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I think the term "mongrel" could be offensive to the owner of a mixed-breed dog if it were used in a pejorative sense for their pet. Sometimes it is used in a way that implies that mixed-breed dogs aren't as good. It's kind of an old-fashioned word, though. "Mutt" is more common today, at least in the US.

Most dog sports registries have more euphemistic designations for mixed-breed dogs, such as "All American/Canadian" etc., or "crossbred," or "mix." It's all in the context, though.

Depending on your story setting, though, it may be the correct term for a group of dogs of uncertain breeds and mixes, or it could be a term someone would use for whatever reason. Who is applying the term to these dogs? Are they someone who even cares about whether or not the term would offend the owner of a mixed breed dog. I doubt the offense caused by referring to a group of mixed-breed dogs as a pack of mongrels would be a big problem, though.

I think the term "mongrel" is sometimes applied to things like languages, cultures, and to people who are mixed in their ancestry, and that can be very offensive, depending on who us using the term and to whom they are applying it.

To answer the new question re: polls: When you make a new thread, it's at the bottom under Additional Options. Click the check box and enter how many options you want to have.

Patty said:

Thanks! You posted as I was deleting; I decided to go at this question with an actual poll and needed to find out how to post that.

But I think your answer aligns with my instincts on the word "mongrel" and I should use another word. Maybe another animal metaphor altogether. I was going to say pack of hyenas, but that sounded cliche.

Ah, words.

Anyway, thanks.

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It's really hard to know without the context. Are you referring to an actual pack of mixed breed dogs, or is this term being applied to humans? If it's the latter, why are they referred to that way, and who is using the term? A character in dialog? A viewpoint character? An omniscient narrator?

1. Start a new thread by clicking the +Post New Thread button.
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4. Click the clicky box/check box in the subsection Post A Poll.
5. Fill out the poll options field with the number of options you want in your poll.
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7. Fill out the screen you see after you click Submit with the Poll options/questions.

A good starting point in terms of whether something is offensive is the dictionary.

Mongrel via the AHD.

It clearly labels those usage instances that are likely to be offensive.