Mutt.

That’s kind of a bad word in today’s context, ain’t it? Definition of mutt: Half-breed, diluted, contaminated, un-pure, un-wanted, un-loved. These are the words that usually first spring to mind when someone utters the term. But did you know that mutts, or (for the more politically correct term) cross-breeds, have a higher percentage of survival, and are less prone to illnesses like cancer, blindness and other diseases?

In fact, natural selection has participated in the evolution of animals to ensure that cross-breeding and the diluting of ‘pure breeds’ would secure the future of the animal race, thus creating a ‘super-soldier-like’ species that are not only sturdy and robust, but impervious to natural elements like wind, rain and heat. In other words: Hooray for the mutt!

The one who got away

Unfortunately for Quinn, who happens to be the offspring of a Shih-Tzu mother and a Pekingese father (yes, he’s an adorable mutt), he seemed to have gotten the short stick on basically every evolutionary gene, if that was even possible. Annoying, cowardly and incredibly prone to skin infections, he’s what the French would call: Les Incompetents. (Caught that Home Alone reference?)

His sole superpower? The Puss-In-Boots gaze. Also known as the gaze that smashes your heart into a million smithereens and compels you (against all odds) to feed him that last bit of chicken from the table.

That was him, using the Puss-In-Boots gaze while I was clipping my toenails in the bathroom, attempting to utilise his powers of mind control to give him that last jerky snack on the counter. Alpha dog my behind.

The ones who made it

Nevertheless, there are several mutts who did make it to the big leagues, and are currently the poster-children for adorable dogs all over the world. Goodbye pure breeds and 7-year expectancy rates, here comes the big dogs now.

The Cormation (Corgi & Dalmation)

The Chusky (Chow Chow & Husky)

Dalmachshund (Dachschund & Dalmatian)

Penchies (French Bulldogs & Pugs)

Corskies (Corgi & Husky)

Pitsky (Pitbull & Husky)

Pomsky (Pomeranian & Husky)

Which were your favourite mutts? As a dog mom, I’m obliged to say that my favourite was this little bugger featured in the picture right there. But hey, don’t let me stand in your way of true love.