OK, so maybe some of you have seen Peta's AKC ads against purebred dogs.
Someone who promotes purebred dog breeding is a "dog racist"...because breeding a purebred dog is supposed to be the same thing as a person who is promoting racial superiority in people. Sure the ad was wicked funny.

I'm not getting this. First off someone who promotes purebred dogs does not support canine superiority for the most part. It's about preserving specific breeds and breeding for health and good genes. It's more like a person who wants people of certain races to breed with certain races...Which I suppose is a type of racist, but not someone who believes in a superior race concept.

As much as I think people racism is horrid, I think dog "racism" is just fine...
With people, people do more then just procreate...They get married and raise a family for an extended time.
People would suffer if they were subjected to selective breeding practices because of the social structure.

A dog just procreates by impregnating another dog and then leaves. A dog doesn't suffer socially from selective breeding. An inferior dog who has been spayed or neutered would not suffer the social stigma a person might face. So I see nothing wrong with selecting a dog's mate on purely physical traits and preserving different dog breeds.

So bottom line, I hate mutts. I think they are the product of irresponsible breeding.
I like purebred dogs. What do you say?.

1) I find PETA to be a group of idiots.

This has to be the most dumbest thing they have done yet. A dog doesn't care about its breed, it's a dog!

It's called Breeding for a reason, and it has been done with many animals for centuries.

You pretty much typed what I think. So I don't have much to say...
I just find it to be stupid that they (PETA) would do this.

I like mutts much more then Pure breeds for a few simple reasons.
Pure breeds are often forced to mate with their direct relatives to keep a desirable purebred show animal's gene pool "clean."
This as we know very well in humans is dangerous. It is dangerous to dogs and other kinds of interbred animals as well. It may not be clear to all of you why this is so bad so I will clarify, All living things have a unique gene code special to them.

Living creatures related by blood to another creature though while still possessing a Unique DNA sequence are highly similar. When creatures of very similar DNA sequences mate (Such as the human equivalent of brother and sister)

It tends to cause serious problems when attempting to pass down a set of Chromosomes from each parent if they are so similar.

These problems include, being more likely to obtain hereditary defects that require the mother and father to both be carriers. The likelihood of a overall weaker portion of the body in this specific breed becoming worse and more prone to occur in the first place.

(Examples off the top of my head German Shepard pure breds have notoriously bad hips that fail quite often as they get old. A mix of a German Shepard is much less likely to suffer this problem, " The Dachshund (Often called a weenie dog) pure bred almost always suffers severe back problems because of the forced inbreeding to keep them looking the way they do)

Mix breeds in general tend to be more intelligent and long lived then a purebred as well. The longest average life spans of domesticated cats and dogs is in general a mix bred or "mutt"

Forcing an animal to mate repeatedly with their own siblings and offspring has caused many mutations, birth defects as well as stillborn young.

It does not only have to be a direct relative while less damaging to a degree mating unrelated purebreds still means your crossing two similar gene sequences together to get what is considered "pure."


I find it absolutely deplorable that animals are forced to mate like this when they themselves don't really have control over their natural instincts to reproduce like we humans "claim" to.
I feel it is no better then saying "Your sister is the only one in the world I'm going to let you be with so get to it" *places them in the same room while the sister is in heat*


One must understand that many of the what is now considered to be a "Pure bred" actually came from some other mix already. The word pure itself would imply it was a stand alone creature with no background evolutionist, or other, you know animals must of changed over time in the first place. This thus makes their existence the result of a mutts creation, or at least an over all change in the species.

The other implication of your post would suggest all breeding is watched by humans and controlled by them when that is simply not the case and impossible. It's not like whenever there is a stray dog somewhere or even one that got out we can press a button and put it back in the house.

"Breeding in the wild, the natural process of reproduction in the animal kingdom" (Wiki anything I don't credit I'm writing myself as It comes to mind.)

So I would like to ask you "Is it okay for an animal to suffer and live a poor or painful life style, dysfunctional, brain damaged, crippled, or prone to injury ect. just because you think it looks good?"

My answer Is "I believe this is wrong"

Well if we allowed dogs to randomly mate instead of producing purebreds, dogs would assume the form of a medium sized, short hairred type with a slightly curly tail. that's what I heard/read. This is what feral dogs in some places look like.

