Does anyone else have a mongrel?

[Laguiri]

Just sharing the joy really. She was about 6-7 months old when I got her from a rescue charity 6 weeks ago, and she’s an absolute delight. Very loving, very respectful around my elderly whippet, very easy and intuitive to train (simple commands so far) and generally happy/problem-free, despite a less than stellar back story (animal hoarding). I’d agonised over breeds before I saw her picture on my local rescue association FB page. SO glad I got her. Happy to pay the puppy tax 😊

Crossbreed RSPCA Mongrel and Purebred Whippet ..Both were fabulous dogs- easy to train and good mannered. The Lurcher was simply labelled
''Lurch x, Tan, Female'' They were all called 'Crossbreeds' as mongrel is a term that has long fallen from favour.

Mongrels are anything that isn't 'Purebred' . {inbred}

I once was pleased that I'd traced back a Whippet to the 'foundation' Whippet called 'Zuber'....and my friend said ''ALL pedigree Whippets in UK trace back to him''....That made me realise how closely related thoroughbred dogs can be.

Agree, the 'Designer' tag is ridiculous.

We saw a pretty dog and said to the owner ''That's a beautiful young Lurcher''... he replied ''She's a Labradoodle''

This was in Lockdown era.

She was 100% a Lurcher, possibly Whippet with a dash of Bedlington.. zero poodle or Labrador anywhere in her breeding.

She was elegant, her chest was dropped, long fine head, large dark eyes, rose ears, and a 'Broken' coat, and a long, fine whip tail , and tight Whippety feet, and a light, spring way of moving

She would have done well at Lurcher shows. I really was smitten! 🤩

Her owner clearly had been ''Sold a pup'' but she was a stunner if you like fine Lurchers!

I wish I'd asked the owner if he'd seen the puppy with her siblings and mother.

''Always see a puppy with it's mother and siblings'' is great advice for many reasons..but Lockdown favoured the puppy mills and back yard breeders so this played right into their hands as to why mother and sibs couldn't be seen.

Oakleaffy: love your dogs (and everyone else’s)! I obviously adore my whippet too, he’s been such a gentle, well-mannered, friendly soul, the perfect dog for a first-time dog owner. But it’s also been really interesting getting a dog that doesn’t come with guaranteed X, Y and Z traits. Turns out she’s pretty similar to my whippet (loves walks, happily sleeps for most of the rest of the time— maybe she’s taking her cues from him!), but is undeniably quicker to learn things (he’s never been blessed in that department).

We had a lovely mongrel rescue dog from Battersea when I was a kid and my sister has a gorgeous Romanian rescue dog so that's my experience of dog ownership that I wanted to replicate when we got a dog.
The whole idea of carefully picking a breed and a breeder, health checks, kennel club etc is something I am only familiar with via mumsnet. Plus I cannot imagine forking out thousands for a puppy.
I'm happy with our Heinz 57. He has turned out bigger, barkier and more stubborn than we'd anticipated (he's likely got a lot of flock guardian jn him) but equally he is happy go lucky, playful, loves a good walk and a chill on the sofa.

Total Heinz here from Dogs Trust described as Terrier X. Had her for 12 years so she is about 13 now. She is my dog of a lifetime and I will be bereft when it's time to say goodbye.

What a gorgeous Terrier type. Beautiful.
Fingers crossed she stays happy and healthy for a good while yet.

The Lurcher in my pic above was my 'Soulmate' dog- my first dog ever.
However...I think it is possible to 'love' again - but in a different way, once one has eventually processed the loss and grief.

I didn't think it would have been possible..They all have such different personalities - In a strange way, I feel that my old dog 'Guided' me to the little minx I have now, who is sleeping against my back like a furry hot water bottle.

Thanks!...If you have an 'older', sensible dog , the 'new' dog definitely seems to take the lead from the established dog.

The Whippet was meant to be 'Mine' as well, but from the day he arrived , he took to my son..I couldn't get a look in, so I ''sold'' him to my son for a week's pocket money..It worked very well..Whippet slept in son's bed and son helped walk them with me at weekends and after school.

Whippet was an absolute dream to house train, he just followed the Lurcher.

A male and female does seem to be the 'easiest' - before getting two dogs I was advised to get 'opposite sex' {neutered obviously} for them to live in harmony - and they really did. They never had a cross word.

They would use 'tricks' to get treats from each other..
the Whippet was really enjoying his 'Chewy- Lurcher had the same, but decided his was the better of the two and was patiently waiting.

She all of a sudden dashed off the sofa and ran to the window, as if someone was coming up the path... He followed, she darted back like lightning to grab the favoured chewy- Poor Whippet!
He'd been tricked.

She looked so triumphant...she was definitely the 'mastermind'.

Two dogs that get on well are a delight.

We have a mongrel here, looks like they found all the left over bits to make him and he isnt one for being fussed over and likes his own space. BUT he will walk with you to the end of the Earth and protects the house like he's 10 times the size he is

She is GORGEOUS 😍😍😍

And so are the rest of your beautiful dogs. I've just looked at every single photo!!

@Laguiri If she takes after the whippet in her thats lucky for you. Ours is def more Bedlington, she's bossy in the house and has to be first with everything !

@Tdp123 - your beautiful Romanian idiot looks just like my Bulgarian idiot! Mine likes to sit in that unladylike manner too!

We have a cross breed (mongrel) labrador x German Shepherd.

34 kgs of goofy, loving, daftness.

This old girl will be 18 soon. She came from lab rescue but she seems to be a lab x pony, she's huge. The sweetest girl, though.

A better photo

This is mine - he came from the dogs trust and they told us chihuahua poodle cross. No clue if that is really what he is - maybe some Yorkie, maybe a bit of dachshund (his legs are either too short or his body is too long 🤣) he just is what he is. He follows me like a shadow and is an absolute bundle of fluff and fun ☺️

She is gorgeous and I love the fact she's snuggled up with your cat. How cute is that!

He's utterly adorable 😍

This thread is lovely. When I was young, it was rare for people to pay lots of money for 'breeds' ( I'm not middle class though so that might be part of the difference). Lots of families had dogs and they were mostly mongrels. I have had 3 myself over the years and they have been amazing, healthy dogs that rarely went near a vet until the last years of their long lives.
Long live the mongrel.

@Iheartmysmart
So sorry for your loss. It's like losing a friend, isn't it (and I have experienced both). I still well-up over my old dogs who have been gone for years now.
Your heart will find room for that next mutt too. All the best.

😍😍😍 I love the oldies. What a fantastic age for a big dog.