A hybrid puppy has two purebred parents of different breeds.  This intentional mix of breeds allows us to have the predictability of the purebred, while maintaining the genetic diversity of a mixed breed dog.  A hybrid puppy's characteristics will fall within the range of the two breeds his parents are from.   All of our  puppies are either first generation (F1) crosses or F1b (one purebred parent and one mixed breed parent) depending which traits we are looking for in our puppies.  We carefully select each parent for the characteristics that would result in Maltipoo puppies with the most desirable pet qualities.  The hybrids are bred just to be a perfect pet for you.

What are the advantages of having a purebred dog?

Purebreds provide predictability with respect to size, color, coats, temperament and traits. If you want a friendly dog or an aloof dog, a high-energy dog or a low-energy dog, a small dog or a large dog, a dog with lots of fur or a dog with very short fur, you can choose a purebred that tends to have those characteristics.  The parents produce offspring that are totally predictable.......they will be just like their parents.

Disadvantages to a Purebred

Over 300 genetic health defects have been documented in purebred dogs, the incidence of defects is extremely high.     Reasons for this include:

• Breeding dogs to a detailed standard of appearance. Breeding to some standard is how breeds are developed in the first place, but eventually it results in loss of genetic diversity, which leads to problems with health and vigor.  The only way to get dogs to produce true to type (produce puppies that look like themselves) is to inbreed.  Health and temperament can be sacrificed for a certain type of hair, eyes, etc.
• A limited and closed gene pool. Without the introduction of new and unrelated genes, in the long term all living creatures suffer "loss of genetic diversity," which inevitably leads to weaker animals with health problems.   Even when trying to breed unrelated dogs, there will be a few common ancestors in almost every pedigree.
• Breeding the same champion dogs over and over. This floods the breed not only with the same sets of good genes, but also with the same sets of bad genetics. But when the same few dogs are bred repeatedly, as is done with the most successful show dogs, their particular defective genes become more common throughout the breed. Then the chances are much greater that two dogs with the SAME defective gene will get bred together -- and the defect gets expressed.
• Breeding for unnatural builds. Breeds with short faces (such as Pugs and Shih Tzus) are sweet dogs, but they can't breathe normally and are prone to many health disorders. Breeds with long bodies (such as Dachshunds) are prone to crippling back problems and paralysis.

According to AKC statistics, there is a 40% mortality rate for purebred dogs in puppy hood.

What are the advantages to a Mutt?

Because their genes are usually unrelated, the chances are good that the parents of a mutt puppy did not both have the same defective genes. It is the pairing up of the same defective genes that cause some of the worst health problems seen in most purebred dogs. Most mutt dogs have good genetic diversity, which tends to promote overall health and vigor.

 Disadvantages to a Mutt

A mutt isn't usually intentional. It is almost unheard of for a mutt dog to have even one parent who has been tested for any genetic disorder. With a mutt, you have to put your faith in his genetic diversity, rather than in medical testing and breed specific traits.

If you get a mutt which looks like a combination of two breeds, it does not assure that only those two breeds created the puppy or, for that matter, those breeds were involved at all. A mutt could have many many other combinations of breeds to create the dog. Thus, you might be able to have a hint as to the temperament of the dog, you also might have a hint on how large or small the dog will be, or what type of fur the dog will have, but you will never know for sure until the dog has fully matured.  You must be willing to accept whatever size, coat type and shedding your puppy has, as all their characteristics won't be evident until they are adults. 

A mutt, all too frequently, has not had the benefit of a good start in life. Proper medical care, proper socialization, and breeder knowledge can be missing in an unintentional breeding.