So I would like to ask you "Is it okay for an animal to suffer and live a poor or painful life style, dysfunctional, brain damaged, crippled, or prone to injury ect. just because you think it looks good?"

My answer Is "I believe this is wrong"


As to your comment some pure bred animals also look like what you have described, so I don't see whats wrong with them. I also fail to see the point you made about it being an issue at all that the stray dogs look like this.

Feral (Wiki: A feral organism is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state.)

This implies is somehow wild and untamed? you make it sounds like a dog that doesn't have a leash on is a feral dangerous wild animal.
The use of the word feral alone implies your use of fear mongering. Rather then stray you mentioned "feral" the word feral instills more fear into the populous then the word stray. I honestly feel the usage was inappropriate for the point of the discussion .
Example being

"That dog is a stray"
"That dog is feral"
Which one is more likely to instill fear in the populous?
thus making it a basic propaganda technique that I feel was unneeded. When stray would simply suffice.
( I bring this up because the usage of the word "feral" to describe these dogs attaches almost automatically on even subconscious levels of the brain that these dogs are "bad")

Why is nature not good enough?

Why can't nature decide what works and what doesn't. It worked before humans become "dominant" and I'm willing to bet it will work after our time in the spotlight has passed.

Who made humans so important that they get to decide what an animal should and shouldn't ever look like? That sounds similar to a god complex to me but maybe I'm putting too much thought into that.


"I would take a serval or savannah ( hybrid serval cat) for my character. "
I'm not 100% who said this but
Hybrid does not describe a pure animal it describes what was seen as a mixture of desirable traits between two different breeds (Not pure in short)

I'm not really a dog person, but I don't really care if a dog is a pure breed or a mix. A dog's a dog, does it really have to be one exact breed?
If you don't like a dog for having a certain trait, okay, choose a different dog, but dogs shouldn't be kept only because it's one breed.

My dog is a mutt and I will never own a purebred. I don't care for the AKC, they promote breeding and selling dogs. We have so many in pounds that don't need to be there and make fine pets. And the selling of dogs....even if it's done 'right' I just can't agree with. There are so many for free in pounds and most dog that are sold are all from puppy mills.

A pure breed dog is actually a HIGHER health risk then a mutt. Many breeds where interbreed when numbers where low to keep the breed alive. That makes genes common and has mothers breeding with sons or fathers with daughters. Many breeds will suffer a serous health concern by the time they are about seven.
A mutt has less since they are a mix of breeds and have no common genes between them that will cause issues. My dog is almost twelve and acts like he's two. Mutts also tend to have more balanced dispositions and positive aspects of all breeds they are. Sure not all, but for the most part they are.

The area decides what breed of dog will come out of strays. They will not all be the same. It's all on what dog is a stray in the area and who they breed with. Where ever you get your information from needs to check their sources. That is an out right lie. Most dogs that are left on the street are like that thus that is what their babies will look like.

And saying that a dog doesn't care who they breed with is ignorance. Dogs can love just as people can. Many breeders allow their dogs to chose their mate. It makes them a happier dog and thus they will care for their young better. When dogs lose their mate, some will become servilely depressed and I've had a friend who's dog died of starvation about a month after his 'mate' died. -they were both fixed but still, they tried-

Much of this apply for many animals too...but since this is a topic about dogs I just said about dogs.

I have to agree with everything Seph Lonehart said. I've been a vet student most of my life and am working on getting a vet tech degree and I've taken many courses and classes in my life as well as just doing my best to learn. You might want to find more reliable places to get information.

Originally Posted by Wonderwice

My dog is a mutt and I will never own a purebred. I don't care for the AKC, they promote breeding and selling dogs. We have so many in pounds that don't need to be there and make fine pets. And the selling of dogs....even if it's done 'right' I just can't agree with. There are so many for free in pounds and most dog that are sold are all from puppy mills.

A pure breed dog is actually a HIGHER health risk then a mutt. Many breeds where interbreed when numbers where low to keep the breed alive. That makes genes common and has mothers breeding with sons or fathers with daughters. Many breeds will suffer a serous health concern by the time they are about seven.
A mutt has less since they are a mix of breeds and have no common genes between them that will cause issues. My dog is almost twelve and acts like he's two. Mutts also tend to have more balanced dispositions and positive aspects of all breeds they are. Sure not all, but for the most part they are.

