Mutts , mongrels, curs, random-breds – whatever you call them, they make far better pets and companions than a so-called “purebred” dog. Technically, there is no such thing as a purebred dog if you go back far enough in the dog’s ancestry. All breeds are derived from crosses of other breeds. But many registries will say that a purebred dog is one that can have its pedigree traced back from three to six generations. You don’t have to worry about this kind of nonsense with a mongrel.
Breeders of purebred dogs claim that purebred puppies will grow up with known physical and behavioral tendencies. They are lying. Puppies from the same litter don’t act alike or grow top the same size when they mature, let alone a purebred. We’ve probably all heard of stories of atypical purebred dogs that acted contrary to the norm. The Labrador that was afraid of water. The Jack Russell that wouldn’t bark. Dogs are not machines. They are unpredictable.
Physical Appeal
Purebred dogs look alike. Ever look at a class full of Maltese dogs? It’s like seeing “The Attack of the Clones”. They are all white, black-nosed, long-haired dogs of similar size and identical build. Why breed something that looks identical to all of the other members of the breed? All of the individual charm and beauty of biological diversification goes right out the window.
A mutt looks like himself or herself and no other dog. This gives them a real charm and sometimes a surprising beauty. After all, people try not to look alike, so why make their dogs look alike?
Health
Mongrels are not only healthier than purebred dogs, they often live longer . Why is this?
With purebred dogs, it’s all about money and prestige. It’s about getting money to the dog show world and the people involved in it. It’s not about what’s best for the dog. Just by being a purebred, the gene pool is greatly limited. Inevitably, this causes problems. Pugs , with their cute flat faces and bulging eyes have breathing problems and sometimes their eyeballs pop out of the sockets. Cute, huh?
Don’t mongrels ever get sick? Of course they do. They also get into accidents, get parasites and need to be fed top quality food, just like a purebred. Granted, they are also more likely to be spayed or neutered, which can make any dog healthier by eliminating certain cancer risks and sex-hormone related medical problems. But mongrels are far less likely to get the conditions that some breeds, like Pugs, are notorious for, simply because they don’t have the physical characteristics that can predispose a dog to a health problem.
In Conclusion
With all of these advantages, it’s really mind-boggling that people still think a purebred dog is somehow better than a mongrel. Or that they will spend thousands of dollars or Euros to buy a sickly, neurotic purebred puppy than adopt a puppy or fully-trained dog from the local animal shelter or breed rescue for a fraction of the cost. But then again, as PT. Barnum said, a sucker is born every minute.
