People are increasingly choosing pets from animal shelters. This trend is growing alongside the humanization of the world — adopting a dog from a shelter essentially means giving it a new lease on life.

Stereotypes that only wild or sick mongrels live in shelters are a thing of the past: shelters are open for visits, allowing prospective owners to get acquainted with dogs and assess their character and traits before making a decision.

So, what are the differences between a purebred dog and a mixed-breed dog, and which choice is advantageous?

Appearance and Character

Of course, the differences are noticeable in appearance, but mongrels do not have the breed-specific traits even at the genetic level. Sometimes, due to the irresponsibility of previous owners, purebred animals end up on the street, and their crossbreeding with mongrels results in mixed breeds that resemble their purebred relatives. However, the breed’s character traits become diluted, giving way to those needed for survival: distrust, flexibility, and unpretentiousness.

Both purebred and mongrel dogs can be communicative and oriented towards humans, as dogs are social animals. Naturally, not every mongrel will rush into your arms at the first or even second meeting due to inherent caution. But once a dog feels the absence of threat and your care, a mongrel can become the most loyal friend over time.

Whom to Choose?

Purebred Puppy

Perhaps you like the aesthetic appeal and specific character traits of a particular breed — this is a strong argument for purchasing a purebred puppy. In that case, it is worth contacting an experienced breeder rather than responding to enticing ads like «Husky puppies for 1000 rubles.» For a few thousand rubles, you will likely get a mixed breed lacking breed-specific traits in both character and appearance.

Such a puppy is not bad in itself, but do not expect it to meet breed standards. Breeding is a difficult and costly process, which is why a price around $1000 for a puppy is more than justified. Demand for cheap breeds fuels supply from «backyard breeders,» who keep dogs in terrible conditions: without vaccinations, veterinary care, and exhausting them through frequent breeding. This cruel business should not exist.

Mixed-Breed Puppy

If you are primarily looking for a friend and adherence to beauty standards is not that important, consider looking for a pet at a shelter. Loyal, smart, healthy, and vaccinated dogs can make excellent pets.

Shelter volunteers prepare the animals for a home: they train them to walk on a leash, take them to exhibitions, and socialize them with people to get them used to human interaction. The curator knows the character of the dog you like well, so don’t hesitate to ask questions and share your doubts. As a future owner, you are interested in finding the right dog, and the curator wants to place the dog in a good home and minimize potential problems.

If You Decide to Adopt a Shelter Pet

If you decide to adopt a dog from a shelter, it is better to visit the potential pet several times — dog curators highly welcome a responsible approach. Getting used to you, the dog will open up, and you will better understand its character, making the home adaptation process easier.

Many shelter dogs were previously pets. Such animals usually return to domestic life quickly and without problems.

A dog that grew up on the street may require behavior correction due to trauma in its life. The good news is that dogs’ psyches are very flexible, so working with a professional dog trainer will solve these issues. The main thing is not to use brute force or intimidation in training (this applies to all animals), otherwise, you will lose the dog’s trust.

There are many owners of shelter dogs, and thousands of shelter dogs find homes every year. This indicates that there is nothing unusual or difficult about adopting such a pet. Choose with your heart!