erent breeds of unknown ancestry. Mutts are also known as “mixed breeds” or “Heinz 57” (mongrel is such a derogatory term).

A “pure bred” is a dog whose mother and father derive over many generations from a recognized breed. Newer hybrids, or designer dogs, don’t qualify as pure breds. A Goldendoodle mating with a pure bred Golden Retriever would not be considered a pure bred. The puppies resulting from two Goldendoodles would also not be considered pure breds, since their parents are considered mixed-breed dogs, even though both were mixes of the same two breeds.

It can get very confusing.

Is it true that mutts are healthier than pure breds? Are puppy mill dogs a health disaster? Let’s separate fact from fiction.

Advantages of Mutts

• Many vets believe that mutts don’t suffer from inherited congenital diseases, since the mating process naturally leaves out the defective genes.However, there haven’t been many conclusive studies to back this theory.
• Are one of a kind – don’t even look like their litter mates.
• Mutts are less expensive because you’re not paying a high-end breeder.
• If you adopt a mutt from a shelter, you have saved a life!

Disadvantages of Mutt

• May suffer from more fear-based behavior problems depending if they were socialized in the first eight weeks.
• Getting a mixed-breed puppy can be a big risk because you cannot be entirely sure about the exact mix of breeds that have come before that puppy. Will it be large or small?

Advantages of a Pure Bred

• Pure bred puppy breeders can tell prospective owners what they can expect regarding size, behavior and health.
• The AKC recognizes more than 150 breeds of pure bred dogs. Pure breds are the result of carefully selected, researched and documented breedings. Some breeds originated relatively recently, while others have existed since civilization began.

Disadvantages of a Pure bred

• They can be expensive.
• Pure bred dogs can have just as many health problems as mutts (or more).
• There can be many unscrupulous dog breeders, so be sure to check them out if they say their dogs are pure breds!

Did you know that mixed breed dogs are euthanized far more than pure bred dogs? Due to the popularity and demand for designer and pure bred puppies, mutts often end up in shelters in higher numbers. That’s unfortunate.

At Help’EmUp, we don’t care if your dog is a mutt or a pure bred. We’re in the business of helping dogs who have mobility issues regardless of their pedigree! If you are looking for a great family dog, it probably won’t matter if your dog is a mutt or pure bred. Both mixed breeds and pure breds have their own advantages and disadvantages, but at the end of the day, how your puppy turns out will depend entirely on how you raise your puppy. There’s no such thing as a “bad dog”. Bad dogs can result from bad training.