Do pure bred dogs or mixed breed mutts make better pets?

Answer 1

it depends what you want in a dog. both are great pets. mutts are one of a kind, but purebreds are special. go to a shelter, there are normally plenty of both. and normaly the owner doesnt choose the dog/pup... it chooses the owner!

Answer 2

If you want a dog for a specific reason, want a certain personality, or like the look of a certain breed, get a PB. If you don't care and just want a pet, get one from your local shelter. Both PB and mutts make great pets.


Illybubs - "mixed breed dogs can have less medical issues if they are bred properly. generally, when they are mixed, they get the better gene combo."

Mixed breed dogs are never bred properly. They can be just totally randomly bred, or bred on purpose with absolutely no health testing.

When mixed, they can get the best of both breeds, or the WORST. Why would anyone, with even the most basic knowledge of genetics, think any dog would get only the best? It is a complete toss-up!

Answer 3

Depends on the owner and what you want from a dog, but I think generally mutts do. Because they are cross-bred with a variety of breeds, they generally breed out alot of behavior problems or quirks. For example, a purebred German Shepherd will be a very strong natural guarder of his home and family. I have a mixed breed GSD who does bark and protect the house, just not as much as full blooded will. It all depends what you want from your pet. If you are looking for a dog to do a job of any kind (protection, hunting, herding) I think a purebred would be best because those natural instincts and abilities have been bred in and not altered.

On the health side, purebreds in general are prone to more health problems. That is breed dependent of course, some breeds are much worse than others. And of course mutts generally live a few years longer than purebreds.

On the other side, with mutts you never know exactly what they are or what breed they are, and if they are pups, it's sometimes hard to estimate their full grown size. If you don't particulary care about the animals size and all, then that isn't really a concern.

Answer 4

It depends on a lot of factors---and the age of the dog when you get it..

Getting a pure-bred puppy from a good breeder when you have met and liked the parents' temperament is the best chance of getting a great pet because you have an idea of what the dog will be like as an adult.

A mixed pup could look like one parent and have the drive/personality of another.

If you are looking for an adult dog, you get to see what the dog is like and can judge for yourself if you are a good match. So a mix and a purebred are about equal here.

BTW The concept of mixed breeds being healthier and more vigorous is off base. A pup could get all the best from both parents, or all the worst. Plus, dogs don't screen themselves for health problems before they mate in a backyard.

I have had a mix and a pure bred. Both were great dogs.

Answer 5

Depends on the breed or the mix. Most of the time a mixed mutt makes a better pet because there is no dominant breed. However, this isn't true if you mix a doberman and rottweiler. That's why I said "most of the time". I had a pure bred Cocker Spaniel for 16 years. She was the most amazing dog, but Spaniels are known for having a vicious bite. You really have to do your research. Overall, I think most vets would say that the Heinz 57/mutt variety make the best pets.

Answer 6

I used to work for an animal shelter years ago. During the time I am guessing that the majority of the dogs were mutts, a small percentage were pure bred. Most of the mutts were sweet, while a lot of the pure breds had behavioral problems. I saw an aggressive Rottweiler, Dalmatians, a "crazy" German short hair pointer ( he climbed the kennel door every night). Don't get me wrong there were behaviorally challenged mutts too. But personally I prefer a mutt from the shelter because their not as high strung etc. But if its a pure bred you want go to a reputable breeder or rescue one from breed rescue-the breed rescue person is someone familiar with the breed. Probably my favorite pure-bred is a Grey Hound-they are such couch potatoes not at all what you would expect-I have yet to run into an aggressive one.

Answer 7

Both are good pets.
I prefer the mixed breed dogs/cats. They seem to be better suited for families. Eager and quick to learn. The love they give, there is no comparing.
More so when you adopt them from the Pound, Humane Society, Vet's Office, the street or from any other person. Some way they know you saved their lives. They reward you even more, all their life.
I woulf not call any animal a mutt. I stopped using that word after I adopted my first dog after I was on my own. She was the best ever. I miss her.

Answer 8

It depends on how good the breeders are, but, it's a noted fact that Heinz 57 varieties of dogs have longer lives. I've had pure breds and although they lived fairly long 14 - 16 years the two dogs I had that lived to be 20 years old were mixed breeds.

Answer 9

Either can make a great pet. If you want specific characteristics in a dog, get a purebred from a reputable breeder or a rescue. If you just want a dog, rescue a mixed breed from a shelter.

Answer 10

They both do. I have a purebred Shih Tzu. I made the decision because breeding and temperament were important to me.

Mutts from shelters are another great option. Most have had a hard life and really appreciate the second chance.

Answer 11

I got my wonderful dog from the pound 5 years ago and she is the best dog I have ever owned! I think mixed breeds are more hardy as they are not prone to all the bone/joint problems of the purebreds. This is just conjecture as I don't have any proof other than what I've observed.