Puff has…Aussie, maybe some collie, probably some sight hound or pointer…Who knows? He’s a Good Dog.
Molly is a bagel hound–basset/beagle.
Tucker’s a purebred Pembroke but we love her anyway. 
Eta: If I had to dogsit, give me the wolf/GS hybrid I know over her “pet”, the boxer, any day. Wolfdog comes up, greets you, wishes to be petted, etc and in general is very dignified about the whole thing. Boxer…is a boxer. I don’t have that kind of energy.
[QUOTE=Kyzteke;5717196]
Actually I don’t think this is true. If you breed two purebred animals of the same breed, you are more likely to produce the various weaknesses that are prevelent in that breed. You are correct that a mutt is not technically a hybrid, but it IS outbreeding (big time!), which is well known to create stronger stock.
Recently I was reading an article in “Bark” magazine about a doctor doing a study on aging in dogs. He is using Rotties as his base breed (for consistency). The average life span for a Rottie is only 8.5 yrs!:eek: I’ve had dogs since I was 3 yrs old and of all those dogs, the one with the shortest lifespan lived till she was 9 (a PB Bull Terrier). My other dogs have lived up to 16 yrs. and had very few health issues. They don’t get fancy food or special vitamins – just basic vaccines and LOTS of exercise.
Example: a friend of mine has a PB Rhodesian Ridgeback. I have HooDoo, my mutt. Both are the same age (15), both are about the same size. In HooDoo’s lifetime, I’ve spent about less than $1000 total on health issues – my friend has spent close to $10K (the dog keeps coming up with various cancers).
Another good friend LOVES Schnauzers; she got 2 from a local rescue. Geeze, she was spending $$ on these dogs almost from the get-go. One lived till it was 12 and the other till it was 14…and along the way she spent a FORTUNE on them. One had all kinds of food allergies, chronic issues with kidney stones. Then another went deaf at about 9 yrs. and had several other “issues”.
Again, this is obviously not an official study, but I have loads of friends with dogs and most of them have PBs (I’m the mutt person)…and they are constantly spending $$ on their health care, while I have very few illness issues…at least until we start getting into old age or the occasional accident.
As for the dog/wolf crosses (which, as you stated, ARE true hybrids) I would have a tendency to agree with you. Then I met a friend of mine who has a GS/wolf hybrid (spayed female) and just got another puppy (at 4 wks). I’ve met the first dog and she is lovely – very well behaved and sweet.
My friend says the two important aspects are 1) getting the puppy VERY young, so it can bond with humans and 2) getting one crossed with GS or another good-minded breed – NOT a husky or malamute. Both of the latter dogs tend to be more independent/stubborn types.
However, I still don’t understand why one would want one of these animals – still don’t “get” what they bring to the table (other than the “cool” factor) that a regular dog doesn’t…[/QUOTE]
Good points. Out crossing is a good thing…most of the time. for mini Australian shepherd fans, that’s how they got that breed. Inbreed inbreed inbreed…OUTCROSS on a papillion then inbreed again. (i’m not a fan of making a “mini” of every breed just to satisfy consumers who want a perpetual puppy).
I breed Springer Spaniels for hunting. Every dog i own is health tested and proven in the field before ever being bred. They get OFA and CERF ratings on hips and eyes and PFK, a genetic issue with Springers. I only breed to dogs who are health tested and all reputable breeders do the same. I have 3 generations on my place right now and all have perfect hips and their eyes are free of genetic issues. Bumper will be 14 in August and has cataracts, but those are age related, not genetic. None of the many litters of pups we’ve produced have shown up with any genetic problems.
So…purebreds who are health tested have extremely few issues. Sadly, there are a lot of idiots out there breeding crappy purebreds because “everyone wants a Lab/pug/golden/whatever is the fad of the month”. THOSE dogs will have issues.
