Questions to Ask

Purebred or Mixed Breed?

Purebred -
A purebred dog is the result of generations of careful breeding, in which certain characteristics or traits have been emphasized. A good breeder will strive to enhance the physical and mental characteristics of a particular breed, to obtain dogs that are beautiful, healthy and have appropriate temperaments. Purebred dogs will have a written record, a pedigree, that lists a dog's ancestry for three or more generations. The better the ancestry, the greater the value of the dog. If you are interested in entering your dog in competitive shows, or are looking for special characteristics, such as might be required for a good hunting dog or guard dog; then you will probably want to focus your attention on a purebred dog. The American Kennel Club, which is the largest and best known dog registry organization in the United States, can be an excellent resource to begin your breed search.

Mixed Breed -
Many dogs are the product of mixed (non-selective) breeding, which when you think about it, also happens to be true of the human race. This form of breeding results in a hybrid that shares the characteristics of both unrelated parents. When the parents are known, one can guess at the traits that will appear in the offspring, but the reverse is also true. There are many generalizations made about mixed breed versus purebred dogs, and most of these generalizations are untrue. Mixed breeds as a whole, are not smarter or dumber than a purebred dog, and in general, they are no better or worse a pet than purebred dogs. Rather, you should forget about generalizations and evaluate a mixed breed dog as an individual. You should ask yourself whether a particular dog that you have seen meets the characteristics you are looking for. By obtaining your dog from an animal shelter, the best source for mixed breed dogs, you will also likely be saving a life, since unwanted dogs are routinely euthanized. Dogs from animal shelters make excellent pets, and they generally cost a great deal less to acquire than purebred dogs. Other sections of newpe1 can provide you with more information on how to find a good dog at an animal shelter and can help you locate a shelter near you.

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