issue especially in the UK where Crufts will not be screened by the BBC this year due to a feeling that not all that absolutely could be done to preserve and enhance pure bred genes is being done by the UK Kennel Club.

Purebred dogs will also have to some extent a predictable temperament, if you are looking for a friendly dog with lots of energy then choose a breed which is known for this character trait. That had to be by far the best way to buy a puppy which will result in an adult dog with those traits.

On the downside when you compare the mutt with the purebred recognized breed, the purebred dog is generally more prone to disease and ailments than the mixed breed. This is mainly as we have earlier indicated down to genetics in the breeding. Mixed dog breeding however results in a good deal of the overpopulation among dogs, and most of the dogs you will see looking for owners in any dog rescue centre will normally be the mixed breeds. Each year, millions of homeless pets are killed, and by your choosing to re-home a mixed breed dog you would be taking an animal which is much less likely to gain a new home than a purebred in the next dog pen.