Oh, PLEASE NOOOOOO...............

[Flybye]

Well, we have a puppy or two left to sale, , and a potential buyer was considering breeding a Weimaraner with a Standard Poodle...............

Warning, it's ugly............

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/weimardoodle.htm

I was relieved that she walked away without one of our puppies.

What do you think of all this designer dog business? Anything you have seen that has been particularly cute? The weimardoodle sure doesn't do anything to promote cross breeding.

[Blueberry]

Ummm....

On soapbox---

I completely respect people who breed for the betterment of the breed. I get that, and I have a very well bred golden retriever. And 2 mutt cats. But WHY IN THE WORLD would you intentionally cross breed dogs, creating mutts with unknown temperaments and then sell them. And WHY would people BUY them?? I just don't get it?? How are they different from the shelter mutts??

*shakes head*

Hope I haven't offended - it just really boggles my mind. Flybye - did you sell with limited registrations for pets, to make sure folks didn't just "decide" to have a litter? Just curious....Your pups are beautiful, by the way

CA

CA

[KnottedYet]

When I hear about custom made mutts, I think about all the natural mutts at the animal shelter where I got my mystery-dog.

A lot of those critters get euthanized.

There just aren't enough homes for them all.

I'm not going to judge someone for having a custom mutt, but I will mourn for those puppies who didn't get adopted from the pound. (I know that at least one I spent time with was euthanized, and it hit me pretty hard)

ETA: my ex and his wife are puppy-raisers for a service dog organization. Those dogs are intentionally bred mutts. (bred for temperment, not registered breed) I have no problem at all with that kind of mutt breeding, those dogs are not pets and don't horn any shelter-dogs out of a home.

[Flybye]

Flybye - did you sell with limited registrations for pets, to make sure folks didn't just "decide" to have a litter? Just curious....
CA

For the most part, yes. There was only one family interested in breeding. We are one of the families that just decided to have a litter ourselves. We love the breed, too. I have been really happy with all of the homes that we have sold pups to so far. First impressions don't make the book, but the covers all seemed pretty great! I have had confirmation that several of them have signed up for puppy kindergarten with the trainer that I recommended. That makes me happy, too.

I agree with your soapbox and hope it is only a phase. I guess, though, that in all fairness, the Weimaraner breed is a cross between a couple of mystery dogs, so something potentially fantastic could come out of all of this.

[makbike]

I am just amazed that people will pay big bucks for the designer mutts. They are just that, mutts. Why not go to the local Humane Society, pound, etc and adapt an animal that might have just a few days to live? Then, take the extra money and donate it to the rescue organization that was kind enough to care for it. Just my personal thoughts.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I am just amazed that people will pay big bucks for the designer mutts. They are just that, mutts. Why not go to the local Humane Society, pound, etc and adapt an animal that might have just a few days to live? Then, take the extra money and donate it to the rescue organization that was kind enough to care for it. Just my personal thoughts.

Exactly.

[rachael24]

LOL That picture is hideous on several levels. Why would someone do such a thing???

[Flur]

I have to say I think they're really cute!

That said, I also can't stand the designer dog trend. I don't see the point. But I suppose to each his own...

[TsPoet]

First: I have 2 rescue mutts - both with baggage from the 2 years before I got them (not that I'm perfect), so I agree and practice what I preach.
But...
Lots of these designer mutts are intended to have a purpose. Almost all (all?) poodle mixes are designed to be more hypoallergenic, for example. Many are intended on being hardier/healthier due to diluting out breed-specific ailments. For example, a puggle is a beagle pug cross. It is intended to create a dog with a pug-like temperament, but with beagle-added health. Pugs can't handle ranges in temperature at all, and beagles can. On the other hand, beagles can be willful and hard to manage. The puggle seems to be a very successful designer dog.
I would love a puggle - I think pugs are cute and generally have wonderful temperaments, but I want a dog that can go hiking with me and can do agility.
I won't buy a puggle because there are several rescue dogs available at any given time that can go hiking with me and maybe do agility, depending on the complete rolling of the dice and the temperament I end up getting.
So far one of my two mutts is brilliant at agility, but we can't compete because he is fear aggressive and I can't guarantee he won't bite the judge and my other rescue has turned out to be extremely soft and scares too easily, so doesn't perform well under pressure. I love them both and will continue to do agility as long as we are all having fun and I wouldn't trade either of them.
So, my next dog will be.... a rescue mutt, and I'm going to name it Peeves - so I can tell everyone it's my pet, Peeves. But, hopefully that won't be for a very longtime as my two are happy and healthy.

Also, all current breeds were once designer mixed dogs.

