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2Huberts wrote:
I’d recommend just going to the Humane Society or your local pound and see what’s there. You’re bound to fall in love with someone. 😉
Ditto. Good luck and I truly hope you at least look at the humane society or pound before making a descision. 🙂
ruffian wrote:well according to studies the most likely purbred dog to bite is a Dachshund and the most likely dog to bite period is a mixed breed, not that that says alot since there are a heck of alot more mixed breeds than any one pure breed.
It is a huge misconception that mixed breeds are healthier, but a well bred dog from health tested parents is less likely to have health problems that a randomly bred mixed breed.
I’m including all the crap breeders out there too, backyard breeders, as well as puppy mills, which take no care as to the genetics or health of the parents. Breeders like this have ruined breeds like the German Shepard, Akita, etc. that you have mentioned. Also, because of people who don’t treat their animals well breeding things like Rotties (or any other breed), who knows how the puppies will turn out if they are mistreated like the parents?
With a mixed breed, you don’t know, but they are less likely to have BREED SPECIFIC deformities or sicknesses (resulting from poor breeding practices). Not saying they are any less likely to get sick from breeding of sick animals – but they are less likely to have problems that are considered specific to any specific breed. Theirs is more, random. They can get them, but it’s more from random chance, then from breeder error. And up here, I find there is ALOT of breeder error.
We got some pups in the SPCA because the owners bred them because they were both rotties, and wanted to sell the pups, but they were mistreating the dogs and their puppies, so they got seized in the end. The people got the male back (and kicked him on the way out for sniffing at another dog! 😯 ) but we told them they had to take and fix the puppies and the mum on their own dollar if they wanted the mum back, so they just left her there.
I didn’t say mixed breeds were less prone to biting or anything – they are unpredictable. I said that. Also, you have to factor in that most strays are mixed breeds, and scared strays are quite likely to bite.
I’m all for mixed breeds or mutts as we call em here, but I feel it can be a gamble….I just can’t make up my mind what I want. I do those breed selector quizzes and come up with anything from a border terrier to an anatolian. I did just inquire about a chocolate lab tho, she looks very sweet and is in rescue….Mini aussies catch my eye too, active but not too big, but we have cats…boxers catch my eye too, biggish goofy and great with kids(my folks have a white male and I LOVE LOVE LOVE him)….then I go back to mastiffs because they have such personalities, are great with kids and are protective….*sigh*
I’ve found that too, where people abandon their dog because they don’t want to have him/her fixed. In terms of breeding mutts, I can see the logic behind it. Someone asked us if we wanted to breed our Rott mix because she had a female that looked just like him. He looked very distinguished; some mutts stand out. We couldn’t, because we always fix our dogs, but it was the first time we’d ever been approached about breeding any of our dogs. If a dog looks good, people want to continue the line. Unfortunately, it’s not just about looks. Our dog was mean and aggressive, and in hindsight, I wouldn’t have wanted those traits passed on. I think many factors should be taken into account before you breed any dog. Just my two cents.
Eleu wrote:Hmm..have you tried looking on petfinder? You could look at several area shelters without having to drive to them all. :* I love all animals, but I have to say that I had several ChowChows when I was a teenager and they are WONDERFUL dogs.
I was going to say the same thing. I know chows have a bad reputation but I have had 4 of them 2 boys and 2 girls and all of them have been big babies and loved to play with the neighbors kids and other dogs. They are very protective of their families and make great watch dogs. Although I may have t take the watch dog part back when it comes to Tristen – chicken chow – he hides behind my legs if something scares him.
Also I would like to add that if you decide on a specific breed find a breeder that has shown and/or bred the dog and it is several years old. Often times they make great pets and quite often have been housebroken as well as trained and many times the breeder will just give you the dog because they want a good home for him/her. I find kittens and puppies are cute but dogs and cats are easier to live with.
Have you thought about a Whippet or Greyhound? Yes I know they look really skinny and some people think they look funny. I’ve known a few people who said they are great pets. Like kids and as for walking, as long as they get out to run somewhere once a day, they are actually couch potatos! They don’t shed much and with all the racetracks in the states, there are quite a few who are in need of new homes.
Just a thought 😉Or a beagle – though my experiance has been that they are too smart for their own good!
I am mostly staying out of this because I am way too passionate, and have been researching breeds/dogs and all that for way too long (over 2 decades now) but Dragon that assumption that Mutts don’t have Breed Specific health problems has actually been proven false more than a decade ago. The Mixed(or crossed) breed actually inherits the defective genes from both breeds. Resulting in the pups having both sets of defective genes. Dalmatian Breeders actually discovered this in the 60’s & 70’s. There was 3 breeders who were allowed to “experiment” with this theory and breed to a few handpicked Setters/pointers (I haven’t brushed up in a year or more, and my exacting memory sometimes glitches) however the Pups from these litters and the second Generations had both health problems of the original breeds. (That’s the short story) I can go on and on about this but the long and short of it is they figured they’d had so few actual Genetic defects to begin with it wasn’t worth it to carry on the experiment and all of the 3rd Generations were removed from both Gene pools.
For the most part I am with Ruffian on finding a reputable breeder. Our breeder for our next (and we want a show and possibly foundation/breeding dog/bitch) Dally breeds maybe 1 litter a year or 2, yet works with 2 other breeders so that they have a combined litter a year.
