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8 Reasons to Love a Mutt

Published August 31, 2012 in Love For Earthlings, What's New |
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Mutts are unique

The standard for breeding purebreds calls for breeding puppies whose appearance and temperament are of exactly the same standard and quality every time.

A mixed-breed dog is awesome because without these standards, the dog is intrinsically unique. On top of that, when visiting a shelter to adopt a mutt, the selection of choices is more varied and unique than you’d find at a breeder or pet store.

Mutts are more flexible

Mixed breeds tend to be more flexible and more middle-of-the-road because they are not as strongly programmed as purebreds. Mixed-breeds are thought to adjust more easily to a variety of households and living conditions, whereas purebreds tend to be bred with a specific skill set in mind, such as herding or hunting.

Though domesticated dogs are no longer put in specific situations in which they are expected to perform tasks that they have been bred or programmed for, the breed traits are still in their DNA makeup.

Housetraining is provided

Many mixed-breeds found in shelters did belong to someone before – people who could not keep them due to allergies, or moving homes, or for some other reason. Because of this, many mixed breed shelter dogs come already potty-and-housetrained. A definite plus towards their adoptability!

Mutts have fewer health issues

There are some people who claim mixed-breed dogs are healthier than purebreds. While this has not been proven scientifically, it is known that certain purebreds are more prone to specific illnesses.

Mixed-breed dogs are thought to be less likely to develop these illnesses because even if they are part, say, Golden Retriever, they have fewer Golden Retriever genes than a purebred one.

You can skip the puppy stage

While many fur parents cherish the puppy stage, there are others who just do not have the time and patience to train a new puppy. With a mutt from the shelter, you have the choice of adopting a young or adult dog over a baby. In these cases, the dog’s size and temperament will already be pretty set, too, so there will be no surprises in the future.

Mutts require cheaper start-up costs

Some shelters only require a S$50 administrative fee (on top of the sterilization charges, which are mostly mandatory at shelters) in order for you to adopt a dog. Purebred dogs can run up to and over S$2,000 to $3,500.

Other than that, a mixed-breed from the shelter is likely to have received up-to-date vaccinations, which will save you even more money.

You are saving a life

Even if a purebred puppy does not get adopted (highly unlikely in and of itself), the puppy is already living in the home of a breeder, probably even still with its parents.

A mixed breed dog living at a shelter, however, has a high chance of being euthanized. Adopting one means you are directly saving a life, a fact your grateful new dog will not soon forget.

A Mutt’s uniqueness will rub off on you

A mixed breed dog is for the adventurer in all of us. When purchasing a purebred dog, you are buying a specific temperament that has been honed through strict breeding practices over a long period of time.

With a mixed breed, a puppy especially, the unknown genetic line leaves all that up in the air. Appreciate the spontaneity behind this and that makes you unique by association with the unique mutt you have chosen to adopt.

Adapted from Top Reasons Mutts Are Awesome, which originally appeared on petMD.com

Top 10 Pet Assistants

Published June 12, 2012 in Love For Earthlings, What's New |
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1. Seeing Eye Guide Dogs

The most publicly familiar pet assistant is the Seeing Eye guide dog. Their training enables visually impaired people to move about safely, and also gives people a greater sense of independence. Guide dog programs originated following World War I to assist impaired veterans in the United States, which led to the establishment of The Seeing Eye in 1929, an organization that is still in operation today.

2. Animal Assisted Therapy

One of the most fundamental advantages of animal assisted therapy (AAT) over other therapeutic modalities is that it provides the patient a much-needed opportunity to give affection as well as receive it. It is this reciprocity — rare among medical therapies — that makes AAT a unique and valuable route to healing.

3. Seizure Alert

Seizure alert dogs have an innate ability to detect the onset of epileptic seizures sometimes hours in advance. Though canine skill in predicting episodes is a medical mystery, it is “a natural instinct, or ability, which some dogs are particularly inclined to act upon … most likely, through its sense of smell, the dog is detecting the chemical and electrical changes within a person’s body caused by seizure activity.”

4. Diabetes Alert

Another incredible skill some dogs have is the ability to detect in advance when a diabetic person is going to suffer from a sudden drop in blood sugar. Unfortunately, like seizure alert dogs, diabetes alert dogs are not covered by medical insurance. But their ability to save lives baffles medical experts…

5. Hearing Dogs

Professionally trained companion dogs for the disabled can be specially trained to help the hearing impaired as well. By signalling people with gentle head-butts or other sensory stimuli, these service dogs provide vital assistance as well as companionship.

6. Service Dogs

It is important to make the distinction between therapy, assistance, and service dogs. Service dogs, by definition, are specially trained to assist people with disabilities, including physical, emotional, and other health impairments. Because service dogs are professional assistants, they are not considered pets. Due to this, service dogs are allowed access to areas that otherwise prohibit pets.

7. Service Dogs for the Mobility Impaired

For people who have a limited range of motion (perhaps due to partial paralysis), a helping paw can help in carrying and retrieving items, or even helping to pull a wheelchair. Different service animals are identified by their ability to assist mobility impaired individuals, which extends to providing support for people with stability and balance issues, as well.

8. Therapeutic Companion Dogs

Therapy dogs differ from service dogs in that they provide comfort and companionship to people with disabilities, or those hindered by illness. Therapy dogs are usually part of a volunteer program that is made up of naturally good-tempered, docile, and friendly house pets. Unlike service dogs that have had specialized training, therapy dogs are not professionally trained; but they are often tested and accredited for therapy.

9. Skilled Companion Dogs

The human animal bond is so strong that the quality of life for those who are isolated or socially challenged is indelibly improved by the presence of a companion pet. Skilled companion dogs are specially trained pets that provide therapeutic affection while assisting in mobility tasks where necessary. Those being assisted includes people affected by autism, Down’s syndrome, and cerebral palsy, all of whom have found themselves the beneficiaries of skilled canine companionship.

10. Facility Dogs

Imagine being bedridden in a hospital or a long-term care facility. The more isolated people feel, the longer it may take for them to recover or respond to treatment. Canines are trained to visit people in facilities such as hospices and hospitals. The clear benefits of therapeutic animal visits have been the focus of medical studies, the results of which were published in the Journal for Gerontology: Medical Sciences in July 2002.
Excerpted from PetMD