[Running Mommy]

Our little Jack is a rescue mutt, got him last November and just love the little bugger. He's some kind of terrier mix. He actually looks like a Scotty/ Schnauzer mix. Tho he acts a lot like a jack russell.
All I know is that he's one fab little dude. He was a stray, and I can't imagine how anyone would either dump him (happens alot here in Phoenix) or not come looking for him once he went missing.
He has his faults, like systematically eating our family room sofa, and eating the chamois out of expensive bike shorts, but we love him nonetheless.
In fact he loves other dogs, so we are considering taking him down to the shelter to pick up a brother or sister.

[ttaylor508]

Lots of these designer mutts are intended to have a purpose. Almost all (all?) poodle mixes are designed to be more hypoallergenic, for example. Many are intended on being hardier/healthier due to diluting out breed-specific ailments.

Like TSPoet posted here, there were specific reasons to create some designer dogs. From Wikipedia: "The Labradoodle was first deliberately bred in 1989, when Australian breeder Wally Conron first crossed the Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle for Guide Dogs Victoria.[1]. His aim was to combine the low-shed coat of the Poodle with the gentleness and trainability of the Labrador. This provided a guide dog for the blind with less shedding, and hence more suitable for people with allergies to fur and dander. Today, Labradoodles are often used as Guide dogs, Assistance dogs, and Therapy dogs."

So I think there is a purpose to some of these designer dogs, not just a "trendy thing". I know a few people who have labradoodles because they were highly allergic to pet dander. So I think the original intentions of some of these breeders was to create a breed that had a specific purpose as stated above.

[Flur]

Lots of these designer mutts are intended to have a purpose. Almost all (all?) poodle mixes are designed to be more hypoallergenic, for example.

Now this is MY pet peeve! (No harm meant towards TsPoet here) This is one of the biggest misconceptions about these designer dogs. There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. As a general rule (there ARE exceptions), most people are allergic to dander, not fur. Since all dogs (and cats, and humans) produce dander, shedding is not a determinant in whether a person will be allergic. The determinant is whether the person is allergic to that particular breed's dander. I, personally, am extremely allergic to poodles. I can't be in a room with one for more than a few minutes without allergy meds, and will be overwhelmed with wheezing in under an hour even with meds. And it just kills me when people act like it's impossible, their dog is "hypoallergenic". < ... Steps off soap box>

[Gemma]

On soapbox---

I completely respect people who breed for the betterment of the breed. I get that, and I have a very well bred golden retriever. And 2 mutt cats. But WHY IN THE WORLD would you intentionally cross breed dogs, creating mutts with unknown temperaments and then sell them. And WHY would people BUY them?? I just don't get it?? How are they different from the shelter mutts??*shakes head*

Climbing on to my own particular soapbox.....

Hybrid "Designer Dog" sales are now outstripping those of purebreds. I think this is largely because ALL the scientific research shows mutts live longer and healthier lives than purebreds.

Most people just want a happy, healthy family pet. Say “Boxer” and vets think heart disease; say “Bernese Mountain Dog” and they think cancer. The incidence and severity of inherited diseases in purebred dogs increases every year, and yet traditional breeders continue with outdated practices (like inbreeding and line breeding) that continuously limit genetic diversity.

In addition, changing fashions and fads in the show ring have caused some purebred breeders to exaggerate physical characteristics that make dogs more susceptible to health problems problems (bulging eyes in Pekingese, elongated backs in Dachshunds etc).

However, hybrid "Designer Dogs", provide the best of both worlds, purebreds and mutts: the ability to carefully select the parent dogs for health and temperament, and test for inherited diseases (like purebreds); and the increased health and longevity provided by genetic diversity (like mutts).

Certainly you need to be careful. There are puppy mills that have jumped on to the “Designer Dog” band wagon purely to make a profit.

However, there are also many dedicated hybrid breeders whose main aim is to produce healthy dogs, without the genetic problems that plague many purebreds. They carefully select the breeds they use, and test the parent dogs for any possible inherited problems. They aren't trying to produce a particular "look", or compete with purebreds - these breeders simply want to provide healthy, happy family pets.

There's a good article on the subject (written by a purebred breeder) at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/ma...tcrufts107.xml

I hope I haven't offended anyone, and I'll climb down now

Gem

[TxDoc]

Well, we have a puppy or two left to sale, , and a potential buyer was considering breeding a Weimaraner with a Standard Poodle...............
Warning, it's ugly............
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/weimardoodle.htm
I was relieved that she walked away without one of our puppies.
What do you think of all this designer dog business? Anything you have seen that has been particularly cute? The weimardoodle sure doesn't do anything to promote cross breeding.

Oh My God!!! That is UGLY!
What is it with all this cross-breeding nowadays? I really do not understand this at all...