IT’S THE MIX THAT MATTERS! – MIXED BREED DOG DAY

The four-legged VEGDOG team is made up largely of mixed breed dogs. And each one is lovable in its own special way. We are dedicating this blog post to today's Mixed Breed Dog Day not only in their honor, but also in honor of all the other unique mixed breed dogs.

“What breed is he?” – a question I often hear regarding my Romanian dog, Negrutu. I proudly reply: “A street mix” and make guesses as to what kind of mix he might be. Maybe a Collie mixed with something short-legged? A Dachshund, perhaps? A crazy mix? Absolutely! But absolutely lovable!

As far back as I can remember, it has always been mixed-breed dogs that have accompanied me through life. I remember beautiful animals with lovable characters. Since dog owners take on the responsibility for a living being and give it a place in their lives (and hearts), characteristics like temperament and health should always come first, not breed and appearance. As responsible owners, we have the opportunity to make a conscious decision when it comes to origin and breed, which should always be well-considered.

For many mixed-breed owners, animal welfare is the strongest argument for adoption. That is certainly the case for me and the rest of the VEGDOG team. We do not want to support commercial breeding, as there are too many animals without families who want nothing more than a home, a family, regular meals, care when sick, and a hand to pet them. There are breeders for whom appearance and profit play a greater role than animal welfare. Torture breeding is a keyword here – missing tails hinder communication, noses that are too short make breathing difficult, and certain colorings favor blindness or deafness. Adopting an animal therefore does not just mean taking in a unique family member. It also means giving an animal a home, a second chance. And they sense that and express their gratitude for it at every opportunity.

No two mixed-breed dogs are rarely alike. At least, I haven't seen a dog yet that looked like my Negrutu. There is much more diversity among mixed-breed dogs, and there are some truly crazy, unique mixes, especially those that originate on the street. But that is precisely what is exciting and fascinating. Colorful, funny, diverse individuals—who, of course, should also be healthy!

I will always choose to adopt a mixed-breed dog from animal rescue. And the guessing game about what might be in the four-legged friend is fun, too. You are constantly discovering new sides that point to another origin.

Personally, I find it more exciting to adopt an animal that doesn't have to follow a set profile in terms of genes, appearance, character, etc., which often already predetermines its personality.

And if you ever want to know what exactly is hidden inside your four-legged friend: breed tests are one way to find out. There are certainly many surprises waiting to be discovered here.
But be careful: The accuracy of the result is only about 80%. Especially with mixed breeds where many different breeds are mixed together, the risk of inaccuracy increases. So our mixed-breed dogs will always remain a little mysterious.