Follow up to Cindy's designer dog poll - why are you in or out?

Question

This is the poll I'm talking about:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AttKSApoHSzUpW0CWV.BMUnsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20070925160608AAKJs4C

Please keep it civil and keep it nice. I just wanted to read WHY we are for or against designer dogs. Russian-novel length answers are okay, but please don't tear others down. Try not to judge others' answers. Keep it kind.

Without further ado, the question is...

Why do you think designer dogs (mixes of recognized breeds) should or should not be bred?

Thank you to everyone so far who's answered. I was fearing this would turn into a mudslinging fest, but it hasn't deteriorated yet. THANKS AGAIN! :)

Answer 1

I am against Breeding of 'designer dogs' because we already have enough mixed breed dogs in this world who are homeless, we don't' need anymore. People often argue that the reason for producing 'designer breeds' is to put two dogs together and create puppies that have great qualities for specific purposes. An example is producing a labradoodle as a non shedding therapy dog. BUT, we already have the standard poodle, who does an excellent job at being a non shedding therapy dog. And Labradoodles can shed if they get the traits from their lab parent. As for the other breeds, like Puggles, Cockapoos, etc. These dogs are only being bred because they are 'cute' and they make good companion dogs. Designer dog breeders aren't breeding these dogs to try and create a whole new breed for any specific purpose, other than the fact that they are cute, and can make them a lot of money. They are trying to produce mixed breed dogs. I don't think people should purposely be breeding more mixed breed companion dogs when there are Thousands who get euthanized in animal shelters. People can go to an animal shelter and pick up the SAME mixed breed dog!!

**I just wanted to add something. I am not against reputable breeders trying to create a new breed for a specific working purpose. I understand that that has been done for every breed that exists now. BUT, when trying to create a new breed, you don't just mix two breeds, give it a fancy name, and call it good. When creating a new breed people bring in many differnt types of dogs to add differerent qualities. They set a goal for what they really want out of a dog. EVERYONE has to know that the 'designer breed' craze is not about creating new breeds! It is about creating MIXED breeds. Just look at the names, a combination of both parents breed name: Puggle, GoldenDoodle, CockaPoo....

Answer 2

I don't feel that playing around with two breeds and trying to create your own breed is in the best interest of the dog. I feel those who breed designer breeds are looking for one thing only...profit. The dogs are the ones who suffer and the people spending the top $ for it are being cheated. There are so many mixed breeds being euthanized every day and the people responsible for creating these designer breeds are just adding to the over population of mixed breeds. I think the question you posted yesterday with the link that compared a shelter dog with a mix breed that was intentionally bred was a good example that you can find these dogs available for adoption at a shelter. The people breeding these designer dogs can't prove that the dog their breeding is worth all that money. There are no genetic testing, no championships to prove the quality of the parents and no way of guaranteeing the health of these dogs. I don't think it's right and I have a hard time understanding why someone would support it unless they are profiting from it.

Answer 3

I can understand wanting a new breed but for people to be mixing all sorts of things and calling it "designer" and then wanting more money for a unregistered or un-standardized mutt than for a purebred dog is ridiculous. Mixing everything with a poodle or any little toy dog with another is not adding anything good to the dog breeds it's just a craze and people are making money off it. The people who have been dealing with certain mixes ( I know of some who have bred labradoodles for a long time, far before they ever thought about getting popular- back to the 60's and 70's here) and who are really trying to work to get a new breed standardized are fine. It's the sudden explosion of a mix of everything, and expecting people to pay upwards of $1000 for a mutt with no papers, that's what's bothering me. Especially when I see many of these dogs ending up in shelters when the dog ends up actually shedding!, or something else the "breeders" of these dogs claim they don't do.

