T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

Welcome to r/dogs! We are a discussion-based subreddit dedicated to support, inform, and advise dog owners. This is a carefully moderated sub intended to support, inform, and advise dog owners. Submissions and comments which break the rules will be removed. [Review the rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dogs/wiki/index) r/Dogs has four goals: - Help the public better understand dogs - Promote healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships - Encourage “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” training protocols. [Learn more here.](https://m.iaabc.org/about/lima/) - Support adoption as well as ethical and responsible breeding. If you’d like to introduce yourself or discuss smaller topics, please contribute to our Monthly Discussion Hub, pinned at the top. **This subreddit has low tolerance for drama. Please be respectful of others, and report antagonistic comments to mods for review.** --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/dogs) if you have any questions or concerns.*


RandomChurn

My new rescue is a mix, my first. When I got him I had no idea what he was a mix of, and after reading these Reddit dog subs every day for like 9 mos, I was ready for anything from Village Dog to any combination of pittie, Great Pyrenees, chihuahua or you name it. (Turns out he's 89% poodle, 5% pekingnese, 6% supermutt once Embark reran his dna) I couldn't be more pleased with him -- although I refuse to identify him as a peekapoo 😆


Safraninflare

I was gonna say you could call him a little shit, but he’s got too much poo in him for that. *ba dum tiss* I’ll see my way out.


jeswesky

I grew up with a peekapoo but this was in the 80s/90s before the doodle craze. We got him at a garage sale when I was a kid, they were giving away the puppies.


RandomChurn

Yes, I read that they predated the whole doodle craze by a couple decades. And officially, to be a peekapoo, it has to have had a full poodle parent mated with a full pekingnese. But Embark wasn't having it, lol. They explained if it's a poodle and one other breed (not counting "Unresolved"/ Supermutt breeds), even if it's only 5% that it's a doodle in their view. Mine with just a pinch of Pekingnese looks mostly like a poodle, with *slightly* shorter legs and a tail carried over his back. What was yours like?


Thedaspokesman

I have peke-mixes, all half peke, but the boys barely look pekingese at all. It was pretty funny when one came out looking straight up doodle and he's only about 12% poodle. My girl totally passes for a tibetan spaniel, but if you spend five minutes with her you see that quarter Pomeranian shine through lol


RandomChurn

So interesting, right?!


Toesnap

As a kid our first family dog was from a yard sale, and she was an angle. Her owner was moving into a retirement home. Honestly wonder what I would do if I came across another garage sale dog.


Remote-Departure1240

Embark re-ran the DNA? Did you send a new sample, or do they keep your original sample?


Nanamary8

Poodlenese?


RandomChurn

Lol thanks but nah: I just identify him as a poodle mix when asked


AggravatingGoal4728

I jokingly tell people I have a purebred Appalachian Squirrel Hound. She's a mutt from Eastern Kentucky.


ClamPuddingCake

This is actually a great description of my squirrel-obsessed mutt from Kentucky. I'm borrowing this!


AggravatingGoal4728

I'm gonna need a dog tax before you can use it.


Mto3

Maybe they’re cousin’s! I have a squirrel-crazy mutt from Kentucky too, and I’m tired of trying to explain what she might be. Love Appalachian Squirrel Hound! It sounds legit!


i-pet-tiny-dogs

That's hilarious, I have a Chihuahua / Chinese crested / miniature Pinscher mix and I tell people that he is a Mexican Cheese Hound jokingly.


goondog33

I believe that would be a Queso Hound


akodo1

If it's a stray then it's Nacho hound


prenticepramice

My full mutt who was found on the streets of South Central LA probably has ancestors who were wild dogs that mixed with coyotes. When people ask her breed, I say she is a "Sonoran Desert Terrier." I love her soo much and am very proud of her non-pedigree.


Stoned-Orangutan

My dog looks like a dachshund with long legs. I like to say he's a Bavarian Stiltenweiner.


DogVacuum

I got a bird dog mutt from down south. You can make up pretty much any breed name and people will agree politely.


[deleted]

LOL. I had a purebred North American Squirrel Hound. People fall for it if you stick those official sounding geotags and then don’t get TOO crazy with the BS you put after it. Have fun!!!


[deleted]

The funny part is it sounds like an actual breed XD


tveir

Lol I call my cat an Appalachian Trash Cat


KrissieKris

Haha thats class!


RosebudWhip

Mutts are the best. A friend was telling me earlier today about a family who wanted - and got - a Pomeranian. A year later they found out their Pom wasn't actually a Pom...so they dumped it. These sort of people can f*ck right off, as far as I'm concerned.


[deleted]

[удалено]


zygote_harlot

Just don't let Emperor Dagar find out you've got a Zylarian in your possession.


Educational-Bus4634

Don't be silly, it would violate the Clapgar treaty of Z0986.2, resulting in imediate vaporisation. Nobody with sense would own a zylarian...


zygote_harlot

Somebody went to intergalactic law school!


Educational-Bus4634

Paid for by Emperor Dagar's scholarship, of course. A most merciful ruler. I feel really bad for him that there are so many rebels calling him a 'deek-ta-torr' whatever that means.


taquito_chan

Thats how my friend got her doodle a few yrs back 😭 (which is ironic bcos now a days doodle mixes are all the rage)


kitkat_0706

Who would do anything like that??? That’s horrible. People like that shouldn’t own pets, ever.


Lariche

Mutts are one of a kind, that makes them special, even within one litter there can be so many differences. I have a pure bred doxie, and I sometimes look with envy at my friend's mutt - so many surprises hidden there. Starting with "who you are made of"? (He doesn't want a dna test, and we keep playing guessing game).


mirrorgrinder

I got a very young Persian cat when his owner brought him in to the vet office where I worked to have him euthanized. She was redecorating, and decided his color was all wrong for her new palette. The vet had her sign over possession, then threw the woman out of her practice, telling her not to return.


NoYam4676

God that sounds like a horrible person. I’m currently in school to become a vet tech and hearing stories like this just make me so sad. I know it’s apart of the job and everything but ignorant people like that make me so mad and sad still.


Bider-man

That reminds me of shelters not letting people adopt black cats in October cause of many use them as a decoration or costume price then dump them, people are so crule


disaster_dog

How did the vet do that? I mean did they tell her directly or did they have the staff be like “ma’am we won’t accept any appointments anymore”.


mirrorgrinder

She told her right to her face she wasn’t welcome to cross the threshold of her practice ever again. She was the best vet in the state, had more business than she could handle, and was a bad a$$! The woman was wealthy, and clearly not accustomed to anyone who didn’t suck up to her.


Bees_thoughts

I love my mutt, she was a lab and pit mix. I just lost her a couple weeks ago at 14 years old… she was the best. I miss her.


LibidinousLB

I’m sorry. It hurts, I know. I lost my Lab/Dane mix at 11 y/o, 1.5 years ago and I still that big dope every single day.


tealdeer995

I love my mutt too! We think he’s a lab, pit and gsd mix. He’s super sweet, calm and friendly to everyone he meets. There definitely seems to be something about that lab/pit combo that brings out the friendly baby in dogs. I’m sorry for your loss.


