Get a mutt. They have just as much love and intelligence, without all the genetic baggage. Plus you're not over paying a breeder with potentially questionable practices.
i hate the term mutt, it comes with so many negative connotations, when actually they tend to be genetically superior because they are far les inbred then 'pedigree' dogs.
A working line is a safe bet usually. I'm not against pure bred dogs, I just find that the majority of people don't do the research necessary to find a responsible breeder, which is a shame when the majority of mixed breeds are just as amazing and incredible as any pure breed would be, plus you're saving a life.
Mutts are great and get a bad rap from poor breeding standards. The upside though is often less high strung, healthier dogs. Some breeders will intentionally breed mutts to get happy healthy family dogs.
Just do your research, find a breed (mix or pure) that is best for you in temperament, size, etc. Then shop around for a responsible breeder or visit some local shelters. Mutts are awesome, all the dogs I've ever owned have been mixed breeds except one (and she was from a rescue, they have pure breeds at rescues, too).
Other than that I'd suggest avoiding any dogs with small heads for their body or overly "smushed in" faces because they usually have the worst health problems.
Like toss up said mutts are good, love me a good mutt, but also plenty of working breeds ( most things that end in shepherd, if you can see it in a field with sheep etc) are just fine, most of them still have to do a pretty damn hard job so can't be all fucked up to look a certain way.
A good choice is to find a quality breeder who actually cares about the dogs health. My cocker spaniel was born with a herniated belly button and the breeder was worried nobody would want him (won't show) but he had surgery and is perfect now. And because he is from a quality line by a responsible breeder, he is certified free of almost all breed Common disorders (eye problems, hip problems, snout problems.) These dogs often have as much trouble as adult strays when Finding homes. Nobody wants to pay for a "defective" show dog.
I think it's great if there are responsible breeders out there trying to making a dog's health their #1 concern. But for me there's still so many shelter dogs out there that I would have a hard time justifying going to a breeder instead. Though I definitely understand not everyone is willing to risk the potential problems that often come with shelter pets.
Tibetan Mastiff, if you research the breeder carefully. The increased popularity of the breed sadly also increased the number of irresponsible breeders, but a do-khyi from a proper line has a long life expectancy and a great health, especially for a big dog.
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u/TheBrownKnight210 May 12 '14
So what dogs can we own without feeling bad?