Are there Advantages?

Crossbred dogs are usually not expensive to buy, which is an obvious advantage. They have their own "mutt" charm, and their apparent type may be just what you are looking for. Just keep in mind that the small puppy may become an enormous adult. The best way to judge is to see both parents, but it is often the nature of things that the father is "away on business" by the time the puppies arrive.

Pedigreed dogs can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, and reputable breeders can be difficult to find. Some owners value a dog's pedigree as a status symbol and 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 place a greater value on 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.

Which is healthier?

It is not necessarily true that crossbred dogs are healthier than purebreds. Every veterinarian can tell you of crossbreeds or mongrels suffering from recognizable, inherited diseases. Still, genetic variety generally increases health. Mixed breeds simply have more genetic variations than purebred dogs.

Often, pure breeds can be associated with specific health problems, although these have often been exaggerated in the press. It is up to the potential owner to enquire about these problems, and to take independent advice on their significance. It is worth bearing in mind that no species of animal, including human beings, is free from inheritable disease. Dogs may be less afflicted than most.

Predicting Outcomes

Except where extreme variations in size exist, dogs interbreed freely, so mixed-breed dogs vary greatly in size, shape, and color, making them hard to classify physically. All possible body shapes, ear types, tail styles, coats and personalities can appear in mixed breeds.

The advantage of picking a purebred dog is that you know what you are getting. From a reputable breeder, a Boston Terrier puppy will grow into a Boston Terrier dog, of a size and weight that is within the breed norm, and with potential behavior characteristics typical of the breed. There generally is advice available to deal with whatever problems may arise as a particular feature of each breed.

With 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. Still, there is variation within breeds. For example, two champion sheep-herding Border Collies might produce offspring with no interest in sheep herding.

Intelligence

Mixed breed dogs are said to be no more intelligent than purebred dogs. There are both slow learners and dogs with high learning capacity in each group. For example, Benji, the hero in a series of films named for him, was a mixed-breed terrier. Lassie, the heroine in a television series named for her, was a purebred Collie. Intelligence and trainability is often easy to spot in an adult dog. However, it is more difficult to predict the trainability of mixed-breed dogs when they are very young.

There is also a difference between intelligence and subservience or the willingness to please. For example, most Golden Retrievers are eager to please and therefore easy to train, and considered highly intelligent. Siberian Huskies tend to be more difficult to train because they are independent and energetic, and often mistakenly thought to be less intelligent. Siberians are nevertheless very bright dogs, just not as subservient. The mating of a Golden and the Siberian could result in a dog with the endurance and athleticism of the Siberian and the trainability of the Golden, or just the opposite, or anywhere in between. Likewise, the offspring could look like either parent or a blend of the two.

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