mixed breeds...what are your thoughts?

[jiorji]

seems everything in this forum is about purebreds...and even so it ays PETS there's only cats and dogs...no GUINEA PIGS!! lol...sorry i had to express my anger GRRR..meow!... lol

are purebreds better than crosses??
i read some pretty scary stuff online about mixed breeds. gosh..who'd breed a chihuahua with a golden retreiver?? I've also met some pretty interesting mixed breeds. I believe my childhood friend's dog...german shepherd.... was a mix. SHe was so awesome. I think we had a great bond..cos everytime she'd see me(even if once a month) she'd greet me asking for a petting and kiss lol

so i guess some mixed breeds are ok??
maybe i can get a jack russel mixed with a calmer breed HAHHA
i saw a picture online of a sheltie cross with a greyhound.

ok so post away...

[Jackie467]

most people have crosses on this board. there is only a few of us with purebreds. I personally have a purbred but that is because i was looking for a specific type of dog for my situation and sometimes with mixes you don't really know what breed they will take after. But i think mixes are great and if i had a situtation where i was living on my own i would adopt a mix. Many people on the board also have guinea pigs, as well as a lot of different other animals. there are lots of birds, some reptiles, some horses, and fish. If you do a search for guinea pigs in the search bar at the top i'm sure some threads about them will come up. some people posted pics of them and their enclosures and wow are the enclosures nice!

[bluntman]

Originally Posted by jiorji

seems everything in this forum is about purebreds...

Not really, I have 2 mixed breeds and there are the best dogs I could ever ask for, no one here will come down on someone for owning a mixed breed, most dogs are a mix of some type, because too many people do not spay or nuter there pets, and mixes are the result. Someone must take these dogs or they would be pts. Spaying and nutering is highly encuraged on any responsible pet frum.

No one here wants to see mutts bred for profit, or becuse they neglected to get them alterd, or they think there dog is special so they feel the need to breed it. it's just not right, there are far to many dogs in shelters and rescuse for that nonsence. It all about whats best for the animals here, not what breed it is.

[jiorji]

Originally Posted by bluntman

It all about whats best for the animals here, not what breed it is.

yes I totally agree

[Trinitie]

While mixed breeds are predominant here, we don't advocate the careless breeding of dogs. Our main goal is to see all dogs/cats/guinea pigs/birds/etc, bred with betterment of the breed in mind. Accidents happen, and there's no way around that. It's when people purposfully breed their dogs to make "designer" puppies, or if they have no idea what breeding a dog entails, but want their "friends to have the same perfect pet they have" - that's when the posts get heated.

You may find bitter arguments erupt regarding purebred vs mixed breed, but our end result is the happy, healthy life of our fine furry friends. That's the bottom line.

We all realize a happy, healthy pet is one that's spayed/neutered. So please, boys and girls, listen to Bob Barker and "Spay and Neuter your pet!"

[Bearsmom]

Bob Barker's my hero, I've been watching him since I was five. Yikes, I'm old.

Anywho, Bear is a lab/mastiff/rottweiler mix. Turns out he's a smart, sucky, big drooler! Awesome dog.

I don't see us getting a purebred dog, it's a matter of choice.

Funniest looking dog I ever saw was a pug/golden retriever.

[onecatandonedog]

my dog is half husky and half golden lab

my other cat is half dobermain and half tabby

[corona99]

I have a Rottweiler/Basset Hound Mix. No idea how.....he was a rescue. Bue he's the cutest thing ever!!

[topaz_n29]

I have had both..right now i have..1 maltese
1 poodle/terrier
1shep/rottie
1Shih Tzu/terrier
i love them and all my previous babies

[Prin]

I am anti-buying a mutt, but I am SUPER pro-adopting a mutt. I believe though that your first dog ever should be a purebred dog that you have researched and selected based on characteristics of the breed and the breed's purpose, and bought from a serious, reputable breeder or from a shelter, if an adult better suits your lifestyle.

Once you have mastered one dog then I advocate mutt adoption. The thing is if you get a dog from a person, you might have a chance to get an idea of what the dog is like but if you walk into the SPCA, you can look at the body language but you don't know the history. Basic dog care is very complex for first-timers, I wouldn't advise throwing in behavior disorders, abuse, health problems, anxiety, etc, and on top of that you can't make any real predictions of the personality of a mixed breed. I know probably very few rescue dogs have problems but there is more of a chance if you get an SPCA mutt than one with a relatively clean slate from a good breeder.

Everybody at our dog park laughs at how the black dogs always outnumber any other color and all other colors combined. The thing is, black is the dominant color genetically, so since so many people have adopted mutts, they're all black.

I have my newf/pointer mix and my lab husky mix and I love them to death but I tell you, the newf characteristics in my big guy really make me want a newf.

The other thing about adopting mutts, is I haven't seen any of my doggies as puppies. I have receipts from vets for my little girl that say she was 21lbs and I cannot imagine that. I mean who could give away a 21lb, tiny black dog with blue eyes? Four people did it and I seriously don't know how. I mean she is so cute now (I put pics up in the Picture category) but as a puppy? Not as many people want the older ones, but I think they are much less trouble, even with the chewing, the lack of housebreaking even at 6 months, the abuse and the fear of abandonment. It's like getting an old puppy that can be trained really quickly.

[jiorji]

I wonder what a german shepherd and a dalmatian would look like

spotted germ shep. LOL

[Prin]

hey! there was one at our park-- german shepherd body with black and white german shepherd fur. He was really smart.

[jiorji]

Originally Posted by Prin

I mean who could give away a 21lb, tiny black dog with blue eyes? Four people did it and I seriously don't know how. I mean she is so cute now (I put pics up in the Picture category) but as a puppy? .

I totally agree. I've researched many puppy adoption sites on the net and MANY dogs are 5+ years because they have been "left behind" when the owners left. How does someone do that?? You raise this dog since he was a puppy then you just leave him behind??...but waht amazes me is that the dog in the picture is still in high spirits. But all dogs look like they're smiling to me LOL

[Prin]

I've seen some sad ones... I have adopted some sad ones... :sad:

My old dobie was left chained outside when the owners moved. He was 3 year old show champion. The new owners were too afraid to feed him, they just threw him soup bones and he drank rainwater. The lady who left him was our dental hygenist and she told my dad he was free to go and take him otherwise eventually the SPCA was going to find him.

We drove up, (it was my 8th birthday), unhooked the doggy and he got in the car. He was the absolute best dog I have ever had. I love my doggies I have now but this guy took care of me. He protected me from my annoying brothers and protected me whenever I had to walk anywhere. He slept with me, did tricks for only me. He lived till 13 and died on Christmas morning. I can't imagine somebody leaving him behind but maybe he was not the special dog for them as he was for me.

[Prin]

What's so bad about this face? Mutts can be pretty too...