Meet The Mutts!

You won't see a single one in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show but then again, you will seldom see any two that are exactly the same.

Talking about mutts here, people.

"Mutt" is another term for mongrel, or mixed-breed dog. Mutts include many favorite family pets and some well-known movie stars as well. Old Yeller was a mutt, as was Benji and Bingo. Even Pluto, the famous Disney cartoon character, is a mutt.

LifeLine Animal Project has seen their share of mutts and the staff there sing their praises as special and highly adoptable dogs.

"We have some in our no-kill shelter right now," said Debbie Setzer, LifeLine's community outreach director. "They are happy and completely ready to take home. Mutts often have fewer health problems than purebreds, they are more flexible and they are totally unique."

Here's an introduction to a few of LifeLine's adorable, adoptable mutts.

Guiness is a special mutt among mutts that lives in LifeLine's Dog House. He's a shepherd mix and fully housetrained. He's full of life and at a compact 35 pounds would also make a great dog for someone who lives in an apartment.

Tira was, sadly, tossed out of a car during a domestic dispute, but it hasn't dampened her enthusiasm for people. This healthy labrador mix loves adults, kids, and other dogs and cats.

Harrison is a beautiful male dog (and "an extremely nice" one, says Setzer) but there's a chance he might only be masquerading as a mutt. He's probably a full-blooded Leonberger. That's a not very well known, but highly valued giant breed of dog from Leonberg in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany. They are known to make wonderful family pets.

Danika, Cookie, Waffle and Dory are also among the marvelous mutts up for adoption through LifeLine. Collectively they have everything from beagle to pit pull in their DNA.

Mutts are known to be smart, they are not excluded from competing in agility competitions and many make great service or therapy dogs. Most importantly, they make great and faithful companions.

Want a fun, new family member to play with, walk for exercise, enjoy for friendship? Then get your "mutt" in gear and adopt a mixed-breed dog.

To learn more contact adoptions@LifeLineAnimal.org.

Do you own a mixed breed dog - a.k.a. mutt - and do you like him better than a purebred?