The benefits of a mutt

1. It’s easier to take care of

Also known as a “mixed breed” (or by the acronym SRD), the mutt generally does not need to be brushed every day or need to be clipped. In addition, you can safely take a bath once a month. And if it’s a cat, it doesn’t even need frequent baths, as it cleans itself with its tongue.

2. Shed less hair

As he almost always has a short coat, he doesn’t fill furniture and clothes with fur. That’s also why he rarely leaves the house with a “wet dog” smell!

3. It costs nothing

Buying a purebred dog or cat costs between R$200 and R$3,000, depending on the species. A mongrel costs nothing to acquire.

4. Does not cause damage

Puppies are adorable, but everyone knows that, until they’re eight months old, they look like furry little hurricanes that leave behind a trail of scratched furniture, gnawed slippers, and chewed up pillows. If you want a dog and don’t have the patience or time to wait for this phase to pass, it will be difficult to find an adult purebred animal for sale. But adult mutts are not lacking in shelters. A pity that precisely they have more difficulty in getting an owner…

5. Has more disease resistance

According to biologist Sérgio Greif, purebred animals have little genetic variety. That’s why a pair of poodles are born only poodles. This lack of diversity favors the appearance of hereditary diseases typical of each breed: in dogs alone, there are more than 500 known genetic diseases related to the breeds. “Mutgs have a greater genetic variety, which makes them more resistant to diseases”, explains Greif. If a rottweiler and a mongrel come into contact with the parvovirus virus, for example, the first will develop the disease much more easily than the second.

6. Show gratitude

As it has suffered a lot living on the street or in shelters along with several other animals, a mixed breed dog or cat is usually very loving with the new family.

7. Adapts to new home quickly

After going through so many places (including having nowhere to live!), a mongrel becomes the most adaptable animal in the world. Soon he will realize what he can and cannot do in your house. The myth that animals older than 1 year do not adapt to a new home is just a myth.