Cross Breeds

are cross breeds more likely or less likely to get health problems?

i was just curious because im not sure and would like to know.

Public Comments

1. The same as any other dog... bl
2. more likely
3. less likely, that isnt always the case
4. More likely because they get the health problems from both parents, sometimes its doubled, nothing cancels out. Also people actually test for genetic problems in purebreds, they don't in mutts.
5. It's more likely that a purebreed will get sick and have health problems as a result of their reduced genetic diversity. Obviously not the answer that most purebred owners want to hear.
6. So would everyone! It's often stated that cross breeds are healthier - but there are no statistics to prove it. How can there be? You can't compare the health problems a Pomeranian x Chihuahua might have with the problems a GSD x Labrador might have, so vets don't record any incidences they see. The advantage that purebreds have is that their health problems are predictable and can be tested for prior to breeding.
7. ALL dogs have some defective genes. Since parents of different breeds tend to possess different defective genes, crossbreeding minimizes the risk of the SAME defective genes "matching up" (which is what causes many health problems). Crossbreeding also produces a positive genetic phenomenon called hybrid vigor. A crossbred dog inherits a greater variety of genes than a purebred dog. Genetic variety produces a stronger immune system and better physical and mental health. They do seem to be less likely to get health problems,yes,but this depends on the dog. I highly advise you not to crossbreed just because of this.
8. Neither. Mixed breeds are just as much at the mercy of genetics as purebred dogs. Just like purebred dogs, they get half their genes from one parent and half from the other. If one or both of the parents passes on a genetic flaw of some kind, he is just as likely to inherit the condition as a purebred dog. Don't listen to anyone who tries to sell you on the concept of "hybrid vigor." This is a myth. A hybrid animal is a combination of two different species, not two different breeds of the same species. Hybrid vigor does not apply to domestic dogs.
9. Crossbred dogs are merely a mix of breeds. Their overall health depends upon the health of their ancestors, what inheritable ailments may be lurking, and how they are fed and raised. Same as with purebreds. The problem is, no one health screens crossbred dogs. Reputable dog breeders run a full panel of tests to prove their dogs' health, soundness, and worth to the gene pool plus they show them to prove that they look like the breed is supposed to look, etc. If you are talking about BYB or puppy mill dogs then the odds of lasting good health go way down in purebred dogs. Crossbred dogs usually come from the gene pool of BYB dogs.
10. less likely! Pedigree dogs are more likely to be inbred...which leads to a lot of problems!
11. It depends on the breeder, but as a rule of thumb purebred breeds are less likely to develop health problems. If a responsible breeder of working dogs, crossed two different purebred breeds because they wanted specific traits to create a working dog for a functional, then the sire/dam would have been rigorously heath tested. Back yard breeders who randomly cross dogs or breed oodles of doodles for profit & pet supermarkets who sell cross bred dogs are more likely to cut corners on health testing, so the puppies are less likely to be healthy. Responsible purebred breeders refine dogs of their breeding by culling the litters {weeding out dogs that should not add to the gene pool of the breed as a whole by selling on spay/neuter contract} & rigorously health test their dogs & ensure stud dogs are health tested.
12. Same as any other dog.
13. Mutts are as prone to health problems as any badly bred purebred from untested parents. A mutt bred at random will NOT be more likely to be healthier than a purebred who comes from proven and tested lines. If you take two unhealthy purebreds of different breeds and breed them together you are NOT going to get problem free pups. Genetics don't work that way. Hybrid vigor is a MYTH in animals. Why? Doesn't work past the FIRST generation and does not work if you breed affected animals. And then that's not hybrid vigor that's common sense. Fact is there are MANY diseases and genetic issues that affect MANY different breeds. So what does it matter if you are crossing breeds if BOTH breeds have one or more of the same issues?
14. They are less likely cause most dogs are have so much in breeding in them now a days.
15. no, alls we had were mutts pretty much my whole life with very few pure breds and all my mutts that bred had healthy pupies as well. none of our mutts had any problems, in fact our english bulldog has had more problems than any of my mutts combined. its mainly based on genetics that causes issues, like inbreeding. also there are people who breed sick dogs which can cause them to be unhealthy. it just depends on the breeds. each breed is known for different health problems, it doesnt mean they will get them
16. If both parents have been health tested before they were bred, they are less likely to get hereditary health problems. The same would apply for pedigree dogs. If care is not taken before breeding two dogs, whether pure or cross, the puppies could end up with more health problems.
17. Neither more nor less likely. The argument that crossbred dogs are healthier stems from the theory that they'll be less in-bred. For the sake of argument, we'll assume that level of inbreeding was the only important factor (it isn't). Suppose then, that I were to take (e.g.) a labrador and a dalmatian and bred them. Healthy offspring, not inbred at all. Suppose I then took a male and a female from that litter and bred them. Or perhaps a mother-son, or father daughter mating. The pups would still be crossbred but also very inbred. Conversely, if I were to take two labrador retrievers and researched the mating properly, chances are that inbreeding wouldn't be a factor. Whether a dog is purebred or crossbred is pretty much irrelevant as to whether a dog is healthy or not. What matters is whether a dog is responsibly bred. There are good and bad purebred breeders, just as there are good and bad mixed breed breeders. Hope I helped.