What is a Mutt? 

A mutt, or a mongrel, is a dog that doesn’t belong to any officially recognized breed based on its visual or biological characteristics. Either one, both, or none of the parents can be purebred, but if the process happens with no selective purposes, all the cute puppies you get as a result of this union will be mutts.

Sometimes, people refer to mutts as mixed breed dogs to avoid a certain negative meaning the word “mongrel” can have. But this isn't entirely correct because mongrels don’t always hail from two defined breeds.  

There is a certain prejudice against mixed dog breeds as opposed to purebreds since they’re considered less valuable commercially or can’t participate in dog pageants. As any kind of prejudice and discrimination it should be eliminated. All breeds you know started as a mix of two different breeds, in other words, as mixed dog breeds.

Crossbreed vs Mutt Dog

The main difference between crossbreeds and mutts is whether the mixing process was intentional. Crossbreeds are created by humans through an intentional mix of two or more breeds. This can be done either for functional or visual purposes. 

On the other hand, the idea behind the mutt definition is that they are born with no human interference. They may or may not have purebred parents who belong to different breeds.

Types of Mutts

• A mix with characteristics of two or more breeds is a mutt dog breed that shows visible similarities with a particular breed. Such dogs have either a purebred or several generations of mixed breeds in their ancestry. They’re usually called by the name of the breed they most resemble, for example, a Golden mix.
• Pariah dogs originally belonged to the Indian subcontinent, where they lived in the streets and bred through non-intentional selection. Often, all stray dogs in South Asia are referred to as pariah dogs, but that’s incorrect because pariahs have very distinct features.
• Functional breeds are produced intentionally, but rather than their pure bloodline, people are interested in how they perform specific tasks. Sometimes, functional breeds are officially recognized as a breed.

Mixed Dog Breeds FAQ

Are Mutts Healthier?

Mutts are generally believed to be healthier because of their genetic diversity. Purebred selection is often focused on one visual trait, but it might also come with a genetic disorder. Another thing that often causes health problems among purebreds is inbreeding.  

Are Mixed Breed Dogs Intelligent?

While there are different opinions on this matter, there is no significant research or definitive results to confirm or disprove this theory. Much of the dog’s intelligence depends on the environment and training it received.

What Dog Breeds Can’t Mix?

Biologically, any dog breed can breed with any other dog breed. However, you should be mindful of the results you’ll get. Mixed dog breeds inherit character traits from both parents, and some of these combinations might just not work. Another thing to be aware of is size. When mixing two breeds of very different sizes, you can’t really predict which way it will go.