(kate) wrote in message . com...
I really appreciate the replies! We actually do check petfinder quite
often, and are interested in getting a mixed breed, but I just
wondered if there is any breed I should search for as part of the mix.

I used to think that breed wasn't important (for mixed breeds) - that
mixed breeds were just that - and their parentage had little to do
with their behavior. Then I rescued a Border Collie mix, and adopted
a Basenji mix (hunting dog). All I can say is that you can take the
dog out of the hunt (or herd) but never can you take the hunt (or
herd) out of the dog.

That being said, the best dogs IMO, are mixes, and if the mix is truly
mixed up (unidentifiable), all the better, IMO. Also, what is labeled
as a certain mix often times isn't. I have seen numerous "Pit Bull
mixes" who were actually boxer (or dane) mixes when they grew up, and
my own Basenji mix was labeled as a Boxer mix, although she is now 27
lbs and clearly a Basenji mix. You just can't rely on the labels -
unless the rescue group knows for sure that the parent was a
registered purebred.

The one lesson I have learned in my Dog Mommy-hood is if you get two
dogs, do not get two bitches unless you are prepared to deal with a
lot of strong pack behavior. I will never make that mistake again.
Could be my dogs, but the counselor at the HS warned me of this, and I
didn't heed the warning. I just was too blinded by the Basenji
wrinkly head, huge ears and tail going 1000 mph:

http://groups.msn.com/idontmindsComp...hoto&PhotoID=7

Who says pound dogs aren't cute?


I also check the shelters and petfinder quite often for cats. I have
tried to adopt one from a shelter but the woman told me that she
wasnted to put the cat in a household with another cat. I thought this
was stupid since she had already adopted its siblings out and she said
that the cat missed its siblings-duh. I also work at home all day so
my cats dont ever get lonely. Both of my previous cats (one from a
shelter , the other a siamese) died last year at age 13 and 14. They
never got along.

snipola

General rule of thumb is two cats are better than one, and three
better than two, but sometimes the two just never get along. I have a
male and female adopted 7 months apart (female first) and they
tolerate each other, at best. OTOH, my Mom always had oodles of cats,
which all got along. Go figure.

My general experience is that two males get along better if adopted as
kittens - not necessarily at the same time. The majority of the mixes
I have seen that didn't work out were male/female pairs.

Best of luck,

-L.