Miriam Fields-Babineau - Training Your Mixed Breed

KENNEL CLUB BOOKS: TRAINING YOUR MIXED BREED

ISBN: 1-59378-592-5

Copyright 2005 Kennel Club Books, LLC

3 Burroughs, Irvine, CA 92618 USA

Cover Design Patented: US 6,435,559 B2 Printed in South Korea

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, scanner, microfilm, xerography or any other means, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.

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IN THE MIX

According to the Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America, a mixed-breed dog is the offspring of two pure-bred dogs of different breeds. The pairing of a pure-bred with a mixed breed produces mongrels and, if both sire and dam are mixed breeds, then the offspring are mutts. Regardless of definition, a dog that is not identifiable as a pure-bred is not allowed to compete in events offered solely for pure-breds by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and specialty clubs. However, there are several national and international clubs devoted to furthering the sport of mixed-breed dogs. These include the aforementioned Mixed Breed Dog Clubs of America, North American Mixed Breed Registry and various local and regional mixed-breed dog clubs. Several pure-bred dog clubs do allow mixed breeds to compete at their events. These clubs include the United Kennel Club, North American Dog Racing Association and Australian Shepherd Club of America. All of these organizations recognize that mixed-breed dogs are able to train and compete on the same levels as pure-bred dogs.

Bella is a Beagle/Coonhound mix, pictured here in her new home just a few weeks after being adopted from a shelter.

Mario is a Chihuahua mix whose small size belies his huge personality.

One cannot state that a mixed-breed dog is any more or less healthy, intelligent or long-lived than a pure-bred. These factors depend more on the dogs genetics and lifetime care. However, it has been noted that mixed-breed dogs are less likely to contract some of the common hereditary problems that can be seen in pure-breds. These problems occur sometimes as a result of poor breeding and sometimes because certain conditions are difficult to detect no matter how careful the breeder. Common hereditary disorders include hip and elbow dysplasia, retinal atrophy and heart defects, among others. A mixed-breed dog may draw strength from the background of one of his ancestors to overcome the weaknesses of another. He also may gain certain propensities from both sides of his lineage. He may be able to show the abilities to both herd sheep and find lost people, instead of the specialized abilities of the herding dog who is bred solely for herding or the working dog developed solely for search-and-rescue.

All dog breeds were developed for specific tasks. There are breeds that guard, breeds that herd, breeds that have specialized hunting skills and breeds that were meant to warm the hands and feet of their human companions. Your mixed-breed dog is a combination of one or more of these, making him unique unto himself, a pawprint of individuality. Unlike with a pure-bred dog, you will not be able to foretell his exact size or personality until he is fully developed. You will be able to tell certain things, like whether he has long fur or a short coat, floppy ears or erect ones. He may end up weighing 25, 55 or over 100 pounds! Knowledge of who his parents are and how big he is as a pup will give you an idea of eventual size, but there is still no guarantee. Most owners of mixed breeds have no idea of parentage, so the best means of knowing is by learning about the attributes of pure-breds and applying them to observed behaviors and appearances in their mixed-breed dogs. Their genetic codes contain similar information. Size, conformation, coat coloration and even some similarities in behavior can be noted. However, this can often be difficult to decipher while your mixed-breed dog is young.

This dog, an interesting mix of Airedale Terrier, Doberman Pinscher and Schnauzer, grew up to resemble a wiry-coated Doberman.

Knowing more about pure-bred dogs will aid you in better understanding your own mixed breed. Will the dog be suitable in a home with a family that works long hours? How will he get along with young children? Will the dog have a tendency to be hyperactive? Even though the behavioral tendencies of a pure breed can be more predictable, there are individuals that often vary from the norm.

If you know something about your lovely individual, such as the breed(s) of one or both parents, you will have some idea as to what to expect throughout his development, leading to a better understanding of his overall behavior patterns and physical attributes. If you do not have breed specifics, then you hopefully will at least be able to determine to which group of dogs one or both parents belonged, such as the terriers, sporting dogs, hounds and so on. For explanation purposes, we will discuss the breed groups according to AKC classification.