Hello again!
If you adopt a mutt from a shelter, you're literally saving a life. Even if you aren't adopting from a kill shelter, you've just freed up space for another homeless canine to come in instead of being shipped to the pound or worse.
You can look a purebred dog owner in the eye and say with complete confidence that they will never be able to find a dog that is exactly like yours! Mutts are truly one-of-a-kind! Even littermates can look very different from one another.
Mixed breeds tend to have lots of personality! Even more importantly, many are easy to train because they have a blend of characteristics rather than all traits of just one breed.
Most purebred dogs include a list of potential health problems in their breed profiles. These conditions are less common in mutts because they are mixed breeds and are less likely to carry the defective genes. The average lifespan of a mutt is longer than that of most purebred canines. Of course the difference will vary by breed, but it is still something that gives mutts an advantage in the eyes of potential adopters. If you'd rather have a loving companion with fewer health concerns, then a mutt is a great way to go!
It’s been mentioned before, but it’s a significant factor to consider. If you adopt a purebred pup, expect to pay for it - and that’s only for adopting the dog and not the vet checkup or puppy shots he or she may need. Along with that adoption fee, purebreds also tend to have specific needs that make them rather expensive to own. This will vary based on the individual breed, but grooming and vet care can get well into the hundreds or even thousands. In most cases, you'll spend less on a mutt over it's entire lifespan.
Families searching for a purebred must spend a lot of time investigating breeders to make sure they are up to par. With a mutt, all you have to do is go to your local dog shelter and you have a variety of quality pets to choose from without the extensive breeder background checks!
Unless you want a show dog, there’s no sense in shelling out a lot of money for a purebred pup. Some communities have started hosting casual mixed breed shows, so you may still have some opportunities to participate even if you do own a mutt.
Some people see a pit bull or German shepherd and immediately become fearful. Others see a toy breed and assume the dog is friendly and huggable. It is harder to make these assumptions with a mutt, which means your dog gets a clean slate when meeting new people! There are also fewer preconceptions about specific breed features and attributes. No one will ever tell you that your dog’s posture, fur pattern or ears are “wrong” based on breed standards. Your mutt sets his or her own standards!
Some purebred dogs are considered very valuable which attracts the attention of thieves. Fortunately, mutts aren’t viewed this way so they are far less likely to be stolen for monetary gain.
Since they get the best of both worlds, mixed breeds tend to be trainable, intelligent and have a generous amount of common sense. While these traits will vary from one dog to the next, this is the general rule in most cases.
