Are all designer dog breeders "irresponsible"?

Yes. And so are breeders of purebreds, if they do not get titles on their dogs.

There are too many pets in the shelters right now to consider anyone breeding more mixed breeds to be responsible.

ANY breeder, purebred, mixed breed, whatever, should only breed if they have a specific purpose in mind (and that purpose should not be making money). If you have a specific purpose in mind, you wouldn't breed mutts because their attributes are unpredictable and they don't breed true, even if both parents are purebred.

#7 on your list shouldn't be applicable because like I said, mutts aren't predictable.

I don't think it is an ideal situation when dogs are advertised to be somehow better because of their mixed breed status. However, if the breeders of these dogs did all of the things you listed, I'd be willing to shut my mouth. It is, IMO, a far better thing than purebred puppy mill dogs or those without genetic or health checks.
 
My brother and SIL bought a mixed breed dog under that type of circumstance. It is a working cattle dog. They didn't care a whit if either parent had a piece of paper, but cared a lot about their herding skills.

i think if you have a purpose in mind other than money then why shouldnt you be labled as responcible?
i'm getting tired of the term BYB.... what if they breed their dogs in their front yard? or their living room? warehouse perhaps or maybe they got the vet to do it for them.... is that better?
one thing to make someone a GOOD breeder is to become an apprentice first. they need to work one on one with an experienced breeder and learn everything they can. failures, experiences, and strive to not make the same mistakes. Everyone starts out as an amatuer at some point, but that doesnt mean you have to keep making the same mistakes.

I'm sorry, but i dont like the whole rant that the shelters are over flowing BECAUSE of BYBs....
wrongo! some of those dogs got dumped because their owners died and no one in the family wanted the dogs.
some were lost while on vacation. some escaped their fences - raise your hand if that has happened to you at least once?
Some dogs are there because they werent trained properly and bit someone, or they couldnt be controled, kids lost interest the day after Christmas, etc. once again its mostly because people in this generation CANT follow through with anything they start.
Also the reason some of those dogs STAY in the pound is because no one wants an unpredictable dog. you dont know what he's been through. you dont know what might set him off and how severe it might be. a lot of people take those factors into consideration when they think about getting a new dog. to them its more stressful and risky to get a shelter dog.. they would rather get a pure bred puppy, predictable because its pure bred, a clean untouched personality because its a puppy.... so they THINK!
ok ok ok i'll go take my rant elsewhere.. [8|]

 

I'm sorry, but i dont like the whole rant that the shelters are over flowing BECAUSE of BYBs....
wrongo! some of those dogs got dumped because their owners died and no one in the family wanted the dogs.
some were lost while on vacation. some escaped their fences - raise your hand if that has happened to you at least once?
Some dogs are there because they werent trained properly and bit someone, or they couldnt be controled, kids lost interest the day after Christmas, etc. once again its mostly because people in this generation CANT follow through with anything they start

 
Dumdog, stats back up the cause of shelters euthanizing...irresponsible people who do not neuter---spay---confine----screen homes---place responsibly---take back their puppies. Period. You need only look at the quality of the purebred dogs present...on the whole...and the sheer amount of mix breed dogs (who still outnumber purebred dogs by a lot). I am not sure why you'd even make such a statement...lol.
 
Who should these people dumping their out of controls be turning to for help? Who should have counselled them prior to purchase...been there to give them support etc when the trying times appeared? been there to TAKE BACK their puppies when 'they move" or "someone is allergic"...hmm? Who would have had it IN A CONTRACT what was to happen with the dog when people are not able to keep it? Who does the former? BYB's?....no....responsible breeders? yes. Irresponsible people, tend to get their dogs from other irresponsible people...and both are at fault.
 
Lost a dog? had one escape? You think this has any LARGE impact on shelter EUTHANASIA stats? seriously? You actually think a large number of dogs dying in shelters are doing so because their people cannot find them? You think entire LITTERS of puppies being dumped in a shelter is NOT due to BYB's or other iresponsible people?
 
Allllrighty then.

Good posting, Gina!

That's the truth!

i think all of that depends on your own local shelter. the town i live in now doesnt even have a shelter...
the city i just moved from has several, i've spent time at each of them and the percentage of PUREBREDS was like... 20%....which is why i have the perspective that i've got.
Like i said, all of my own opinions based on my own experience. i'm not quoting stuff i read from a website that is pro-puppy [>:]
a breeder is a breeder is a breeder. doesnt matter what your ethics are. most people arent going to contact the breeder to return their dog because they're afraid of their excuse for not wanting it anymore.
I helped rescue, have fostered, and placed all manner of dogs in homes so i'm not clueless about how pets end up in the pound. i know of one lady that dumped her cat "anonymously AT NIGHT" because it kept peeing in laundry baskets full of clothes - clean or not. One person got rid of a shepherd because they got a new puppy.
Not to mention in one county shelter there was a notorious little terrier mix. He gets put in jail, gets adopted out only to be put back in jail because he's wandering the roads again.
Its all circumstantial, but thats my opinion. i am not going to sit here and listen to the gripe that its nationwide... its not in some areas.... it depends on what area and how many people and if you have a shelter or not.
My town is not covered up in stray pets for lack of a facility. We have two officers on the job but never at the same time.... but there is no pet epidemic here.

anyway all my own opinion, and you know what they say about opinions.

