Mutts are New Favorites of Dog Lovers

Want to be in style? Get yourself a mutt. Today, it’s more fashionable to have a mixed breed than a perfect Afghan hound or Yorkshire terrier. The well-heeled are strolling with them on city streets, and movie stars are proud of them.

Short-haired, shaggy, tall, or small, no two are alike says fashion maven Isaac Mizrahi. He has a golden retriever-border collie mix he adopted from a New York shelter in 2000.

Lovable and healthy mixed breeds are fetching more attention. Bert Hawkins of the Lexington, Ky., Humane Society, quoted in USA Today, says people are deciding that a dog’s personality and level of need are as worthy as pedigrees.

Adoption fairs featuring mixed-breed dogs are showing up in some high-class places such as the Los Angeles’ Super Adoption Festivals. They are “wildly successful,” according to Best Friends, the host organization.

They’re not only lovable, they generally healthier. Veterinarians note that many purebreds have a propensity for medical problems, such as tumors, dysplasia, and allergies.

The American Kennel Club says purebred registrations have dropped mostly because of high registration fees and DNA requirements. But part of the reason is that more people are choosing mixed-breed mutts or “hybrid” combos such as the cockapoo, a cocker spaniel/poodle mix, or Pugles, a pug/beagle mix.

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