Cross Breeds

A lot of people who cross breed dogs bring up the idea of "hybrid vigor"?

Which basically states that the F1 offspring of crossed pure breeds are more genetically sound than either of the individual parents. What do you think about this idea? (My personal opinion is that the argument is based on a very limited understanding of genetics and is in essence, utter crap)

Public Comments

1. mongrels can be healthier because they aren't as prone to certain diseases as a purebreed. i.e. a GSD x has half the chance of inheriting hip dysplasia. but crossing breeds on purpose is just crazy and it's only idiots who breed those dogs and also idiots who continue to fuel the market by buying them. I think the "breeders" have a very limited understanding of basic dog breeds so genetics would be completly out of their league.
2. I agree with you. Because dog's are so similar in genetic make-up, then any 2 dogs you breed with a genetic defect have just as equal a chance of producing puppies with the same defect, whether it's 2 of the same breed, or 2 of a different breed. Ever noticed that these same folks like to point out that "all of our breeds were once *mixed* breeds as well? Seems to me that they want to believe the best of both worlds- if *hybrid vigor* exists for mixing breeds- then it would be so for all of the purebreds that started as a mix, right?
3. It is utter nonsense! There is no such thing as Hybrid Vigor! Hybrid in it's true meaning means to cross to unlike species to create another. This DOES not apply to dogs being as all dogs are canines! Sound to me like nothing more than designer dog breeders garbage to make unsuspecting owners thing they are getting something that doesnt even exist!
4. Utter CRAP! Its a nice idea but mixing one breed with another just puts two breeds together! Genetics stay the same. If one breed is prone to seizures and the other is prone to bone cancer...good luck with a pup who may have both! I LOVE mixed breeds and purebreds and have loved and lost both to bad genes. Hybrid vigor is crap.
5. "Hybrid" is a fancy word for mutt. And means that breeders of "hybrids" can charge an arm and a leg for the puppies. The idea behind some of these planned mixed breeds is to play down certain characteristics or traits and enhance others. For example, a "golden doodle" is sold as a non-shedding (from the poodle) mellow, family dog (from the golden retriever) but I have met many high strung doodles who shed terribly, so there are NO guarantees. All the dog breeds that we know today are mixes of older breeds, some ancient, brought together over many generations (and bred to meet specific standards) to incresase hunting abilities, to achieve certain physical attibutes etc. But it takes time. There is something to be said for the health of any mixed breed... by increasing the size of the gene pool you will help to diminish the likleyhood of certain health issues that any one breed is prone to, the more mixing the better. For instance, dalmatians have been very overbred, and from a very limited stock, so most dalmatian have a common ancestor or two within 4 or 5 generations. Constant in-breeding, or breeding from closely related gene pool has resulted in problems like deafness, aggressiveness and poor joint structure. By breeding a dalmatian to another breed of dog without these same health characteristics you have decreased the genetic chances of the issues re-occuring. Yeesh, what a long answer. But basically, get yourself a mutt, and you may get a stronger, healthier dog... but dont pay 1500$ for it. Go to the SPCA!
6. Its utter crap. For one, they are NOT "hybrids" a hybrid animal is the result of breeding 2 different species. All breeds of dog are the SAME specie, therefore, not a hybrid. Some hybrid animals are not always healthier than the parents either.. many are sterile. "Hybrid Vigor" mostly applies to hybrid plants that have been bred to be more resistant to insects and disease. Mixed breed dogs can carry any genetic diseases that thier breeds carry. If mixes really were healthier, then there wouldnt be so many that do have luxating patella, hip displasia, and other health issues. If the parents are untested, then you have no idea what genes they carry, and pass on to their puppies. A well-bred purebred from tested parents has a far better chance at health than any mixed breed.
7. Utter crap, lol. Hybrid vigor typically refers to crossbreeding two genetically similar (but not identical) strains or species. Dogs are all the same species and they are all virtually identical, genetically speaking. As I understand it, true hybrid vigor relates mostly to farming applications. Cross-pollinating different varieties of corn, tomatoes, or whatever, to make it more resistant to disease or drought, etc. Have heard of it applied to livestock, too. Even if there were an argument for "hybrid vigor" in dogs, simply crossbreeding two different varities of the same species does not automatically mean the offspring will be healthier. You can cross a Rottweiler with bad hips with a GSD with bad hips, and the offspring will have bad hips! Bad genetics are bad genetics- and a mutt can certainly have bad genetics just as easily as a purebred dog. I think the theory that "mutts are so much healthier than purebreds" stems from the fact that most folks think the neighbor, the classified ads or the local pet store is the best place to buy a purebred dog. The majority of average pet owners wouldn't know a responsible dog breeder if one fell through their roof. And compared with the genetics of the poorly bred puppy mill/ BYB purebred....yes, a completely random-bred, Heinz 57 with a million different breeds in him is far less likely to have inherited the problems that may have plagued one or 2 of his ancestors. However, I think anyone in veterinary medicine will tell you that these "designer breeds" are just as likely as a purebred (if not more so) to have any number of medical issues. A purebred dog from an ethical breeder, one who truly understands genetics & strives to breed healthy, well rounded animals, is just as likely to be healthy & functioning as any Heinz 57 mixed breed dog.