In my day...........(I know I know :-( ) there used to be dogs like Boxers, Labradors etc and there were ........Mongrels.
Why is it that no one seems to own up to having a Mongrel  - it's always a cross this or 3/4 this and 1/4 that or a X,Y,Z mix.

Upon seeing photos of these 'mixes'...one word springs to my mind.....MONGREL.

I know there are trendy mixes but where have all the Mongrels gone?

I think all the mongrels are in rescue becouse they're not an expensive ' oodle ' .

I know. A pedigree is a purebreed. A pedigree croseed with pedigree of a different breed is a crossbreed. Anything else is a mongrel - and there is nothing wrong with being a mongrel, I have met many fine ones. :-D

I think "Mongrel" is a horrible word.  Crossbreed sounds nicer somehow.  Perhaps people think the same as me!

Whatever the changes in description have been I think there are a lot less mongrels about.  When I was a child very few family dogs were pedigrees but now it seems more common to have a pedigree than anything else.  Whether that is a good thing I am not too sure.  If it means people are making decisions about what would suit them and using pedigrees to help them achieve that then it is a very good thing but I am not sure that is the case with many.

'If it means people are making decisions about what would suit them and using pedigrees to help them achieve that then it is a very good thing but I am not sure that is the case with many.'

You might be right. Lots of people seem to see the breed of their dog as a status symbol.
Pedigree dogs being seen as above crosses or mongrels, and 'oodles' as somehow even better in certain circles!

By the way, in answer to the original question, i think people mention what the cross of their dog is so that others would have some idea what kind of dog it is, what it looks like or what it's behaviour characteristics might be, as that would be helpful if asking for help with a particular problem etc. I don't think those who own them say the exact cross to appear one above a 'mongrel' as the op seemed to think.

> I know there are trendy mixes but where have all the Mongrels gone?

I'm not ashamed to say my recently departed oldie was a mongrel/mutt but I did often refer to him as a lab-cross (what we were told he was when we got him from rescue) as it can help people get a better mental image of the size & temperment. When we registered him at the vets, we wanted to register him as a mongrel, but the vets prefered 'lab-cross'.

When I was younger we had mongrels and there is no way they could have been called a cross-anything, they were complete miss-mashes, their mum was a mongrel and the father was unkown (OMG I can't believe we got them - mongrel littermates, no idea how big they would grow, what thier temperment would be like, or how close to hell it is getting littermates!!!!)
I'd like to think that people say cross-whatever for description (temperment, size) and a heads-up on possible health problems/predipositions but I do think mostly it's a case of snobbery :(

> I don't think those who own them say the exact cross to appear one above a 'mongrel' as the op seemed to think

I think they might in a lot of cases :-)  Again, going back to when mongrels were common we used to describe our dogs as "collieish" or a "spaniel type" or a "small terrier" or, very commonly, "just a heinz", medium sized, black, brown or whatever.  We did not generally have a stab at naming the actual breeds as nobody knew but we seemed to manage to convey to people the type of dog we owned.

> "just a heinz",

our mongrel litter-mates were always called '"heinze" :)

I don't think there is anything wrong with the word mongrel, it is what is says on the tin, you can say bitsa or Heinz 57, if you want ti cuter, but a mongrel is a dog of multi mixed heritage, a crossbreed is the result of two purebreeds, so many dogs given that tag are not they are mongrels.

And our mongrels were always known as Bitzers for being bits of this and bits of that.

Our smallest rescue was recorded as a Patterdale terrier on the vaccination card that was handed in by the original owner, the rescue had him recorded as a terrier cross and that is  how we tend to describe him  because it gives a rough idea of the type of dog he is. He is also known by several other names but none that can be repeated in polite company :-)

Not to anyone inparticular

But, I have always wandered where the phrase Heinz 57 came from? (Guessing as I have no idea) Was Heinz 57 something from the war where the manufacturers Heinz mixed beans and other things together in a tin? I've always found it a strange phrase. If anyone knows where it originated I'd love to know.

> Was Heinz 57 something from the war where the manufacturers Heinz mixed beans and other things together in a tin?

Acording to this '57' represents the number of different canned/bottled food made by heinze (57 varieties)

Ahhh..... Merci Beaucoup my friend. :-)

One of mine is just a mongrel but, since getting our gun dog, it has become very apparent that he is definitely a terrier type.  I tend to use mongrel in general conversation but will add terrier type to my description if I'm talking to knowledgable dog people, particularly when I might be describing his general look or behaviour.

My partner is a "mongrel" person nad he calls them mongrels or mutts, but then all this dogs whilst growing up have had un-lnown parentage with all except 2 being temple dogs from Thailand where you really have no-idea whats mated with what.

