Purebred or mix? And how to research purebred dogs

Purebred or a Mix?

My own dogs have mostly been mutts.  I prefer to save a life, and it is generally harder for the local shelter to place mixes than purebred dogs.  On the other hand, I can well understand why some of my friends desire purebred dogs.  They want a carefully-bred dog that is likely to have a particular temperament, for example, or they want a dog that can easily be trained to perform a particular kind of work.  I have learned through experience that a ball-crazy border collie can be much more easily trained for Flyball than many other dogs.  If I wanted a retriever for duck-hunting, I would probably try to find a well-bred Labrador from strong hunting lines.  It is also easier to get an idea of the adult size of a purebred puppy than a mix.  On the other hand, I love my mutts! I have enjoyed working with them to find out what their individual strengths are and what each likes to do, and I wouldn’t trade them for any other dog in the world!   

The Purebred Dog

If you decide to adopt or purchase a purebred dog, you should first research the various breeds to find out more about the various dogs’ temperament, needs, typical health issues, etc.  Breed research is even helpful if you plan to get a mixed-breed, in case you can find out (or make an educated guess) regarding the mutt’s parentage.  There are many books and numerous websites to explore for this purpose.  The American Kennel Club (AKC) and United Kennel Club (UKC) websites have detailed information about most breeds.

 Once you have narrowed down your search, you will also find it a very useful technique to research the national breed club websites and any available breed rescue sites before making a final decision.   I find the better breed-rescue sites provide a wealth of honest information about temperament and health issues common to the breed.  Some strains of Italian Greyhounds, for example, break their legs easily and unexpectedly when young.  Australian Cattle Dogs (also known as Blue Heelers, Red Heelers, and Queensland Heelers) tend to be active, intelligent dogs that are suspicious of strangers and protective of their property and family.  Chows can be aloof and independent.  Many of the bull breeds, and particularly Pit Bulls, become dog-aggressive as they reach maturity, even when trained, socialized with other dogs as puppies, and otherwise loved and “raised right.”  Responsible owners will keep pits out of dog parks after the age of nine months (or even earlier if they show any signs of dog aggression).  I learned all of these facts about these types of dogs from their respective breed-club or breed-rescue sites. 

Many purebreds tend to have particular needs regarding exercise and grooming. Be sure to be committed to meeting these needs in terms of time and money.  My own rescue, Elvis, is a pure-bred Walker Hound rescued from our local shelter, which takes in many hounds and beagles. I knew before I brought him home that young Walkers have extremely high energy levels. They can make good house pets if given off-leash running or miles of walking every day. He burns off lots of energy playing with our other dogs, but he still begs for walks and gets into mischief when he does not get enough walking, even now that he’s approaching middle age. He steals items from our kitchen or den, for example, and races with them through the dog-door to pile them up in our backyard, where our rescued beagle chews them up. Luckily, I did my research first and have been prepared to meet Elvis’ needs. When he acts up, I realize his behavior is normal, and I blame myself rather than my dog. Time for a walk, and to put items out of his reach.

One site with good information about breeds that commonly wind up in animal shelters is available through the Petfinder.com online library.  There are also some free online quizzes such as at SelectSmart.com that can help you find appropriate breeds of dogs for you. Once you have narrowed down your breed(s), by all means, attend some dog shows and make connections with some breeders to learn some of the finer points about pedigrees and what to look for.

Beware of any site that recommends “rare breeds.”  Many rare breed registries are disreputable and try to make money off of an unsuspecting public.  Also beware of breeders who advertise “rare colors” in your breed.  Any markings or discolorations that do not appear in the official breed standards make the dog less valuable, not more.  You might like the mis-markings in a pet-quality dog, but you should certainly not pay more for them!  Certain colors are associated with health problems, such as deafness, in various breeds, and are unacceptable by breed standards for this very reason.  White American Bulldogs and German Shepherds are prone to being deaf, for example. Doing your homework now can save you frustration later.