Collie, German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Poodle. When you hear a breed name you immediately picture what that dog looks like, right? But when you hear the word mutt what comes to mind? Loveable? Loyal? That’s right, you think of a dog’s attributes. You think of man’s best friend. Mixed breed dogs may not come with papers but they do come with some of the best personalities around. So when looking for a dog to add to your family consider the good ole mutt!
A Tribute to a Great Mutt:
This article is written in memory of Bear. He was my first dog and he was a mutt. We never really knew what type of dog Bear was, but when forced to list something for the breed our vet labeled him a Chow-Shepherd mix. The gray tongue was a give away to the Chow Chow in him, but the rest was truly a guess. I always thought I saw some Golden in him too. But does it really matter? What does matter is that he was a gentle, sweet, and loving dog. He always came running with a wagging tail when you called him. He was always ready to love and be loved. He shook hands, played soccer, and could catch a flying table scrap like no other. He was friendly to everyone and never growled. Bear came to us as a rescue dog at the (estimated) age of 3. He joined a household with 3 CATS. Bear was so good natured that he never caused one ounce of heartache for the cats. And, in even greater tribute to Bear’s wonderful temperament, he also accepted the addition of a feisty Chihuahua with no problem at all. When the Chi got in Bear’s face yapping up a storm good ole Bear just went about his own business and let the little guy think he was in charge. When our daughter came along Bear was wonderful with her too. I never worried about leaving her alone on the floor with him (but to this day I still watch the Chihuahua). I was really looking forward to her growing up with such a wonderful buddy like Bear. He was going to be her dog, I just knew it. Unfortunately, before she was even crawling, Bear died unexpectedly of melanoma at the age of 10.
An Important Note about Chow Chows and Chow Mixes:
The Chow Chow is genetically susceptible to a form of melanoma that is unrelated to sun exposure and occurs in the gum tissue of the mouth. If you have a Chow Chow or a Chow mix, don’t panic, this does not mean that your dog will develop this cancer. However, it does mean that you should ask your vet about symptoms to watch for and act quickly if you notice them. Hind sight is 20/20 and Bear did have a classic symptom of melanoma that we did not realize at the time would turn out to be cancer. It was bad breath! When we first noticed Bear’s breath was getting bad we tried water additives and a special dog food designed to help remove plaque and improve breath. Over the next couple of weeks his breath continued to worsen in spite of these efforts so I scheduled him for a full teeth cleaning. It was then that the vet discovered the gum tumor growing deep in the back of mouth where it was well hidden from view. The tumor was removed that same day but it was already too late. His cancer was advanced and had already spread to his kidneys. Bear was so good natured and his great personality shined even on his last day as he wagged his tail to the end. It has been a few years now and Bear is still missed and remembered with love.
Not all Mutts are the Same:
A mixed breed is any dog whose ancestry is generally unknown and has characteristics of two or more types of breeds. However mixed breed dogs are different than cross breed dogs. A cross breed occurs when 2 different pure breed dogs are mixed. For example, one very popular cross breed is the Labradoodle (a Labrador Retriever and Poodle mix). Determining the ancestry of a mixed breed dog is much more difficult due to the fact that they have more genetic variation. However, there are some commonalities among dogs that are descended from generations of mixes. They are typically light brown or black and weigh around 40 lbs and stand between 38 and 57 inches tall. Before writing this article I always thought of Bear as a mixed breed but now I wonder if he may have been a little closer to a cross breed. Either way, he was still a good ole mutt.
Health of the Mixed Breed Dog:
In spite of Bear’s cancer, it is true that mixed breed dogs are generally healthier than their pure breed cousins. All dogs are equally susceptible to environmental, non-genetic illnesses such as rabies, distemper, or parasitic infection. However, mixed breeds are genetically more diverse than pure breeds and many studies have shown that they are healthier with fewer sick visits to the vet and longer lives. Pure breed dogs are often inbreed to highlight the breed’s standard characteristics, but the down side of this outward perfection is that they are more prone to inherited recessive conditions and health problems. This is commonly seen in dogs coming from puppy mills. One study published in the Biological Sciences journal in 1997 compared the age at death of 23,535 pet dogs in North America using data obtained from veterinary teaching hospitals. The median age of death was determined for pure breed and mixed breed dogs of different body weights. Across all weight categories the median age at death was younger for pure breed dogs compared with mixed breed dogs.
Are Pure Breed Dogs Better than Mixed Breed Dogs:
Some people value the diversity of a mixed breed while others have an emotional attachment to a specific breed. The adult appearance and behavior of a purebred puppy is more predictable than that of a mixed breed. While pure breed dogs look very similar to one another their mix breed counterparts often exhibit a unique one-of-a-kind appearance. But is one type of dog better than the other? The answer is no. Haven’t you ever seen the movie “All Dogs go to Heaven?” The bottom line is that you need to find a dog that fits your personality and lifestyle. As the “mother’ of a mutt and a purebred I can say with confidence that there is room in the heart for both!
Reference – Wikipedia
Lara
A-1 Pet Care