I however like to catorgarise them to "terrier cross" or "springer cross" "collie cross" etc  Maybe thats just because fot he way of all my dogs have breed names and belong to groups etc

I usually call them 'crosses' or 'mixtures' unless the owner first uses the word 'mongrel', it somehow seems more polite. :-)

We refer to our mongrels of which there is usually one or two hanging around as muttleys..... They are often real charactors like Muttley from Dick Dastardly and Muttley.

I've got several YGIAGAM in rehoming ;).

*your guess is as good as mine*

i love trying to guess what breeds are in mongrels and crossbreeds! at work im always like "dont tell me, is it a....." not to owners mind, but if the dog is hospitalised (i mainly work in medicine wards) then look at notes to see if im right!

I think that I have never witnessed such snobery, all dogs were once wolves, any breed has been bred by man, some very badly, whats makes any dog better than another? and whats makes you humans think you are better because you have a certain type of dog.

Harry,
I think you may have misunderstood the Irony in the posts...
The problem is that where once an 'oops' (or otherwise) mating of (for example) a labrador and a poodle would be sold or given away as just that  a X breed,with a realistic price if money were to be exchanged.... Now a 'niche' has been identified and it seems current 'trend' to give these matings a trendy or cutesy monniker 'Labradoodles' and now carte blanche to charge the upper hundreds (£800 and worse!! ) for 'Rare' 'Hypo allergenic'...in fact insert any buzz word you care!!

Its not snobbery its a worry that folk are being hoodwinked and a fool and his money are soon being parted. :(

> I think that I have never witnessed such snobery, all dogs were once wolves, any breed has been bred by man, some very badly, whats makes any dog better than another? and whats makes you humans think you are better because you have a certain type of dog.

Er no domestic dogs & wolves have common ancesters.

I'm not a snob I've had mongrels in the past-all of which sadly had a miriad of medical conditions-unlike my GSDs & BCs-who are/were all from health tested parents-which might just be a clue as to why I prefer a dog of known ancestry

> I think that I have never witnessed such snobery, all dogs were once wolves, any breed has been bred by man, some very badly, whats makes any dog better than another? and whats makes you humans think you are better because you have a certain type of dog.

Have I missed something?  I haven't got the impression that anyone in this discussion so far is demonstrating snobbery.  The OP was simply wondering why fewer people now use the term mongrel and those of us that have replied so far have simply explained why we use the terms we do.

A mongrel is a dog of no definable type or breed.  If an owner is aware of the parentage, or can make an educated guess, then to explain the cross eg lab x makes sense as it goes some way to describing the look of a dog or it's inherited traits.  Not everyone on this site names their breed unless doing so is relevant to the discussion or gives clarity to the issues discussed.  I haven't noticed anything on this thread, or others, to suggest that naming the breed is a form of snobbery.  Could you explain a bit more perhaps?

> I think that I have never witnessed such snobery

What snobbery? I hadn't noticed anyone saying one was 'better' than another. Dogs is dogs. In my post I was going for a clear definition of terms - and I don't see mongrel as a derogatory word.

I can't remember ever hearing pedigree or mongrel when I was a child.  Ok!  So it was a zillion years ago.  I was 5 when a dog came to live with us.  I now know that my Dad's youngest brother had joined the Black Watch.  He worked on a farm, and his dog was the best thing on earth, and came to stay.  I didn't even know that he was a working dog.  All I can remember is that I had this buddy that came everywhere with me.  These are the days when all the local kids went to play on the playing field at the top of the road.  And Mum's, every so often, came to the gate and checked we were still there.  How times change.  This thread has brought so many memories to mind.  And set me wondering, is this why I have always adored pastoral breeds?  Just a thought, I had never even wondered until I saw this thread.  Come to think of it, my current Border Collie has exactly the same pale amber eyes as my original boy.  This post has sent me down memory lane!

I can honestly say that I have never encountered any snobbery on this site (but then maybe I haven't been here long enough).  So no idea where HarryBassett picked up the wrong end of the stick.  I have to agree with the OP though, I've never known anyone call their dog a "monrgel" in an age.  Mind you, to me, if it aint a poodle, it's just a dog lol!  In saying that, the OH is wanting a boxer, purely because he has known a few and really liked how silly they were.  A mutt or a recognised breed, it's up to you what you choose, what fits in with your lifestyle and personal circumstances, what you know.  My dogs are the same breed of dog my dad had, we knew what we were getting before we got them (ok they were BETTER than we hoped for but that's by the by).

I have to say though peeps, and I hope you will join me in the banging of heads against a brick wall.  My in-laws are seriously considering getting a dog.  They are reasonably set on a mutt.  Hurrah you all say, I concur, a lonely rescue dog will be sure of a good home.  However, the reason behind the decision on a mutt, and I quote - owning a pedigree is cruel what with all those genetic diseases as shown on the tv.  Gah!!!!!! I give up!!!!!

