Designer Breeds?

Question

There are a lot of people who call designer breeds mutts...like Labradoodles and such....my question is....didn't all the modern breeds we have today start out in a similiar way....cross breeding different types of dogs to develope specific traits and looks? So in fact your dogs started out was what you would call a "designer breed" and what some would call a mutt. So why get mad and people who want to do this, if done in a proper way? Because the AKC says they are not pure breeds.....well not yet...but maybe someday...is that not the way all breeds we have now started....

Granted some of these dogs are ugly in my mind but so are some "pure breeds" that the ACK recognizes.

I know many of the new breeds will die out. Now I know the dogs were breed for a purpose...and one of these purposes was "companion dog" They were breed to look good on the lap of the owner. Know could that not be the purpose of these new ones...to look good by the owner....same thing

I do look down on the people who do this for money...I am talking about the ones who really would consider doing things the right way....starting with good bloodlines from the pure dogs and then not allowing the new breeds to breed back into the line and so on....I am not saying everyone has done things right but what I am say is that didn't all breeds start out this way...so someday you might see a labradoodle in a dog show....

pandabunn...

if you think that way...then why stay breed specific at all...we control every aspect of dog breeding anyway...so do you think that is bad or should we just let them do what ever they want so all dogs are mutts

Thank you lauren....that is what I am talking about...doing things the right way...I think many people would still be mad at that

I am not a breeder...don't want to be....just wanted to see what people thought about the subject....

Answer 1

You said it "modern" dogs...Most AKC recognized dogs were developed and breeding true (a Rotti looked like a Rotti, not a Dalmatian) for hundreds of yrs when AKC was born. Modern dogs were bred over hundreds of yrs before they bred true. Designer dogs are bred for a quick buck! Yes Labradoodles are bred as non-allergy dogs, but what about the puppies that get the Lab genes? People will still be allergic to them! The ugly side of the development of the modern purebred dog is that the puppies that had undesirable traits were killed at birth! Rotties with white on their chest were undesirable, so they were killed. Dalmatians with black spots on the head were killed (spots develope at around 4 weeks I think)...same with Harlequin Great Danes!
I don't see why people want to pay $800 for a yorkie poo when you can go to the local pound (animal shelter for you faint of heart) and pick up the same type of dog for $50. At least you are saving a dogs life. There are enough of these "designer dogs" in the local shelters, why bring more into the world? Same thing with purebreds...if you are not willing to spend the money to do the research in pedigrees, don't bred your dog! Breeding is to BETTER the breed, not put money in your pocket! I hate it when people breed their dog, because it is "good for her to have one litter"...Bulls**t! It is better for her not to go into heat at all! Female dogs that are not fixed before the first heat have a better chance of developing cancer later in life (this does not mean that all female dogs will) Having a heat also can make them aggressive(happened to one of my females...she started killing cats and tried to kill other dogs). Males have a greater chance of developing testical cancer. If you are not going to spend big bucks on a quility dog, you should not breed! Did you pick up your Pitbull, Rotti, (or any other popular breed at the moment) for around $100,$200, $300 (do you know who the grand and greatgrand parents are? How close are the dogs related? Brother to sister, mother to son, father to daughter (line breeding..better left up to the profs.) Did you buy a quility dog for around $500-$1000? Are you going to spend another $200-$300+ on getting its hips and elbows exrayed?, tested for any transmittable diseases? Then don't breed!
This is one of my biggest petpeves! Thanks for letting me vent! And please, if you are thinking about breeding for the money from the puppy sales, make an appointment with your vet to have you dog spayed/neutered for the dog.
The End.

Lauren M...I agree with you all the way! There are some groups that are breeding for good reasons! Non-allergic working dogs for the blind and disabled (I don't object to these type of orginazions)(sp ck not working, so sorry for misspellings), but a yorkie poo, schnoodle? come on, what good are these mutts? Yes they are cute, but it took many decades to get these purebreds to where they are today!

