Amazing how many people own/believe in Designer Breeds...

why do you have such a problem withit? to me the only problem is they are extremely over priced. and sometimes people dont understand the problems with certain mixes

Designer dogs are simply mixed breeds with high price tags. People sell what people want. If there were no takers for doddles, puggles etc. unethical breeders would go back to breeding goldens and labs. At the end of the day most people a happy with their designer dogs and if it doesn't bother them that they paid too much, why should it bother me. You can put lip stick on a pig, but it's still a pig.

I really don't care what people buy in a dog. What I care about is puppy mills - which is where most pet store dogs come from.  You can't change supply and demand though.

What exactly is a "designer breed"? 
 
I've had cock-a-poos since I was very young.....I had my first one over 30 years ago.  I never paid more than $200 for one.  Are they considered "designer breeds"

Designer breeds are basically any dog that is a mix of two breeds produced for a profit (your Cock-a-Poo is a mix between a cocker spaniel and a poodle).  I realize that these crosses probably happened long ago, but they've become a fad recently.  They're not registerable with any "reputable" registry (like AKC, UKC, FCI, etc.).  I believe FIC registers some of these "breeds," though.  I personally don't have a problem with it, other than its just contributing to the overpopulation of dogs.  I do have a problem with the situations of some of the "breeding stock," as well. 

Designer dogs bother me a lot (well not the dogs themselves of course, but the whole concept of them). Why on earth would people purposefully breed to produce mutts? This is considering that most "goldendoodle" (or whatever they're called) and etc. breeders are not actually trying to responsibly develop a new breed. A mutt is a mutt IMO. The focus should be on responsibly breeding high quality, healthy Golden Retrievers and Poodles - not merging them together to make a profit. When people buy a designer dog/mutt for $1000, they could adopt one of the countless homeless mutts sitting in shelters for much less and know of the personality of the dog they are getting.
 
A "designer dog" is a mutt and nothing more. It upsets me that "breeders" purposefully produce mutts instead of working to improve actual breeds.

ORIGINAL: lvdgs24

why do you have such a problem withit? to me the only problem is they are extremely over priced. and sometimes people dont understand the problems with certain mixes

Because while the same breed is in the shelter being euthanized people go out and buy a $1000 Golden Retriever x Poodle just because the 'breeder' called it a Goldendoodle, THAT'S why.

Being a owner of a per say designer breed. I want to say. #1 I did not buy Molly because she was a designer breed. #2 I did not spent a 1000.00 dollars for her. I bought her from a breeder which turned out to be a byb for 300.00. No more then I would have paid for her at a shelter. She was 8 weeks old. Yes she is a mixed breed. Yes I love her dearly. Did I know about bybs when I got her. NO. Does she have a forever home. Yes. Will I ever do it again. NO. I will go to a shelter or a reputable breeder. But one thing that I want to say in Mollys defense is that a lot of people say Lhasa Apsos are a challenge to raise because of their temperament. Mollys temperament couldn`t be any better. Maybe because of the Min. Poodle in her I don`t know. I have never had a purebred Lhasa before. Molly and all the pups that this byb has had all look like 100% Lhasa dogs and she has had plenty. I`m watching. Molly came from the first batch of puppies.
 
The thing that gets me is when designer breeds are mentioned on this forum the price tag of $1000.00 always comes up. This is not always so. Maybe on the internet but who would want to buy a dog over the internet site unseen? Molly - designer breed - 300.00.

this topic gets discussed OFTEN....
the tone of the posts need to remain respectful of the fact that many folks on this forum...that might have wished you well in an endeavor or offered sound advice own crossbred dogs that they did pay money for. They probably do not appreciate the tone in some of these posts...
 
The word "mutt" IMO should always be used lovingly and not in a derogatory fashion, where it implies a lessened "value" be it monetary or otherwise...this is only MY opinion...but I do want you all to realize that the tone in some osts on this topic in past and perhaps right now, can/has...cause/d some folks on this forum to feel you have slighted their dogs or their decisions. Be sure that is what you want to have happen...

It always bothers me that people who own purebreds are so offended by
"Designer Breeds".  I am a proud mutt owner but if people want something specific then let them get it.  Some people may want a Golden Retriever without the shedding----therefore the golden doodle.   Some may think a cockapoo is cuter than a cocker or toy poodle--lap dogs are chosen mostly for cuteness right?   I realize puppy mills are a problem but that problem didnt start with puggles!  Before I got my current dog from the pound I looked at purebreds but couldnt find anything that matched up exactly with what i want so I got my third pound dog. 
Some people may not want a pound dog though.  Sometimes it is hard to tell what you are getting if they are still a puppy .  At one point every "Purebred" was a new mix right?  Yes I know most were bred for a purpose but what difference does that make.  Man has always bred dogs for the traits WE like.  If you ask me (and i know no one did) some genetic mixing is a very good idea these days.   Whether people want a purebred, mutt, or designer mix lets let them get a dog THEY want, not what we think they should want, so it doesnt wind up at the shelter in 2 years. 