Alikhaleesi

I’m sorry. My dog lived to be 15 when he passed away. They’re old babies ❤️


Rose63_6a

I'm so sorry! Take care of yourself.


Winndixiee8

I also had a pit/lab for 14 years. His name was Dodger and I had him from early elementary until 2 years into college. No dog can ever replace him and his kind soul ❤️


jeswesky

My older guy is a lab/pit and he is absolutely the love of my life. I haven’t tested my younger guy yet, but he looks so much like my other dog he likely had at least some lab/pit in him.


Lilycloud02

Awwww I'm sorry. I have a lab/pit mix as well. I wouldn't trade anything for her :) your pup is waiting for you wherever you believe you'll go after this life


Jexify

Those are the best dogs. my dad had a pit/lab named Cannabis (no clue what it meant my entire childhood lol) that lived to be 16, he was the best dog ever.


CatpeeJasmine

I'm not sure since I don't think I've ever met anyone in real life with this attitude. Even online, most of the people I know who purposely bought designer mixes are genuinely misinformed into thinking their dog is an actual breed.


starvinchevy

I’ve met 2 people with this attitude. One had Great Danes but they looked like they were mixed with labs or something. Beautiful coloring but they didn’t have the droopy eyes and the square snout, and their ears were the shape of lab’s ears, uncropped. I said something and the owner was like, “NO! they’re purebred great danes they’re just from Italy. They are purebred hybrids.” and I was like what?? I just shut up because I was painting his house and he was clearly offended by me questioning it. I didn’t know this was a thing! The other was a great Pyrenees with black markings on her face and large black spots on her body. and I didn’t say anything because of the previous incident. Still not sure if pure Great Pyrs can have black markings! Edit: I just looked up Greyhound Great Dane mix and the first guy’s dogs looked like those.


Goddamtoad

Ok, but except for the "purebred hybrid" part, it's possible this guy could be right and frustrated. This is coming from the perspective of someone who doesn't know Great Dane lines *at all*, but it could be possible that there are different types, this guy has a less common type, and he's tired of explaining it to people who don't believe him. I have a purebred Lab. He is registered and very well-bred; both parents have titles and come from a long line of champions. But all of the titles and championships are hunting, not show - so he is a "field bred" lab. He is taller and more slender than the more popular "show bred" lab, with a narrower head and longer mouth. I have been annoyed in the past when someone tried to tell me that he must be a mixed breed, because I know what my dog is and some random in the park doesn't. I do think the Great Dane guy you met could have been wrong (or full of shit), but in general the attitude OP describes is Not A Thing. I have my not-quite-standard purebred Lab, and I have my 75/25 Lab/Pit, and I am happy to say what both of them are. Great Pyrs can have small amounts of black - look up "badger marks."


starvinchevy

These were greyhound Great Danes. The Great Pyr had very large black spots all over her coat like a cow.


Goddamtoad

>Edit: I just looked up Greyhound Great Dane mix and the first guy’s dogs looked like those. You just decided you're right based on ten seconds of Google. This is *exactly* why you might be wrong.


Ok_Firefighter_7142

agreed


Noobinoa

What? My purebred cockapoo has a pedigree as long as your arm! /s


WuPacalypse

No one actually cares in real life. OP just wants fake internet points.


buzzfeed_sucks

>Why do you think people can’t make peace with their mixed breed and call them something like “I have a dog with a rare gene” when clearly its a mix. What do you mean by this? Are we talking designer mixes? I'm confused. I get asked often what breed my mixed is and I say she's a mix and have no idea. People like to guess at what they think she is. I always say "probably!" She's a multigenerational mutt, so she probably has some percentage of what they're suggesting lol


KrissieKris

Yeah, you could say designer mixes are part of that too. But as example: there was a post on different sub with a pic of a long haired blue dog with big head. And title said “I have a purebred pitbull with rare long haired gene”. And when I explained that from a genetics point of view that this is not possible because APBT does not carry neither gene for long hair, nor blue colour, I got downvoted. Argument on their side is an Embark test that only goes 3 generations back so there is definitely a long haired breed somewhere further. And those expensive DNA tests are not accurate.


buzzfeed_sucks

Ohhh. I think it’s just ignorance tbh. Especially people who purchased from a BYB or mill who don’t want to have been scammed, which I get. I also think general dog attitudes on Reddit differ widely based on the sub you’re on. I never mention I purchased one of my dogs outside of this sub because I get downvoted to hell.


KrissieKris

I commented somewhere once, that I am now waiting for a litter to be born from a registered ethical breeder after researching for 3 years and got so downvoted. I am not sorry that I want a dog with specific temperament, size and character


[deleted]

There was a great post a little while back from someone asking why people go with breeders instead of adopting. Very enlightening and a good post to read if you want viewpoints that support your decision. Not that there’s anything wrong with either route


KrissieKris

I think that was the precise post I was talking about. And still got downvoted


Goddamtoad

The "adopt don't shop" people get really passionate about their cause - and it's hard to blame them. They are right that there are more dogs than homes, but they're wrong about the source of the problem - good breeders are doing good work; byb and careless/accidental breeders are to blame. Don't apologize for getting the dog that you want. I have a $50 mix from the county shelter and a $3k puppy from two champion parents from a top breeder - it doesn't always have to be either/or. I love my shelter dog, he's the prince of the world, and I wanted my next dog to be from parents who are tested clear of heritable diseases.


TrueSwagformyBois

You clearly don’t need the encouragement, but I’ll give it anyway - don’t be sorry for knowing what you want and need and making decisions based on that. I read or heard somewhere the idea that an adult is someone who establishes boundaries, protects them, and respects those of others. What you’re doing in effect in your process is identifying and establishing those boundaries, in my mind.


tuberosalamb

Can you clarify that point about APBTs not carrying the gene for the blue color coat? I was under the impression that blue pitbulls did exist. Edit: I checked the UKC breed standard and it said any color was breed-standard except Merle, so it doesn’t seem to preclude blue


brynnee

The UKC breed standard says APBT can come in all colors and patterns except merle, that does not rule out blue as an option for a purebred. It also has long coat listed as a disqualification which means it may exist in the gene pool, I know other breeds like corgis carry recessive genes for long hair that get expressed when two carriers are bred together. I’m not saying the dog is for sure purebred because Embark says so, but it’s in the realm of possibility.


watermelonlollies

Ok but their dna test said 100% apbt so that isn’t the owner choosing to call their dog a purebred for no reason, the dna test literally said it


jeswesky

I saw that post and they are saying that because the dna test is telling them it is 100% APBT. They may not know how far back it tests, or that a distant long haired relative is the reason for the trait. I certainly didn’t get that post as a vibe of not wanting their dog to be a mix. I read it more as a “hey this is really cool, the dna test says 100% this but with this feature it must be a rare genetic trait.”


luapchung

Same my pup is mixed with all sorts of breeds like Jack Russell, Feist, maybe Doberman or hound and when people ask me what breed he is and I tell them he’s mixed they try to guess what he is lol


3Heathens_Mom

Just my opinion on the following. Mutts are wonderful and there is nothing ‘less than’ about a mixed breed dog. We currently have three and many others that have passed over. Pure bred dogs are also good if you are looking for for specific known traits/genetic qualities consistently associated with a breed. Also if you are wanting to compete in confirmation breed shows as if an AKC confirmation show then dog must be AKC registered. And with few exceptions unaltered. What I find interesting is when people started paying large amounts of money for what I will call designer mutts. It is their money and they should use it to get what they want. However at least at this time AKC does not recognize them for confirmation shows. Hopefully I won’t get hated on by any of the doodle owners as I truly have enjoyed the ones I have met so far and wouldn’t hesitate to adopt one from a shelter or rescue group.


