How long will the hybrid craze last?

ORIGINAL: mollymoo

I hate to even go here but here I am. Please no bashing me or when I die I will come back and haunt you. I - We - hubby and I bought a Hybrid - desinger dog. Now before the bashing starts we bought Molly 1 month before I got on this forum. I then found out what we bought a designer dog. A designer dog yes and a dog from a BYB yes. We in our minds bought a puppy (ad in the paper) that would be a small dog when full grown. We paid 300.00 for Molly. Not the prices that people say that designer dogs are bringing over the  internet. Yes we have the papers to register her with the American Canine Hybrid Club. Have we sent the papers in NO. Why? Molly is a mixed breed and we love her for who she is a mixed breed. Remember no bashing as I am old and may die soon.

 
No bashing![sm=happy.gif] You love your incredibly cute dog, right? You're going to take care of her for the rest of her life, right? That makes you a "good guy" in my book.
 
No worries, okay?
 
 

Back in the sixties the "cockapoo" was pretty popular. But, that's the only one I can remember hearing about back then.

I have THREE designer dogs- a Pixer, a Yellow Chow Retriever, and an Americish Bulldoggue!


I think I'll cross my Pixer and Americish Bulldoggue and make "Americish Pixer Terriers"....the ultimate fighting dog!


I am going to be rich. [sm=dance.gif]

I am not defending this designer dogs.  But i got to tell you about one breeder in Canada.  A young girl (1 came to another forum thrilled at her golden doodle.  it was the first dog the family had ever been able to own because her younger brother had allergies.  They had read about these dogs  not shedding so bad, etc, and they did research and decided to get one.  And lo and behold, the little brothe can play and hold and cuddle the dog with no problems.  She was thrilled that at long last they could have a dog.

Need I say she took a serious beashing   and some said things like how dare she trie to pass a mutt off as a real dog, etc, etc.  I felt so bad for her and even tho i am not for these designer dogs I did post that I was happy they found a dog that would work for the family.

She posted that one dog out of every litter is donated to be a seeing eye dog or service dog.  Well, of course she was told naturally the breeder would say that...she was probably getting rid of 5 month old puppies that she couldn't sell.  The girl posted the breeders site and I went and checked it out.  The breeder does have all the tests--hips, elbows, eyes, etc, etc done.  She had posted pictures of the dogs--labs, goldens and poodles.  Also, there were links to go to and a couple of them were for service dogs.  i checked them and sure enough, the lady donates one pup from each litter and THEY GET FIRST PICK OF A PUPPY.    I think this lady is a step or two ahead of most designer dog breeders.

As for mutts being healtheir, i don't know, but I do know years ago our vet told my dad that you were more likely to lose a pure blood dog than a mix  to things like distemper.  Said a pure blood would get it and so many died, but it seemd the mutts were much more likely to over come.  This was back when I lost two of my setters to distmper despite having had vax.  my now vet tells me that the distempe vax were not so good back then.  And i have read posts by other old timers whose dogs actually developed distemper from the vax.

i have a designer dog.  But we ony know part of her make-up, golden retriever.  Is thought probably sight hound, like whippet, greyhound, saluki.  So she could be a goluki, a gold hound, or best of all a goldenPET.  And she only cost us $45 at the local humane society. 

I am not defending this designer dogs.  But i got to tell you about one breeder in Canada.  A young girl (1 came to another forum thrilled at her golden doodle.  it was the first dog the family had ever been able to own because her younger brother had allergies.  They had read about these dogs  not shedding so bad, etc, and they did research and decided to get one.  And lo and behold, the little brothe can play and hold and cuddle the dog with no problems.  She was thrilled that at long last they could have a dog.

I'm just curious as to why they didn't just get a poodle?  I've always read that goldens shed a lot (correct me if I'm wrong.  I'm probably one of the few people who has no experience with them.) Why go for a dog that is crossed with a high shedding breed?  I haven't a clue about canine genetics, but isn't it likely that some of the goldendoodles would still shed?

  
The breeder does have all the tests--hips, elbows, eyes, etc, etc done.

The weimerdoodle breeder that I mentioned in my first post also does this.  I think it's a good thing.  I don't really think hybrids are naturally healthier.  If you cross a breed known for health issues with another breed that has the same health issues (or even different health issues), you can still end up with puppies with health issues. 

I'm not a big fan of any kind of breeding (responsible or not), but I realize that people want some sense of predictability.  I just think a lot of people are paying a lot for predictability that they won't be getting when two different breeds are crossed.

In that case I have 2 "boxadors."  They're rehomed rescue littermates.  They're mutts and that's what I tell people.  One of them looks very strongly like a lab but has some boxer type behavior.  The other looks a lot like a Viszla.  She's brindle and acts like a Boxer.  They're both wonderful and beautiful dogs, but they have no consistency of breeding. 
 
Designer dogs appeal to people who #1 want the latest and greatest trend or #2 want a dog but have reasons why certain breeds are "bad."  They buy into that if you mix the 2 breeds you'll get the best of both.  Of course, it really doesn't work that way.

I think this is going to go on for a long time since there is BIG money in it.  I know someone who paid $850.00 for a labordoddle.   Luckily he is great dog, big mush and everything they ever wanted.  So far, 2 years later no health or personality issues. 

Here is the problem, these are "cross breeds” too "pure breeds” breed together, not Mutts persay.  Mutts are dogs who have many, many breeds in them over and over again.  Uncle John's Mutt mated with the neighbors Mutt who 5 years later go loose and matted with the others neighbor's mutt etc…  so they are generation of pure breeds all mixed up.

