The Joy of Mutts 
Whether you have a purebred dog, a “hybrid” dog, or a good old-fashioned mutt, there is no doubt that your dog is special to you. I truly believe that every dog has a certain individuality that sets it apart from all others. Those of us who have had multiple dogs probably agree that no two relationships can compare. However, as the proud owner of a mixed breed dog, I have to say that mutts are amazing.
There is something about mixed breed dogs – a kind of uniqueness wrapped in mystery that is somehow different than a purebred dog. That being said, I cannot imagine loving one dog more than another once we have formed that special bond.
Those of us who has spent time visiting or working at animal shelters know that mixed breed dogs make up a large portion of abandoned and unwanted pets. The next time you decide that you are ready for a new dog, consider adopting a wonderful mutt. However, if you really must have a purebred dog, consider adopting from a breed-specific rescue group. Please, tell us how you feel about mixed breed dogs.
Photo of Pooty, a cute little mutt © Jenna Stregowski
Comments
My little mutt is a chihuahua something mix…I think terrier. He is a little love, very playful, good humored and very smart. He doesn’t bark very often, usually when he wants you to throw a ball for him to chase. He has several toys that he plays with, each in its own way. If you ask him to bring the ball or the puppy or Scooby he knows what to bring you. Although he is a bit large for a lap dog at 14 pounds, he does his best. Bright eyes and a big smile, that’s my little guy.
I currently have two mutts; a cardigan Welsh Corgi and something mix (Beagle…Pit Bull?) and a Shepard/Whippet and something else mix (Australian Shepard). I’m about to adobt a third, a Doberman POincher/Heeler mix as soon as my husband falls in love with her when we go visit her this Saturday at the shelter I volunteer at. We almost paid for a purebred, but after long consideration and WAITING for the litter to be born, we realized that mutts are they only ones for us.
i have 4 of the little darlings, 3chi mixed and 1 shepard/husky wouldn”t have it any other way…….they light up my world
My dog, Molly, is a Lab, Chow, German Shepherd, Cattle dog mix. She’s all personality.
I have 5 (spayed and neutered) dogs, 3 purebred poodles and two German Shepherd mixes. I love all my furry kids the same no matter what their background is.
I have never noticed the difference in love from any of them. They all love and accept us unconditionally with all their hearts.
If we ever get another dog it will be another rescue someone drops off on our country road. It doesn’t matter if it’s a purebred or mixed breed. Love is love, after all.
I have 3 fabulous mutts and a purebred rescued Aussie named Stella. Cordy is a retriever/chow/?; Hickok (as in Wild Bill) is Irish Setter/Shepherd/coyote? mix; and Callie is a Border Collie/Rotweiler/shepard mix. All that I can say is that they are a wonderful, cohesive, protective pack. I love each and every one of them. All are very sweet and very smart. Go Mutts!
I love them. All of the dogs I’ve had have been mutts including my current one. She’s a mix of Chihuahua, Jack Russel, and Pomeranian.
I have a “Sharpusky” — Shepherd/Husky/Sharpei mix who chose us from a litter of 11 puppies. She has never strayed, costs us very little in vet bills, is extremely loyal, and not one bit neurotic. She knows when to bark (at strangers at the front door) and when to stay quiet (in motel rooms). I would never have a full bred dog again!
I have a 12-year-old Maltese/Pekingese mix that I have had since she was a baby. She is smart, expressive, and a wonderful companion. She is the best!
Now, let’s all try to persuade the AKC into accepting mixed breeds into agility competitions!
My loveable mutt Taku is a border collie/husky with the markings of a border and the blue eyes and tail that can only be husky. I found her at my local humane society and she is the love of my life. I had lived many years not realising how much I missed a dog in my life. True to her northern heritage she is not a cuddly girl but when we walk and she wants to stop she herds me like a collie. She’s an absolute joy!
We have 3 Lab mixes that we rescued. When I was looking to get a dog, I was reading and reading because I wanted to find a breed known to be patient with kids. I have lots of nieces and nephews and we were working on being foster parents too.
As I read, 2 things came clear to me. 1. the bigger the dog, the better rep with kids they have and 2. pure breeds get all the bad qualitites bred with the good. So I decided to hunt for a lab mix- hoping to get the love for kids without all the health problems. I know it can be bad because my dad had a Chow that had painful hip problems.
So, we have Tristan, Madb, and Gwen. They are all very different, but are so full of love.
