If you’ve recently let a mixed breed into your heart and home, you’ve made a furbulous forever friend! But you may be wondering how to care for them. Do mixed breeds have the same care requirements as purebreds, or do they have any different needs you should be aware of?

Mixed breeds are just like any other dog, but unlike a purebred, you don’t always get a set of historic behavioral and medical traits to know what to expect. In this guide, we’ll explain how to care for your mixed breed with a few simple tips. But first, let’s find out what makes a mixed breed.

All dogs are descended from wolves who were selectively bred to help us with protection, herding, and hunting. For most of domesticated dog history, all dogs were mixed until around the mid-1800’s when distinct breeds began to be recognized. Since then, “purebred” dogs have become associated with specific characteristics that are easy indicators of what traits that dog will have.

Today, a mixed breed can be a dog that is a cross between two purebred breeds, also known as a cross-breed, hybrid or designer dog. It can also refer to indigenous dogs, or dogs native to an area that have no known purebred parentage. Most commonly, though, the term mixed breed refers to mutts, or dogs who are a mix of unknown purebred and/or other mixed breeds, and are the kind of dog most commonly adopted out of shelters and rescues.

Unlike with a purebred, a mixed breed dog doesn’t come with historically known traits or issues. And while you can get your dog genetically tested to see what breeds may be in their DNA, these are often poor indications of what traits your dog will actually exhibit. Instead, you’ll be looking for clues based on your mixed breed’s behavior, appearance and size to tell you what they need to stay healthy.

To get you started, here are 5 basic tips to help you care for your mixed breed dog.

#1 Give the Right Nutrition

While some commercial dog foods are marketed for specific breed types, most foods are generic, or based on a dog’s size or age. Overall, all dogs need a high-quality, balanced diet, and should have a daily calorie intake limit to prevent becoming overweight. Some special considerations include:

#2 Practice Routine Care

Regardless of what breeds may have contributed to your furvorite furball, they’ll need regular care to keep them healthy. While most routine care is the same for all dogs, there are some who may need additional attention in certain areas. Care includes:

#3 Keep Fit with Exercise

Staying active reduces obesity, keeps joints and muscles healthy, and is just plain fun! From walks to fetch, and even outdoor sports, all dogs should have regular exercise, but it can be tough to know how much activity each kind of dog actually needs. For mixed breeds, you may be judging by their size. Some additional factors can include:

#4 Maintain Health

Maintaining your dog’s health throughout their lifetime can reduce some serious medical conditions as they age. While some may be unavoidable due to genetics or nature, there are a lot of health issues you can prevent with these steps:

#5 Deal with Behavioral Issues

Your mixed breed pooch may have the stubbornness of a Shibu Inu, the clinginess of a Viszla or even the territorial barking of a Yorkie, but you may never know unless they show those behaviors. The truth is, any dog can exhibit behavioral issues due to genetics, boredom, lack of proper socialization, anxiety, or even a stressful incident, and the ways to deal with them are the same regardless of breed. You can help to prevent such issues by:

With a bit of attention, and a lot of love, you and your mixed breed can enjoy a healthy and happy life together. Woof!