My behaviorist and Vet have the same theory and belief that "Mutts” pick up all the good genes because they are so mixed that the gene pool is huge - better luck not getting bad genes like bad temperament or health issues.  Most Mutts I know are subordinate and sweet, so I can believe this theory.  However, cross breeds and pure breeds in general tend to pick up bad genes more frequently and easily when one is present because, the gene pool is so small and limited.  That's why responsible breeders don't breed a dog that has shown signs of aggression or health issues and try and eliminate the bad genes all together and improve the breed.

I had a neighbor who had a wolf/malamute cross breed – what a disaster.  The dog was territorial, jumped over 8 feet high, and killed anything running that was smaller than him – including another neighbor's lap dog, it was sad.  He finally gave him to a wild game rescue after he jumped an 8 year old boys back, after jumping his 6 foot fence, (which he did daily) and jumped the boy coming home from school.  He was trying to get at the food in his back pack.  He didn't attack the child (thank goodness) but it was a scary scene for the mom and neighbors who saw it happening.

My daughter has a pure breed pug and the groomer is selling Pugagles (pug/beagles mixed) they are so cute that my daughter begged me for one.  I explained to her that it doesn't make sense to spend money on this type of breeding and that she could end up with health issues to say the least. 

Besides health issues you probably aren't going to have to many difficulties between those two breeds but what happens when they start cross breeding bully breeds or any breed that is breed for protection with large or giant breeds?  I have nothing against bully breeds don't get me wrong just trying to make a point.  I don't judge and I don't jump on a high horse about this topic but people should educate themselves and understand what they area promoting by buying into these cross breeds. 

a mini goldendoodle?!!? hmm can't seem to get the image of a mini poodle trying to get it on with a golden..step stool maybe?[sm=biggrin.gif]

ORIGINAL: MamaMashie

a mini goldendoodle?!!? hmm can't seem to get the image of a mini poodle trying to get it on with a golden..step stool maybe?[sm=biggrin.gif]

 
I dunno.  I saw a JRT try to hump a Golden once.  The little guy hopped up on a couch.  (both were neutered)

If the Mini goldendoodle makes you laugh imagine this one, a german shepard-pug mix.  It was a rescue.

I've just had this conversation on another board. Only I was the only one against Designer Breeds, to begin with anyway. I came up against all of the excuses.

"I did alot of research and a Multipoo was the only dog that met my needs"

And what were those needs? To which I heard no reply.

"All breeds were made by breeding more than one breed together."

So have you now come up with a completely new job for a dog that an existing breed cannot fill? Again no reply.

"The breeder that I got my dog from was very responsible"

In what way?

"Her dogs were in the house and I got to see the mom."

Oh and are all of her breeding stock OFA'd?

"Whats that?"

Mmhmm.

"Well what would you suggest happen to those puppies? Send them to the shelter? They deserve to be loved to."

Yes send them to the shelter, then go and adopt them from there. If you buy from this lady it just lines her pockets to do it all over again. You may be saving one puppy, but in effect are hurting hundreds more. Supply and demand.

I went on to explain to her in a private email, that while I didn't condemn her for buying her dog, I don't support designer breeds because they are a trend. And Trend = disposable. And while designer breeds claim to be one thing, often they are the opposite. And when someone buys a dog believing it to be hypo allergenic, or laid back, or teeny tiny, and it turns out to be something else, all too often those dogs end up in shelters or worse. She has promised me she will rescue next time.[] Also we've made friends and I've managed to offer her alot of good advice on training her pup.

Man its nice to be back in the land of sane dog owners again.

ORIGINAL: huskymom

I've just had this conversation on another board. Only I was the only one against Designer Breeds, to begin with anyway. I came up against all of the excuses.

"I did alot of research and a Multipoo was the only dog that met my needs"

And what were those needs? To which I heard no reply.
.

 
I always find that reason confusing.  There is usually a breed that already exists that will meet most people's needs.  If your needs are so specific (no shedding, hypoallergenic, quiet, low energy, holds it all day, low maintenance all in one cute groom free package) that no breed fits your needs, then you should probably get a stuffed animal.  Not a cat, a goldfish or any other living thing; just a stuffed animal.

There are very few original dogs. All dogs have been created by someone by breeding two or more dogs together. Dobermans,whippits, etc. I feel there are periods of thime famous for their breeding the late eighteenth century-early ninteenth century had a great influance genetically in a lot of plants and animals. Many dogs that are considered viable breeds were invented then. Some are newer, and some are older. So, in the meantime, Dobermans have been bred to be less agressive. There is no need for bull baiting or rag racing. Some dogs which were on the point of extinction were saved. Many fans of certain dogs who are not even listed (ever heard of the Boonie Hound anyone? very pretty dogs like slender brown and black labradores, you can get one in Guam and possibly Hawaii) will do many things to save that species, usually not even seen by the general population. I guess when a dog is no longer used for the use he was bred for he needs to find another use. The modern breeders are trying to find ways to create dogs that fix old problems. The Puggle actually is a healthier pug because it has less breathing problems. The labradoodle is more hypoallergenic. I knew a poodle dachund before, it was very cute, almost like a dandy dinmont.  I thnk it is strange and odd that the mixed dogs are going for so much-- so be it. I guess people pay for what they want. 

The Puggle actually is a healthier pug

Or a less healthy Beagle...kinda depends on how you look at it doesn't it?
I do know Puggles with health problems common to both breeds...so there's that theory shot.
[linkhttp://www.puggles.me.uk/blog.html]http://www.puggles.me.uk/blog.html[/link]

ORIGINAL: Dezdura

The Puggle actually is a healthier pug because it has less breathing problems. The labradoodle is more hypoallergenic.

 
Is there any proof to back these claims up?  How are we sure that when we cross a pug with a higher energy dog, the beagle, that we don't end up with a high energy dog who wants to run but can't breath properly because it has a smashed in pug face?  How is the labradoodle more hyoallergenic than a poodle?