by Sara Mcgrath

Created on: April 23, 2008

Everyone has a favorite breed of dog, but my favorite is the mutt. Not just any mutt, however. I've had many companion dogs over the years and they each had certain breeds in common - namely Labrador and Boxer.

My first favorite dog was my family's purebred Labrador named Sunny. He probably influenced the appearance and temperament that I have looked for in dogs over the years. Overall favorite dogs included a Labrador-Malamute, a Lab-Rottweiler-Boxer, and a Boxer-something. I had a few little dogs, too, whom I loved dearly, but when it comes down to favorites, the big dogs win.

Technically, a mixed breed dog contains three or more component breeds, while a mix of two breeds is called a cross-breed.

I am certain that the argument for best breed or mix cannot be won, but will undoubtedly elicit passionate argument. We all have our favorite dogs. When I say Labrador, I'm not thinking about a generic, happy-face dog, I'm thinking about my Sunny. When I say Boxer, I'm thinking about my Sinopa and Kuruk and my dad's Brutus and Solomon.

My best dogs were mixes and I stand by them. Some things to think about when choosing a mix, to ensure that they do become favorite dogs include the following.

Do look into the general temperament and other characteristics of the component breeds. Labradors and Boxers, for example, are commonly known for friendliness, loyalty, and also for large size. Rottweilers can be aggressive and tend to be one-person dogs. I got lucky with my Rott mix. Her Boxer and Lab traits balanced out her personality.

What I could not have predicted, however, about that Lab-Rott-Boxer was her knee-high stature. Who could have guessed that a mix of three big breeds would produce a stout, but short dog? This illustrates the greater degree of unpredictability of mixed breeds as compared to purebreds.

My husband favors Beagles. His childhood dog was a . . . guess what? He had a Beagle-Terrier mix. Those breeds will always have a place in his heart as Labs and Boxers will in mine. Besides history, these particular breeds suit us as other people's favorites suit them because they meet certain needs. I need a big, affectionate dog to wrestle and play with. My husband needs a less dependent companion for accompanying him on hikes.

Other things to consider when choosing a mixed dog include the dog's predicted needs regarding hygiene, play, affection, space, level of activity, amount of food, etc. These considerations are less easily predicted than with a purebred. The best you can do is to look at the component breeds, if you know them.

I didn't know what my second Boxer mix was mixed with. I made some guesses. He had a long narrow snout, pointed ears, a curly lightweight tail, and a playful but aloof personality. Those were not Boxer traits. His mysterious sire could have been a German Shepard, Husky, or Malamute.

I got him as a puppy. He was very small, a runt, but he grew to be bigger than a typical Boxer. He had a Boxer temperament for the most part, but he had an unpredictable quality to his personality. I couldn't "read" him as easily as my other Boxer mix.

I would argue that the preparation is the same whether considering a purebred or a mixed dog. Even with purebreds, there will be a certain degree of unpredictability. Dogs are individuals. With my knowledge of the general temperaments of my favorite component breeds, I felt as prepared as any purebred puppy owner. To eliminate unpredictability and ensure an even better dog to person match, choose an adult mix.

I stand by my favorite mixes. For me, mixed breeds are best, especially when they include Lab or Boxer, or even better - both!

Learn more about this author, Sara Mcgrath.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.