Cross Breeds - Someone please explain to me how mixed breeds always get the "best" traits from both parents?

Someone please explain to me how mixed breeds always get the "best" traits from both parents?

I read so many answers in here that state that mixed breeds are healthier, because they don't have the health problems pure breds do. But how can that really be true? Wouldn't they have more, since they are taking on two different breeds (at least) genetics which would include chances at all the defects for both breeds? You also hear that they will always get the "best" traits? But since genetics is basically a crap shoot, wouldn't the pups have an equal chance at getting all of the worst traits? Can someone please explain the logic? JEP, If they are breed specific, how are they "wiped-out" if you will, when mixed with another breed. Wouldn't you risk getting more, if not worse problems when breeding two different breeds together that both have breed specific issues, since all of the problems are hereditary?

Public Comments

I haven't studied genetics, but your logic seems solid to me. TX Mom
They don't. That's an old wives tale. Dogs who have been carefully bred by someone who understands genetics and pays attention to the lines involved is more apt to achieve a dog that has the best possible traits. Good breeders attempt to "breed out" undesirable traits. The idea that purebreds have more problems than mutts comes about because of all the backyard breeders and puppy mills who DO breed indiscriminately within the breed which oftentimes DOES produce the worst of the breed. You get what you pay for when it comes to dogs. I could have bought a german shepherd from a backyard breeder for $500 dollars...instead, I opted for a dog from a reputable breeder, even though he cost $2500. He has all the best possible traits. My rescue german shepherd, on the other hand, DID originally come from a petstore/puppymill and the difference is apparent.
they don't get all the messiness of having imbred dogs and the breed-specific genetic problems that are associated with pure-breds.
Maybe the problems purebreds have are actually weaker traits and tend to breed out when mixed with a different breed. Can a breeder verify?
It's not logic, it's biology. Dominent traits show up more easily. Recessive traits show up when too many similar traits exist. Case in point: I knew someone who married their second cousin. (no, it wasn't me!) They had to go to a geneticist and get a blood test to make sure their DNA was removed enough so it wouldn't cause problems with their children. You look into cases involving "inbreeding", or where relatives had children, and often times there are genetic issues that arise. **My friend started breeding cats, and she is very aware that a certain percentage of the cats WILL have defects because of excessive in-breeding. It's a fact of life, and biology. I'd say the success of the United States is in our diversity...the fact that we are a mixed breed people, for the most part!
Saying they are healthier and have the best traits are just a back yard breeders way to sell them
I really don't understand it either- and I have a purebred puppy too, it kinda annoys me that mixes are considered "smarter"-- oh, and do you ever wonder why purebreds are so much more expensive that mixes, even though mixes are "supposed to be smarter"? I don't get it.
Seeing as in all likelihood there is no genetic testing done they are probably more likely to pick up more bad traits. If genetic testing is done you can see any problems and not breed those dogs to avoid them. If you just throw a couple of dogs together and hope for the best you get what you are given. There has to be a bigger chance of problems than if you go all out to get things right. There is no logic. Just a lot of B/S
Any dog can be unhealthy. A LOT of PPL do say mixes are healthier, Ive said it, Ive heard it tons of times! Its not necessarily true.Mixes can be passed genetic flaws of their parents but maybe it seems they are healthier b/c so many pure breeds come from puppy stores,mills and backyard breeders and often have a lot of problems. Maybe its just an old wives tale constantly revisited to promote shelter adoption? edit- In theory a responsibly bred dog by a good breeder should be healthier. In theory unfortunately.
