# Are mutts really on average healthier than purebred dogs?



## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

As some of you may know, I am looking to get a puppy to add to my family :smile: but I don't know if I want a purebred or mutt dog.. I love with a purebred for the most part knowing the personality type and looks of the dog, but I have heard that mutts are way healthier and live longer. Some of the breed profiles I have read are SCARY - Cavalier king charles spaniels living less than 10 years because they have heart problems.. bulldogs having eye and breathing problems, labs and their hips.. I know good breeding can stop some of these problems, but can they stop all?.. Part of the reason I chose my sheltie is that they have few congenital health problems.

On that note, anyone know of any super healthy medium or smaller breeds that would go well with a crazy energetic sheltie? :biggrin1:


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

i'm not a breeder.....i had four pure bred shih tzus who never made it to fourteen. was it their genetics? was it the kibble? i don't know. they weren't sick, other than a few allergies, slight.....

and one had the worst teeth....they didn't have many of the problems that shih tzus seem to have. they just aged faster than i thought they would.

i have a pure bred pug, that, at four, has already had a double eye surgery for genetic conditions but he's not a sickly dog. he's fine now and should be until he dies.....whenever that is.

i have a mutt who crawled out of a ditch....who has gotten rocky mountain spotted fever in a place where it happens to few dogs....so her immune system is not the best, nor was it when she came to us....she had sarcoptic mange....in the beginning, though --- other than a cavity and giardia, she's been pretty healthy since her first year birthday.

sometimes i think it's a crap shoot, no offence to breeders.....i think you get what you love...unless you're dying to get a different breed, you seem to really like shelties.....why not get another one?


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

I don't think you can generalize that a mutt is healthier than purebreds, no. There's a lot more involved. A mutt with unhealthy genetics will be less healthy than a purebred with healthy genetics. Vice versa - A mutt with great genetics will be healthier than a purebred with terrible genes.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

I do love them.. don't get me wrong.. but he was my boyfriend's choice. I prefer the 'clingy' type dogs that love cuddling etc.. Bish is a great dog and very friendly but he is just not that personality type. He lives for fetch and working and IS affectionate but won't curl up with us on the couch. What I want is a dog that is still reasonably active, I love hiking and want a dog that can still hike with me for five hours in the summertime, but will also sleep under the blankets. I guess it's just my turn to get a breed. :smile:


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

I love sighthounds the most, looks and personality wise.. but I heard they can be a struggle to train and to have around cats. They are usually very healthy dogs. I want a whippet so bad but they are so hard to find in Alberta, Canada.


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

bishopthesheltie said:


> As some of you may know, I am looking to get a puppy to add to my family :smile: but I don't know if I want a purebred or mutt dog.. I love with a purebred for the most part knowing the personality type and looks of the dog, but I have heard that mutts are way healthier and live longer. Some of the breed profiles I have read are SCARY - Cavalier king charles spaniels living less than 10 years because they have heart problems.. bulldogs having eye and breathing problems, labs and their hips.. I know good breeding can stop some of these problems, but can they stop all?.. Part of the reason I chose my sheltie is that they have few congenital health problems.
> 
> On that note, anyone know of any super healthy medium or smaller breeds that would go well with a crazy energetic sheltie? :biggrin1:


I can't speak for bulldogs, but I do have a little bit of knowledge about CKC spaniels and labs.

As far as labs, or any larger dog is concerned, the main issue with their hips is in the breeding and when people spay/neuter early or run them REALLY hard at a young age.
When you spay them too early (less than 18 months, preferably wait until 25 months) it causes their growth plates to take longer to close, usually lending to LONGER legs and hips that aren't properly fitted into their structure. Also, running, jumping, and really HARD physical activity can cause issues not just with the hips, but elbows and wrists too. It's all about common sense, really...Winston's still young but he's 75 lbs of dog and was neutered early...I can already see the effects of bad joints on him from running and jumping. He creaks when he gets up and limps when he's pushed himself too hard. :\
As far as spaniels go, they're super super sweet dogs, but the heart/brain swelling issues are enough to turn me away from the breed. There's a documentary out there somewhere about the effects of the breed standards and inbreeding on purebred dogs, and the CKC spaniel is one of the most unhealthy. If they don't suffer from one of those two issues, they're prone to seizures as well. I would steer clear of them, despite those loving eyes and amazing dispositions.

