Meet the real underdog in this collection of dog pictures, the one far more likely to end up in a shelter than a purebred. To adopt a mixed breed is to celebrate diversity and root for the little guy. It often means you're also giving a dog who really needs one a home.

But there's a practical side to adopting a mutt as well. They tend to be healthier than purebreds. A mix can be a softer, less intense version of a purebred, as you can see in these pictures of dogs. Some fans even say mutts are smarter -- though this claim is hard to verify.

Represented among these dog pictures are a few of the many glorious interpretations of the mixed breed, or mutt. For many people, one of the primary satisfactions of owning a mutt can be his utter uniqueness.

Whether your dog is a purebred or mutt, what shapes a dog's personality is as much due to how much he was handled as a youngster, and how well he was trained after bringing him home, to the genetic luck of the draw.

But all that may be beside the point. Your little whatever-he-is will find a way into your heart, whether he's running down tennis balls thanks to his dash of Labrador, or snuggling in your lap (perhaps some Bichon Frise?). Who knows, and -- in the end -- who really cares. He's your dog.