‘Purebred Is Worse Bred’ in Picking a Dog

Re “Blind Puppy Love,” editorial, July 28: As a rescue group in New York City, we take in every dog we can manage and love them all, purebred or mutt. But we do have a motto: “Purebred is worse bred,” and any honest geneticist will tell you that is true. The emphasis on breeds is not -- should not be -- what dog companionship is all about. Who wants a cranky purebred Lhasa apso if you can have a good-natured German shepherd mix?

People may have a passion for a particular “look” in a breed, but personally, I would rather have a dog that has his own look -- who is a breed of one and hasn’t been cloned thousands of times to an entirely arbitrary standard. The wisest choice, in our opinion, is the person who wants a nice dog and adopts one, rather than reward breeders for turning out more dogs when so many await a home.

Miriam M. Reik

The Animal Project

New York