What about a cocker spaniel? English cockers are lovely; they're spunky, energetic, but can relax and just chill out when the time is right.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

bishopthesheltie said:


> I love sighthounds the most, looks and personality wise.. but I heard they can be a struggle to train and to have around cats. They are usually very healthy dogs. I want a whippet so bad but they are so hard to find in Alberta, Canada.


there is a series on animal planet, if you get that show...and if you don't and have netflix, you can order the series, that goes through dogs a through z and talks about their energy level, inherent health problems, grooming, and where they should live.

it's called 'dogs 101'......

i found it to be very insightful because i believe the dog and human should match up....: )


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

magicre said:


> there is a series on animal planet, if you get that show...and if you don't and have netflix, you can order the series, that goes through dogs a through z and talks about their energy level, inherent health problems, grooming, and where they should live.
> 
> it's called 'dogs 101'......
> 
> i found it to be very insightful because i believe the dog and human should match up....: )


That's what we watched too, when we decided on a lab. 

ETA: here's the short version on youtube.
TERRIBLE quality. Sorry about that. :\
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Cosz4UOV0


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Are english the ones that have the longer nose? I love them, they are one of my top 10 dogs. I don't know. I'm so indecisive, lol. One of our friends has one and she is sweet but not too smart and she chews everything. She is also very shy but that could just be that she wasn't socialized much.. I know she never goes for walks or anything. WHen we got Bish we brought him EVERYWHERE. He doesn't have the shy sheltie personality. He runs up to everyone.

I went to the Alberta Kennel Club show last year but we had already decided on a sheltie so I didn't spend too much time around the other breeds, though I fell in love with the sighthounds.. 30" tall lap dogs  all the borzois and afghan hounds were leaning up against me and I just found them so sweet but then I learned later that they are bad around small animals, though if they were raised with them it might be ok?.. Most of them are also too big, but whippets are perfect.


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

I think the answer to that is going to partially depend on which purebred dog you want. Some breeds are overall pretty healthy while others have tons of health problems. I've had purebred dogs with no health problems and mutts with tons of health problems...I don't think it's safe to generalize either way.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Dogs 101 : Animal Planet


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

bishopthesheltie said:


> Are english the ones that have the longer nose? I love them, they are one of my top 10 dogs. I don't know. I'm so indecisive, lol. One of our friends has one and she is sweet but not too smart and she chews everything. She is also very shy but that could just be that she wasn't socialized much.. I know she never goes for walks or anything. WHen we got Bish we brought him EVERYWHERE. He doesn't have the shy sheltie personality. He runs up to everyone.
> 
> I went to the Alberta Kennel Club show last year but we had already decided on a sheltie so I didn't spend too much time around the other breeds, though I fell in love with the sighthounds.. 30" tall lap dogs  all the borzois and afghan hounds were leaning up against me and I just found them so sweet but then I learned later that they are bad around small animals, though if they were raised with them it might be ok?.. Most of them are also too big, but whippets are perfect.


Yeah, cockers (or any spaniel for that matter) aren't known for their brains, but they should DEFINITELY be social butterflies. Not that they're DUMB, per se...I don't believe that any dog is dumb, just less likely to catch on immediately, if that makes sense.
Whippets look great (even to me!) but the catch is that short coat, especially in the freakin' tundra of Alberta ... brrr. I'm leery of getting one where the winters are mild, much less downright frigid. So that's something to think about...BUT, you can always dress her/him up in a nice coat. 
I think if ANY dog is raised with something it was supposed to hunt (I've read stories of labs being raised with birds of flight just fine) it's more prone to NOT feel the need to act on instincts...but you have to be sure to nuture that relationship. And if you DO have a cat, just know that it may very well suffer if things don't go as planned and is chased on a constant basis...


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

The two mutts I own have more health problems than my four purebred Danes do put together. 

I agree with BrownieM that you cannot generalize that mutts are going to be healthier. 

With mutts you have no clue what their lineage is like, it's a total gamble. Some of the mixed breed dogs that come to work are plagued with issues. Others go their entire lives without an issue at all! 

With purebreds, you can get them from a responsible breeder that breeds for health above all, doing every health test under the sun that is applicable, etc. I think a lot of the overall health depends on the type of breed as well. From my experience the further the body conformation gets from the "dog prototype" (wolves) the more health problems you tend to see because of highly selective inbreeding done to get those breeds (IE the English bulldog is the most inbred of them all and have more health problems than any other breed). 

