Mixed breeds suffer less often from diseases than pedigree dogs – this is a widely held view among dog lovers. But is that even true? Are mixed-breed dogs healthier than their purebred counterparts?
The reason mixed breeds are said to be healthier than pedigree dogs is not wrong in principle. Mixed-breed dogs come from a larger gene pool than purebred four-legged friends, so theoretically, the risk of hereditary diseases and inbreeding-related malformations should be lower. In practice, however, this is not entirely true.
Mixed breeds are always a surprise.
Nobody knows which genetic predispositions he inherited from his large gene pool with a mixed breed. He may get an inherited disease, although his parents appear perfectly healthy. Suppose nothing is known about the parents and ancestors of the dog. In that case, it is impossible to predict whether it will be more beneficial or more susceptible to illness than a purebred conspecific. That is left to chance.
Incidentally, the same applies to character traits and appearance. The more different dog breeds there are in his family tree, the more unpredictable it is which type of dog will end up. Mixed breeds are like a piñata full of surprises. That makes them unique, but that doesn’t necessarily make them any healthier.
Seriously bred pedigree dogs are no more ill than mixed breeds.
If pedigree dogs come from a reputable breed, the breeder tries to avoid known hereditary diseases. Diseased dogs are excluded from breeding. In addition, conscientious dog breeders regularly carry out extensive health tests with their four-legged friends at the vet to check whether they may have an undesirable predisposition. However, this does not always break out, so it cannot be avoided with 100% certainty that the parent animals will pass on hereditary diseases to their offspring.
Therefore, pedigree dogs are neither healthier nor more susceptible to illness than mixed breeds. The main difference between the dogs is that the risk of known breed-typical hereditary diseases can be minimized within the framework of species-appropriate breeding. In the case of mixed breeds, it is not possible to predict how high the risk of certain diseases is.
Beware of torture and black breeding when buying a dog.
It is up to you whether you choose mixed breeds or pedigree dogs. It is more important that you make sure that you do not buy your dog from a torture breed, black breeders or the dog mafia. It would help if you did not support these machinations. Torment breed refers to dog breeds that were bred due to questionable ideals of beauty so that they have to live with physical limitations.
The pinched nose of the pug or the English bulldog, for example, makes it difficult for the dog to breathe. Teacup dogs are deliberately bred to be tiny, resulting in malformations. However, for many torment breeds, there are alternatives. Breeders try to preserve the dog breed in a healthier version: The retro pug or the old English bulldog.
Black breeding can affect all dog breeds. This refers to dog breeders who are not registered in any association, presumably because they do not adhere to species-appropriate breeding and disease prevention guidelines. Inbreeding or poor housing conditions can lead to diseases and behavioural problems. In the dog mafia, unscrupulous multipliers “produce” puppies like on an assembly line, without regard to losses. The poor animals are later sold on the street or from the trunk of motorway service stations. Some are also sold off via dubious classified ads on the Internet.
