Purebreds, you can find them in movies, in forums, web sites and even exclusively in dog shows. They are popular and are well-liked by many people and dog owners. Cross breeds also known as mutts are not so fortunate. They get little attention and are widely found in animal shelters. Why is there such a huge disparity? This article seeks to discuss that and help you learn more about pure and mixed breeds.

Purebreds are dogs that belong to a documented and acknowledged group of unmixed lineage. They are bred carefully with dogs from the same ancestry to ensure that they maintain a certain standard for that particular breed with similar temperament, characteristics and appearances. To be recognized as a true breed, it must be proven that the mating of the two adult dogs have to be of the same type, and will have to pass on their exact characteristics, in terms of both appearance and behavior to their offspring - this is known as breeding true.

For people involved with professional breeding, there is a huge difference between purebreds and mutts. Some mutts might actually be purebreds but have no documentation proving that they are so. If you are looking for a pet and have no interest in entering competitions with your dog, this might be a viable option for you and the cost is considerably lower too.

Breeding of purebred dogs is selected with care. The pair is tested for every possible disease which includes having all the information regarding the pair's ancestors and health records on file. Should there be no problem in the history of the pair, then the breeding can begin. During testing, should the pair is not compatible due to diseases that are common in a specific breed, another dog will be selected as a match instead.

There are many options as to where you can buy a dog, in pet shops, kennels and shelters. If you insist on a purebred, it is recommended to find a reputable breeder in your area to get the best breed puppies with no problems.

Mixed breeds on the other hand could have been bred out of experimentation to produce a breed which could be better and stronger, without as much weakness as is found genetically in the two breeds. Chances are high that they are the consequences of accidents. In general, mixed breeds are so diverse it is difficult for anyone to go through all their characteristics in full.

Health wise, purebred dogs that come from a line of strong parents could have lesser problems because breeders screen the pair before the process happens. Nevertheless, a very common issue with most purebred dogs is that they may suffer from inherited health problems such as bone and joint disorders that cause lameness, eye diseases that cause blindness, sudden heart disease that causes early death, epilepsy, seizures, or immune system diseases, just to name a few of the over 300 genetic health defects documented in dogs.

The incidence of inherited health problems is extremely high in purebreds due to two main reasons:

1. The AKC makes it compulsory for all purebreds involve in the breeding process to be dogs that are registered with them, only then will their offspring be recognized as purebreds. This rule take off the large majority of other dogs that could have been available to breed. Because of that, most breeds are bred on rather small number of founding dogs on a limited and closed gene pool. Without the introduction of new and unrelated genes in to the breed in the long run, purebred dogs suffer from "loss of genetic diversity," which inevitably leads to dogs with inherited health problems.

2. There are instances where certain breeders are more concerned about financial gain rather than the welfare of the animal. This is particularly true to unscrupulous breeders who bred dogs to make money and not follow the strict rules of proper breeding, therefore breeding inferior dogs in the process.

To avoid getting a dog with inherited health problems, you should always look for responsible breeders who make their dogs go through medical tests as proof of good health. Some of these tests include - X-rays to detect hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia, Ophthalmic exam to determine the presence of PRA and cataracts, Cardiac exam to detect certain heart diseases. Bear in mind that not all tests are required as certain inherited health problems are present in certain breeds only.

Mixed bred dogs on the other hand are surprising generally healthier than purebreds. Cross breeds tend to enjoy better health and vigor because of their wide range of genes diversity. The main reason is because the parents' genes are by and large not related, it is highly unlikely for the puppy to inherit bad genes that are not presented in both parents. Studies have shown that inherited health problems are often due to the pairing of dogs with similar defective genes.

Some dog owners has a tendency to like purebreds more than cross breeds. The primary reason is that it carries a certain prestige with it, often glamorized by television, movies and breeders. They are also constantly featured at dog shows where mixed dogs are not allowed to compete in without a compelling reason.

These incidents led the public to believe that the cross breeds are inferior dogs when compare to the purebreds, therefore they create lesser interests and awareness from the public. It is a shame to see most of them being round up frequently and left to die in animal shelters.

To conclude, purebreds will give you predictable characteristics that you are looking for in a dog, but suffer from higher potential for genetic defects and inherited health problems.

Mixed bred dogs will tend to be healthier in general, but you might have to deal with the unpredictable characteristics, temperament and appearance that comes with it when it grows up. The only option is to make smart educated guesses by observing its parents closely. Nevertheless, you also know that your dog is truly unique and one of its kind.

Adding a dog to your family is a life changing and long commitment. You should not make a decision based on whether it is pure or mixed breed alone but also consider carefully the breed type that is most suitable for your lifestyle.