rural setting, as long as they’re kept primarily indoors when you’re not with them.
The Toy Group consists of the following popular breeds that are very likely to be part of a mixed-breed dog’s heritage: Chihuahua, Maltese, Miniature and Toy Poodle, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Pug (see Figure 3-5), Shih Tzu, and Yorkshire Terrier.
Rarely is a Toy breed larger than 14 inches tall at the shoulder. They also usually weigh less than 20 pounds. Being small is what constitutes the Toy dog label. Other than these attributes, however, they come in all shapes, fur lengths, and personalities. Some are very sensitive to weather conditions, and others are fairly hardy. Some can be easy to maintain, and others are time-consuming.
Illustration by Barbara Frake
FIGURE 3-5: The Pug is a key component in the super-popular mixed-breed Puggle, a mix of the Pug and Poodle. Any breed that’s part Poodle should inherit the Poodle’s good nature, intelligence, and longevity.
Big things come in small packages. Though small in stature, Toy breeds have big personalities. If you train and guide your Toy mixed breed, he’ll be a tiny gem — fun, loving, and loyal.
All shapes and sizes: The Non-Sporting Group
The Non-Sporting Group includes 17 different breeds, in every shape and size imaginable, from the Standard Poodle to the Bulldog to the Dalmatian to the Chow Chow. Non-Sporting dogs are big, small, wide, and narrow. All are somehow related to other known breeds, though genetically specialized for specific jobs.
The most popular breed in this group, and the most likely to appear in a designer dog, is the Standard Poodle. The reasons for this dog’s popularity in the designer-dog set are numerous: They’re intelligent, loving, and energetic. They have great longevity. They can be almost any color, though black, white, and chocolate are the most common — and they don’t shed.
Other popular breeds found in mixed-breed dogs include the American Eskimo Dog, Bichon Frise (see Figure 3-6), Boston Terrier, Bulldog, Chinese Shar-Pei, Chow Chow, Dalmatian, and Lhasa Apso.
Illustration by Barbara Frake
FIGURE 3-6: The Bichon Frise is a popular Non-Sporting Dog, with a happy and playful personality.
Other than the Standard Poodle, Non-Sporting dogs are bold, challenging, and independent. They require lots of exercise and structured guidance through training and consistency.
The Standard Poodle has lots of energy but is easy to guide in the right direction. They have a high desire to work and love training challenges. Essentially, Poodles can learn anything and do anything, making them ideal dogs for designer-dog combinations. They overcome many of the behavioral and structural shortcomings of those breeds mixed with them.
Round ’em up: The Herding Group
There are 18 dogs in the Herding Group. And these dogs not only round ’em up, but also push ’em along. They were bred to help shepherds and farmers, working long hard days in all types of weather. Because they were bred to work independently as well as in close sync with their handlers, many Herding breeds are extremely intelligent.
The most common breeds within the Herding Group, and those most likely to be found within a mixed-breed dog, are the Australian Cattle Dog, Australian Shepherd (see Figure 3-7), Border Collie, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Collie, German Shepherd Dog, Old English Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and Shetland Sheepdog.
Illustration by Barbara Frake
FIGURE 3-7: The Australian Shepherd is a classic Herding dog, and is commonly found in mixed breeds.
The breeds within the Herding Group range from those with short legs (like the Corgis) to those with long, lithe legs (like the Collie). Though none of these breeds has a short coat, several have thick medium coats, and most tend toward long fur, making them appear more like the animals they were bred to control.
Herding dogs have high energy. They can run an entire day and make you tired just watching. Herding dogs are on their best behavior if they’re allowed to exercise a lot. They’re even better if they receive consistent training on a daily basis — in fact, they thrive on it. Because these dogs were bred to work hard and long hours, they need the outlet that training activities provide.
Herding breeds tend to learn complicated tasks faster than any other breed, making them ideal for agility, obedience, herding, and many other occupations. They aren’t great breeds to have around small children, because they will chase moving objects and purposefully bump into them as a means of gathering the flock together. However, they’re wonderful pets for people with active lifestyles.
Considering Age: Puppy or Adult?
When you’ve decided that you want a dog, you’ll have to figure out whether you’d prefer a puppy or an adult dog. This question is especially important if you want a mixed breed, because so many of the great mixed-breed dogs who are out there in shelters, looking for a good home, are beyond puppyhood.
When you first started thinking about getting a dog, you may have been leaning toward a puppy. After all, how can anyone resist that fabulous puppy breath, those cute roly-poly bodies, big inquisitive eyes, playful personalities, and openness to learning. Those attributes are their main attraction. In fact, if puppies weren’t so cute, they might not be worth the trouble!
Puppies need to eat more often than adult dogs, need to potty more often, and tend to be destructive because they don’t yet know the rules (or forget them quickly) and because they’re going through teething between 3 and 9 months of age. They take more of your time, cost more in veterinary bills (for all their initial vaccinations and neutering/spaying), and hurt when they bite and scratch.
Adult dogs may not have that cute puppy factor, but they don’t require as much from you either.
