Should I Get a Mix-Breed or Pure Breed Dog?

Probably the biggest question when you get a dog, is what breed should I get? Well, you really should consider mix breed dogs and pure breed dogs. There are benefits to both, to some extent.

First off, I want to make note that you can get a purebred dog without paying hundreds of dollars. There are many rescues and breed specific shelters that cater to one particular breed of dog. Plus, you can check out a regular pet shelter, and commonly find purebred dogs for adoption. You can adopt a pure breed dog, as well as mix-breed dogs.

If you are a little iffy about adopting a dog, you may want to check out this hub, about reasons to adopt a dog and myths about dog adoption.

Before you get a new dog, you want to make sure that you check out the different books about dogs, so that you can be prepared when house training, obedience training, health and medicine, as well as other aspects to owning and raising a dog.

When picking a dog for you and your family, you want to weigh the pros and cons of the different dog breeds. You should never discount and dog breed because of the stories that you've heard on the television because with proper care, training, and socialization and dog breed can be a wonderful pet around children and anyone of any age in your family.

For more information about choosing a dog, you will want to check out "What Dog Breeds Make the Best Pets?" (link below) as you will find information and tips for picking a dog breed or a mix of a specific dog breed.

You will also want to check out "Breed Characteristics of the AKC Dog Groups" (link below) because typically, purebred and mix breed dogs will harbor the general characteristics of the breed group. By knowing what you may be getting into, you'll have a better idea as to which breed, or mix thereof, will be better for you and your family.

When thinking about getting a new dog, you'll probably ask yourself do you want to get a pure bred dog or a mix bred dog. Well, there are actually pros and cons for both.

Pure Breed Dogs

Pros:

• You can determine the general characteristics of the puppy, or dog.
• You can somewhat determine the health status and common health concerns for the dog.

Cons:

• Generally, purebred dogs have a shorter lifespan.
• Generally, purebred dogs will have more health problems.
• Can be expensive if you purchase from a breeder.

Mix Breed Dogs

Pros:

• There is an abundance of mix breed dogs at shelters and in the free classified column of the paper, so you generally have a wide selection of dogs and puppies to choose from.
• They are generally better behaved dogs as they tend to get the good qualities of both, or all breeds involved in their making.
• They typically have fewer health problems (this is highly variable).
• They generally life a little longer (of course this is highly variable).

Cons:

• Sometimes it can be hard to determine what mix of breeds the dog is, so it can be hard to determine general behavior characteristics that a puppy may have as an adult.
• Many times, you are not able to see the parents of the puppies, so you do now know their dispositions, as this can be a big part in the disposition of the puppies