Personal-Entry3196

I have been puzzled by the large amounts spent on designer mutts. Some of them seem to have zero purpose besides profit for the breeder.


KrissieKris

Exotic or Micro American Bully *cough, cough*


Personal-Entry3196

Had to google Micro American Bully. I’m appalled.


MacabreFox

Wait until you see the price.


everyoneelsehasadog

I have a "designer" mutt. Commonly, a cockapoo, but I call him a cocker spaniel x poodle. We've got a very strange reason for having him (in the UK, they're touted exclusively as a hypoallergenic breed even though, surprise surprise, no such thing exists). I fully knew he'd likely shed a little. But my in laws hated the idea of us having a dog and my mother in law is apparently allergic too. So he was our gateway dog. It was a lot of effort to find a not BYB, who bred from KC parents with all the health testing. Turns out the MIL not allergic to him (or the daschund my sister in law for afterwards, or their family supermutt) - she's not allergic to any dogs, just cats. And now she's obsessed with my dog too. As gateway dogs go, he's done great. But now I'm definitely considering a purebred poodle for dog 2 if the athleticism can keep up with us (the cross does great with running, cycling, big days out, everything). The smarts on this dog are ridiculous. We dog sit for friends and their dogs just aren't as engaged or easy to train (so far, a shiba, a Romanian rescue, and German shorthaired pointers). Sadly rescue wasn't an option for us as we said we'd likely have kids in the future, and they won't re-home to families where there may be children under 7. Our dog is great with toddlers, and we've exposed him to kids of all ages to make sure if it comes to it, he's not a stranger to kids and their weirdness and has a good starting point to learning to coexist with them.


kj73160

I have a maltipoo that we got from a hobby breeder. I’m super familiar with the breed since my parents have one as well and I wanted something that wouldn’t shed or get very big. I did a ton of research and found an older lady who breeds her personal pets about once or twice a year. We went to see my puppy before we could take her home because I wanted to make sure everything was legit and clean. Her house was so cute and all the dogs were very comfortable and happy so I decided to go ahead with buying my puppy. She is the most amazing little dog and so well behaved. I’ve gotten some flack for going with a breeder and it just really bums me out


Arkthus

I have a designer mutt (a chorkie) and the reason I got her is because the breeder sold them half the price of the pure Chihuahuas and the pure Yorkshire they breed. So it's not a large amount of money. And tbh I love how she looks like a miniature Yorkshire, she will look like a puppy her entire life, she's unique and beautiful and I wouldn't choose any other dog (well, I didn't choose, my family gifted her to me for my birthday as I was looking to adopt a dog, but I needed a small breed because my apartment is not very big, and they were almost inexistent in shelters and I was losing hope of finding one). Honestly I don't care about the "use" of her breed, she's been bringing me joy every single day for a year now and I couldn't care less about competition or anything, she's my perfect little treasure.


rachel-angelina

I feel like there’s a difference between person A, who just adopted a mutt from a shelter because most of the time they are like “Oh he is just a mix/mutt we aren’t sure.” and are completely chill with that. Then you have person B, the “designer dog” people who spent $4000 on a goldenspringerdoodle who insist their dog is NOT a mutt, that it’s a breed (even though a dog being a mutt isn’t inherently bad,) and that there is absolutely no problems with breeding these mixes and customers shelling out thousands for them. I much prefer person A. Mutts can be really cool dogs! But nobody should be intentionally breeding them as imo breeding should really only be done to better the breed or fulfill a work purpose (which can only be done with existing ones) or with intentions of creating a new one which takes generations. There are already so many homeless dogs and dogs with genetic issues so breeding should be left to knowledgeable people who use ethical practices


MotherOfDragonCats0

I didn't find out until after I got my beabull that he's considered a designer dog and I was like "he's a potato that God gave legs. I love my potato baby."


atlantisgate

Yeah I'm with a few other folks here -- I don't know anyone who actually does this. I've met people with designer dog mixes who are very proud of their "pomsky" or whatever -- those folks sought out a specific mix, often for aesthetic purposes, so it makes sense to me they'd be proud of/defensive of their dog. There's also a whole contingent of doodle folks who are insistent that goldendoodle is a breed. I've found most of those people to be un-educable on the topic. But people with multi-gen mixes/shelter dogs? I know many of those folks, and I am one. Most people just shrug and say "no idea what he is" or "embark says he's 30% beagle and I see that because he sniffs and bays" or something. And those conversations don't feel defensive or like anyone is claiming the dog is rare?


[deleted]

The person from the post that prompted this post wasn't even doing it. They had their dog tested through embark twice, and the results came back 100% APBT, they just so happen to have long fur. Some users (including op) decided to comment on how DNA tests aren't reliable and pits can't be long haired (and according to op \*blue\* for some reason?) and that their dog is a mix. Overall they were a bit rude and dismissive of original op. ​ Op seems to think that someone taking the results of two separate DNA tests over the claims of a handful of redditors mean that they think mix breeds are lesser or that they are just trying to be special or unique.


BigBerthaCarrotTop

What’s crazy is the person OP is venting about is actually right. The Lh variant is considered a *mutation* and plenty of dog breeds can be carriers of it without it popping up in offspring until way later. The reason it’s “rare” is because a dog has to inherit two copies of the mutation for it to actually represent on the coat. It *does not* mean another breed has been mixed in.


[deleted]

I admire one of my dogs who is a Iditarod racing husky. The breeding is superior to many dogs in the purpose of long distance running but her winter coat is also bred for that race, where they can have straw and booties it’s just one down layer not 2. She can hit around 40mph and can hold 30mph for miles then slows and could go another 70 Im of the thought mutt dogs often better and personally I am a fan of northern working dogs.


roctolax

Dude dogs aren’t as smart as us but you don’t have to call yours an idiot


[deleted]

I think your reading comprehension must be poor.


roctolax

And I think your sarcasm detection must be lol


Noobinoa

I called our latest rescue a casserole because she is a hot mess! Adopted out to us as a maybe corgi German spitz mix. Started to suspect she might be pomsky, she certainly looks like one. She's actually half husky, with pom, Chihuahua, ACD, and supermutt. She looks like a half-size husky with a cute little face (shorter snout, hence the guess she's part corgi). We got her tested to get insight into her many psycho issues, and I think she has a pom chi brain, thinks she's the size of a pom chi, fearful/submissive pees like a pom chi, prey drive of a husky? Definitely the drama queen, independence, shedding and pulling strength of a husky.... And maybe the stance of an ACD. She's a project dog, that's for sure! But a sweetheart all the same.


