We often get asked this question.
With
What goes into the mix matters, not just as to what the end package looks like but as to what the behavior tendency is likely to lean towards. Temperament is part biology, part socialization, part training and part the environment around the being at the time of the assessment.
Still, it is important to identify the breed of the dog as closely as one can to help with the placement of a shelter dog.
In some cases miss-identification might get a dog of "questionable background" but a great temperament a good home that might have walked right by if they had a better idea of what breed mix the dog was.
In other cases though it can lose a home for a dog, break a family's hearts and turn community members off on shelters. As in the cases of those cute little Labrador mixes, that grow up to be Pitbull mixes and their owners are forced to part with them or their lease (I am strongly against outlawing breeds of pets but it does happen. Apartments that will allow large dogs are hard to find let along those that will take any breed of large dog).
Here is one man's interesting quest to find out just what kind of dog he had adopted.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bal-ace-package,0,1865035.special
"Black dog, white dog, brown dog, yellow dog, big dog, small dog, purebred, mixed breed, it just doesn't make all that much difference.
As long as you're a good dog."
2 comments:
Wonderful read...... I agree that a more definitive label is both help and hinderance..But, I feel more harm is done if the dog get's adopted into the wrong home. Adoptions done on the truth and as much information as available tend to last longer. We currently have a plethora of lab mixes..four white feet, white chest with a brindle body.
I have never seen a brindle lab, and feel it is a disservice to the dogs to mislabel them. I don't like breed ban either, but as you say there are people that don't want the responsibility of strong breeds in the investment properties, so they can make the rules they want. It is the dog who pays and often the only crime is growing up into a pitbull.
I hope shelter people read this opost. It's very important to know a little history of the dog and that is found in the bloodlines, or genetics. We can't keep trying to make every dog work in all homes. My Father says, we're Irish, we are supposed to be scruffy and noisy. I grew up falling over wolfhounds. Our Italian neighbors thought we were crazy with the big rowdy boys. I have been thinking about an Aussie, I understand they are rowdy and I like that sense of fun.
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