Either way you'll be giving a wonderful dog a fantastic home! Good luck finding the right pick!


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

Oooh, I just realized you're considering a Cocker! Cockers are my favorite breed (although we have American Cockers) . I love that our Cockers are fairly calm and snuggly indoors but also up for outdoor adventures (we take them hiking a lot and they love it). They basically want to do whatever you want to do. They're not tiny or huge...perfect sized IMO. They do require a lot of grooming but I love how soft their coats are so it makes up for that.

If I had to pick one breed to have for the rest of my life, I'd pick Cockers. I love spaniels in general but Cockers are just special.


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

My rescues have been the ones who never wanted to leave my side. They went EVERYWHERE with me from hiking to couch time. Try petfinder.com and you can search available dogs in your area. There are purebreds on there with breed specific rescues and shelter dogs. I think they have a tool to help match up your wants/needs with the perfect breed for you. Since the breed specific rescues do foster care, they can tell you how they are with cats, children, other dogs, etc.


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

swolek said:


> Oooh, I just realized you're considering a Cocker! Cockers are my favorite breed (although we have American Cockers) . I love that our Cockers are fairly calm and snuggly indoors but also up for outdoor adventures (we take them hiking a lot and they love it). They basically want to do whatever you want to do. They're not tiny or huge...perfect sized IMO. They do require a lot of grooming but I love how soft their coats are so it makes up for that.
> 
> If I had to pick one breed to have for the rest of my life, I'd pick Cockers. I love spaniels in general but Cockers are just special.


I considered an English Cocker before we decided on a lab because of the size and personality...but then decided we wanted a dog who's wash and wear and capable of competing in obedience. Not that a cocker isn't, we just knew that labs LIVE to please...I think spaniels live to have fun.  Your avatar pic is darling, btw.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

Nah, it just depends on the breed, some breeds are healthier than others and not all mutts are healthier for example, an english bully cross may be healthier than a purebred bully, but it may have more health problems than the *other* breed in the cross.
Example 2: Pekingese/Papillon Mix. It could possibly be susceptible to breathing/overheating problems, due to the Pekingese parent, now it would be healthier than one of it's parents, but not both.

Papillons are totally healthy for the most part (worst is a chance they may have Progressive Retinal Atrophy) lol. I lloooove sighthounds, however they do for the most part, have a high-prey drive, if you have any small animals I would think twice :O.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

Almost every Dog I've ever owned has been a stray/rescue...mostly Mutts. 

I cannot recall any of them living less than 14-15 years old. One lived to about 19 years old. The one real pure bred Dog we had was a Rottweiler my brother got. He was 100 lbs and lived to around 15 years old. 

I should also add that until the last couple years, all of them ate Pedigree Dog food for the majority of those years(certainly not an edorsement for Pedigree. Its not good food). 

If I had to put a finger on it, I would say that the one constant would be absolute diligence about keeping up with immunization schedules and every Vet appointment. I know Vets get labelled in negative ways at times on forums. But if I had to guess, this might be the common denominator.

I would encourage 99.99999% of the public to visit a local shelter for any Dog. We are euthanizing 4,000 Dogs per day in America.


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## CavePaws (Jan 25, 2011)

I have all mutts, one is put together like a freaking Picasso painting. His knees are bowed and hang over the rest of his legs and he's had anal gland issues for years. Otherwise he is healthy, at 11 years old I'm scared of his poor little legs making it though. Then I have my six other mutts who all came from the same mother and lets not say they are the healthiest mentally. Sure they're put together great and all of them are in excellent physical health but due to genetics they can be nervous wrecks around new people or new dogs. I think ill bred purebred dogs can have some serious health issues that one might expect to come along with the breed (because of crummy breeders), but with mutts, you probably won't expect the health issues. It doesn't mean they won't present themselves. Just because your dog has a lot of genetic diversity doesn't mean they won't develop a heart murmur or hip dysplasia. It happens. Look at people, most of us are mutts and most of us have a health issue in some form or another.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

bishopthesheltie said:


> I love sighthounds the most, looks and personality wise.. but I heard they can be a struggle to train and to have around cats.


I wouldn't worry about the cat part if you are getting a puppy and already have cats. I was always told "oh, you can never have cats and chows together" and all my chows have been raised with cats. If they are introduced as puppies, the cats teach them who is the boss. My cats and dogs were all best friends.