i dont think its more or less either way - i dont see how it could be - i have purebreds and none of the parents or puppies have ever had health problems - but then again ive had mixed breeds too that havent had health problems - i think it is just genetic like people and of course how well the animal is cared for - best traits - say you have two dogs and you breed them - one dog has a bigger head than the other -and one of the puppies comes out with the bigger head you would keep that puppy and when you breed them again you would keep another puppy with the biggest head - because you want all your dogs to have that big head - so you would breed those two dogs together ( puppies form different litters ) to try to keep the head in all your puppies - because that is the trait you want - if you have one mixed dog - and one purebred - i would think the purbreds genes would come out more just because it would seem they have a stronger gene line - and yes if this isnt done carefully - you will get a lot of recessive genes you dont want - for instance bad teeth - or darker fur on bulldogs - i dont know if this even answered any of your question this is just what ive read been told and learned
The logic is that most "bad" traits come from recessive genes. Pure bred dogs are often inbred, or bred for traits that are popular with owners but aren't best for the health of the dog. So logically (hopefully), when you mix two dogs of different breeds, they don't have the same recessive genes for the same traits, so the better dominant genes of each dog take precedence over the poor recessive genes of each dog. As an example of an inbred health problem, labs are often bred to be very large, over 100 pounds, because people want "big" dogs. But the AKC breed standard for a labrador retriever is 55 pounds max (as I recall, I didn't look that up for sure). The rest of their bodies are designed to carry no more than 55 pounds - so, they frequently develop hip dysplasia, because their hips can't support that much weight over their lives. So, continuing with this same example, lets say you breed a large lab with a Great Dane. They are both large dogs, so the pups will grow to be big - but hopefully, they will also get the hips and frame of a Great Dane, which can support that much weight. (I have no idea what would happen if you actually bred a lab with a Great Dane, this is just an example. So, don't try this at home, kids.)
Ready for the simple answer? They don't always. A mixed breed is just that--Mixed. You can't tell what traits will show from either of it's parents until they develop, or even which parent the dog would resemble most. It's the same as if a rocket scientist were to breed with a hooker....no clue what the kid would be like. :P
Mutts are healthier because there is normally no in-breeding in these animals.... in-breeding causes health and emotional problems... have you ever noticed many purebred dogs are a little whacked? Also puppy mills are still in existance,and they have purebreds which are overbred, unhealthy, living in feces and filthy conditions, and god knows what kind of cheap food they have to eat -- how can you get a healthy pup out of that? Meanwhile, there are health issues specific to certain breeds, such as hip displasia to irish wolfhounds... I've casually met a lot of dog breeders in my life also... umm well, errrrrrrrrrrr!!! duh too!!! there are VERY GOOD breeders out there, but some of them, well i am not sure they should even be raising nightcrawlers! some breeders also INSIST upon taking the pups away from their mothers at less than a week of age and hand-rearing them.. this results in dogs which are "missing something" (usually more than a little something!) pups need their mother's antibodies and nurturing for their future health... Of course, mutts aren't totally immune to health problems, either, but i think the purebreds have more issues because people are so obsessed they breed relatives way too often.. just my take on it.
mixed breed dogs can also inherit genetic problems. It's just that certain problems are more dominent in full bred dogs. Thats from poor breeding, puppy mills......people looking to make a buck. The pure bred dogs are carrying these issues and passing them on. Even if they don't show up in the puppies they can pass the defect on.
Smartness, strong bones free of defect of joints, nice coat..these aren't anything you can truthfully pinpoint on either purebred or mixed breeds. I've had mostly breeds over mixes, to be honest. My mix is such a Heinz 57 there's no telling what's in her lol. I've never had a dog I considered unintelligent, but the two dogs I've had that really stood out in the intelligence were a Collie I had and this mix I have now. Both of them quick as a whip on the uptake. Long and short of it is I personally believe mixed breeds are just as good as any breed. I know breeders may not be thrilled to read this. I know..already read the promote BY breeder argument. FACT is mixed breeds are out there, usually in the pounds and shelters and they can be just as good as any breed. It's not their fault that they exists, but the fact that they do doesn't mean they should be regarded as a 'lesser' dog or deserve less consideration. They are here, since they are here they have a right to a life of dignity and respect same as any other living creature. Accept it and move on. Personally the whole 'my dog is better than yours' is boring to me and this argument/debate, to me, smacks along those lines a little too closely. I think all dogs are great. I know this doesn't really answer the question you had on genetics and all that. But that, my friend, is way too long a subject to teach you here and now. I'd suggest if you are interested, and it is an interesting thing to study up on, is buy some books or take some classes on the subject. There is a ton to learn lol..
If you buy a purebred dog from a reputable breeder, chances are there will be a fair amount of linebreeding. While this concentrates the good genes, it also concentrates the bad. (That's why you may find an entire litter of puppies has malocclusions, for example.) It's all a matter of dominant vs recessive genes. With mixed breeds, you don't really have that same opportunity to concentrate the bad genes ... you also don't concentrate the good ones from a line. The same thing is accomplished in a breeding program by outcrossing to an unrelated dog of the same breed ... the point of that is to bring in the good genes your line may be lacking, and at the same time hopefully eradicate the bad genes.