Cross two different breeds from healthy stock and your chances of poor health are as minimal as crossing two purebreds of healthy stock. Cross two purebreds from crappy, untested stock who are conformational train wrecks? you’ll get puppies with most or all of those same characteristics.
I love a good mutt. I DETEST intentional breeding of “designer dogs”.
As for wolf/dog crosses: for every really GOOD one there are dozens, hundreds, who shouldn’t exist. I think it’s vastly unfair to the dogs being bred. I knew of a pair near Cascade, MT that were sweet, gentle, very friendly. Never a problem. Then one day they got out of their yard…and killed the neighbor’s two llamas. They were not so “sweet and friendly” when called off their kill. both were euthanized.
Sorry, soap box. I’ll step down! 
Thanks, ManyDogs, he was a wonderful dog indeed.
I do personally think that true multi generational “mutts” tend toward less health problems. A mix of 2 purebreds, not so much. My Aussie/GSD had hip dysplasia and arthritic changes already when he was just a pup.
The wolfdogs …I think they’re just beautiful. I’m not sure I’d want one myself, though. I know that socialisation and training from a very young age is important, but it still seems like a lot of it is chance. When I was growing up our small animal vet, who was also our neighbor a couple houses down, had a wolfdog; I believe they took him in from a former client who was not equipped to handle him. They had a 10ft electrified fence around their property, and the dog still managed to get out on a regular basis and kill things. He had killed other dogs and injured children. They tried to keep him contained and improve his behaviour, but they eventually had to euthanise him.
I love the look of coydogs as well - so pretty.
The wolf/dog hybrid thing is interesting… I just don’t know that I’d want one living in my house. There have been some very interesting studies about dogs vs. wolves, and many where wolves have been raised from pups with humans. They never develop the kind of bond with humans that dogs have no matter their upbringing. They don’t have that wiring. I watched a couple of good documentaries on the differences, and it was pretty neat. It also convinced me I’d not really want one (or a cross) in my house as a companion = )
The Sumilov Dog is an interesting hybrid: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulimov_Dog They’ve been extremely carefully crossed with jackals to create a super sniffing machine. But they are also bred and handled almost exclusively by experienced professionals.
As for mutts, who knows? Some of them turn out just gorgeous even with fugly parents, and some turn out really unfortunately = ) I once met a stunning oops weimaraner/lab cross. She had the most amazing coat and a gorgeous head. Apparently she was a bit high strung and not real happy around new people… Pretty though, haha.
I’ve talked to people who rehab/train wolf crosses. One woman i talked to loves them but wishes NO ONE would ever breed them. Many are wonderful, but some are just not sure what they are. They have mannerisms and instincts of a dog and then something happens and BANG…the wolf rears it’s head. She said it was just so unfair to the animal to expect them to behave like a dog 100% of the time.
A friend of mine has a border collie/boxer cross. Srsly. Border collie coloring, “ticking” all over and a squarish head with a BC nose, short hair, dorky tail, big azz feet. Cute and ugly all at once, LOL.
DUH!
I mentioned one dog but forgot two other really unique ones!
A horsey friend of mine has a Old English Sheepdog x Boxer. And she drives him!
And a former cafe customer had a Welsh Corgi x Siberian Husky. Blue eyes, but a bit aloof.
My favorite mutts
My childhood <3 dog was a lab X Aussie cross all blonde with a blue eye and a wavy coat about 45lbs. He was the smartest dog I’ve ever met. Did everything I did and a few things I couldn’t learned to climb trees , Jump whole courses of jumps with minimal direction, was super brave and the first to defend the farm if needed, learned to track etc. My all time favorite trick …he learned to herd the neighbor’s chickens into stalls so I could capture and relocate them. He’d pin them up in a corner and if they were to fractious he’d hold them down. Lived to be almost 18 wandered off one night(very abnormal for him) and was found dead next to the main road the following morning. No signs of trauma.
I’ve had/have.