The area decides what breed of dog will come out of strays. They will not all be the same. It's all on what dog is a stray in the area and who they breed with. Where ever you get your information from needs to check their sources. That is an out right lie. Most dogs that are left on the street are like that thus that is what their babies will look like.

And saying that a dog doesn't care who they breed with is ignorance. Dogs can love just as people can. Many breeders allow their dogs to chose their mate. It makes them a happier dog and thus they will care for their young better. When dogs lose their mate, some will become servilely depressed and I've had a friend who's dog died of starvation about a month after his 'mate' died. -they were both fixed but still, they tried-

Much of this apply for many animals too...but since this is a topic about dogs I just said about dogs.

I have to agree with everything Seph Lonehart said. I've been a vet student most of my life and am working on getting a vet tech degree and I've taken many courses and classes in my life as well as just doing my best to learn. You might want to find more reliable places to get information.

Thank you for the pound addition I was thinking about that as I was writing but I forgot it as I delved into deeper detail on other points.

I too feel far too many pets are already in humane society shelters and pounds to simply tell a breeder to get so and so dog bred for you and do it again if it didn't come out with say.. "The eye color you wanted"
Is horrible. Adopting a dog and making a happy home for you and the dog that was already somehow homeless is much better.

My dog is a purebred that we bought many years ago. She's a chocolate lab and very early one we found out that she has major hip problems. It has something to do with a growth plate fusing too early or something like that. I'm not really sure. Whether or not it's a result of inbreeding I can't say.

Personally I don't really care whether or not my dog is a purebred or not, but I don't think that people should assume purebreds are automatically better than mutts, especially after reading some of the posts in this thread.

But calling it dog racism is a bit extreme. Then again, I've never liked PETA and their tactics.

While I agree with that, it's the mutt breeders who contribute far more to dog overpopulation then purebred breeders do. I browse petfinder for fun and most of the dogs I find on there are mutts. I can only gather from this logically that most unwanted /dogs being re-homed are mutts and therefore the responsiblity of dog overpopulation lies with these breeders the most.

And among the purebred breeders, it's usually the puppy mills who contribute the most...
Private breeders hate them and hate being lumped together with them even more.
Private responsible breeders are hardly a problem. If everyone bred companion animals ( dogs in this case) like they did, we would not have the overpopulation problem in the first place.

That said, I would take a rescued purebred dog that is here already over getting exactly the purebred I want from a breeder.
I feel everyone should check rescues before deciding to go get a pup from a breeder. Only go to a breeder, if the kind of dog you want isn't in a rescue already is what I recommend to people.

Originally Posted by Rabid Rainbow

My dog is a purebred that we bought many years ago. She's a chocolate lab and very early one we found out that she has major hip problems. It has something to do with a growth plate fusing too early or something like that. I'm not really sure. Whether or not it's a result of inbreeding I can't say.

Personally I don't really care whether or not my dog is a purebred or not, but I don't think that people should assume purebreds are automatically better than mutts, especially after reading some of the posts in this thread.

But calling it dog racism is a bit extreme. Then again, I've never liked PETA and their tactics.

I can't say for sure if its the result but I'm very sorry to hear that happened to your lab. Is she okay now? (If it's allowed to be mentioned here or please PM me)

But more on track PETA doesn't represent animals in reality, they like many Eco terrorists if I may use the term to describe them as such. Push their own agendas and beliefs by using animals who can't speak for themselves (If they really wanted to help they'd set up rescue clinics and free practice vet times ect.)

(I'd like to go on record I'm AGAINST cruelty to animals, and dangerous lab testing, as well as beauty product testing, shampoo and the like.

But this supports my point further that humans go overboard in their control over other living creatures.

Originally Posted by Claudia

While I agree with that, it's the mutt breeders who contribute far more to dog overpopulation then purebred breeders do. I browse petfinder for fun and most of the dogs I find on there are mutts. I can only gather from this logically that most unwanted /dogs being re-homed are mutts and therefore the responsiblity of dog overpopulation lies with these breeders the most.

