Mutt

Height: small to tall

Weight: light to heavy

Coat: anything goes

Life span: 8 to 15 years

A mixed-breed dog is a testament to nature. Without any input--some might say interference--from humans, the mixed breed defies description. Available in all sizes, shapes, colors, and patterns, he might have a long snout or a short nose. He may display prick ears or floppy ones. He could have a stubby tail, spindly legs, a giant spot over his left eye--or all three. A divine inspiration, the mixed breed is gloriously, wonderfully someone else's design.

And as the ultimate family dog, the mixed breed excels where the purebred lacks. Drawing from a broader, more diverse gene pool, his intensity is softer than his pedigreed cousins, his drives and compulsions mercifully muted. The Mutt's loyalty, warmth, and deep desire to please, however, remain as fiercely intact as any dog you could choose to create.