Definition of Mixed and Cross breed pets - opinions please!

I am just doing some research into the definition of a Mixed breed pet and a Cross breed pet. Would you describe a CROSS breed as a pet that comes from two parents of known and/or identified BREED, therefore it is a CROSS of two identifiable parents? If so, would you then describe a MIXED breed as a MIX of unknown and/or unidentifiable heritage? Or would you say that it should be the opposite way around - a cross is unknown heritage and a mix is known heritage? I have posted this in a different MB and have had interesting answers, but just wanted to see what the general population here think.

Now I'm going to throw another spanner in the works here and add a term that I have thought up: a BLEND breed. How I'm thinking the best way to describe it is as follows:
Cross breed: cross of two purebreds.
Mixed breed: mix of parents of unknown heritage.
Blend breed: blend of more than two breeds of known parentage.

This doesn't necessarily apply to only dogs, however, if you were to use my definitions, which category would you put 'Designer Dogs' in?

Thanks in advance, I look forward to some interesting opinions :)

To me, mixed or cross is the same thing, a dog that is not purebred but two or more mixed. If that's not right, I'm in for an education.;) Designer breed to me, is a dog bred from two different purebreds just to make money.:mad:

I've always thought cross-breed was between two separate species or genus of animals, i.e. a liger is a cross between a lion and a tiger, a zonkey is a cross between a zebra and donkey.

A mixed breed to me is a mix between breeds of animals of the same species/class/genus.

I could be confusing cross-breed with hybrid though. I'm sure someone more knowledgable can explain the differences.

I thought that mixed breed is what they are called in America and cross breed is what they were called in Great Britain. My first encounter with the term cross breed was in a Great Britain dog magazine, and I do see it used in a forum that I belong to based in Great Britain.

I use both terms interchangeably, but I see a mix as being anything that is not purebred, and a cross as a specific kind of mixed breed. (having known purebred parents)

Quite interesting what you've said, thanks for your opinions so far :)

K9 Soul - (no offence intended just in case you take this the wrong way) I do think that you have confused cross-breed with hybrid. The only reason I say this is because of the use of the word 'breed' in the term cross breed. To me, that indicates that the cross is between two animals of the same species, just different breeds of the same species.

Hybrid I'm fairly certain I've heard used for years as a term for a cross of two different species, as you have described (Liger, Zonkey etc).
I've just done a search on Wikipedia and they use the term Zeedonk for a Zebra/Donkey cross!

I think of mixed breeds and cross breeds as the same thing. They are all after all more than one breed MIXED together. Designer dogs are just that too. Mixed breeds. NOTHING special about them.

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Originally Posted by lute

I think of mixed breeds and cross breeds as the same thing. They are all after all more than one breed MIXED together. Designer dogs are just that too. Mixed breeds. NOTHING special about them.

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I agree. Ivy is exactly Doberman/Lab. She is a MIXED breed. I know many designer dogs. I call them Poodle MIXES, Chihuahua MIXES, etc.

Crossbreeds = Mixed breeds. I've never heard of "blend breeds" and I quite honestly don't ever want to hear it again :p It'll only perpetuate the notion that mixes somehow poof into actual breeds by man's whim.

Crossbreed to me is a dog/pup with two purebrebred parents of different breeds. Mixed/ mutt, unknown heritage...more than two breeds ;).