And among the purebred breeders, it's usually the puppy mills who contribute the most...
Private breeders hate them and hate being lumped together with them even more.
Private responsible breeders are hardly a problem. If everyone bred companion animals ( dogs in this case) like they did, we would not have the overpopulation problem in the first place.

That said, I would take a rescued purebred dog that is here already over getting exactly the purebred I want from a breeder.
I feel everyone should check rescues before deciding to go get a pup from a breeder. Only go to a breeder, if the kind of dog you want isn't in a rescue already is what I recommend to people.

"Mutt breeders"? People don't typically breed "mutts" things just sort of happen.

Mutt-"Mixed-breed dog, a dog that has characteristics of two or more breeds"

This means even dogs who are purebred and are mated with another purebred for certain attributes the owner wants are considered mutts.

Pet finder is not something you should base your whole opinion on. Most people own Mutts, and are happy with them. Purebreds while one has to pay for them more, have a lot more problems because they are mated with relatives, which cause problems.

A lot of the dogs found in the pounds are typically dogs who have had puppies unplanned, due to a neighbor dog, a dog in the neighborhood, and so on. As well as people who don't want a certain dog and so on anymore. You don't see as many purebreds in the pound because people feel they HAVE to keep them, because of the hundreds of dollars they paid in order to have it, even if they don't like the dog, or it's not receiving proper care. Mutts, are cheaper on the other hand, and a family is more willing to put them up for adoption to find a better home because they don't feel like they have an obligation to keep the dog.

You seem like a very snobby person, who refuses to believe anything anyone else says. While purebred dogs can be more appealing because they can show social status of the owner, "mutts" are more unique, as well as healthy. Not all mutts are healthy, but they are more so than purebreds. Purebreds are also bred in puppy farms a lot too, which is horrible!

I think the fact that you wont listen to anything anyone else in this thread is appalling. And you shouldn't have made this thread if you weren't open to other people's ideas.

I personally don't think purebreds are bad, and same with mutts (I own two). But I think you starting the whole "purebreds are better than mutts" was a horrible idea on your part, and is only going to upset people.

Originally Posted by Claudia

While I agree with that, it's the mutt breeders who contribute far more to dog overpopulation then purebred breeders do. I browse petfinder for fun and most of the dogs I find on there are mutts. I can only gather from this logically that most unwanted /dogs being re-homed are mutts and therefore the responsiblity of dog overpopulation lies with these breeders the most.

And among the purebred breeders, it's usually the puppy mills who contribute the most...
Private breeders hate them and hate being lumped together with them even more.
Private responsible breeders are hardly a problem. If everyone bred companion animals ( dogs in this case) like they did, we would not have the overpopulation problem in the first place.

That said, I would take a rescued purebred dog that is here already over getting exactly the purebred I want from a breeder.
I feel everyone should check rescues before deciding to go get a pup from a breeder. Only go to a breeder, if the kind of dog you want isn't in a rescue already is what I recommend to people.

"Petfinder" is not an accurate resource to determine what dogs are wanted and what aren't I'd like to say that before I get started.

Could you please explain to me what a "mutt breeder" is? I don't really understand the concept maybe you mean an owner who let his dog have puppies?

I think your attaching negative stigma to your use of mutt which I have already discussed.
People who get rid of dogs or are unwilling to keep them. Or even under other circumstances that are beyond their control. (There is also a disturbingly large percentage of the population that will only keep dogs until they are puppies then when they aren't cute and tiny any more they dump them[My dog Libby (R.I.P.) was one of these dogs we got her when they were opening up her pin to put her asleep])

and since the larger population in general is dogs of mixed breeds saying they are the ones who are more unwanted then purebreds would be like saying.

"Your not 100% British? Well I am and I'm simply not interested in you."
A much larger population of humans is not 100% any one heritage, so it is unfair to make that same comparison to dogs that are on "Petfinder" which across the globe are more mixed then pure.

Private breeders sell lives for profit based on what someone wants, when they could be working for a shelter helping dogs that don't already have a home. It isn't like dogs only have one puppy either.

So private breeders need lots of buyers, or they put them to sleep, or abandon
them. (By the way I hope your a private breeder who speaks for a hive mind of them since you can tell us what they hate)


The following image may be somewhat gross









A more mild picture then what is the norm of today's major milk processors use as dairy cows now a days. They breed them to be stupid but big and produce alot of milk. Then they are pumped full of hormones that are bad for us by the way, and made to produce more and more at unhealthy rates.


