Cross-breeds are, as the name suggests, a mixture of two or more breeds. Historically, cross-breeds were always seen as healthier than a pure-breed dog. But is this true and does it affect whether you should get pet insurance for them?
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What is a cross-breed?
There are many different cross-breeds of dog in the world; some have been crossed intentionally and some have come about accidentally. In recent years, there has been a flourish amongst breeders to create sought after cross-breeds such as the ‘Jug’ (Jack Russell crossed with a Pug), the ‘Cavachon’ (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel crossed with a Bichon Frise), and one of the most common cross-breeds in the UK, the ‘Cockapoo’ (Cocker Spaniel crossed with a Poodle). Despite simply being a cross-breed, these dogs can fetch vast sums of money.
Nowadays, we see many dogs imported from Europe and the rest of the world; which are often a real mix of different breeds and have almost become a breed in themselves.
The first time a dog is bred with another breed, the puppies are known as first generation cross-breeds. These cross-breeds can then go on to produce further generations of the cross-breed if bred with the same type.
Sometimes, the first generation cross-breeds can be bred with another breed to create a tri-breed dog; such as a Cavapoochon (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Poodle, Bichon Frise cross), a Jackawatzoo (Jack Russell Terrier, Chihuahua, Shitzu cross) or a Malshipoo (Maltese, Shitzu, Poodle cross).
Poodles are very commonly used in cross-breeding as they don’t tend to moult much. This means they are very attractive to many owners.
Is it true that cross-breeds are healthier than pure-bred dogs?
In short, no. Although new information is constantly being analysed, the evidence is certainly not clear cut.
The thinking behind the theory that cross-breed dogs are healthier, is that by selective breeding, or even natural breeding, undesired traits or genetic diseases can or will be bred out of the line. A classic ‘mongrel’ dog is likely to have many generations of natural breeding behind it, meaning that it seems less likely that any serious genetic diseases have been passed down.
Cross-breeding also opens up a much larger gene pool to select a partner from. A breeder of a pure-bred dog has a much smaller gene pool to find a mate from and therefore has a higher chance of in-breeding. In-breeding can create an increased incidence of recessive genes or genetic defects that may be detrimental. This is the reason that in-breeding in humans is very much discouraged. By looking outside this gene pool to other breeds, the chance of two dogs with detrimental recessive genes mating and passing on this undesirable trait, is very low. Therefore, it appears to make sense that cross-breeding can produce healthier dogs.
But it’s not quite that simple, however…
Conversely, many pure-bred dogs in the UK are registered with the Kennel Club which is actively trying to improve the health of many breeds by insisting that breeders screen potential partners for genetic diseases before mating in order to decrease the risk of that disease being passed on; for example hip scoring for hip dysplasia or ocular examinations for certain eye disorders. By carrying out these tests, breeders can select those dogs at lower risk of passing on any issues and therefore improve the health of future generations.
Unregulated cross-breeding is a gamble
There is no certainty as to which genes, good or bad, will be passed on. One study has even suggested that when breeding two breeds together, you are more likely to pass on genetic diseases rather than eliminate them.
The small gene pools for pure-bred dogs have sadly led to cases where a disease or condition has become ingrained in that breed. Heart disease in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels is a prime example. Shockingly now, nearly 100% of dogs of this breed will develop a heart murmur due to a failing heart valve by the time they are ten years old. Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) is 10-12 times more common in pure-bred Dachshunds than the general dog population. Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is thought to affect around 2% of the population of German Shepherd Dogs; whereas the overall prevalence for dogs in the UK is 0.19%.
This is all very confusing – what’s the evidence?
A couple of UK studies in 2013 and 2014 and a US study also in 2013 looked directly at the differences in disease incidences between various pure-breed dogs and cross-breed dogs. Their conclusions were very similar
UK studies:
- Cross-breed dogs live, on average, 1.2 years longer than pure-bred dogs
- Of the top 20 canine disorders recorded in UK veterinary practices, pure-bred dogs only had a significantly higher prevalence than cross-breed dogs for 3 conditions (ear disease, obesity and skin masses).
US study:
- Of 24 genetic disorders seen at a US veterinary hospital in 27,000 dogs, pure-bred dogs showed a significantly higher incidence for 10 of them
- Of these 24 genetic disorders, cross-breed dogs showed a significantly higher incidence for only 1 (cranial cruciate ligament rupture).
- For the other 13 disorders, there was no statistically significant difference in incidence between pure or cross-breed dogs.
At the end of the day, any dog can suffer from pretty much any condition or injury
So, whichever breed of dog you have, you ought to consider getting pet insurance. Insurers use many variables to decide how much a particular pet will cost to get insured, with breed being just one of them. Companies will work on how much each breed typically ends up costing them in pay outs for claims and base the premiums off this. Cross-breeds still compare favourably, with the average annual cost to insure a cross-breed dog being £300.64 whereas a pedigree dog costs on average £403.27 per year.
Many people will pay out annually for their pet’s insurance and never need to use it; whereas others rely on it to be able to pay for long-term conditions or if their pet has a serious accident. Whether you choose to get insurance for your cross-breed dog or not, it is advisable to have a plan in place in case they should fall ill. Because with the best will in the world, dogs will be dogs!
Further reading
- Are Crossbreeds Healthier than Purebred Dogs? – Vet Help Direct
- Health of purebred vs mixed breed dogs: the actual data – The Institute of Canine Biology
- Prevalence of Disorders Recorded in Dogs Attending Primary-Care Veterinary Practices in England | PLOS ONE
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