Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Choosing a Hybrid

Another obvious advantage of choosing a hybrid is that they cost less to purchase than do their papered peers. Ask yourself, “What type of purebred breed(s) do I like best?” Then start looking in newspapers, pet stores, and pounds and other animal shelters for crosses that contain the genes of your favored breed. In many instances, the genetic makeup of the parents is not known, yet you can usually guess the genetic background of the candidate by its anatomic features or by its behavior.

For instance, let’s say you notice that a dog’s ears stand erect, yet are folded halfway. There is a good chance that this mystery breed is part terrier. Does the dog enjoy lounging around in its water dish? It could contain some retriever blood.
Does the cat appear to be slightly cross-eyed? No doubt it is part Siamese. Odds are that the individual you encounter will be a cross between one or more of this country’s top 10 most popular dog or cat breeds.

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