Did you know Pus levels in cow milk are unacceptable by government standards in most states?

This is another example of human selective breeding of another animal, it is selfish and abusive in concept, nature and practice.
Look at the overly swollen utter, More common milk cows used to produce much of this the U.S's milk have far larger utters and other parts of their bodies have swelled because of what we do to them as well.


You also never answered my question in the first post at the bottom.

In addition I'd like to ask you what happened to natural reproduction? Is that not a big factor? and before you say they were the result of irresponsible owners, dogs were not originally domesticated.

Wolves, have you heard of them? Wild beautiful pack hunters that our dogs are directly related to. And yes some owners of mix breeds are irresponsible or need to have their pet fixed. But the same can be said of pure bred owners.

Mutt breeder?..maybe I could use another term?..Someone who bred mutts. Someone who randomly breeds dogs. And every dog was bred by someone directly or indirectly unless the dog is feral or stray.
If one keeps an intact dog and lets them roam loose to breed, they are in my eyes a breeder since they knew what was going to happen just as well as someone who puts two dogs together in a room to mate.

Yes the people connection was the one I was exploring. I wanted to see if anyone here thought like that and agreed to it. If they do, I'm curious. I mentioned why I agree it's the same issue, with different moral perspectives.

Not sure what you are asking?... We (people) bred dogs into certain races/breeds and we do not breed them according to wild/natural selection type laws.
Not sure what sort of dog breed would evolve without interference from people in captivity.

OH forgot to mention if you haven't seen the add, it's under Officialpeta on Youtube along with some other humerious youtubes...
I also love the one where someone says they would never do THAT to their dog...They get yelled at by another mis-understanindg person for not wanting to spay and then in the end they point to the clothing frilly clothing the dog is wearing...LOL>...

@Seph: The hip problems aren't dangerous. When I said "major" that was a bit of an exaggeration. She just can't go on long walks and has trouble walking up stairs and will have arthritis earlier than normal. She's also seven years old this month so some of it has to do with old age as well. She's perfectly fine otherwise, except for not making a very good guard dog. :lol:

Re: selective breeding: I think that in some instances, especially agriculture, we have become so accustomed to artificial selection that it would be hard to imagine living without it. Strawberries, corn, and wheat are three examples off of the top of my head.

In regards to animals though...it's a little trickier because you start getting into ethical debates about their treatment because they are sentient while plants are not.

So basically, I know that cows are pumped full of hormones that are dangerous to us...but I also love me some steak and a big glass of milk.

Originally Posted by Claudia

Mutt breeder?..maybe I could use another term?..Someone who bred mutts. Someone who randomly breeds dogs. And every dog was bred by someone directly or indirectly unless the dog is feral or stray.
If one keeps an intact dog and lets them roam loose to breed, they are in my eyes a breeder since they knew what was going to happen just as well as someone who puts two dogs together in a room to mate.

Yes the people connection was the one I was exploring. I wanted to see if anyone here thought like that and agreed to it. If they do, I'm curious. I mentioned why I agree it's the same issue, with different moral perspectives.

Not sure what you are asking?... We (people) bred dogs into certain races/breeds and we do not breed them according to wild/natural selection type laws.
Not sure what sort of dog breed would evolve without interference from people in captivity.

OH forgot to mention if you haven't seen the add, it's under Officialpeta on Youtube along with some other humerious youtubes...
I also love the one where someone says they would never do THAT to their dog...They get yelled at by another person for not wanting to spay and then in the end they point to the clothing frilly clothing...LOL>...

Please I'm asking you to stop acting like people are the absolute gods of animal reproduction. I think you are also over and misusing the word breed and its derivatives.
If one keeps an intact dog? that sounds simply disgusting the way you phrase it is unnerving.
Then you go on to say and lets them roam loose to breed (Once again you seem to think a dogs only purpose in the world is reproduction and it is also it's only goal and desire and what it will do as soon as it gets out)
You also seem to assume people open up the door to their house and say "Go find one boy" and let them run off.. I've never witnessed this behavior have you?