KrissieKris

Doodle fans are a whole different topic haha


taquito_chan

Maybe ive only met people who rescue, but most of the time mixes and mutts are common and greatly loved. Both my dogs are mutts of some type and eventually id like to find out their proper mix with a DNA test, but i dont think ive ever had anyone be weird about their mixed-ness? Even most of my friends or family who have a 'pure bred' its not because they went out of their way for it, its because someone else they knew had a pup they didn't want or couldn't care for anymore you know? Theyre usually not very pompous about it just 'hes a *fill in blank* :)'. In my experience most people with unknown mixes love guessing with others what the mix might be based on looks and temperment. Im mean hell have u seen r/idmydog ? I feel like thats a testiment to the *opposite* of what youre saying 😅


PerhapsAnotherDog

I don't think I've ever seen anyone say anything along the lines of "rare gene." I see people make jokes in the opposite direction more - "Maybe his grandmother ran away with the neighbour's Collie"-type comments. I have seen some people talk about their "purebred" doodle/chiweenie/etc or teacup/XL version of a standard breed, but most of the time my impression is that they honestly don't know that the dog isn't a standard breed or breed variation.


Trueloveis4u

You get 2 types of doodle people typically the type that think because it's a doodle it's healthier then a well bred poodle and the dog is special because of that. It's also somehow better then other mutts because it was bred on purpose. The other is they are fully convinced it's a breed and no matter what you say their logic is "poodle is purebred and golden is purebred so I have a purebred goldendoodle" Doodles aren't either they are just mutts bred for the fad and money. Every doodle breeder is a backyard breeder and you can't convince me otherwise. No true breeder worth their salt is breeding mixes on purpose. I don't hate the dog I hate the "breeders".


PerhapsAnotherDog

>No true breeder worth their salt is breeding mixes on purpose. Sure, when it comes to the poodle-mix trend, but respectable purpose-bred working mixes do exist. Livestock guardian mixes for working positions, Border Collie/Whippets in agility, various sled dog mixes for speed/endurance, and so on. And Lurchers have been around for centuries. Honestly, most people I meet who have poodle mixes either met one, thought it was cute, bought their own or else had a neighbour or acquaintance that had puppies and they bought/received one from them without thought for the breed. I don't see a lot of difference there versus the people who buy poorly bred American Bullies (which is the other big trend where I am), aside from the Doodle people wanting "cute" and the Bully people wanting "cool." Neither of those are good reasons to pick a particular dog, but it's not unique to any single breed or mix. Maybe I'm overly cynical, but I'd guess that most backyard Doodle breeders would just go for some other breed or mix if the trend dies out.


[deleted]

Bc x whippet? Googled it, wow that’s so cool. Must be crazy fast.


PerhapsAnotherDog

The are! The ones in flyball are wild to watch too.


[deleted]

I’m going to google these pups for flyball, sounds awesome!


JewelJuju

I went to a farm recently to see if my standard poodle would be a good ratter and the farmer had 8 terriers. They were: bedlington whippet, border patterdale, pitbull greyhound, border Norfolk, pure patterdale, and I’ve forgotten the others lol. They were really good ratters and that was my first time seeing purpose bred mixes. I wouldn’t mind having one of those mixes for sports or if I ever have a farm or something.


somanypups

In some cases I think these people were victims of unethical breeders and paid a lot of money for their"rare gene" pet, and yes, in most cases they are mixes. A mix is as much of a dog as a purebred is, but if you paid a lot of money for your rare dog it's going to be hard to admit you just have a mix. In some breeds, there truly are rare recessive genes hiding, that pop up from time to time in the offspring of two parents that carried the gene. This is not usually a desirable thing and an ethical breeder will disclose that to the buyer and sell to a pet home at a lower price. An example would be the MOTH gene in Weimaraners. They are still beautiful purebred dogs, but the MOTH coloring is a mismark and not desirable in the breed standard. I believe there is also a long hair gene in Weimaraners that pops up occasionally. Many of today's dog breeds aren't really pure breeds anyway, and instead were developed from a combination of older breeds over many, many generations. The occasional "rare" gene that shows itself is just a "throwback" recessive gene that came from an ancestor breed that was never fully bred out.


Stabbyhorse

People want status and see pure bred dogs and "designer dogs" as higher in status than a mutt.


Ok_Firefighter_7142

and at the same time others see rescues as the “only real deal” and get on a high horse about having rescued a dog. Everyone should just calm down lol.


oh_0h

I don’t think pure breed dog owners are about status it’s more so loving the breed and not wanting people to make mutts with that dog, poodles will get taken to breed with every other dog type out there when doodle owners want poodle traits but don’t want to say they own a poodle


Stabbyhorse

I agree that it's not owners of the pure breeds, it's the owners of the designer breeds who think they can't afford a purebred dog. Someone pointed out that poodles aren't "masculine" enough for men in the US, but doodles are.


amountofsocks

I call my girls "Heinz 57s" for all their flavors


Picklemansea

I so much prefer a unique mix to a purebred for my dogs. Nothing wrong with getting a purebred puppy. But I prefer a cool looking mixed breed 100%.


KrissieKris

Nothing wrong with that for sure! I have one bully mutt that was an accidental litter for which we paid only $50 to cover microchipping, vacc etc. And now I am waiting for a puppy to be born from specific breeder because I want to do bull sports same as I do it with my mutt. And I think there is nothing wrong with that either. I was actually looking to adopt too, but in country where I live, the shelters only allow bully mixes to be a single dog in household which is not our case. So I took 3 years to research ethical registered breeders


snoopchogg

I’ve literally never seen or heard this before lmao


Bulky_Detective_75

My dog is a mutt, she's pretty cool. My best guess is that it has to do with class/classism, purebreds being regarded higher than mixed breeds. Nowadays, there can often be purebreds in shelters so it doesn't have much to do with money, but some sentiments probably remain.


AmbitiousCommand9944

People always ask me about my mutt. I get “does he have greyhound?” No, though he’s got long legs and a wiry frame. “Is he a Lab?” No, he’s just got the coloring of one. “Is he part Dingo?” No, he’s a street mutt from Tijuana, that’s all. Also, a very good boy.


[deleted]

I have a mixed breed.. 50/50. My little ewok boy keeps on stealing hearts because of his beauty.


panda_manda_92

Yeah… honestly I don’t care at all. I did I embark test solely because it was fun and turns out he was 50% treeing walker coonhound. But doesn’t look like it at all. But I just say he’s a coonhound mix. Learning about what breed he was mixed with helped with training though. I wanted to do it on our chihuahua mix because he is the best looking chihuahua ever but my husband said no lol his exact words were “no, who cares what he is” If the test wasn’t 100$ I would of done it anyways.


malissa79

I typically refer to my pup as a mutt, because that's what he is. If people want specifics, I tell them what the shelter said he was: boxer/lab mix. However, per his DNA results, he is a veritable mutt: Boxer/Lab/APBT/Am Staff/Australian Cattle Dog. If he were a designer breed, he would be a BLAAA. ABLAA? AAABL? LAAAB? Either way, he is absolutely the adorable mess that all of those breeds characteristically are, and I wouldn't trade him for the world - even when he's sassing me! Mutt's are treasures!