GSDXLab: 120lbs of good ole boy literally. Born to just hang out.
BeagleXlab: very sweet very loyal. Hunts tin cans on walks.
GSDX something or other: loves people dislikes any and all new canines.
HoundXJRT: very sweet , loving, smart a little over whelmed by lots of crazy activity.
GSDxSamoyed: totally a one person dog then loyal to a fault. Was not
a super social guy.
Also about the wolf dogs it really matters 1. How they are raised and how much they are trained and socialized just like MANY other breeds. 2. What they are crossed with. 3. How close the cross to wolves is. Are they F1 or F2 etc. You would be surprise how quickly they lose any wolfieness and are all dog.
I had two LitterMate F2 crosses when I lived in CA. They were Shiloh Shep X Malamute X Grey Timberwolf. Both were loving , respectful no issue animals. Both got over 100lbs the male got closer to 125. The female looked in phenotype and acted much more dog like wiggled and rolled around begging for love and kisses. The male was a bit more Alpha and looked much more like a wolf needed to be reminded a few times when we said No we meant it. But overall they were good dogs. Not aggressive to anything other then maybe a cheeseburger. I did work for a referral small animal clinic so they came to work 4 nights a week with me. They both were DEA 1.1 negative that plus their age and size meant they got to be blood donors A LOT. When I moved to Maine I was informed their laws and the potential for prejudice was much higher so rather then subject them to accidental miss identification I rehomed them with a friend. They both lived to be 11/12 and lived the good life.
I’ll dig around for pictures.
The shelter told me that Tessa was a Lab/Schnauzer cross. I have no idea if there’s any data to back that up, but it definitely seems reasonable. She’s about 40lb, looks sort of like a miniature black lab with bushy white eyebrows, a scraggly white moustache, and hairy feet. :lol:
http://family.webshots.com/photo/2064538260100789832EILzaD
She’s a great dog for my family. Great with my son, great with the cats, very laid back. Has the tolerance of a Lab, and the loyalty of a Schnauzer. Protective without being aggressive, she’ll bark at strangers, or anything that seems “not right”. And she’s usually a pretty god judge of that. One day she was going completely ballistic, and it turned out that my son had decided to climb into the washing machine :eek:
Loves to go for walks, and I’ve gotten so many compliments on how well behaved she is when I walk my son to and from school. She’s relatively low-energy, though, so if the weather’s bad or I’m sick, she’ll just lounge on the couch all day without a complaint.
Has good teeth, and great intestinal fortitude :lol: There are things I don’t give her (grapes, chocolate, etc.), but she does eat a wide variety of leftovers, and will happily much on baby carrots if you give her one.
Before Tessa I owned a purebred rough-coated Collie, Jet, and he was a wonderful dog, but a little more delicate.
I’ve had a lot of people tell me that mutts are healthier, but I think there’s probably a lot of variables. I’d imagine that really well bred purebreds with generations of health screenings and so on are probably a safer bet than the offspring of two completely random critters, but a mutt would be a safer bet than two poor specimens of the same breed.
Big Fuzzy Dog, of course. Shadow’s a golden retriever/collie mix. Brains of a collie and temperment/coloring of a golden. Love my BFD!
Loved my mutts! But I had a mutt with epilepsy. My parents had a mutt who developed diabetes. If they were purebred, people would have been blaming it on “inbreeding”.
If the parents are not from healthy stock, they can pass on inherited problems. And unfortunately many of the breeds crossed (intentionally or otherwise) have some of the same genetic issues. Even though the dog is not inbred, you may not have avoided doubling up some bad health genes.
I have a terrier crossed with god only knows what, but he’s all terrier in personality and looks. Looks like a tall, leggy wire hared JRT (and has as much energy), but he’s black and white, so I’m thinking Patterdale, but he’s too leggy to be a pure Patterdale. Smart as hell, but has the typical terrier selective obedience thing going on.