"Someone who randomly breeds dogs" you also say right after. What does that mean? Does it mean alot of guys randomly get a German Shepard and a Lab together and lets them go at it to randomly breed them? That sounds a little off honestly.

Putting two dogs together does not promise that they will mate, but it encourages it through close proximity, though I wouldn't compare a closed room with two dogs of opposite gender the same as. Dog outside maybe it will find a female maybe not? Same kind of comparable situation I think it is not.

Dogs bred themselves before humans bred them, It's that simple. If you won't admit that you refuse to look at FACT.

you mention moral perspectives but I think you are lacking in the morals department to be a decent judge.

Evolution happens regardless of what happens and what is going on.Simply put nature will find a way.

I have a pure-breed dog right now and in the past I've had a mutt, I think it doesn't make a difference what heritage or blood the dog has in it's veins, The mutt I had was the best dog I've had so far, His name was Smokey and he was part dalmatian and part terrier, he was really friendly and well-mannered. I've had a full-breed Rottweiler in the past who was a really bad dog in comparison. I think it all has to do with the dog's personality..

and I guess it depends how superficial of a person you are yourself. If you only like a dog for the way it looks or what heritage it has, you really are missing the point.

Originally Posted by Rabid Rainbow

@Seph: The hip problems aren't dangerous. When I said "major" that was a bit of an exaggeration. She just can't go on long walks and has trouble walking up stairs and will have arthritis earlier than normal. She's also seven years old this month so some of it has to do with old age as well. She's perfectly fine otherwise, except for not making a very good guard dog. :lol:

Re: selective breeding: I think that in some instances, especially agriculture, we have become so accustomed to artificial selection that it would be hard to imagine living without it. Strawberries, corn, and wheat are three examples off of the top of my head.

In regards to animals though...it's a little trickier because you start getting into ethical debates about their treatment because they are sentient while plants are not.

So basically, I know that cows are pumped full of hormones that are dangerous to us...but I also love me some steak and a big glass of milk.

Seconded on The steak and milk. But they don't need to be the unsafe money grubbers they are to doing it. That's the part that is upsetting to me.

You should look into some different dog foods possibly because none of my seven year old dogs really ever showed their age. It happens closer to 15 for me. But anyway bad hips can be very depressing for some dog owners I was one.


Quacky was 18 or so when he passed but I only got to know him when he was old and I was very young. He had problems with his hips and you'd have to get over him and press his hind legs together with your legs to help him stand up, whenever he needed to get up. (I helped him alot)

He was a pure bred that we got that didn't make it as a police dog (He just wouldn't bite the bad guys)

It got so bad he wasn't able to get up to go potty anymore and he wet himself. He was my best friend for a long time and it still makes me a little sad to think about how I only got to know such a wonderful dog when his story was in it's twilight.

Purebred dogs really aren't bred for health. They are bred for traits that match their breed so that they can look the best they can. Pick up any book about dog breeds and you will find a list of illnesses common to the breed because of inbreeding and the like.

Sure, I like purebred dogs, but I don't think that they should be the only kinds of dogs in the world. After all purebreds were created by mixing dogs with different traits to begin with, in order to get what they wanted.

I own two purebreds and one mutt and I certainly will never say that I love my purebreds more because they were selectively bred. Odds are, the mutt will live a healthier and longer life than the others because he doesn't have all those health problems bred into him.

@Seph: Yeah, we feed my dog lean food so she stays relatively skinny and doesn't have to carry around extra weight. She still acts like a puppy but after, say, playing outside for a while or going on a long walk, she tires much more easily.

In regards to the topic, what exactly makes a purebred anyways? I just finished a unit of Darwin and evolution in my biology class at school and I started thinking about this: The purebred dogs we have today are probably descended from we would call mutts.

Maybe a Dalmatian/terrier hybrid will be favored by evolution and somewhere down the line that "mutt" is considered a purebred. Just some food for thought.

Originally Posted by KameOolong

I have a pure-breed dog right now and in the past I've had a mutt, I think it doesn't make a difference what heritage or blood the dog has in it's veins, The mutt I had was the best dog I've had so far, His name was Smokey and he was part dalmatian and part terrier, he was really friendly and well-mannered. I've had a full-breed Rottweiler in the past who was a really bad dog in comparison. I think it all has to do with the dog's personality..

and I guess it depends how superficial of a person you are yourself. If you only like a dog for the way it looks or what heritage it has, you really are missing the point.