Answer 4

the breeding of "designer" dogs for purpose of selling them is absolutely disgusting. you are taking two different breeds and combining them for one breed. you are creating a mutt, a mixed breed dog. and now you want to sell them? not just for an adoption fee, ie to cover vaccines, neutering, etc but to make a profit. the prices of these dogs can reach into the thousands. for what? a puggle, a chipoo, a cockapoo, a papipoo, or whatever kind of poo you can create? people these dogs are not new. theses "breeds" have been around for at least 3 decades or more. these are the very same dogs you can find in your local shelter.

you cant regulate these dogs. there is no breed standard. and to make them a recognized breed? really? why dont we just do away with the akc or anyother registry that stipulates exactly what characteristics each breed must have or does have? and these "breeders" that say they are breeding only good qualities of breed x and breed y? whatever. you are taking two distinct breeds that have there own health issues (and every breed does) and combining a dog with super health issues.

if you want a mutt, adopt one. dont purposely breed dogs together to get a so called designer breed and then sell them for crap tons of money all the while adding to over population.

if you want to breed period, then do your research. do it for the betterment of the breed. make sure your breeding stock is as healthy as possible, but dont cross breeds. there are too many mutts in the world that need homes without crap breeders adding to the problem.

Answer 5

should not be bred
*there are hundreds of recognized breeds,which have all been breed for one reason or another. there are hunting dogs, lap dogs, little shedding dogs, show dogs etc
there is no reason for creating mutts
* if one breeder of mutts could give me an actual reason then maybe i would change my mind and i dont mean a reason like Ive heard before such as to create a shedless dog, or a cheap dog or a cute dog.(shedless there are plenty although no dog is 100% shedless, cheap dogs you can find them in shelters , cute dogs you can find cute purebreds and cute mixes at shelters )
*when a mutt was accidently created , people use to offfer them free to good homes, then one day this happened and somebody show the dog and said what a cutie how much are you selling the pups for ,so this so called dog lover kept on doing this .then others hopped on the bandwaogn and created mutts hoping to profit.there was no thought or research done into this just hopes of a big pay of.
*"designer dog " breeders dont take into consideration the health problems of dogs.they just always answer with a designer breed is healthier then a purebred .whos to say the mutt wouldnt get the worse health issues from each parent.
*i dont think i could ever have a level headed conversation with a designer dog breeder because there are so many cute mutts in shelters and not enough reasons for breeding them.
everyone is entitled to his/her opinion but not evryone should be entitled to breed dogs.

Answer 6

I don't have a problem with mixed breed dogs. I just went to the Holocaust museum and toured a room on Eugenics. Hitler, Scientists in his day and many famous Americans bought into this "program" but Hitler instituted it by sterilizing and exterminating "defective" people that weren't purely Aryan. He wanted to create a master race and of that race he wanted to stop people from reproducing if there were any genes that could lead to illness.
I don't get people being upset about people who breed two dogs together of different breeds to get different characteristics, like curly, soft coated, shorter haired mixes of all sorts. Some of the most strikingly beautiful and quite healthy as well- dogs that I have owned or fostered have been mixed breed dogs.
I haven't met a breeder of "purebred" dogs yet who does not sell dogs without a profit in mind. Neither have I met any that were all that particular about where the pups went when it came to breeding kennels. Yes, they have clauses that say to bring the pup back if for any reason the person is dissatisfied, but most know that if a person grows tired with/doesn't have the patience for training a new pup or dog- don't want to bother with returning them to the breeder where they have to call, make arrangements, etc.
So I don't care whether a dog is mixed or purebred, called a designer breed, has an outstanding pedigree, has no papers at all- what counts to me is responsible ownership for the sake of the dogs.
I have three spayed female dogs that have never reproduced before spaying. That was my choice because of the large numbers of unwanted dogs that I realize go through the system on a daily basis, many winding up in multiple households and eventually death row at a shelter.
I believe in incentives to encourage spaying and neutering but not legislation that orders it.
I believe in penalties for abuse and neglect, with rehabilitation of the offenders in mind unless they are purely sociopathic and have no conscience.
So that's my chapter on "designer dogs". I have nothing against them.

