Understanding Your Dog

 In This Chapter Hearing the hype about hybrids Identifying the pros and cons of hybrid dogs Looking at the most popular designer dogs What do James Gandolfini, Julianne Moore, Uma Thurman, and Jake Gyllenhaal have in common? No, they haven’t all won Oscars. They all have Puggles — the designer-dog hybrid of a Pug and…

 In This Chapter Understanding what makes a dog a mixed breed Recognizing that size doesn’t matter — a dog is a dog Remembering that your dog — no matter his mix — wants to be your best friend The offspring of purebred dogs all look alike on the outside, and have similar personalities and temperaments….

In This Chapter Deciphering the mixed breeds Looking at the history of mixes and crossbreeds Taking on designer dogs Getting to know some popular crosses What is a mixed breed? A mutt? A devoted companion? A Cockapoo? How about a Chiweenie? The answer to all these questions is yes. Although mixed breeds sometimes get an…

In This Chapter Defining a diverse group Championing some consummate companions Finding a breed to suit everyone’s needs Okay, so what’s the deal with the Non-Sporting Group? Is it truly a group made up of non-sporting types, or is it a catchall category of groupless pooches? In truth, the answer may be a bit of…