Adopt a Mixed-Breed Dog to Celebrate National Mutt Day

The word "mutt" has some negative connotations, but National Mutt Day, happening this Saturday, pushes those aside and celebrates these lovable pups.

This unofficial holiday falls on July 31 and December 2 every year. Dog-behavior expert and author Colleen Paige started it in 2005 to recognize mutts, who don't get as much attention as their purebred cousins.

What Are Mutts?

Mutts (or mongrels) are mixed-breed dogs, meaning they have parents from different breeds. They're the opposite of purebred dogs, which follow selected lineages that emphasize specific traits, including appearance, behavior and suitability for work.

Thanks to their mixed breeding, no two mutts are alike. They mix and match traits from their parents, resulting in completely unique dogs.

How You Can Support Them This National Mutt Day

National Mutt Day is an event to celebrate mutts. You can help by:

• Volunteering at a local animal shelter. Shelters always need help walking, feeding and transporting dogs. This is a great way to spend time with dogs if you can't adopt.
• Donating dog food, blankets and toys. Make sure to contact your shelter beforehand to see what they need and what items they won't accept.
• Fostering a mutt. It's important for dogs to be around humans, so they develop and maintain good social skills. Fostering helps mutts in their social development.
• Adopting a mutt. Bringing a mutt into your life is good for you and the dog. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that having a pet is linked with physical and mental health benefits, like decreased blood pressure and fewer feelings of anxiety or loneliness.

5 Reasons to Adopt a Mutt

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates there are 3.1 million dogs in shelters. Many of those are mutts, ready for a new home.

1. Mutts Are Healthier

Some purebred dogs are prone to health problems. Especially brachycephalic dogs like bulldogs, Shih Tzus and pugs, which can have trouble breathing and other issues because of their cranial shapes. Other breeds, like Labrador retrievers and rottweilers, experience higher cancer risks, according to the National Institute of Health.

Unlike these purebred dogs, mutts are healthier across the board. Researchers published in the journal PLOS Genetics looked at data from over 100,000 dogs. They found that mixed-breed dogs are less likely to manifest genetic disorders, although they can still carry those diseases as recessive genes.

The health benefits of mixed breeding aren't limited to genetic diseases. "Mixed-breed dogs lived significantly longer than purebred dogs," wrote researchers in the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. That means they'll stay in your life as companions longer than a purebred pup.

2. Every Mutt is Unique

Mutts show a mix of genetic traits inherited from their parents. Here are some ways your mutt could be unique:

• Size: Mixed-breed dogs come in all sizes, from toy dogs that could fit in your pocket to mastiff mutts that weigh over 200 pounds.
• Coats: Mixed breed dogs can have unique coats inherited from their parents, like golden retrievers' soft blond fur or Dalmatians' spots.
• Ears: Mixed-breed dogs can have pointed, wolf-like ears or cute, floppy ears like basset hounds.
• Behavior: Mutts can also inherit behavioral traits from their parents, like friendliness.

3. Mutts Are Born Outside Puppy Mills

Organizations like the Humane Society have called attention to puppy mills, high-volume dog-breeding facilities that try to produce as many puppies in as short a time as possible. Puppy mills put profits over the needs of young dogs and their mothers, leading to horrifying conditions and poorly socialized dogs.

Puppy mills often sell dogs through pet stores in an effort to meet demand for popular breeds, as the Humane Society documented in several investigations. When you adopt a mutt from a shelter, you avoid supporting puppy mills.

4. Mutts Respond to Training Better Than Purebred Dogs

Many adopt purebred dogs based on popular beliefs about trainability for specific tasks, like training poodles for competitions. However, these beliefs don't line up with scientific research.

"We found that mixed-breeds were more trainable than purebreds," researchers wrote in the journal PLOS One. Other factors like age of acquisition and training level can also affect trainability.

The bottom line is that concerns about mutts' behavior shouldn't scare you away from adopting one of these lovable pups. They can respond to training better than their purebred cousins. That's important if you want to train against aggression or other unwanted behaviors.

5. Adopting a Mutt Is Cheaper Than Buying a Purebred Dog

The most expensive dog breeds can cost thousands of dollars from reputable breeders. For example, popular French bulldogs can cost $4,000. And that's not counting medical care over their lifetimes.

By comparison, adopting a dog from a shelter usually costs $500 at most. In many cases, it's cheaper, and shelters may waive adoption fees during special events, like National Mutt Day.