How To Pick A Healthy Puppy

Attempts to bridge the gap between purebred looks, predictability, and mutt health—and come up with something completely new—have resulted in “designer breeds.” These are the Puggles, Labradoodles, Maltipoos, and the like. They’ve intentionally created mixes that, while not purebred, can still maintain some of the expected traits we look for and have some of the advantages of hybrid vigor. These dogs, as a rule, do seem to me to be healthier than some of the pure breeds, but they can be expensive, especially when compared with a mixed breed from a rescue or a shelter.