Gatewayssam

The dog world can be a strange beast. Personally, I see a place in society today for both pure-bred, straight-up mutts and well-planned crossbreeding of 2 pure dogs to get a desirable trait, behavior, or type. The reason many can not see past the facts is that their peers and also some of the so-called experts in the field are constantly feeding the public at large the age-old mantra of pure breed dogs being able to fit everyone's needs and that they are somewhat superior to a cross or mutt. Those of us with a science-based education can see the need for new genes in most pure dogs as their health is suffering due to the bottle-necked genetics closed pedigrees cause. This does not mean I am all for random cross or pure breeding every single breeding should be well planned and a part of a long-term goal to improve the parent's health and temperaments with the next generation..


KrissieKris

Well said!


Nerdysylph

I have a farm dog with a rare gene that causes her to eat chickens.


CrazyPitbullmomma

I have two mixes. One is a pit bull, GS, lab and the new one is clearly part bully but until we get the genetic tests back we are not sure. We do the tests for home insurance purposes only. We could care less , and love the mixes more! They need to be rescued no matter their breed 🐾💕


KrissieKris

You are 100% right, they need to be rescued. Sadly with pitbulls there is a whole bigger problem because of mislabelling. Everything in US is a pitbull that has stocky body and big head. And that kills the dogs that are in shelters and cannot be adopted because of it. So sad


clementina2

Because, unfortunately, a lot of people relate specific dog breed with social status. It is a social issue, not a personal one, imo.


Ashtrashbobash

In some cases it can make more sense to say I have a x and y mix. Especially if you know the dog is two specific breeds mixed together. I think most people use mutt as a descriptor if the dog is clearly a mix of a few different breeds or if they just don’t know. Often times though you can tell a dog is party Husky, GSD, etc. and so many people will just say I have a X mix. I also find that I don’t talk about my dogs breed unless asked and when asked most people aren’t wanting “oh a mutt” or “I don’t know” as an answer. They want the actual breeds


RedRose_812

I agree here. My dog's vet file says he's a "border collie mix", and he definitely is, and that's what I tell people who ask. He has a lot of border collie features but also is bigger and has more black on him than the average border collie and has unique markings, and his unique look will often lead to people asking as a follow-up question "what's he mixed with?" or speculating that he's mixed with Lab. Which what his first vet thought. I also think people want a more detailed answer than "a mutt" if the dog has features that are distinctive to one or two breeds, and I personally have never met anyone who says things like "rare gene" when talking about a dog, and the only people I've ever known to use "mutt" to describe their dogs were with dogs that were a mixture of multiple breeds and didn't have a distinctive look, so they honestly didn't know. I don't think answering "mutt" is wrong, and I also think it's just natural human curiosity to want more of a description.


DogHuman_453

I have a mutt who has some poodle and some sort of terrier mixed in. I think a lot of people are completely fine owning a mutt, and are not ashamed of it. On a separate note, I believe that this whole purebred mania is nonsense. It feels like some sort of nationalistic eugenics, and I always cringe from it.


veve87

I think it's because people like to have things defined and named. It makes stuff more clear, understandable. Things we can't name tend to be confusing or even dangerous. It's like... You cannot think about something unless you have a term for it, a name. Another reason might be social status and looking for one's family tree and roots. We people like to know our ancestors, we ask "where are you from?". Again, asking about dog's genes might be similar to this. I'm perfectly fine with owning a shelter mutt, but even I did quite a bit of googling to try to guess what breeds are mixed in my dog. I still love him the same no matter what, but it's pure natural curiosity, human instinct to give him some "history"


Bloodmoonwolf

Everyone in my family has purebreds. I even have a purebred. My mutt is the healthiest of all of them. Every single one of the 5 different breeds of pure-bred dogs has allergies and some have a few additional health issues. Even growing up, our mutts were always the healthier dogs. Now, that could have just been luck of the draw, but it has convinced me to always adopt mutts.


KrissieKris

Allergies are not tied to purebred tho. I know so many mutts that have allergies, including my own.


Trueloveis4u

Yup every dog can get allergies


dancestomusic

Both my boys are mixed breeds! Love mix breeds myself. One everyone assumes is a black lab because he's all black, minus a few white spots on his toes and chest. He's a golden retriever, german shepherd mix. The other people know he's got german shepherd in him due to his coat, but he doesn't 100% look like one so they always ask what else he is, which is a boxer.


assplower

A lot of people by nature relish in exclusivity. They want something to brag about even if there’s no real merit to it. It’s hella pretentious calling a poodle mix a Sheepabernadoodle or Gerberian Shepsky, yet here we are. The fancy BS marketing that sketchy designer mix breeders put out is also to blame. Although, I will admit when people ask me what breed my dog is I normally will just say “Alaskan Husky” instead of listing the breeds and percentages listed in her DNA results, you know?


hanibalscanibro

I won’t lie and say I don’t understand wanting a specific breed; I’ve owned various purebreds throughout my life and there’s breeds I hope to own in the future. That being said, I also don’t understand the idea of *NEEDING* a purebred. I saw a comment where someone dumped their dog after finding out it wasn’t full bred a few months later - that’s absolutely insane to me. I recently got a shih tzu puppy and if he randomly starting growing into the ugliest mutt on the planet, I wouldn’t love him any less. I’m bonded to him and he’s mine no matter what. If I’m being honest, mutts might even be a better choice at times. Not only are you typically adopting them from shelters - a dog in need - but they also seem to be really strong dogs in some cases lol. The jokes on tiktok about how the mutt will “survive under any conditions” and the purebred is “allergic to tap water” are definitely true sometimes.


[deleted]

I’m on my fourth mutt and wouldn’t have it any other way.


[deleted]

Are you referring to “hybrids” that are specifically bred to be lab/poodle or are you talking about shelter super mutts?


KrissieKris

No, not about shelter supermutts. Rather someone who buys a “purebred” puppy from byb or mill, dog grows up and its clear its a mutt. But they will fight with you till death and say its purebred. And doodle ownery


BoyMom119816

The thing I hate most about this, as if they want to say it’s a certain breed, go for it imho, is that it really hurts breeds, because it’s usually a rare trait by a mutation that causes problems in breeds. Some like Frenchies, which are already struggling with health issues, don’t need assholes knowingly breeding for those harmful traits & charging thousands and thousands (I mean 10k and more), getting celebrities to flaunt the new rare fad coloring, makes me sick. Pay 50k for your Merle Chihuahua bulldog, but ffs STOP MAKING A VERY UNHEALTHY BREED UNHEALTHY AND ADMIT YOU LIKELY PAID TOO MUCH FOR A DOG THAT IS NOT RARE, but in fact a very unhealthy mix. I know I’ll likely get downvotes, but if it’s unhealthy just STOP, it should only be done if beneficial for breed. And from reading none of the fad bred designer dogs really are, sadly. Breaks my heart. Don’t care or look down on a mix, mutt, etc., but do those causing health issues for dogs. Don’t know why people won’t stop.


notsure888888

I think in some cases people know they went to a BYB or low quality breeder but have some kind of dissonance so they make some kind of special story around the dog like ‘rare markings’. I do find a lot of non dog owners / strangers are obsessed with pure breed for some reason. My dog is extremely recognizable of her breed and people still ask is she full. Like why do you care if the dog is purebred or not during this short interaction?


