atlas terrier?!!!!???

 From the article:

In 1990 she acquired two solid red dogs that she thought were purebred Jack Russell Terriers. These two dogs however were the result of a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Border Terrier. Deciding to go another way and create a new breed, Lauren crossed these two dogs into her line of Jack Russell Terriers. Lauren also had a line of Jack Russell Terrier/ Patterdale Terrier crosses at the same time, and she began blending these two lines together. Wanting to make her breed even more special, Lauren found a line of Rat Terriers used for hunting that had the merle gene. Incorporating a merle male from this line and his son, a merle Rat Terrier/Patterdale Terrier cross, gave her the foundation for the Atlas Terrier.
Just as the piebald gene carries defects, so too does the merle gene. With this in mind the Atlas Terrier Association (ATA) was created in 2001. Though careful breeding and rigorous health testing it is the goal of this association to keep the Atlas Terrier free of the many health concerns that sometimes plague its ancestor the Jack Russell Terrier. 

This about says it all for me.  A "breeder" who cannot recognize her own breed, and uses unregistered dogs to pair?  Then, when things go obviously wrong, she justifies it by saying she will "create a new breed"? (Haven't we heard this for years from the designer dog people?)  Next, to make things even more "special", she adds Rat Terriers (so what about piebald did she not get?)  And, to add insult to injury, she introduces MORE health problems, not fewer, by adding merle dogs into the mix.  Careful breeding????  Rigorous health testing????  You thought piebald gave problems so you added merle????  Jeez, I must be the one missing something here.  Ya think?

spiritdogs

 From the article:

In 1990 she acquired two solid red dogs that she thought were purebred Jack Russell Terriers. These two dogs however were the result of a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Border Terrier. Deciding to go another way and create a new breed, Lauren crossed these two dogs into her line of Jack Russell Terriers. Lauren also had a line of Jack Russell Terrier/ Patterdale Terrier crosses at the same time, and she began blending these two lines together. Wanting to make her breed even more special, Lauren found a line of Rat Terriers used for hunting that had the merle gene. Incorporating a merle male from this line and his son, a merle Rat Terrier/Patterdale Terrier cross, gave her the foundation for the Atlas Terrier.
Just as the piebald gene carries defects, so too does the merle gene. With this in mind the Atlas Terrier Association (ATA) was created in 2001. Though careful breeding and rigorous health testing it is the goal of this association to keep the Atlas Terrier free of the many health concerns that sometimes plague its ancestor the Jack Russell Terrier. 

 

 

This about says it all for me.  A "breeder" who cannot recognize her own breed, and uses unregistered dogs to pair?  Then, when things go obviously wrong, she justifies it by saying she will "create a new breed"? (Haven't we heard this for years from the designer dog people?)  Next, to make things even more "special", she adds Rat Terriers (so what about piebald did she not get?)  And, to add insult to injury, she introduces MORE health problems, not fewer, by adding merle dogs into the mix.  Careful breeding????  Rigorous health testing????  You thought piebald gave problems so you added merle????  Jeez, I must be the one missing something here.  Ya think?

Thanks Anne, I guess I wasn't missing anything after all. If we are missing something, it is the reason why this woman is doing this, but I think it's just the same old, same old.

JRTs/PRTs are not just limteted on the white color because of snoody breed standard people.  That is how they were developed.  The needed to be white so the men on horseback could quickly distinguish between the fox and the Russell.  There are some with lots of body spots, but I have NEVER seen a pure Russell that was a solid color.  I agree that the Atlas Terrier is just a designer breed.  Sure, it sounds good saying that its because Russells shouldn't have to be mostly white, but that is completely false.  If they vary from that standard, they vary from their original roots and purpose.

 I don't think this can really be called a designer breed, as it sounds like they breed true. The woman who created Shilohs started off with oversized GSDs and crossed those with Malamutes and ???? at one point. Shilohs aren't a breed I would ever have but they aren't a "designer dog". And there are Silken Windhounds, a newer sighthound breed created to fill a niche amoung sighthound fanciers - a small, longhaired sighthound (and I would have one of these!): http://www.silkenwindhounds.org/catalyst.html

  Such breeds are't "designer dogs" because they were created by crossing different breeds. If that were the case most breeds are "designer dogs". The difference is people or groups who set out to create a new breed, do so with a purpose. "Designer dogs" are generally first generation crosses that no one selectively breeding to achieve a set look and temperament.

AgileGSD

http://www.silkenwindhounds.org/catalyst.html

WHY????? I've always adored Borzoi, but wouldn't have one, because it'd eat my dogs. And you give me a miniature. Evil. 

AgileGSD

  Such breeds are't "designer dogs" because they were created by crossing different breeds. If that were the case most breeds are "designer dogs". The difference is people or groups who set out to create a new breed, do so with a purpose. "Designer dogs" are generally first generation crosses that no one selectively breeding to achieve a set look and temperament.

 

That's what I thought--that was where my confusion was.  It just seems like these days people label any sort of breeding of a non-established purebred that people don't agree with as a designer dog.....

sillysally

 On the other hand though, a lot of colors that are prohibited do occur in the breed "naturally."  With labs for example, you can have purebred individuals that are black and tan or that have brindling.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have two colors not permitted that come naturally.  They are Blue (Charcoal color) and Red Swissies, they happen naturally but rarely - those who get them love them and the difference but they can not show these dogs they are not standard.  And no one tries to breed them purposefully.