Answer 2

There is a difference between mixing some dogs together and calling it a designer breed and making a new breed by using different breeds. A breed of dog has a specific genetic makeup and specific traits that are consistently passed on by breedings dogs of that breed together. These "designer breeds" CAN become specific breeds of dogs and become purebred, once they can show to pass on consistent traits and a breed standard is developed. The reason some people get so upset by this is because what they are doing is mixing some breeds together to make a MUTT then selling it as a specific breed. It's not. It's still a mutt. Untill the breed is developed and breeding dogs of whatever new name they come up with together makes the same kind of dog, they are just breeding mutts and fooling people. You can get the same kinds of dogs by adopting from an animal shelter or rescue, spend a lot less, and save a life while not contributing to the pet overpopulation problem.

Creating a new breed to fill a niche is fine. But let's think about it. Say we want to make a dog with the intelligence and energy of a lab, but the "low maintenance and lower-allergen" coat of a poodle. We choose PERFECT examples of both breeds and mix them together. We choose the offspring from those dogs that most fit what we are looking for and use those for our breeding stock, etc. etc. until we are getting consistent results, and neuter the ones that don't show the traits we are looking for. We don't keep breeding labs and poodles together and calling the offspring a new breed. Once the breed is developed, a name is chosen and only those dogs are bred together in a responsible breeding program. If healthy and solid pedigrees are kept and the resulting offspring show the consistent traits developed for the breed, then that is when the AKC and other organizations start accepting as a new breed.

Answer 3

You should think about what constitutes creating a new 'breed'. The main condition is that the dog must maintain a standard in all aspects of a breed throughout successive generations. This takes years to accomplish and careful breeding practices to do ethically. These 'designer dogs' do NOT do that. If you were to breed a Puggle to another Puggle, the offspring doesnt maintain the traits that are in the first generation (Pug bred to a Beagle) not to mention they are different between the first generations with each breeding. The differences could be anywhere from basic frame, to temperment, to coat color and texture, to any other issues in the middle. The main groups of people who started this trend are in fact PUPPY MILLS, not people who are truly interested in coming up with new breeds. When a dog is classified as a new breed, their name is not a combination of two names like a Moxie, Yorkie-Poo or all the other blank-Poos that are out there. Where do most people get these so called 'designer dogs'...a pet shop! Who is their #1 supplier?...PUPPY MILLS! You know when a pet shop tells you that their puppies come from only licensed USDA breeders...guess what...that is a puppy mill. If so many people are willing to pay $1500 for a mixed breed puppy, why are they not willing to go to a shelter and save life of a mixed breed..all for the low price of $75...it all comes down to status and image. Plain and simple these 'designer dogs' are very very expensive mutts. People who ethically breed dogs have their dogs tested against the battery of possible congenital defects to avoid the possibility of health problems, some thing that is not done among puppy mills. The only private breeders of these mixed breed puppies are not educated in ethical breeding practices (unfortunately this also holds true for alot of purebred breeders too). I am not saying that they dont love their dogs, and maybe they arent even in it only for the money but he fact still remains that countless numbers of PUPPIES are dying daily in shelters all because there arent enough homes. There had better be a better reason than 'arent they cute', 'they are a new designer dog', 'I want my dog to have babies because.....', or the endless other crap reasons to breed a dog, that are worth the sacrifice of these lives. I strongly agree with ethical breeding practices, sometimes it can even save a breed from extinction (ShitTzus and Irish Red and White Setters are perfect examples). I do not on the other hand wish to support unethical breeding practices or the people who are involved in them.
PS - do you remember when poeple were trying to give away mixed breeds because they were 1/2 of this and 1/2 of that...it still happens. No matter what color you paint it, a duck is still a duck

Answer 4

Yes, all breeds of dogs were originally a crossbreed/mutt. However, their lines have been pure for decades, and therefore their DNA is that of their own breed, rather than a crossbreed. The designer breeds rarely have enough generations to have their own genetic traits as a breed. I'm sure the more functional attempts at making a breed, such as Labaradoodles/Goldendoodles will stay, but I really doubt the others (Puggles, Boggles, etc) will stay in style like they are now.

