Mixed Breed

Breed Type: Mixed
Weight: 18 kg
Height: 38 to 57 cm
Coat type: Based on the parent's breed

A mixed breed dog can be any dog that is not a purebred or which is a mixture of two different purebred dogs. Of course, there are advantages and drawbacks of owning mixed breed dogs. Mixed breed dogs are comparatively less expensive than purebreds, but on the other hand it is very difficult to predict their temperament, size and health issues. A mixed-breed dog is also known as mutt, mongrel, tyke, cur, bitzer, or random-bred dog. Mixed-breed is sometimes wrongly used for crossbreed. Cross-breed refers to puppies which are produced by the intentional breeding of two different known purebred dog breeds. And in contrast, the term mutt or mixed-breed generally refers to a dog of unknown descent.

Types of Mixed-Breeding
Almost all existing dog breeds began as mixed-breeds. If done by expert breeder, mixing breeds can lead to desirable results. On the other hand, inexperienced cross breeders can produce disastrous results. For instance, if an obsessive Border Collie and an energetic, destructive Terrier are mixed together, the result could be a dog whose behavior will be so erratic that would make it a liability for the owner. Mixed-breed dogs can be divided into various types. First are the dogs that result from two different purebred parents, and are known as crossbreeds. Some crossbreeds have become so popular that they are frequently bred intentionally, such as the Cockapoo, which is a cross between a Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel, and the Labradoodle, resultant of crossing between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle.

Other crossbreeds occur when breeders hope to create new breeds to add and reinforce characteristics from one breed into another breed. Another mixed type breed is the one that shows characteristics of two or more breeds. A mix might have some purebred ancestors, or might come from a long line of mixed-breeds. Even if their ancestry is unknown, these dogs are usually identified by the breed they most resemble, such as a "Lab mix" or "Collie-Shepherd". Then there are Functional breeds, which are also called as purpose-bred and pedigreed dogs. The ancestors of such dogs are not purebred, but are selected by their performance at particular tasks. The best examples of this breed are the Alaskan Husky, the Eurohound, and the Pointer/Greyhound mixes.

Health
Mixed-breed dogs are more genetically varied and are less likely to express certain genetic disorders. All purebred and mixed-breed dogs are equally vulnerable to non-genetic ailments, such as rabies, distemper, injury, and infestation by parasites. According to many studies, mixed-breed dogs have a health advantage. A German study finds that "Mongrels require less veterinary treatment". According to Sweden studies "Mongrel dogs are less prone to many diseases than the average purebred dog". Another study finds that, �The median age at death was 8.5 years for all mixed-breed dogs and 6 to 7 years for all pure breed dogs."

Appearance
Dogs that are descended from mixed breeding are generally light brown or black in color and weigh upto 18 kg. Mixed breed dogs are usually 38 to 57 cm tall. Mixed-breed dogs vary in size, shape, and color which make them difficult to classify physically.