Sometimes it is hard to tell what you are getting if they are still a puppy

 
I somewhat appreciate your sentiment but must point out...crossbred dogs do not breed true, so the above quote equally applies to them. A Labradoodle may or may not shed, have straight or curly or wavy coat...be medium large or small in size....be active or sedate....etc. Same with any pairing of unrelated breeds
 
People getting the dogs they "want" instead of the dog they NEED to suit their lifestyle...is a major reasons dogs are in shelters in the first place. That part of your post is also a bit off, well...okay...way off, IMO.
 
I would also point out that because one has a mixed breed dog....does not exclude them from enjoying a purebred...and mostly definitely vice versa. What offends most is simply that the same questionable sizes, coats, temperaments, allergic properties, health issues...exists in the shelter dogs already present....it makes little sense then...to add to the problems they have getting adopted.

Sometimes it is hard to tell what you are getting if they are still a puppy

 
True. Some people claim their dogs are purebreds and classify them as 'purebreds'. Some peoples' dogs get pregnant with a stray and then they breed them with a purebred. Since puppies can have more than one father, when the puppies are born they classify them as purebreds or mixed breeds by their looks without DNA testing. The dog may end up looking like the mixed breed father and having the mixed breed as a father instead of the mixed breed.
And then again, some people just say their dogs are purebreds because that way they are worth more money; or any money at all.

Gina, I see what you saying in your post and felt I should address some of the comments I made. Let me first say that I volunteer at a local humane society where I work with mutts all the time, so I in no way think they are less "valuable" or less important - I've wanted to take many of them home....[] So, I do not think anything poorly of mutts, and I guess in my post I didn't consider that others may feel that I was looking down upon them. Also, because I do see a bunch of homeless dogs often, it does bother me when people buy mutts instead of adopting them, because I feel for these guys at the shelter. Also, the majority (not all of it however) of my post was directed toward the breeders of designer dogs, not buyers, so to anyone who feels offended, my dissatisfaction is directed mostly at the breeders of designer breeds.

Mollymoo, if you feel I was slighting your Molly, I truly apologize - it was not my intent. My anger toward "designer dog" breeders did unintentionally start to sound (err...read?) derogatory toward mutts, and I did not mean to offend anyone

Lastly, about the $1000 thing....I understand not everyone who buys designer dogs pays $1000 or a ludicrous amount, but I've been in Petland, where puppies are sold for outrageous prices, and through stories I've heard in volunteering at the humane society I have learned that this price is pretty common in the designer dog realm, at least in my experience.

Obro, in response to your post...yes, some people want a Golden Retriever without the shedding, but why breed to produce mutts (which is not a good idea since they are often overlooked in shelters and efforts would be better made to improve actual breeds, not throw in some new ones) just for someone's convenience? You may disagree, but I see this as being a disservice to all the homeless dogs who need homes. Also, to address your comment about purerbreds starting out as mixes and that they were bred for a purpose, which makes little difference... I believe that a purpose in introducing a new breed makes a huge difference ethically. Sporting dogs were meant to help out with hunting and fieldwork, working dogs to pull heavy loads that human could not and protect people, herding dogs to help with livestock, etc... these are all things which were honorable duties. Always letting a person get a dog they want - meaning mixing breeds together - is not a good idea IMO. All of the homeless dogs, one factor to consider. Also, IMO people should not just breed two different purebreds together because they want a mix of the two because of their own preferences. I think that more focus and efforts should be placed on adopting out dogs who are already in need of homes, as well as improving recognized breeds, before a whole new bunch of breeds are thrown into the mix simply because someone wants a dog that looks/acts like a Golden Retriever and does not shed. Additionally, the Golden/Poodle mix does not always result in the perfect combination of both. It would be wise to weed out certain diseases in purebreds as much as possible - such as epilepsy in Irish Setters (just using this ex. because I'm more knowledgeable about IS than other breeds), than to run the risk of developing a whole new breed with undesirable traits/conditions from each of its parents (thus each diff. purebred).

Mollymoo, if you feel I was slighting your Molly, I truly apologize - it was not my intent. My anger toward "designer dog" breeders did unintentionally start to sound (err...read?) derogatory toward mutts, and I did not mean to offend anyone

 
I know you weren`t trying to offend anyone. But I would like to say Molly is a mixed breed not a mutt. A mixed breed you know what the parents are and a mutt you don`t. Not meaning to offend anyone either. On a different note here I totally love Irish Setters. Cadie looks just like my Sally that went over to the Rainbow Bridge. Irish Setters are one of the nicest dogs a person could own. I just down sized to a Molly.