The ancestry of the dog can be traced back as far as sixty million years. Beginning with the Miatis, the small weasel-like creature is thought to have demonstrated the first characteristics of the animal now recognized as Canis lupus familiaris, or “dog” to you and me. It is this creature that evolved into the earliest wolf.
Every dog we have was bred over centuries to create what we now know as breeds. And guess what? The new “designer breeds” are just more attempts at breeding the perfect mutt.
And yet, all are a result of... you guessed it – the wolf.
Even the most popular purebred is actually a crossbreed. A Yorkshire terrier was crossed with an Australian terrier to produce the Silky Terrier. The Bulldog was crossed with a Mastiff to get a Bullmastiff. The Doberman is a result of a German shepherd being crossed with a German Pinscher, and later crosses with the Greyhound, Weimeraner and Black and Tan Manchester terrier further refined the breed.
So when you think about spending thousands of dollars on a “purebred dog” or a “designer breed”, take a deep breath, cleanse your mind, and walk on over to your local shelter. Chances are good, they have the “designer” type you want and no breeding is necessary....
