Quote Originally Posted by Twisterdog
Wow, it's SO nice and refreshing to see someone listen and take others' opinions into consideration without getting defensive! My congratulations for your open-mindedness.

As for choosing between the two, adopt one of each from a shelter instead!

I also agree with what everyone else said. You don't always get "the best of both worlds" when crossing breeds, in fact, I would say you practically NEVER get a 50/50 split of traits, good or bad. I happen to like Italian greyhounds and English bulldogs. Can you imagine crossing the two and hoping to get the best of each? Perish that thought!


Kelly444 - I'm sure you have a lovely, wonderful dog. I happen to have a few lovely, wonderful, smart crossbreeds as well. But they are not "breeds". They are mutts. A crossbred, with two distinct purebreds as parents, or a Heinz 57 pooch, with dozens upons dozens of different dogs in its ancestory ... they are both mutts, mixed breeds, whichever term you prefer. Mixed breeds are great. I own four. I adopted them all and saved their lives. However, to intentionally breed mixed breed dogs is beyond irresponsible, when tens of thousands are dying in shelters, and starving in alleys.
Well thanks Twister....when I wrote that first quote, I was totally naive and uneducated about dogdom - now I'm a little more educated - I'm glad I have this forum to get straight answers!

I would love to get one of each but that will have to wait until I get a bigger place. I know a few wheatons (my groomer has 3 and my friend has one) and I know a mini schnauzer and I fell in love with them instantly. But I also love Olde English Sheepdogs, Old English bulldogs, American Staffordshire Terriers, Boxers, labs, etc etc!!! So I guess education comes at a price!! haha

I think it's interesting that with all the attention given to the Ellen DeGeneres debaucle, more attention was given to the issue of puppy mills and pet stores but such progress was halted by the Paris Hilton's of society. Who, by the way, just admitted to having 17 dogs and also abandoned a cat at her vet's. I wish I knew then what I know now but then a lot of people would not have learned from all the replies my original post generated!

I'm also glad that there are people like you that adopt these mutts from shelters and rescues - it sure takes a special person to do that. I have actually tried three times to adopt a dog but because of the size of my place, it wasn't feasible. I go on the websites of the shelters around my area and I cannot believe the number of mutts there are...In Toronto, where I work, they are reducing the funding given to shelters so there will be a lot of abandoned animals roaming the streets. What I would give to rescue these poor dogs! Honestly, having a dog has made me realize that dogs are more 'human' than some humans themselves!!!