"Designer" dogs or just plain old mutts?????

[Rootball]

A lot of the poodle mixes dont shed. It can be pretty nice to have a dog who doesnt leave any hair around and yet isnt as godawful ugly as a poodle.

 

[mtnhomechick]

I have a Labradoodle. Got her almost 4 years ago as a Christmas present for dh. She is a wonderful dog and has brought him so much JOY!

I don't understand why this post seems to be bashing certain mixed breeds from breeders.

Puppy mills produce all kinds of dogs........not just popular mixes. I would never patronise a puppy mill but you can't beat a good breeder.

And yes, I paid 1700 for her and flew her into Milwaukee from Boise. Why not?

Nothing compared to how much some people waste on things like cigarettes or alcohol.

I also have a poodle that we adopted from the humane society. Great dog that had it's origin in........you guessed it.......a puppy mill.

Gotta love it!!!

 

[Goat_Walker]

Its just that when only a few years ago we had our breeds right, then people started mixing dogs to the point where now not only do we have more breeds, but they are getting into the books as well as the shows. I go to quite a few dog shows with my aunt and its just tiresome when you see a dog with perfect lineage who has champion pure blood lines stationed next to a designer dog who has a bad blood line. Its depressing.Im one of those people who would rather sit on the back porch listening to elders tell stories about when they were kids. It makes me feel like hey, we are changing our standards, trying to screw with the system. Dont get me wrong, a Heinz 67 are some of the best dogs out there. But when you give them a spot in the breed books or when they start getting attention as a "designer" , the new and hip dog - well Id have rather just stated it was a mutt.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

I love dogs, mutts or not! However, I can not understand how a mutt can sell the same if nor more than a pure bred. With the pure bred you get the papers, and you can enter them into shows and such (if that is your cup of tea), and when you pay the high price for a pure-bred, you are buying those perks as well as the dog itself. For the mutt, you don't get papers, you can't enter them as showing dogs, so you are paying for just the dog. I am sorry I love mutts (and pure bred too) but they are not worth the price that people expect for them IMHO.

 

[saddina]

To be honest, I think the problem is on both sides.

The shelters we've dealt with all charged 200 and up for any dog, and required referance, background checks and a copy of our lease. We were turned away on adopting a kitten during kitten season because they copy wasn't enough, and they couldn't reach the landlord on a Sunday (uhhh hello it's Sunday, the man is off work?) As much as they say they want the animals to find a home, they sure seem to not want any to leave either.

I think we can all agree puppy mills are awful.

I don't know that breeders are much better though, yes the dogs are generally treated much better, and some do really care about thier dogs but, again, you are making animals that there are already too much of, and if you don't think your dogs will end up in a shelter, or have thier puppies end up there, you're not being realistic. You may tell someone they can bring the dog back for life, but really do you expect people to call you up, "lost the job and the house, come get the pooch" or do you think they just turn them in like any other pet.

Now on purse dogs... my neighbor has 8 of them (chihuhua & mixes), because once they're not puppies, they're "too big" to carry in her designer bags. So we now have a group of 7 hyper annoying freaked out rat-dogs running up and down the street. No offense to the people who do love these dogs, but this group is a prime example of why these dogs have thier reputation.

If I could I'd rather put the owner in the kennel but that's a different rant.

 

[DuckLady]

It's just like anything else. Supply and demand.

People want those dogs and because of that, there are people to supply them. That's commerce.

 

[luvmychicknkids]

First, I never said or even implied that a "designer dog" was horrifying or abominable.....Daisy is precious. My point was that there are all these people who are now grabbing any two dogs they can get their hands on, breeding them, and calling it a designer dog. And people are buying them thinking it is soooooo cool. But cool wears off. And the number of people wanting to pay big bucks for a "designer dog" are limited. It seems a lot of people are becoming less and less responsible about getting their dogs spayed and neutered because they think whatever mutts they get they can call a designer and people will grab them up.

 

[Hotwings]

Being a longtime dog lover I am appalled at what some people will pay for a designer dog. I know a lady from work that paid $200.00 for a Pom Chi (pomerainian-chihuahua). Most designer breeds are usually a combination of toy longhairs. Some breeders will try and tell you they are improving the breed (ie the puggles). Labradoodles-Goldendoodles were originally bred to be a hypoallergenic breed with a calm disposition. I am a firm believer that most people are in it for the money, but there is always the exception. Most all dogs are mutts in general as todays purebreds are the culmanation of mutiple breeds. The true old purebreds are usually sighthounds. In the past dogs had a purpose and only the rich could afford a toy lapdog. Dogs were workers and the breeders in the past work hard to develope a breed. The Australian Cattle Dog came through many years of trial and error to come to the breed we have today. The Jack Russsel was bred to be a superior little hunter. As long there is people that are willing tp pay they will be designer dogs.

 

[onthespot]

I'm AM in it for the money. There. I said it. It does not mean my dogs are not good quality or are treated poorly. Many, MANY show dogs come from "show mill" breeders who keep rows and rows of kennels and breed hundreds of puppies a year looking for the markings to fall in just the right, charismatic way, and who perpetrate temperament flaws, bad digestion, immune system problems, cherry eyes, hereditary problems with cancer and a lot of other things in the name of chasing a national championship ranking as top breeder or top winner or hi-point in the nation, Westminster winners. The fact that they sell the papered, purebred, show type dogs to a lot of people for high money does not make them a more ethical breeder. Don't fool yourself about people who will do anything for money... there is a LOT of money made in show dogs, and a lot of ethics ignored, believe me!

 

[lildinkem]

I haven't read everyones take on this topic. But a few, I did read. And to ALL the PURE BRED dog breeders/owners who think their dogs are better & are the only ones that deserve to live.
I agree a designer dog is a fancy word for mutt. But, every breed starts out as a mutt. My treasured working bloodline German Sheperd Dogs were a mutt 110 years ago. And people then ripped Max Von Stephanitz, like you rip those for having mixed dogs. Now in my ( OGINDY : Head trainer Mike Diehl National USA SCHUTZHUND CHAMP of 08 ) Schutzhund dog club, they rip all non working dogs. Especially those that are bred to just yap. And they think their all worthless and should be put out of their missery.
So I tend to lean toward the dog speaks for themselves. If it is a mutt, and it is just as good a dog as a purebred, if he/she proves themselves as so. Then you have no room to slam that persons dog, just cause you do not like him/them/hers breed of mix. I have 7 dogs. 4 are GSD's, and my 3 mutts are just as formidable as any of my GSD's. And they don't know their suppose to be garbage and put out to the curb as trash. Not everyone thinks that purebreds are the only dogs allowed to live.
And anything with an " OODLE " in it just MIGHT have been intentionally bred from those with allergies. Not cause someone's dog got knocked up.
And I am sure I will get some heat for sticking up for everyones mutt. So be it.