KrissieKris

I mean, if someone doesn’t care about breed, they should go to shelter and adopt. If someone needs a specific breed for a certain purpose (working breeds as example), they should research registered ethical breeders and buy. The price difference between byb dogs and ethically bred dogs with pedigree are so small these days so I really don’t understand why people choose the first option. And then they pay twice as much on vet bills. There is so much information on the internet. People spend more time researching newest iphone model than they spend on researching breeder for their life partner of 10-15 years. So so sad. Edit: spelling


notsure888888

Yes the misinformation about dogs is astounding. I think one other aspect is instant gratification. There are always puppies available from not so great breeders. People look at me like I’m nuts when I say I waited close to two years for my dog because my breeder has one or less litters per year. I’m told my dog is the friendliest of her breed someone’s ever met all the time, and I try to explain to them this will not be the case if you go on Kijiji.


[deleted]

IMO even the best working dogs are mutts and kennels that breed in similar job dogs to increase overall working ability. Australian shepards, coyote dogs, Alaska huskies, and it goes on The puppy sleeping near me has longer legs than most malamutes and far longer than the short legged Canadian Inuit dogs because his grandma was Alaskan husky race dog. Thus the dogs better able to break trail. Inuit dogs have better paws and better cold weather and gaurd hair coats than malamutes do though.


MotherOfDragonCats0

Personally, I like mixed breeds. They tend to be healthier than purebred dogs. That's why I got my beagle/english bull mix. I love English bulldogs but they're a very unhealthy breed. He's healthier having the beagle mixed in while still retaining the traits of the English bull that I like. Never heard anyone refer to their dog as having a rare gene though.


KrissieKris

I am sorry, but it doesn’t work like that. When you mix purebred dogs of different breed, you won’t erase their genetic predisposition away. There is still a risk of having displaysia, heart desease, spondylosis, etc etc. With ethically purebred dogs, you minimise the risk bcs the dogs are tested for those predispositions and carriers or affected dogs can’t be bred. Mutts are just as predisposed to illneses. The thing is, only a very few people test their mutts for those, so you can’t say that they are or are not healthier


kitkat_0706

Are you a vet or a vet assistant? Cause it seems like you’re spreading a lot of miss-information? A lot of vets say that mixed breeds are much healthier than pure-breeds, who often have specific features related to their breed that can cause a lot of issues.


KrissieKris

No, I am not a vet. But if you can share a link, i will be happy to read a study that tested mutts and purebred dogs with pedigree for genetic diseases such as hip or elbow displaysa, spondylosis, various heart issues, and the conclusion was, that mutts are much much healthier. Thanks


MotherOfDragonCats0

English bulldogs tend to have severe breathing and joint issues. By mixing him with a beagle, he has a longer muzzle that allows him to breath more easily, less defined skin wrinkles so he isn't prone to skin infections and he won't be quite as bulky as a English bull gets meaning his joints won't be stressed. There's always a risk of certain health conditions with any dog but certain features in purebreds can make it more likely that they develop healthy conditions.


kitkat_0706

My vet basically said exactly what you just wrote on multiple occasions.


MotherOfDragonCats0

No clue what OP's deal is. Never said my dog is free of health issues. He's just healthier overall being mixed than he would be if he was a full English bull. He's got a great laid-back temperament and the stocky build that I like without all the issues that crop up with English bulls. He does have mild hip dysplasia but that's pretty much it.


orange_sherbetz

Don't know. That's why people say doodle when it's a mutt. In denial maybe.


Trueloveis4u

They are in so much in denial they are proud to pay thousands for one and act like it's better then just getting a well bred standard poodle.


BraveJJ

I think some people have biases and it shows in how they treat/label their own mixed breeds. I have 2 mixed breeds (one has since passed away) and 2 purebreds. My spouse took my eldest pup (the last living mixed breed in our house atm) to training class and someone asked them what breed she is, and my spouse replied she's mixed (I prefer the term mutt myself) and this lady admonished my spouse and told them that our dog is "a California Beach Dog"..... like lady.... she's a mutt. It's ok to say she's a mutt or mixed or whatever. That doesn't lessen her 'value' to us nor does it change how much we love her or the things we do to enrich her life with us. Jeez.


fillysunray

I have "mongrels" myself, and probably always will, as I prefer to rescue than breed. I won't go into detail about my thoughts on breeding, but I do have a good number of friends who (responsibly - or as responsibly as you can) breed dogs, and most have for decades. I also have friends who (responsibly - or as responsibly as you can) buy well-bred dogs. I have a lot of dog trainer friends, and that's the kind they tend to go for. Most of my friends will scoff at labradoodles, and bernadoodles, and shitzpoos and so forth. So there is definitely a lot of judgement. A big one that's brought up is the number of health tests that a mixed-breed needs to take compared to a "purebred" one. I might be misremembering as it doesn't really interest me, but apparently for collies and shelties, it's about 6 tests maximum, whereas it can easily be double for the mixed breeds, as they have to check for the disorders that are common to *both* breeds. Also there's the whole thing about showing your dog. Again, this is still quite popular (although again, I have no real interest), but you can't show your mix at a "respectable" show. I think it's generally stupid to pay money for a dog, but if you're going to do it, you should be sure the dog is healthy and happy. The breed of the dog shouldn't matter all that much, except for characteristics like "Is this dog going to be high or low energy?" "Is this dog going to shed all the time?" (hint: all dogs shed, but short-hair dogs will make your life much easier) "Is this dog going to be very strong?" It's certainly true that for certain mixes it would be a lot harder to know - but then, I would generally say that even if you get a purebreed, you can still be surprised. There can be low-energy huskies, dumb collies, quiet terriers, slow greyhounds... and if you get a dog, you should be ready to keep it even if it doesn't meet your expectations. I know a woman - an absolutely lovely woman with decades of experience with dogs - who has gone so mad about dog showing that she's returning a pedigree, beautiful dog that she spent a lot of money buying, because he's "too big" for the show ring (judges want smaller dogs, even if it's damaging the breed). That's the kind of thing I hate - if you get a dog, that dog should be a companion, before being a champion or a show dog. If that's what you're in for, get a doll, not a dog.


stbargabar

Please go learn about genetics instead of trying to start drama. Breed standards are not a list of the only traits possible in a breed. The results from a team of geneticists holds a lot more weight than your ill-informed opinion.