Dal Ter mix huh? I have a Dal mix back home and she's a sweet heart (Her name is Poppy[think poppy seed]) Tell me did Smokey really enjoy car rides? If you don't mind me asking
(The reason I ask is because Dals were traditionally stage coach guard dogs. They were bred to be comfortable in the situation, part of why the Dal is seen as a firedog)

and I know a Rottweiler back home who may be pure bred, I'm not sure but his name is Harley and he's our neighbors dog and Poppy can be a real pain proving she's tougher then the younger bigger dog. (lol)

But one things for sure Harley is a big sweet heart too.




In response to Rainbow
That is exactly the kinds of things I've been saying I mean mutts in general are more long lived so I would assume favored by evolution as well. Sho for example is correct about all those illnesses and defects because of inbreeding.

You are very correct Rainbow, someone trying to state a real difference exists as far as pure and mix goes must be thinking only as far back as humans have been messing with it.

PS
Glad to hear she eats well. Some dogs do seem to age faster then others. all one can wish for is making her life as fun and love filled as possible.



PSS to everyone I'm going to watch some TV with my Girlfriend, later tonight I'll probably respond to other posts so check back tomorrow if your interested.

Dal Ter mix huh? I have a Dal mix back home and she's a sweet heart (Her name is Poppy[think poppy seed]) Tell me did Smokey really enjoy car rides? If you don't mind me asking
(The reason I ask is because Dals were traditionally stage coach guard dogs. They were bred to be comfortable in the situation, part of why the Dal is seen as a firedog)

and I know a Rottweiler back home who may be pure bred, I'm not sure but his name is Harley and he's our neighbors dog and Poppy can be a real pain proving she's tougher then the younger bigger dog. (lol)

But one things for sure Harley is a big sweet heart too.

I can't really remember if my dog did, it was a while ago when we had him. He died of seizures and heart problems. He probably liked car rides, I remember when we took him home from the puppy barn, he seemed fine. I think he was very sensitive to certain noises though, while the rottweiler we had wasn't phased by even the loudest firework noises. It's odd how sounds can scare some dogs, I have a Lhasa apso right now and she get's really freaked out by noises made by lawn-mowers and the sound comes from cellphones ringing.

I think all dogs have their pros and cons but I'm sure that as a dog owner you grow to love some part of your dog and you can put aside whatever genetic flaws or problems your dog might have.

Yeah seriously they have all of these organizations for Golden Retrievers and Dalmatians and other popular pure-breeds. But you have to understand how many stray dogs there are.
In the book The Darkest Evening of the Year one of the main characters is a woman who works at a dog shelter and everytime she goes to the pound to pick up an abandoned Golden Retriever she wishes more than anything that she could just take them all. But she can't because no one can afford the food or the space or all the attention the abused dogs require. So consider that because the people who fund these organizations most likely want nothing more than happy animals all around. It's just not possible. =/

I can't really remember if my dog did, it was a while ago when we had him. He died of seizures and heart problems. He probably liked car rides, I remember when we took him home from the puppy barn, he seemed fine. I think he was very sensitive to certain noises though, while the rottweiler we had wasn't phased by even the loudest firework noises. It's odd how sounds can scare some dogs, I have a Lhasa apso right now and she get's really freaked out by noises made by lawn-mowers and the sound comes from cellphones ringing.

I think all dogs have their pros and cons but I'm sure that as a dog owner you grow to love some part of your dog and you can put aside whatever genetic flaws or problems your dog might have.

One last Post I'm very sorry to hear about the way he passed. I hope he didn't suffer.

(Libby, dog previously mentioned was scared to death of loud noises like fireworks and thunder. She went deaf in her older years [I remember walking across our large yard to go drag her in because she was sun bathing]) so it was a mixed blessing//curse kind of thing.

In my opinion, a better definition of "dog racism" would be when people hate a specific breed of dog unfairly. For example, some pitbulls are mean, and many are trained to be vicious. So some people automatically assume that every pitbull is a killing machine, where many are sweet, normal dogs.