Runs like a greyhound, jumps like a border collie, and can smell a cat or possum from inside the barn all the way to the front yard (with the house in between.) Will chase anything that moves and fearlessly corner it and keep it at bay. He’s the best possum deterrent I’ve ever seen!
But he also has a total ‘circus dog’ pensonality. Never met a stranger, but has a very menacing ‘big dog’ growl and bark when he sees or hears something that’s NQR. Found him at the local shelter, and if I could I’d clone him. http://s712.photobucket.com/albums/ww126/arlubinsky/?action=view¤t=Benny.jpg
[QUOTE=Trevelyan96;5741623]
I have a terrier crossed with god only knows what, but he’s all terrier in personality and looks. Looks like a tall, leggy wire hared JRT (and has as much energy), but he’s black and white, so I’m thinking Patterdale, but he’s too leggy to be a pure Patterdale. Smart as hell, but has the typical terrier selective obedience thing going on.
Runs like a greyhound, jumps like a border collie, and can smell a cat or possum from inside the barn all the way to the front yard (with the house in between.) Will chase anything that moves and fearlessly corner it and keep it at bay. He’s the best possum deterrent I’ve ever seen!
But he also has a total ‘circus dog’ pensonality. Never met a stranger, but has a very menacing ‘big dog’ growl and bark when he sees or hears something that’s NQR. Found him at the local shelter, and if I could I’d clone him. http://s712.photobucket.com/albums/ww126/arlubinsky/?action=view¤t=Benny.jpg[/QUOTE]
i love him!!! those sraggly haired terriers are my favortite (dont tell me other dog tho)!!!
Border collie/basset. Black and white double coat and prick ears, but has the bone, long back, and high tail carraige of the basset. And a big ol’ head. Laid back, a little aloof to strangers, but so loyal. She’s 13 or 14 and having some health problems now, but I love her dearly. She is so cheerful and very obedient, a dog who really likes the rules.
I also have a collie/GSD/maybe Aussie cross? Not sure, but you couldn’t ask for a more even tempered, pleasant dog.
Last one we have no idea – I think he’s got some whippet in there, and maybe some terrier or chihuhua or something, who knows. Shelter called him a sheltie but there’s no way he’s that – other than size he’s got no sheltie in there. He’s got terrible allergy problems but he’s my cuddle dog. He’s whip smart and is just a rogue but he’s fun.
No matter where I am in the house, my dog pack is right there with me!
Our dogs usually arrive here somehow or other. But one particular dog I knew belonged to our farrier. It was a Border/Australian collie mix and I’ve never known a smarter, sharper or more obedient dog. It had all the qualities of the known intelligence of this type of working dog, but had the off button and was not so darned intense as some can be. With its owner it was almost telepathic. It just knew…
Dancer - don’t judge all boxers by the one you know. I’ve had two and our daughter has one. All were in the category of Best Dogs. I know a lot of them can be hyper and they are energetic, fun dogs, but there is a difference. Once past the puppy stage they are couch potatoes and highly intelligent and affectionate.
I’m not sure if it is nature or nurture, though. They need to be in the right homes with lots of exercise - and confined to an apartment while the owners go to work all day might not be right for a lot of breeds. Boxer owners are one of the most loyal to their breed.
People comment all the time on how calm and good natured our Granddog is. She is adorable with those soulful eyes.
[QUOTE=evntr5218;5742621]
i love him!!! those sraggly haired terriers are my favortite (dont tell me other dog tho)!!![/QUOTE]
Thanks. I adore him, and I’m definitely his ‘person’. He watches me like a hawk and goes ballistic every night when he hears my car in the driveway until I come in the house. I joke that he’s the only one in the family who’s happy to see me come home. But since I’m the only one who gets that receptions, maybe it says more about the rest of the family than me?
I call him my miniature Irish Wolfhound. He has very elegant lines with a deep chest and a perfect show dog stance.
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