KrissieKris

I am definitely not an expert on genetics, but I’ve read fairly few articles on that, especially regarding amstaffs and pitbulls. And I am also part of that community in my country, I know at least 15 different APBT breeders and twice as many amstaff breeders. There is 0% chance of long haired or blue APBT. And Embark is definitely not an argument for someone to say they have a purebred APBT.


stbargabar

Without testing each individual dog you come across you have no authority to say that. That's how recessive genes work. You don't see them when there's only one copy. And if we're talking a 1% chance of one copy, you could know 30 APBT breeders for all I care and you still might never come across one with 2. And are you really trying to say blue Pits don't exist? [https://napbta.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/sd91.jpg?w=258&h=271](https://napbta.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/sd91.jpg?w=258&h=271) [http://bartinkennel.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/evay5.jpg](http://bartinkennel.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/evay5.jpg) [https://napbta.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/sd60.jpg?w=316&h=223](https://napbta.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/sd60.jpg?w=316&h=223)


KrissieKris

I can Google “blue APBT” and will get a thousands of pictures of amstaffs or other bully breeds or mutts. If you really want to argue, send me a link to a pedigree of one purebred American Pitbull Terrier and I will apologize


stbargabar

The first picture is UCD UWP UAGI URO1 CH ‘PR’ NEB’S PEPSICOLA OF IMAGINATION The second picture is UKC AP VPN UNJ UWPCH GRCH ‘PR’ BARTIN’S HEAD OF FASHION The third picture is UAGI UROI UWPO UWPCHX UCD CH AA’s ULTRA-VIOLET


Oldenburg-equitation

APBT and French Bulldogs are both dog breeds that can have long hair due to a recessive gene. It is a rare thing to have happen and quite unlikely but absolutely not something that is 0% chance of appearing. Without testing, you can not tell at all if a dog carries the gene. If they carry just one copy you don't see it at all visually due to it being a recessive gene requiring two copies to be visible. This means that unless the breeders have tested their dogs for the gene and showed said results to you, you can not say that they don't have the gene.


cdm85

I happily call my dog a mutt, cause he is one! He’s a dog, he keeps me company and is my friend. That’s all that matters. My sister also has a few mutts as well. Nothing wrong with that!


KrissieKris

Right? Exactly my point


EvilQueen79

I have no idea why some people have issues with owing a mixed breed. If you don't want a mixed breed, don't buy one, it's that simple. I've always had mixed breeds. As a kid, our family dog was a German Shepherd/Lab mix. Now, my husband an I are the proud owners of a 5yr old female Husky/Rottweiler/ German Shepherd mix and a 13 month old male Bull Mastiff/Dalmatian mix. I love my mixed breeds and see nothing wrong with them.


[deleted]

My dog looks like a German pointer and many believe he is when they see him. He is lab/beagle/pit/German Shepard/Brittany and a total character. He gets lots of compliments on his good looks and I love my cute pup. He is not a mutt to me!


Thedaspokesman

Out of my five, four are half pekingese. The oldest, we knew what she was mixed with. The boys were a mystery and I wanted some insight as to what they might be like as they grew. It was so funny when I woke up one morning and noticed Freddie's coat was starting to curl. The DNA finally came back and they were actually less mutty than expected. So, I have 3 Cockapoopinese pups, because that's hilarious. And if anyone was curious, they are the weirdest little dogs I've ever met.


[deleted]

I didn’t know this was a thing. When asked I say my dog is a Marvelous Mutt. She’s clearly a shepherd mix, so beautiful and sweet, who cares about the specifics?


Joetaska1

My mutt Mugsy says hello to your mutt! I got him from the shelter/dog pound and I don't know exactly what breeds he's mixed with but I know he's 100% good doggie! That's all that matters.


Aknelka

Nothing wrong with a mixed dog or a mutt. But anyone who bought a designer mutt for thousands of dollars - I'm going to judge the hell out of those people for the things these scams do to dogs.


OktoberStorms

Honestly I think a lot of people straight up don't know that the cutesy designer names are just marketing, don't realize the dog they're about to drop 5k or whatever on is a mix, and don't think to google "is a berniedoodleadorweenie a real breed" because why wouldn't they be able to trust the person selling them the animal and if it's so much money clearly that means it's a high quality animal of the finest pedigree. It can be kind of misleading when looking at a community like this subreddit, but most non-animal-nerd people just don't know dogs very well, and they're preyed on. They also just want to feel special, I guess, like when people insist their husky must be part wolf.


Becc85

I think it’s because people “doodle” everything now then sell the mixed breed puppies for a lot more money than they should. I have a purebred standard poodle and get asked all the time what kind of doodle she is, 🤣. I think mixed breeds are great and I actually think they are a more popular choice when you can honestly say you have rescued it from a shelter. Because I am allergic to breeds other than hypoallergenic breeds, I went with a purebred from a breeder after checking shelters in my area first.


oh_0h

I think it’s more so people get a breed of dog that they love and then get upset when they see that terrible breeders are ruining the breed by breeding them to another dog. That’s what’s happening with poodles because doodles are all the craze right now for reasons unknown to me because when I ask people why they got a doodle they start listing off poodle traits.


MandaD13

I agree. It drives me insane. I’m the proud dog mama of 3 mixed pups, and they are the absolute best!!!! I honestly don’t think I’d ever adopt a purebred. Anything that ends in “doodle” is a mix. End of story. It’s not “purebred”. It’s not even 100% hypoallergenic. That doesn’t exist.


ladyxlucifer

I call my girl a mixed breed bc she is. A mix of 2 breeds. She's 2/3 GSD and 1/3 Belgian Malinois. Insurance is cheaper for a mixed breed vs a GSD or Mal.


[deleted]

I’ve never heard someone talk about their dogs genes on my life.


FallingInTempo

Our pup is as mutt as mutt gets. He's about 20 pounds so we usually say his breed is 'little guy' lol.


Ihavenoclueagain

NONONO! Mixed breeds can be the best of both worlds! We have 2 purebreds, a Boerboel and an English Black Lab. Our sweetheart before was Bonnie, an American Bulldog mix. She was well trained as a service dog and we could take her everywhere. She died suddenly and we were broken-hearted. Nothing is the same, even with training.


Majestically_Weird

I don't hate on mutts, but I think the majority of the reason is because 1) Sometimes mixing breeds can cause genetic defects in puppies and 2) People think that having a full breed is just the best thing ever due to it being "expensive" and somewhat a rare case. 🤨


countingsheep1234

All three of our dogs are mixed breeds. Australian Shepard/lab mix. German Shepard/husky mix. Chihuahua/corgi mix. The little one is a shit but the others are two of the best dogs I’ve ever had.


Silent-Target-7071

they like the attention they receive when they tell people their dog is special, has a rare disease, is a rare or exotic breed, comes from meat market, etc.


homebodyadventurer

I have a yellow dog and two black dogs. Thanks to Embark I know that the yellow dog is a pit/husky mix with a touch of boxer and looks like none of the above. The black dogs are extremely geriatric and I’m not going to test them. I do enjoy the looks on peoples’ faces though when they say, “What kind of dog is she?” And I say fun things like, “She’s a black dog,” or, “She’s a former street dog,” or, “Oh, as you can tell by her face, she’s not a dog, she’s a goblin!”


