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The mature appearance and behavior of purebred puppies is more predictable than that of mixed breeds, including cross-breeds.
Purebred dogsWith purebred dogs, the genetic variations are well documented and a breeder has a fair estimation of what type of offspring a given pair will produce. Even still, there is variation within breeds; for example, two champion sheep-herding Border Collies might produce offspring with no interest in sheep herding.
Mixed breed dogsA mixed-breed dog (also called a bastard, mutt (shortened frommuttonhead), crossbreed, mongrel, tyke, cur, or random-bred dog, (seeTerms for mixed-breed dogs, below) is a dog that is a mixture of two ormore breeds, or a descendant of feral or pariah dog populations.
Since, except for extreme variations in size, dogs interbreed freely,mixed-breed dogs vary in size, shape, and color, making them hard toclassify physically. Historically, all purebred dogs have been selectedfrom a mixed-breed population.
Mixed breed dogs are said to be, on average, no more intelligent than purebred dogs, and both sets feature both slow learners and dogs with high learning capacity. For example, Benji, the hero in a series of films named for him, was a mixed-breed terrier.
However, it is more difficult to predict the trainability of mixed-breed dogs when they are very young. This is controversial, since there's a difference between intelligence and plain subservience. Most Golden Retrievers are eager to please, but a mix of a Golden with the independent Siberian Husky could inherit either dog's trainability—or you could get a dog with the endurance and athleticism of the Siberian and the trainability of the Golden.
Many people enjoy owning mixed breeds, valuing their unique appearance and characteristics; while dogs of some breeds, such as the Tervueren, exhibit little variability of appearance, mixed-breed dogs exhibit often unique appearances. Although some dog owners have a specific breed of dog they wish to acquire, and will never accept a mixed breed, many others enjoy mixed-breed dogs that exhibit characteristics similar to their favorite breeds; in fact, with a mixed breed, they can enjoy some aspects of appearance and personality of two favorite breeds with a single dog.
There is usually an abundant supply of mixed-breed dogs wanting owners, available at negligible prices, while pedigreed dogs can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and reputable breeders can be hard to find.
PedigreeSome owners value a dog's pedigree as a status symbol and, therefore, have no use for mixed-breed dogs, whose market value is effectively zero; others particularly appreciate the physical or behavioral traits of certain breeds; still others ignore pedigree and, instead, value a dog's personality and health. In short, most dog owners believe that their dog's breed—and specifically his or her own dog—is the best sort of dog there is.
Local animal shelters adopt out dogs of both pure and mixed ancestry, emphasizing each dog's personality and suitability as a companion for each potential owner's lifestyle rather than the purity of each dog's ancestry. |
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