Jings Carrington you must be young or I'm old ;-)

> I think that I have never witnessed such snobery

I have no idea where you have got that notion from.  It would appear most of the posters are talking from experience of owning mongrels at some point in their lives and certainly with no lack of affection.  We are discussing the nomenclature that is all :-)

> I have no idea where you have got that notion from

I have to agree Isabel, Harry Bassett seems to have 'projected' some of his/her own feelings onto this discussion.
After re-reading my original post, I am confident that I asked why few celebrate 'the mongrel' and questioning why so many others dont.
Most posters will have owned/known/loved a particular mongrel at one time and hold these memories fondly - as do I.

> whats makes any dog better than another

> whats makes you humans think you are better because you have a certain type of dog.

No-one said the dogs are better or worse only of course some are bred with care and a purpose and others not.

It isn't that any dogs are worse but the reasons for their being bred are worse or better.

There is nothing insulting about calling a dog a mongrel, if anything the insult may be to the person who bred it.

> A mongrel is a dog of no definable type or breed. If an owner is aware of the parentage

Thats what I allways thought, we had a fair share of rescue dogs when i was growing up, a few we knew there parentage lab x with greyhound etc, only one we didn't really have a clue about but Pepsi looked like a shrunken rottweiler, had the same colouring, walk etc. Battersea knew what our pup Fudge's parentage was, so when people ask us what he is we can tell them, but saying that most people say he either looks like a mastiff or boxer which is what he is. I don't care he is super lol

I don't mind the word mongrel but would rather call my 2- Mutts or a Cur that's a very old term.
I think the reason people have stopped using the term mongrel is everyone likes to know what sort of parentage the mutts came from to begin with. I remember phoning up for my Dad when I saw a advert for puppies for sale and they said lab x when asking what they were crossed with they said Doberman. Some years later seeing this male Doberman in a shop- I chatted to the owner about the pup we had some years before- and he informed me that the Mum was not a pure breed lab but crossed with a bull terrier I never realised! It didn't really matter as the Doberman gene dominated anyway.
I still ague now with my mate about my dog as she is adamant that she is a collie x terrier but I say lab so yes mongrel she is! :-)

When I had my first dog Kye a Belgian Shepard I bumped into a lady from Southampton down on holiday- who assured me see was a pure-breed [ a breeder of them] I had my doubts as her coat was so short- compared to all the ones I'd seen in books, but she told me with age the coat will get longer and she'll look right. Many years later when I had 2 ladies from BS rescue come to take  on another Shannon, I showed them a photo of kye and they told me she was crossed with a GSD?

Mongrel = a dog of no definate breed. Thats in the dictionary and its a good description. Its the same one that has been used for eons, Cross breeds usually mean you know the breeds that have gone into the mix, mongrels are what we had as kids and young adults lovely all of them but how many mixes went into them? no idea.

Heinz had at one time 57 different stuff in tins thats where it came from.

> I think "Mongrel" is a horrible word.  Crossbreed sounds nicer somehow.  Perhaps people think the same as me!

I was just about to say that!! Its an awful word to use, sounds so horrible towards the dog, when many crossbreeds are so lovely and sweet!! Makes no difference to me

Just to add, sorry, was rushing that last post as i had to cross the screen off quickly lol!

Crossbreeds, mongrels etc etc, i think mongrels is just a horrible term, just dont like the word, nothing to do with the dogs it relates too.. the word just seems harsh and not a nice word... just the word, not keen on the word mutt either, dont like that word, they just seem not nice words, thats all... is there any other term for the word mongrel that can be used to replace, i like the term such as terrier cross or something, but then doesnt that just relate to terrier crosses?.. as opposed to a terrier, with a toy dog, with a something else... am i making sense... think i have confused myself now ha ha

Just to add, sorry, was rushing that last post as i had to cross the screen off quickly lol!

Crossbreeds, mongrels etc etc, i think mongrels is just a horrible term, just dont like the word, nothing to do with the dogs it relates too.. the word just seems harsh and not a nice word... just the word, not keen on the word mutt either, dont like that word, they just seem not nice words, thats all... is there any other term for the word mongrel that can be used to replace, i like the term such as terrier cross or something, but then doesnt that just relate to terrier crosses?.. as opposed to a terrier, with a toy dog, with a something else... am i making sense... think i have confused myself now ha ha

magic i think you will find anything thats not a hound...is a cur! :)

I read that the definition of the word CUR on free dictionary which says- is a dog considered to be inferior or undesirable- a mongrel or mixed breed. :-)