Purebred vs. mixed vs. mutt

A breed is a subspecies dog. While dog species are all pretty much the same looking - four legs and a tail - the breed itself can have a specific set of physical or personality traits. The same goes for all other animals: cats, birds, fish, you name it. When looking for a pet these subspecies will usually be broken down into “purebred”, “mixed” or “mutt”.

03 Jul 2020 By Andrew Clarke Comments

What are purebreds?

Rather than natural breeding without human intervention, purebred animals come from a long process of selective breeding.

Purebred dogs and cats have certain sets of characteristics and traits that they are prized for.

On the top of the purebred animal ladder are the pedigreed dogs and cats, whose lineage are recorded and tracked by a registry in order to ensure healthy, pedigree animals of “good breeding”.

What are mixed breeds and crossbreeds?

When purebred dogs and cats mate with another breed, the result is a crossbreed. Crossbreed animals are typically bred to combine the attractive traits of the two different breeds.

If mixed-breeding occurs without human intervention the result is often called a “mutt” or “mongrel”. This simply means that they are of no specific breed or traceable ancestry.

What are the differences between purebreds, mixbreds, and crossbreds?

The main difference between these is that purebreds meet “breed standard.” For example, purebred poodles will have a solid-coloured coat. If a poodle shows spots or patches of other colours in its coat then it is outside what would be registered as a purebred poodle. A solid-coloured coat is the breed standard.

Purebred animals generally exhibit behavioural and physical traits that can be easily predicted. If you are looking for specific physical and behavioural traits so your pet will fit your lifestyle and household better, then a purebred animal will mean you know what to expect.

Crossbreeds and mutts are simply the product of interbreeding, and there will be recognisable traits from the different breeds that are part of this mix.

Which kind is better?

Many people buy purebred animals as they think their pet is guaranteed to look great, be healthy, and have the signature temperament of that breed. However this is not always the case as all animals have their own unique personalities. In order to achieve the ultimate “purebred” animal some people use devious breeding practices that endanger the health and lives of the animals.

Mixed-breeds and mutts are known for being of a hardier stock because interbreeding eliminates some of the genetic health problems of a certain breed. The combination of different physical and behavioural traits has often resulted in a friendlier and healthier animal.

At the end of the day, your choice of pet depends on your lifestyle and household. Whether you own a purebred, mixed-bred, a crossbred animal, the most important part of being a pet owner is responsibility.

03 Jul 2020 By Andrew Clarke Comments

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