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## goldiek (May 5, 2011)

This makes sense to me...I mean think about the inbreeding.


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## swolek (Mar 31, 2011)

chowder said:


> I wouldn't worry about the cat part if you are getting a puppy and already have cats. I was always told "oh, you can never have cats and chows together" and all my chows have been raised with cats. If they are introduced as puppies, the cats teach them who is the boss. My cats and dogs were all best friends.


I think this is often true but maybe not for other small animals. My dachshund was introduced to rabbits when he was a puppy and he still wanted to kill them. His prey drive was insane and there was no way to train him out of it, he just had to be kept separate from the house bunnies at all times.


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## wags (Jan 31, 2009)

I found this article interesting on the subject!

A Dog for the Family: Mixed Breed Dogs vs Purebred Dogs


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

I think it can go either way with both mutts and breeders. Obviously a bad breeder or certain breeds with really extreme physical characteristics aren't going to be as healthy as other well bred purebred dogs.

My mutts were specifically bred for mushing. Its not what I do with them, but its pretty clear they were bred for it. I would call Lily a perfect mental/physically healthy example of that type of working dog. My vet volunteers at the Iditarod and says she is exactly like the dogs he sees up there (I've seen all three vets at the practice, they are all awesome.).

Scout... yeah not so much. She's got a very genetically bony topline (I've seen pics of other dogs from that same bust and all of the pups grew up to have bony toplines) and some really weak nerves. But at the same time she's healthy as a horse and needs a JOB. She's supposed to be a foster, but no one seems to want a very high energy, intelligent dog with the special requirements she has. So yeah, she's with me unless someone really spectacular comes along that I can trust. She has been way more expensive than Lily.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Hi all, I have decided on getting an Italian greyhound.. from a breeder near Edmonton:
Welcome to Tri-Pincher.com!
She breeds german pinschers and dobes, but also has started to do Italian greyhounds. I like that she is breeding to the correct breed standards and for the original temperments and health.. and IGs are very healthy dogs.. 

The pups are 5 weeks old so I should be getting mine within six weeks or so.. I am driving up on Sunday to view the place and the dogs.. so if all goes well, I'll put down a deposit! 

I was hoping for a female because my dog is a male as well as my two cats. Time to even things out a bit! Is there a difference between the sexes?


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

Lots of puppies born within a short period of time, which is a red flag to me. I'd continue to do some research before settling on this one particular breeder.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

Is that bad? As long as the dogs being bred are receiving proper socialization?


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## BrownieM (Aug 30, 2010)

bishopthesheltie said:


> Is that bad? As long as the dogs being bred are receiving proper socialization?


It's a red flag. It's also a red flag that they breed multiple breeds. I'd investigate further, what volume do they breed per year? How many dogs/bitches do they have? Do they select the BEST mate for their dogs or do they just breed dogs without extensive research on their pedigrees? Make sure you can *really* trust the breeder, make sure they are breeding for the right reasons, doing health tests appropriate for the breeds, giving adequate rest between heats, thoroughly screening puppy buyers, etc. I'd look at their contract closely. What health guarantees do they offer?

ETA: I don't see any mention of health testing or a copy of a contract on their website. I'd want to know this before even considering them as a breeder.


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

bishopthesheltie said:


> Is there a difference between the sexes?


Nah, some people will tell you that males are more "cuddly" but I've not found any proof of this.

It is rather odd the number of litters this breeder is having withing a 1-2 month period, 4 litters in 2 months? SOunds like quite a bit, but never hurts to drive up there and take a look at how they raise em etc. make sure they let you see all the dogs/pups.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

It says on the website that they breed the bitch once per year, with two or three breedings total per female, which probably does mean they have quite a few dogs.. and a full three year health guarantee.. boo.. I thought it was a good breeder, I really dont know that much about buying a dog, mine was a working farm dog. I might go up and have a look at the place and see what its like.. I dunno.


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

Yeah...lots of turn offs here for me too.

The number of litters, the variety of breeds, the lack of doing something "constructive" with a breed that is considered a working dog (doberman), lack of health clearance proof available on the website...I also checked OFA. Only one of the females has been cleared by OFA, and only within the last 2 years, which means she's a new breeder. Not that that's all bad, it just means that she's inexperienced, and I'm personally more comfortable with people who have been doing it for a while...

Not that this really should be a determining factor, but just keep it in mind... the "pretty" sites don't mean that they know what they're doing. And for being so "pretty", I personally don't see enough pictures of the facility. But that's just me...

