We only adopt strays. We now have a discarded coon hound and a 9 year old Lab / Chow 108 pound solid black mix that was expertly trained and then discarded in our driveway (we live on a farm in the country). We have never in 40 years had a pure bred dog here.
Take that back. We had a Rhodesian Ridgeback for a while but found him a good home. he's still there.
IMNO. mutt's make the best companions.
Remember Dog spelled backwards is GOD.
Hardest part is trying to figure out what their name was in their other life.
Our coon hound is Dutchess and the Lab/Chow is Quincy. Quincy looks the part 'mean' but is a big baby.
he is very protective of my wife and I however and at 108 pounds, you'd be a fool to mess with him.
Quincy goes everywhere with us including camping and believe me, no one walks through out campsite... ever.