Madb is sweet and patient. Any child running at her and she drops and rolls so they can rub her belly. When she sleeps on the couch, you can cuddle up to her and rest your head on her (like a pillow - but I never completely rest my head for I don’t want to hurt her).
Tristan is the oldest. He is the quickest to pick up on things to learn. Sit, lay down, paw, etc. He will take his medicine when he needs some right from your hand when you tell him to. He is the least patient, but he will warn you when you have reached his limit and if that doesn’t work he just gets up and goes somewhere else. He looks like a beagle wearing a black tux and has the cutest white heart on his chest. He also has brown in his fur and his back legs, rump, etc are brown brindled like a boxer my mom once had.
Gwen is tall, blond, skinny, and active! If she was a person I would be jealous! She loves to play with all the doggy toys. She doesn’t like to share them. When you hit tennis balls for her, she runs after all of them even if she has one in her mouth. She has less patience than Madb but more than Tristan. Though, now that our son is 3 she expects more from him. When he was less than a year he could do things like pull her eyebrow over her nose but now he would not get away with that. However, she kisses him as much as she does us and we are just one big happy pack.
i am glad to see that people are starting to recognize the beauty of mutts. i have always thought of them as the best of whatever thier breeds are. i have found that quite often pure breeds have behavior and health problems. when i go to the off leash parks if a dog is having any difficulty socializing i have found it to usually be the purebreds.
I have two “hybrid” dogs. Ichiro and Ozzy. Ichiro is a Black lab, Boarder Collie mix, and Ozzy is Black lab and Chow. I love my dogs. They’re both amazing but completely different. Ichiro is the spoiled “1st child” and Ozzy really doesnt care, he goes around and does his own thing. They both have very peaceful personalities, but when the other takes their toy, all hell breaks loose. It’s amazing, I love my pups!!
Mutts are awesome! It is sad that the majority of people don’t want anything to do with them because of a stupid pedigree.
We have 3 rescued boys. One purebred Beagle, a Beagle mix and a pure All American Mutt. I’ve had purebred dogs in the past, but I’ve got to say since I found my Beagle mix, he has been the most devoted and loving dog I’ve ever had. I found the All-American Mutt about 2 yrs ago, with a no-bark shocker collar on. It took about a yr for him to finally bark without fearing a shock, and now he’s just about the most vocal of the 3. We call them our 3 stooges, and spoil them rotten, but their unconditional love and devotion is priceless. I’m definitely sold on mutts!
I am the proud human to a mutt (I like to refer to her as a pound puppy). She is a chow/border collie mix…..she is the smartest, most loving dog in the world…I believe that is her border collie side, and she also has the most awesome red hair (I also had red hair, so we get lots of attention/compliments when walking around!)…I guess her hair comes from the chow side, along with her duties as guard dog of her yard! At the dogpark the border collie comes in and she is the puppy police…rounding up all the dogs and making sure they are behaving properly in front of the humans! (she will go to the human of a dog that won’t follow her instructions and bark at the owner!) Here in the USA we are all MUTTS…we are irish, italian, english, mixed with african, asian, etc.,…I always encourage RESCUING….there is no reason to get a dog from a breeder…..you are stepping over the bodies of unwanted dogs when you go to a breeder!!
We’ve had 5 mutts as such……..they have all been great. Our first was a part boxer puppy, livliest pup, smart though. She was a very independent dog, but loved playing ball and swimming. Second one we found after someone left her on the road after hitting her with a car. They were going to call the dog warden, police said No. We had her fixed up and she was the one who would sit by you if you didn’t feel good. Third one we took from a neighbor who couldn’t take her when they moved, she had been tied up all the time and boy did she love the freedom she had with us. Fourth, we found in the middle of a busy street, tried to find an owner, but nothing. One day when we got home,he had the telephone pages all over the living room floor, when we scolded him, he ran for the kitchen. We found him with his head in the corner. He was a gorgeous dog…mostly white. Fifth, we got as a pup when my husband was at a gas station in another town, the man was ready to just let it go, so he brought her home. She was car sick the first night, but the next night, she jumped right up in our bed, got under the covers, and said “uh huh” several times, then went to sleep, and did this for several years. She still sleeps under the covers. They have all been sweet dogs, each with their own personalities and you have to learn their type, they have been loyal, obedient dogs and we loved them all. Still have the last one who cuddled up on my neck, so her name is “Cuddles”.