I'd still reccomend going and TOURING (don't put any money down just yet) the place and meet her dogs...I can't stress this enough. MEET THEM ALL, and especially meet the parents. Meeting them will tell you alot about the "energy" of the environment they live in and what your potential puppy will grow up in.
Someone at a shelter I volunteered at told me this: If YOU feel stressed out when you're at a breeder's house, run, don't walk. There's a reason you're uncomfortable, and you should listen to it.

Best of luck.


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

bishopthesheltie said:


> I love sighthounds the most, looks and personality wise.. but I heard they can be a struggle to train and to have around cats. They are usually very healthy dogs. I want a whippet so bad but they are so hard to find in Alberta, Canada.


I can ask my breeder if she knows anyone in Alberta. She's been doing this stuff for 35 years and seemingly knows everyone.

Whippets are a snap to train, it's a common misconception that they are hard. Mine is right now laying next to my cat. ^^ She LOVES the cats. The cats.... could do without her. They don't even like each other much, let alone the dog. They tolerate her existence.
My breeder owns a cat, and she's been raised around cats. I think if she wasn't, she might not be so friendly towards them. 

...and yes, they love to cuddle. They are also pretty healthy breeds. Pipers temperament is adorable, she loves everyone and everything... and she's caused a lot of people to consider getting one with her wiggly bum.


I WILL SAY... they are addictive. >.>


EDIT: On italians, they tend to be super clingy and prone to anxiety. Moreso then other sighthounds. They also have more health issues then whippets (weaker bone structure apparenlty). They are smaller though.


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

That's good to know that sighthounds can be trained pretty easy! I guess most of it is consistency! I looked at "The Intelligence of Dogs" list when I was breed choosing and all the sighthounds were quite low on the list, that's why I thought that. Most of the websites I visited as well said IGs and whippets are hard to housebreak.. but I guess with consistent crate training it's doable. I love how my sheltie is easy to train and I was worried that I would get a dog who didn't listen to a word I say, lol. 

Another thing I was iffy about is that whippets and IGs are quite timid, but I guess with good socialization that's not a big deal either? Shelties are meant to be a shy breed as well but we took Bishop everywhere as a pup and he loves people now.. a very outgoing un-sheltie-ish personality. But he's just not a cuddler.

I really fell in love with sighthounds at the AKC dog show in Calgary last year.. I have always liked the lean look of them but I never really knew anyone with them so I didn't know their personality. They (esp the borzois and afghans) were like huge skinny lap dogs. They were all leaning on me.

At this point I'd take either a whippet or an IG. They seem fairly similar with their pros and cons.

Do you have to put boots and coats on your whip?


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## nortknee (May 5, 2011)

bishopthesheltie said:


> Do you have to put boots and coats on your whip?


You will in Calgary...or pretty much anywhere in Canada.


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

I agree with BrownieM, there are plenty of mutts with health problems out the wazoo, not to mention other problems like behavioral.

But I will say, I work at in animal rescue and honestly, if I had to make the choice between a geriatric mutt who had rotting teeth and was morbidly obese, who I was IN LOVE with, and a purebred dog/puppy I'd never met who has great genetics/temperament/whatever, I'd probably choose the dog I was in love with. Death is just a part of life, the way I see it you have to just enjoy what you have while you have it, and know that everything has an end. 

I chose Wallaby because I love him and our bond is so intense. When I was looking for a dog to adopt, I was looking at all the giant fluffy dogs that were labeled "good with cats," particularly looking at seniors and dogs who weren't overactive. Wallaby is tiny compared to all the dogs I was considering, he's a ball of energy, and he is terrible with cats and small pets. But I ended up with him anyways, and I wouldn't trade him for anything! I'm just grateful for every day that I get to spend with him, he's brought so much light into my life.


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## Celt (Dec 27, 2010)

Italian Greyhounds are (imo) the way to go if you want a super cuddly dogs. One site I went to said that they make great "child replacement" dogs because they demand the same amount of attention. They will even throw "temper tantrums" to get attention. Mine weren't that hard to housebreak, but they are very fastidious about where they go. When they were little and we used the piddle pads, neither of them would use a pad twice (even if it was poop and picked up immediately) and now when they go outside, they have to find the "perfect" spot to go. The only training problem, I've had is getting them to down on "non cushioned" areas like concrete or tile.


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