By now, you’ve determined your lifestyle and available time to spend with your spoiled rescue. But how do you select the breed or look of your future dog? If you’ve determined a Cat is better suited for you, check out the next blog post Choosing Your Cat. Let me help you further narrow your options be choosing from 3 categories: Established Breeds, Designer Breeds, and Mutts.

What do I mean by Established Breeds? These are the American Kennel Club recognized breeds. They have long lines of breeding history and they are the breeds you see on TV during the dog show competitions. While these breeds are available from breeders and come with papers proving their lineage, I’m recommending adopting from a breed-specific rescue.

Rescues dedicated to the a specific breed will know the positive aspects of the breed and will tell you what you’re getting yourself into. Each breed has been developed over years of selective breeding. There are inevitable medical challenges and personality traits that are specific to each breed. It’s better to know what to expect and plan for so you are not surprised when you bring your pup home. There is a difference between an Established Breed and a Designer Breed.

Designer Breeds are a new trend in the animal world. They are often a mix of two established breeds “designed” to create a specific look or need. The most common Designer Breeds are the “oodles”. Some type of dog bred with a poodle. For example a Labradoodle (Labrador Retriever + Poodle). These designer breeds became popular recently because of the trend for “hypoallergenic dogs”. Usually people who want a “hypoallergenic dog” are those who are allergic to dog dander or saliva. They choose poodle breeds because they shed less (this is not the same as shed-free or hypoallergenic). Dogs are mammals and therefore shed their fur. If you are allergic to dogs, you may fall into one of two categories. You could be allergic to all dogs or certain individuals, not necessarily a specific breed. As an example, I’m allergic to certain individuals and only their saliva. Be careful not to buy into the myth that designer breeds are “hypoallergenic”. There is no such thing. Meet the dog before adopting it to see if you have an allergic reaction.. Or, you could go with my favorite breed, the Mutt!

Mutts are my favorite breed. They are often overlooked at shelters and rescues because they don’t fit “the standard look” that everyone grew up watching on TV and the movies. I love Mutts because you never know what they will look like and they often have less of a “genetic mess”. Genetic Mess? What’s that? Mutts are less likely to get the bad genes from overbreeding that often lead to cancer and other medical issues. That’s not to say that it’s a guarantee your mutt won’t get cancer, it’s just less likely they will.

All breeds of dogs were bred for a specific purpose. When looking for your next spoiled rescue, ask the following questions:

1) What is their personality? (working dog vs lap dog vs obsessive etc).

2) Are there any known medical issues with the breed (ie: hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, heart conditions, common types of cancer, breathing issues).

3) What training will they require? This is more of a necessity for the working dog breeds. If they are not kept busy, they can develop behavioral problems.

Knowing more about the breed or breeds that make up your spoiled rescue will help you set your expectations for their temperament, future training needs, and possible medical bills.

So, are you going to rescue an Established Breed, a Designer Breed, or a Mutt?