That's BS! There are plenty of mixed breed dogs who OBVIOUSLY got the bad traits from their parents. I see plenty of mixes with hip dysplasia,cataracts, and many many other problems. Genetics and breeding is a crap shoot at best...especially with mixed breeds. Purebred dogs from reputable breeders who health test and only breed the best conformed and healthiest dogs will have a lower incidence of genetic defects than even mutts. They KNOW exactly what they are dealing with and can be reasonably sure of the outcome. Of course, things do happen out of our control even in the best purebred breeding situation, but it is much more predictable to breed healthy purebred animals than to mix breeds. Most people who mix breeds are not health testing for physical or genetic defects, and of course probably don't have breeding quality animals to begin with....so there again, the incidence of genetic problems rises again...
Dominant genes only take one copy to show. So, you very well could be bringing in problems from both breeds. Recessive genes take two copies (one from each parent). However, that doesn't make it safe...because many defects are found in multiple breeds. For example, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is recessive and can be found in many/most breeds, including Poodles and Cocker Spaniels. All it takes is the sire and dam having one copy of the gene. The "cockapoo" litter will contain 25% unaffected, 25% affected and 50% carriers. So much for the "mutts" are healthier theory. Pure or mix, it doesn't matter...if the bad genes are there, you're going to have problems. The only way to reduce/eliminate the risk is through health screenings. How many mixed breeders go to the trouble and expense? I'm sure, I could count them on less than one hand. ETA: I should add, carriers are unaffected, but can pass on the gene. Since they're not affected, you don't even know they have it (if not tested)...until it's too late and you have a litter of affected puppies. If a breeder doesn't screen their dogs, you're taking a huge risk. I also found a good website concerning shared defects. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/NoPuppyMillsVA/Poo-dogs___Designer_Mutts/Health_Issues_in_Designer_Mutt/health_issues_in_designer_mutt.html#ambull ETA: "Believer", there is not a slimmer chance for mixes. The gene is either passed on or it's not. The only thing that determines that is if the sire and/or dam has it ...breed/mixed has nothing to do with it. If anything, mixes are at *greater* risk, because they're not tested for these things. Reputable breeders (who never mix) do test, so therefore the risk is reduced/eliminated. (I get what you're saying, but most of these defects happen in multiple breeds.)
Sometimes, some genetic maladies are recessive in nature. So if you breed two dogs together that have the recessive malady, it automatically gets sent down to the offspring. When you have a mutt, the liklihood of them having the recessive genes for those breed specific maladies is very slim. So even though the carry a gene, their dominant gene supercedes the recessive gene.
People don't always agree on which traits are "best". Is it best that the dog is active and lively, or a more docile, gentle type? Thankfully, genes are very clever little things that read the mind of whoever is going to buy the dog and alter themselves according to what the buyer wants. For example, if somebody wanted a small dog that didn't shed, those little strands of DNA would arrange themselves so that the dog's hair is glued in, and the dog shrinks before your eyes. You wanted somebody to explain the logic. However, it's not logic - it's magic!
Good question, Kats, I wish I had a clever answer for you, but the whole idea of mixing breeds is as puzzeling to me as the idea of mixing pedigrees (scatter breeding).
Mixed breeds can get better traits from their parents, they can also get all the bad ones too. Purebred dogs have been bred to eliminate the bad traits as much as possible and accentuate the good. ITS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE BREED......
I agree with JEP. If you apply this logic to people, you would have a race of very unhealthy humans. The more the population mixed with other populations, the healthier the children became. Read your history and your biology.
THANK YOU! I've been trying to explain that genetics is a GAMBLE forever here. My dog has a lot of good traits, but that's my BIASED opinion. Of course I think she's adorable and smart and craps gold, she's my dog! But you don't get this with people - if you mix a French person and an Italian, will the offspring be able to cook? Not necessarily. It's 50/50 at best.
Even a responsible breeder who does all the health clearances on his purebred sire and purebred dam might not get great results in the litter. It's always a coin flip. I don't know of any mixed breed dogs that were born of carefully screened parents, so I imagine that inheriting traits is even more of a crap shoot. That's not to say that there aren't good quality dogs (mixed breed and purebred), but you never know. I believe that anybody with strong convictions that any dog inherits only the best traits from his parents is wrong.