Cross and Mixed Breeds
Defining the lineage of dogs
MetPet.com Staff Writer
Cross-breeds are dogs whose parents are
both purebreds but are of different breeds. Mixed breeds have at least one parent
that is not purebred. Most often, mixed breeds (also called natural or random bred
or, somewhat less kindly, mutt or mongrel) is the term used to define dogs who lineage is
unknown.
If all dogs were let lose to pick fights
and reproduce at will, the "purebreds" would probably disappear within a few
generations. Without humans to carefully guide breeds into unique variations, dogs
would revert into what nature intended.
It is generally believed that domestic dogs
are descended from the smaller Asiatic Wolf rather than the larger northern Timber Wolf.
Eventually, it is believed, all dogs would be similar to those found running lose
in developing countries. They would be mid-sized at around 30 lbs, would have
straight short hair, moderately-sized prick ears, a moderately-long straight tail and an
elongated nose like a wolf's.
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