Lupin wrote:I am mostly staying out of this because I am way too passionate, and have been researching breeds/dogs and all that for way too long (over 2 decades now) but Dragon that assumption that Mutts don’t have Breed Specific health problems has actually been proven false more than a decade ago. The Mixed(or crossed) breed actually inherits the defective genes from both breeds. Resulting in the pups having both sets of defective genes. Dalmatian Breeders actually discovered this in the 60’s & 70’s. There was 3 breeders who were allowed to “experiment” with this theory and breed to a few handpicked Setters/pointers (I haven’t brushed up in a year or more, and my exacting memory sometimes glitches) however the Pups from these litters and the second Generations had both health problems of the original breeds. (That’s the short story) I can go on and on about this but the long and short of it is they figured they’d had so few actual Genetic defects to begin with it wasn’t worth it to carry on the experiment and all of the 3rd Generations were removed from both Gene pools.
For the most part I am with Ruffian on finding a reputable breeder. Our breeder for our next (and we want a show and possibly foundation/breeding dog/bitch) Dally breeds maybe 1 litter a year or 2, yet works with 2 other breeders so that they have a combined litter a year.
I give up. I meant the ones that BOTH PARENTS have to have genes. Then the pups may be carriers, but never show symptoms.
But obviously I am ignorant and stupid so I am going to go away for now. I didn’t say they didn’t have them, I said they had a smaller chance. Seems everything I say is completely wrong. I need to cool off.
Dragon87 wrote:ruffian wrote:well according to studies the most likely purbred dog to bite is a Dachshund and the most likely dog to bite period is a mixed breed, not that that says alot since there are a heck of alot more mixed breeds than any one pure breed.
It is a huge misconception that mixed breeds are healthier, but a well bred dog from health tested parents is less likely to have health problems that a randomly bred mixed breed.
I’m including all the crap breeders out there too, backyard breeders, as well as puppy mills, which take no care as to the genetics or health of the parents. Breeders like this have ruined breeds like the German Shepard, Akita, etc. that you have mentioned. Also, because of people who don’t treat their animals well breeding things like Rotties (or any other breed), who knows how the puppies will turn out if they are mistreated like the parents?
With a mixed breed, you don’t know, but they are less likely to have BREED SPECIFIC deformities or sicknesses (resulting from poor breeding practices). Not saying they are any less likely to get sick from breeding of sick animals – but they are less likely to have problems that are considered specific to any specific breed. Theirs is more, random. They can get them, but it’s more from random chance, then from breeder error. And up here, I find there is ALOT of breeder error.
We got some pups in the SPCA because the owners bred them because they were both rotties, and wanted to sell the pups, but they were mistreating the dogs and their puppies, so they got seized in the end. The people got the male back (and kicked him on the way out for sniffing at another dog! 😯 ) but we told them they had to take and fix the puppies and the mum on their own dollar if they wanted the mum back, so they just left her there.
I didn’t say mixed breeds were less prone to biting or anything – they are unpredictable. I said that. Also, you have to factor in that most strays are mixed breeds, and scared strays are quite likely to bite.
Actually no it is the breeders breeding to the standard set by each of those particular breeds breed clubs that has ruined those breeds, IMO. Breeding English Bulldogs to the extreme that is preferred in the show ring, the wide head and narrow hips has produced a dog that can not breed naturally or give birth naturally, on top of the numerous health problems in the breed, Pugs are being bred to the same extremes but have fewer health problems. The American Akita looks little like what a true Akita looks like, so much so that in most KC’s they have split the breed in to the American Akita and the Akita Inu, except in the CKC and AKC. The German Shepherd has been bred to look as if is it stacked all the time, roached back and back legs over angulated, ending in dogs with back and hip problems, all so it looks ring in the ring. There are breeders who are working at repairing some of the damage that has been done, importing GSD’s from Germany, and health testing EB’s, in the case of American Akitas, there are people who are working to get Akita Inus recognized in the CKC and the AKC.
The thing with “breed specific” health problems very very few are only that are actually “breed specific”.
PDC, the problem with breeding 2 mixed breeds, even if they look alike, the genes are not set and the pups are very very unlikely to look anything like either parent. Pug/beagle crosses are a good example of this, when the breed a pug to a beagle the pups all tend to end up fawn with beagle ears, and a pushed in nose, although size varies alot, there is the odd black one. Now people found when they breed two pug/beagle crosses to each other the offspring have looked more like either beagles or pugs, but not like the puggles.
In the end, it wasn’t about genetics or defects/health issues, for us (though it is always something to keep in mind, since it does cost to go to the vet and is heartbreaking to have a pet with health issues).
It was the desire to take a dog in that not only fit with our family, but needed a home, or could face death for no reason other than there was no home for him/her fast enough.
We (humans) have caused this problem with an overpopulation of companion animals by being irresponsible. The HSUS estimates that animal shelters care for between 6–8 million dogs and cats every year in the United States, of whom approximately 3–4 million are euthanized. At this time The HSUS can only estimate these figures because there is no central data reporting agency for animal shelters.
There is no way to save them all, and truly not every animal is suitable for living with human companions. But it is heart warming and rewarding to look into our dog’s eyes and know that they were saved because we chose to adopt rather than buy. 🙂
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My art: featherdust.comI say no more hijacking of this thread over genetics/breed specific whatevers. I was wrong ok? Can’t we just leave it at that?
Petfinder.com is awesome and they have all kinds of dogs and new ones every day. I wish you were in Hawaii… I have 3 pups available right now! 😆
ruffian wrote:PDC, the problem with breeding 2 mixed breeds, even if they look alike, the genes are not set and the pups are very very unlikely to look anything like either parent. Pug/beagle crosses are a good example of this, when the breed a pug to a beagle the pups all tend to end up fawn with beagle ears, and a pushed in nose, although size varies alot, there is the odd black one. Now people found when they breed two pug/beagle crosses to each other the offspring have looked more like either beagles or pugs, but not like the puggles.
Thank you for the information. We’ve never bothered to research it because we don’t have dogs to breed them, but it’s good to know. I saw the female they wanted to breed our dog with. Honestly, they looked like littermates, they looked so much alike! 😯
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