[color=#000000]Its all circumstantial, but thats my opinion. i am not going to sit here and listen to the gripe that its nationwide... its not in some areas.... it depends on what area and how many people and if you have a shelter or not.
My town is not covered up in stray pets for lack of a facility. We have two officers on the job but never at the same time.... but there is no pet epidemic here.

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Well I don't have drive by's every night here....but I know some people do. That doesn't mean 'gang activity isn't an issue'....that doesn't mean it's not a problem.."in general"...that doesn't mean I don't plan on telling my children about gang's, and how to avoid falling into the cesspit that surrounds that life.
 
I don't do drugs....neither does anyone in my family....that doesn't mean drug use among teens and young children isn't a widespread problem deserving of my time and attention...and it doesn't again...mean I won't be speaking to my kids about that too...in fact I already have.
 
I tend to look past my own front door and at a big picture when I decide if something is responsible or beneficial. But that's just me.

Breeders trying to make it a breed, in my optinon, are most responsible...that is enough for now. Every breed had to start someplace, and if they are doing everything a responsible breeder does (except showing) and not making a whole bunch of F1 crosses (not productive) They are doing their part on creating a breed. If there is anyone out there actually doing this, though, is questionable.

They can show if they want to...they need only draw up a standard and appoint a judging committee to certify and assign placements....that and an nice open space or building rental [] All it takes is some gumption!

ORIGINAL: janet_rose

I do believe that all breeders of purebred dogs should breed only to maintain and improve the breed.  However, we all know that there is a lot more breeding than that.

If two breeders both
(1) breed purebreds,
(2) are careful with genetics,
(3) health check the sire and dam,
(4) breed only when they have a waiting list of screened applicants,
(5) carefully socialize their puppies,
(6) require all pups to be neutered,
(7) make sure that all buyers understand what characteristics the pup will, won't, or may have, and
( take lifetime responsibility for the pups they produce,

is one breeder less "responsible" than the other just because he/she uses two different breeds?

 
I think they're both equally responsible.  I'm not sure if breeding a dog for show purposes or field trials is any better than breeding a dog to be a companion if the end result is a dog in a forever home.

Yes, they are irresponsible -- no reputable breeder of a purebred dog would ever consider putting two different breeds together!  Take the puggles -- beagles are a dog bred to hunt and run, they like to bark and dig.  Then you mix them with a Pug, a breed that has a short muzzle and is not made to exercise a lot (as in NOT a jogging companion although can do well in obedience or agility if not in heat or cold), can have respiratory problems in heat and cold so shouldn't be running around and has eyes that are prone to injury.  A co-worker got one from a puppy mill and within the first 2 weeks the dog had an eye problem requiring surgery.  The only reason they are being bred is obvious -- to make money for the "breeder".  I have had some in classes and they are hyper, bark alot and some have had terrible allergies.  A set up for ending up in a shelter......

ORIGINAL: DumDog

i think all of that depends on your own local shelter. the town i live in now doesnt even have a shelter...
 
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Its all circumstantial, but thats my opinion. i am not going to sit here and listen to the gripe that its nationwide... its not in some areas.... it depends on what area and how many people and if you have a shelter or not.
My town is not covered up in stray pets for lack of a facility.

 
None of the towns anywhere near me have a shelter. In fact, there's only one on this entire island. That doesn't mean there aren't people breeding irresponsibly. It doesn't mean there aren't thousands of homeless pets, many who will never get another chance at having a loving, responsible home because there just aren't enough homes. People go out of town to dump pets, abandon them in the country or in the wilderness, and dump them on the first person who can't say no to a pair of big, sad puppy dog eyes.
 
My entire state has just four shelters. The number of shelters does not necessarily indicate the number of homeless dogs. It doesn't change the fact that nationwide pet overpopulation is a serious concern. We have to look beyond our small towns, counties and states and take in the big picture. There's a whole big world out there and there's a whole lot of animals dying. Please don't forget them. They matter, too.

Off-topic, but I wondered if maybe Ginger/Dumdog is not in the US.
 
Anyway, if by responsible you mean the literal definition: Liable to be required to give account, as of one's actions or of the discharge of a duty or trust.
then, that sounds like they fit.
 
But I personally think it's worthless to do this unless (as others stated) there is a specific non-monetary goal in mind.  I have to presume by the set-up description, that money isn't the influencing factor.  More like function/behavior, etc - although I also wonder what they expect for outcome of the resulting pups.  Should those be cross-bred in the same fashion - by two breeders under the same circumstances?