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A dog will always be a dog, pedigreed or not, but what makes them different? Mixed breed dogs are adored by some and rejected by others for different reasons: it is not known how they will be when they grow up, it is not known if they will have a lot or little fur, it is not known if the character will be good or not... There are many the questions we ask when we have a mongrel dog, but we'll try to clarify a few in this article.
At PeritoAnimal we want to help you with all these questions that may arise when adopting a mutt, and one of the most frequent is how long does a mutt live. This is one of the most frequently asked questions in veterinarians and, in our opinion, one of the most difficult to answer, see why below.
Life Expectancy of a Mutt
It is very common to hear that mutts live longer than purebred puppies. Is it a myth or reality? Mutts are extremely strong and over the years the most resistant specimens of different environmental conditions have been reproduced. These characteristics allow us to confirm that they are individuals with a longer life expectancy, having an average lifespan. from 16 to 18 years old, with records of up to 20 years.
But it is important to remember that life expectancy is closely related to the lifestyle they follow: a poor diet, poor quality of life or lack of health are variables that can influence life expectancy. Every dog is different, we can only estimate life expectancy and never confirm how long a dog will live, with or without papers.
The mutt has some qualities that make it unique and unrepeatable. Although we cannot predict their behavior or life expectancy as we try to do in breeds, they are very intelligent animals with a strong ability to adapt to their environment and different situations. These are the same specimens that later gave place to pure breeds. The latter are genetically modified, time-extended mutts.
Finally, it is noteworthy that the richness and variety of blood of mutts, unlike the impoverished blood and high consanguinity in purebred puppies, favors a longer life expectancy and a lower risk of suffering from health problems.
mutt history
The dog without pedigree or stray only has something that characterizes it, which is the fact that it belongs to the family family kennels, so we know it's a dog.
Its origin lies in the tertiary era, the product of several crosses between wolves. This was known as a random crossing, without the intervention of man, so the only objective was the continuity of the species. Thus, more and more resistant specimens emerged, as the weak or those with diseases died and often did not reproduce, giving way to a "very strong breed". It is a natural cross of which we do not know its ancestors.
The different mixtures of blood in the crosses makes them enjoy the "hybrid vigor"which is no more than the gained resistance to disease inherited by consanguinity. This is pure logic, healthier individuals have greater fertility and possibilities to procreate than weaker or sick ones.
The story helps us to better understand the life expectancy of these copies in order to be able to answer the question asked in the title in the best way possible.
Mutt Characteristics
Also, mutts do not have no downside in relation to purebred dogs, which makes them very interesting. With purebred dogs, the only thing we can be comfortable with is that they have the characteristics we are looking for and, even so, we often come across breed exceptions, as animals, like humans, are unique beings. .
like us, your temperament it will be associated in part with the genetics that it brings and, in large part, with the environmental factors in which it develops and/or currently develops. These animals differ if they are raised on the street, in a family home, with a balanced environment or if they are rescued from inappropriate situations. Providing you with love and a healthy environment, they are extremely faithful and affectionate, just see them with a happy face to understand the love they feel for their "human pack".
Furthermore, we can train them in different activities, such as more common breeds such as rescue or therapy dogs.