Answer 7

I was out because quite frankly, there are enough mixed breed dogs that need good homes and adding more would just be competition for the ones that have already been waiting. I also think it's a waste of money because the breeders try to rip you off with ridiculously priced mutts, when you can adopt one for cheaper and save its life and make a great companion. That's not to say the "designer" dogs can't be good dogs, but they aren't really designer dogs. They're just mutts and there's already too many.

Answer 8

I was against designer dogs, because the term is a misnomer.
I love a MUTT, nothing finer and love the unpredictability of what I'll get at the end of the day.

Nevertheless, the "designer" phenomenon reminds me of the genius marketing of De Beers. Diamonds, would not have the prestige and be in such demand had it not been for the brilliant marketing of De Beers. A diamond, is just a damned piece of carbon, but the campaign was indeed, genius. "A Diamond is forever..."

So, now...we have dogs that were accidentally, or even intentionally paired, creating a liter with no papers, no chance of being showed, cannot be recognized by clubs. Not that any of this matters, BUT due to marketing, these dogs are no longer pound pups.

Now they have Trump Tower names slapped on their bottoms and unknowing people pay exorbitant amounts for them.

It's insane.

Answer 9

I am against the breeding of designer dogs because they are bred unethically in 99.9999% of the litters produced. Whether that be a "mistake/accidental" litter produced or intentionally putting two breeds together just to sell that mix with a cutesy-poo name for bigger bucks.

These "designer" breeders are NOT trying to "create" a new breed, as most have no interest in producing their "mixes" to eventually breed true. They don't have breed standards and they are not striving to create or meet one either. They are doing it because some people are dumb enuf to pay their asking prices.

Now, I will say, that I have seen breeder of a FEW of the most popular mixes who are keeping stud books and records with a sincere interest in creating a new breed that will eventually breed true. Okay, I can personally live with that, if the right steps are taken and they have a specific goal/breed standard in mind in which they wish to achieve, fine. Problem is, most of what you find are NOT these people attempting to do it to any degree of ethics and it's strictly the mighty dollar which is the driving force behind their choice to intentionally make these mixed breeds.

Most of the breeds they are using probably either came from pet stores/puppy mills or backyard breeders, as not a single reputable breeder I've ever met would permit this with any of their litters. So the people intentionally doing this for money are starting with dogs that are not even quality in their own breed group.

Over all, deliberately breeding "designer" dogs makes me ill to think about.

Answer 10

There a so many breeds of small and medium size dogs already why keep cross breeding and renaming them silly names? Honestly I do believe the people that are breeding these small breeds with each other and renaming them a silly name are in it purely for the quick profit. I see these little dogs with no pedigree whatsoever, they are not purebred therefor are not registered or really worth anything money wise anyways, they are pets and why charge so much then for a "pet" dog, especially a small dog, I see them advertised for 800 dollars and it's insane it's a pet dog, not registered in no way worth 800 dollars. I don't like little dogs to begin with, I find them useless and yappy but I think the people that are driving this little dog mutt craze are just as much to blame..if there was no demand there would be no money in it for these people to want to cross every little dog together for some new fancy named mutt. I can go out and buy a registered purebred dog for 800 bucks, for a couple hundred more I can get a large breed registered dog. At least you are paying for the quality of the dog, certified health, you know the bloodlines and family tree and the parents have actually been champs. These little dogs are being used like money machines, the more puppies with silly names the more money into the owners pocket, cause you know with the little dogs they are not doing any hip/eye checks that are more standard on large dog breeds...at most they are sending them off to new homes with their first set of shots which when you are getting 800+ for this silly named mutt your profiting quite large off each puppy sold. Mixing any different dog breeds is just creating cross breeds and mutts...why not stick to the purebred dogs and stop trying to profit so much of these poor little animals. Where I live and the surrounding area (BC, Canada) the shelters are always full of mixed breed dogs small to large as soon as a purebred dog comes in it's gone in days...the mutts always have to wait longer to find a home.