Quote:
Originally Posted by Jemma  Mutts are supposedly called mutts because parentage is unkown. Shorkies, morkies whatever are crossbreds, but the parents are known. |
Generally speaking, that depends on who's definition you are referring to. If people are basing that off their own definition of the word, then "mutt" can be whatever you want it to mean. If it's being based of an actual definition from a dictionary, then a mutt can be any combination of breeds, in which case, the term is being used correctly.
From Webster's Online Dictionary:
Main Entry: mutt
Pronunciation: \ˈmət\
Function: noun
Etymology: short for muttonhead dull-witted person
2 : a mongrel dog : cur
Main Entry: mon·grel
Pronunciation: \ˈmäŋ-grəl, ˈməŋ-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, probably from mong mixture, short for ymong, from Old English gemong crowd — more at among
Date: 15th century
1:
an individual resulting from the interbreeding of diverse breeds or strains ; especially : one of unknown ancestry
2:
a cross between types of persons or things Quote:
Originally Posted by Jemma Who is to say that someday a Shorkie won't be recognized by the AKC? After all it took 2 or more different breeds to develop our pure breeds today.
I own a Shorkie, which their is also a Shorkie Club of America |
You are right...all breeds originated as the results of various breeds cross bred, Yorkies included. However, it was done with a purpose, with dogs being carefully selected and bred to enhance traits desireable for a specific role...not just to create more cute dogs. There was a standard developed and breeders made a coordinated effort to adhere to it...there was a set, goal 'type' they were trying to produce. That is not being done with the cross bred dogs that are being mass produced today.