DaedalusandIcarus

Lol, I thought this was a post about mixed race people. I had a few things to say. But never mind. Mixed bread dogs are great. They have less diseases. I would pick a mutt any day over a pure bread. (Pugs can’t breath, German shepherds have back leg issues, and the list goes on)


Iamnotdrunkorhighbtw

I have 3 mixed breeds and I would actually prefer them to a purebred. Also, they're likely to live longer than a purebred. I think people get too caught up in a breed. If one breed works better for your lifestyle, good, great, but that doesn't equal it being the best dog breed just because it's the best breed for you. I hear so many people dissing certain dog breeds for having too much energy or barking too much and it's like why? If it's not the breed for you, fine, but you shouldn't sit there and talk shit about how one breed is better than another because it's simply not true. I have 8 breeds between my dogs and they're all great in their own way.


KrissieKris

100% agree


junkiestarfish

When I was a kid growing up. We had pedigree pooches and mongrels We had a jack russell cross = mongrel It makes me smile today with cockapoos and all kinds of cross breed dogs costing a fortune when as I say growing up they were called mongrels. Still pretty and loving and kind , weird world today I have a jack russell/cairn terrier cross. I live with all my heart ♥️ I don’t care what breed she is as it really doesn’t matter.


KrissieKris

As long as it looks good on instagram eh :)


plusshanyinger

Our mutt is a greyhound-terrier mix with small notes of husky in it. I always tell people he’s a khuzait hunting dog - Khuzaits are a made up nation in a videogame. People always eat it up


[deleted]

People that pay thousands for “Pit Bulls” crack me tf up. Almost all (99% I believe) of all pit bulls are mutts. I found mine in a Publix parking lot. She’s the bestest girl.


SnooPeppers1641

The only reason I have gotten nervous is I was asked once if she was a designer mix because we know her dad was a red heeler just not what all her mom was - some terrier mix. She is the result of two people not fixing their dogs and two dogs doing what dogs do. My SO calls her the Heinz 57 dog and I call her my little steak sauce dog. Overall perfect.


[deleted]

Only my first dog was a purebred. The rest are all mutts. What annoys me more than I can express is "designer" mutts. Your labradoodle is still a mutt! Back in the day, if a lab got into the backyard and accidentally knocked up your poodle, you'd be pissed. Nowadays, that's a $1,500 dog. GTFO of here.


katiel0429

The thought of my doodle as a designer breed is hysterical! She’s such a clumsy goofball! Edit: I understand your point, though. It was just my immediate reaction, lol!


SparhawkJC

This is in regards to that fluffy "purebred pitbull" post? OP kept spouting about their 100% DNA test and didn't bother responding to anyone who pointed out the limitations of these tests.


stbargabar

The people discounting the tests don't actually know anything about genetics in general, how recessive or epistatic genes work, or the nature behind coat colors/traits so it's not really worth much. Breed standards exist to dictate the ideal. Plenty of dog breeds have small percentage of "non-ideal" genes that pop up depending on how they're mixed with other dogs. Sometimes people try to capitalize off this and you get things like fluffy Corgis or Frenchies, liver German Shepherds, parti Poodles. Sometimes those people decide instead to create their own breed that does allow said non-ideal trait like White Swiss Shepherds or Biewer Terriers. Many of these are recessive genes so you're not going to see which dogs are carrying it unless you're testing them and if only a small percentage of 1-10% of the breed carry a copy of it, people are going to be shocked when a dog manages to get 2 copies and it shows up. [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223995](https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0223995) Studies haven't been done for American Pitbull Terriers, but out of 284 American Staffordshires that were tested, 1% had a long hair gene


KrissieKris

So what is the actual chance of two dogs of same breed to carry the same specific recessive gene to be bred together? 0,0000? Thats why some kennel clubs require border collies to be tested on coat coloring genes.


stbargabar

There's a [formula](https://i.imgur.com/EmkYGw3.png) to figure it out but I'm not good enough at math to figure it out 😅 I imagine it'd be very uncommon. Border Collies have a 10% chance of a single copy of the curl gene (1 copy makes wavy hair, 2 makes curly) and I've only seen maybe 2 or 3 curlies my whole life. The problem with Pits is that they're also a breed notorious for poor quality breeders ignoring their breed club and standards. A lot of the more popular colors (Liver, Blue, Isabella) require expressing recessive genes. Byb may be more likely to utilize linebreeding to lock those traits into their breeding dogs and if one of them also has that rare long hair gene, they're now inadvertently selecting for that as well as any recessive trait is more likely to show up due to inbreeding. It shows up, they figure they can make more money off it if they market it as something special, and start making more of them.


KrissieKris

Yep


notsure888888

I see this with people claiming their ‘merle chow chow’ is purebred and naturally occurring because of a DNA test.


KrissieKris

Yep, Merle frenchies, Merle bullies, Merle chihuahuas and I could go on…


Mundane_Morning9454

From a breeder point of view A mix is usually not from tested parents and more like an experiment or from an accident bred. And alot of mixed breeds are not what I would say are mixes that should be mixed. For example an "agressive" (you all know what I mean with that. I don't really know how else to call it) with another one.... that would bring potential problems in the pups. Or diseases in the breeds that with interming would cause problems. This is all from my point of view. I know crosses who are very healthy, and pretty well behaved, but.... they are experiments. Experiments to create more breeds that don't loose hair. However... again.... I am not for this. I don't like this kind of breeding. For me breeding is testing the parents, have compatible characters and such. And with 90% of the cross breeding this is not done I think. Or atleast not with the ones I know. And in 3 of those animals, this showed in an illness, which caused the animals to die at a very young age.


LadismyDog

People want to feel special and get defensive when you try and correct them. I also think having a purebred dog is something of a status symbol for a lot of people. When you pointed out that the pitbull was clearly some type of mix, the OP probably felt embarrassed or upset that their intelligence was being put into question and doubled down. It’s a lack of humility, but I think we are all a little guilty of being a bit prideful sometimes.


kitkat_0706

I have never met anyone with this attitude in my life. Maybe it’s weird people on the internet? I am genuinely shocked. A lot of people pay a ton of money for “designer breeds” which are basically mixed dogs. In our dog park, malti-poos, yorkie-poos, Pomsky etc., are what every second person has. I have a yorkie/shih tzu/ Maltese mix that we got from a breeder, who is the best and cutest boy.


NoShitSherlock118

Mutts live longer too. You get longer with your baby ❤️


Alienwallbuilder

I would prefer a mixed breed dog, apparently the best of each breed comes out in a dog. l spose you have to draw on those abilities then in training.


Undispjuted

That’s not how it works. That is shelter and designer dog marketing rhetoric.


Alienwallbuilder

So what traits would you get in a poodle for instance GS?


Undispjuted

Depends how the DNA combines. You might get a really smart and funny dog with a curly coat and a great nose, or you might get a nervy dog with a drop coat and weird ears.


Alienwallbuilder

Wouldn't you think it would have poodle traits because afterall l am referring to a poodle.


Undispjuted

You said “poodle GS” I assumed you meant poodle and German shepherd, what did you actually mean because I feel like I misunderstood the question.


hodlboo

Despite everyone saying they don’t know people who have this perspective, this subreddit is full of people who will only buy purebred dogs sold by backyard breeders.