Answer 5

I agree with you completely. I don't understand why ppl get so upset. If you get upset at someone that buys a designer breed for $200 (some adoption fees can be this much), then shouldn't you get mad when someone buys any purebred dog? Honestly I can understand someone paying a couple of hundred for a mixed breed that has had all of it's shot, pin hip tested, and vet checked. I think there will always be ppl looking to create new breeds as the needs of humans change. Sadly, there are some that take advantage of that and are only out for money, but they also do that with pure breds as well (i.e. puppy mills and backyard breeders). I love all dogs. As long as they are being taken care of isn't that the most important thing. Get online and read how Labradoodles and Goldendoodles came to be. They started as assistance dogs for ppl with allergies how can anyone really get upset about that?

Answer 6

well yea i agree with that much.. but in some cases you can taint a dogs gene pool by creating "designer dogs". for example, if you mix a greyhound with a labrador. labradors are known to develop hip dysplacia. however, it is very very rare for a greyhound to get this. by breeding a greyhound with a labrador, you are giving that puppy a higher chance of developing the disease, and every puppy that comes from it.

another example.. the infamous "puggle" in which you breed a beagle with a pug. sure they are cute, but you are breeding a hunting dog with a lap dog. so you are giving this beagle puppy with the need to hunt, run, and sniff: a shorter snout. it will develop breathing problems that many pugs face today. how would you like it if you loved to run and be active, but you couldnt because you have asthma? its unfair to the dog.. all because someone wanted a cute trendy puppy.. i mean come on..

the reason the AKC looks down on designer dogs is because breeders that work hard to breed out the health and behavior problems that a certain breed may have, and then someone comes along and mucks up the pure bred bloodlines. a lot of those designer dog breeders do not know what they're doing, and only really care about the money. though there are some "designer dog" breeders who claim to know what they're doing. but really.. i think its just a trend.

Answer 7

nearly all breeds were bred to serve a specific purpose or perform a task, other than the toy class. however toys were bred for specific traits as well that had to do with the area they were in and what was trying to be attained. 'designer breeds' are not being bred for any specific pupose other than people thinking they are cute. labradoodles/goldendoodles aren't bred for a task, and there is no regulation as to what they should be. people want them b/c they shed less, well, in general that isn't true. the ones that are very expensive tend to have better breeding and shed less, but anyone can breed them.
i understand you saying that most purebreds of today came from breeding other dogs together in the past. the thing with that is that they used MANY different breeds to achieve a new breed, and people had a specific goal in mind of what they wanted. dobermans came from a great dane for size and temperment, a rottie for the markings and a deep chest, weimereners for a more agile build and better head, and black greyhounds for the sleek black coat. 'designer breeds' today aren't being bred for any purpose like this at all. people are breeding inferior dogs with other inferior dogs and selling them for massive amounts of money. also, in the past they didn't call them 'designer breeds' b/c they weren't being designed, they were architectually putting together a dog to serve a purpose. and they weren't called malti-poos or puggles, it was a mutt until a standard was arrived at. similarly it was usually one kennel that came up with a new breed, not internationally people breeding 2 specific breeds together to achieve something else.

Answer 8

well breeds that are recognized by the AKC were bred to serve a specific purpose in society ie. Hunting, Working, etc... Whatfunction would a Labradoodle serve? They are mutts and overpriced mutts at that.

Answer 9

Read about how the German Shepherd line was started. its pretty interesting, and yes, they were all mutts.

Answer 10

HELLO???Anybody IN there??(knocking on your forehead)

***NOT*** "breeds"...MUTTS/MONGRELS!!!

NO!!! Breeds are NOT made by making MUTTS!!! NEVER WERE,never WILL BE!!!

You OBVIOUSLY don't have CLUE about SELECTIVE breeding...OF ANYTHING!!!

It doesn't matter how you SQUIRM & try to wiggle your way around it...the CRAP being FOISTED on the GULLIBLE by *CROOKS* are NOT breeds & NEVER WILL BE!!!