Designer Mixed Breeds?

Question

For all of those owners of labradoodles and puggles, maltipoos, and goldidors. What are some reasons you bought your dog? Justify your reasoning for paying top quality pure breed prices for a back yard bred mixed breed. Whether it be cuteness, allergic to dogs, or that you didn't realize they weren't true breeds, let me know why you bought your puppy.

No need for people to tell me not to buy a mixed breed "mutt." I already have my opinions already and look at my answers before ranting - as a rescuer and owner of a rescued lab, guess which side I'm on.

Part of making good arguments against something is knowing your opponents reasoning and arguments. As a rescuer, I need to know what are the reasons so I can come up with counterarguments to convince them to give another dog a good home.

That's precisely my point. In the U.S., there are 2 dogs for every human. That makes dogs a dime a dozen. I am not for buying a pure breed dog either. I have a lab - who are among the most popular puppy mill dogs becaue they are such a popular breed in the U.S. and I live in Oklahoma which is number two in puppy mills. Shelters are full of purebred labs - mine is a shelter doggie and last week I picked up two purebred shelter labbies. Yesterday another rescuer picked up 5 purebreed labbies from the same shelter and an additional 5 other purebreeds were picked up by their respective rescuers.

From my experience 98% of dogs at shelters are not bad dogs. They are dogs that came from bad owners - bought on whims and then tied or left in the backyard with little or no human contact other than food and water. These dogs left to their own devices turn into barkers and diggers and when occasionally are let in the house, they make messes because they have not been taught how to act and are so excited to get attention they can't contain themselves.

To clear up the misconception of rescue dogs being unknown mongrels - in the rescue I am involved in, EVERY dog lives in a foster home. They are not in kennels with other dogs. They are in homes with kids and other dogs and cats. And the foster family gets to tell their adoptive family what temptations are too difficult for the dog to resist - so you know if you're getting a chewer or a dog that isn't completely house broken or one that gets scared during storms. Can your designer dog breeder answer these questions.

Answer 1

I have a Bichonpoo. I got her from a breeder that only bred Maltipoos and Bichonpoos. I didn't pay as much as one would for a purebred dog, I paid considerably less than I would have for a pure bred Bichon Frise or pure bred Poodle.

I didn't start out to get a Designer Dog. I wasn't looking for a status symbol or to keep up with the Jones'. I was only permitted to have a small breed dog, as per my landlord. I wanted a puppy so I could train her from day one to be a service dog and therapy dog - I have multiple sclerosis.

I checked shelters all around my area and many online services small breed puppies weren't to be had except if I wanted to pay the high prices of a pure bred dog. Then I found the breeder that I ultimately purchased from. I met the breeder, my dogs parents, her brothers. It definitely wasn't a puppy mill and the breeder wasn't a backyard breeder. The animals were well cared for and healthy. The price as I said was considerably less than a pure bred. He breeds these dogs because there is such a high request for designer dogs here in New York. The dog came with a health guarantee and one year's vet care. She had all her shots. I had her spade when she was 6 months old as I have no desire to continue the breed.

Unsure what dog I wanted I went with the breeders recommendations. He said he had a Bichonpoo that was a real sweetheart. Truer words couldn't have been spoken. She is the sweetest most gentle dog and loves everyone and every dog. She is really intelligent and well behaved. She is truly the best dog I have ever owned.

I didn't start out choosing a designer dog but I do not regret my decision for a single minute. I have a great dog. The only problem I have is constantly having to justify my decision to purchase a designer breed. I get 100 e-mails a week from Yahoo users criticizing me and my choice. I have no regrets, she is a great dog.

Answer 2

i work at a petsmart and have seen tons of dogs and talked to their owners, most of them are 'designer breeds' (aka. cute mutts). why did they pay high prices for those animals? the area i live in nobody cares how much the animal's costs. it could be a pure/designer/mutt whatever and they don't care about the price.

what really divides the dogs isn't what they are but where they came from. as wonderful as it is to get a rescue dog, people with young children don't feel safe taking the risk of getting a rescue dog. some dogs that come from the pound may have serious behavioral problems, and while those problems can be worked through by a determined, loving owner; it's not quite what the average family is looking for in a 'puppy for the kids'.

so to the average person a designer dog is the same as a pure breed dog. only people who breed for show really see them as mutts. but there are plenty of pure breed dogs who are also snubbed by breeders -coughbluemerlepoodlecough- so who cares?

for the record i'd rather a rescue dog myself, it's just that many people don't feel that way.

Answer 3

I have always bred purebreds and I have been shocked by people bragging to me that they have designer breeds. Obviously, their designer breeds are mutts and I am glad that the critter found a home where it is loved and cared for.....still, I am so upset that people actually pay good money for mixed dogs. I love to have registered dogs, as I know that I can count on their behaviours being a particular way. It really upsets me when people brag about making a 'unique' breed of dog, by breeding their registered dog to a different breed just to see what they will 'get'. The idea of calling the poor critter unique makes me cringe..........as i try so very hard NOT to just yell at the people.

Answer 4

I got a real answer and real story for ya. My sister who is 46 yrs old,,,not a kid understand,,,,was telling me she iwants to get her 16 yr old daughter a pup for christmas. She wanted my advice,,,and help to find the right one. Her friend has a shih tzu/maltese (I think) and that's what she wants. So I say why? She went on to explain to me that she knows they are not cheap, because they are so much better than other dogs..again I say why? She explains that she wants this specifically because they do not shed, and are much more hypoallerginic than all other breeds. She honest to God thought this,,she wasn't being a dork, but was only caught up in the hype put out by many sources stating that this is the reason to by these mixes. I told her that maltese or shih tzu either one are just as shed-less as a mix between, and that it is a scheme for money. After I explained it to her, she has decided that she doesn't want to be made a fool of,,,and wants a Maltese OR a shih tzu, not a mix.

People WILL absorb knowledge about this, if it is presented in the right way. They WILL NOT listen to you if you are calling them an idiot and accusing them of being the cause of death of millions of dogs each year and so on. If you people want to get your message accross,,,,stop trashing people,,,and simply tell them the facts in a nice way. The way of explaining,,,,,not the way of ranting. When you start to let your emotions and peed off thought about it come out, it makes you look like the silly one,,,and people do not take your advice seriously. She now makes jokes to ME about the thousand dollar mix she sees in the paper. People really don't know! They really believe that if several people say something in a nicely persuasive way, it must be true.

You can bet money that the people who try and convince others to buy their mixes are talking to them with honey dripping from every word. If they were trying to badger them into buying a puppy, no one would buy one. Take a lesson from the ones selling these things,,,explain with honey dripping and no badgering, and they will listen to you as well.

Answer 5

I don't need to justify my reasons and I have also numerous times answered why would people adopt a dog not knowing the issues and have a loved one end up in the hospital when the dog they were told was a great family dog when it wasn't??
Why would people risk the lives of others for a dog someone probably couldn't handle and therefore got rid of it to have someone else get an animal with a issue.

Answer 6

If I got a dog from the shelter I would get a Mixed Bred dog.

People can't tell me what kind of dog to get even if it is on the internet.


I have family members that have Pure Bred dogs ,but I perfer Mixed Bred dogs.

Answer 7

I adopted my Bichon-Cocker from someone who wasn't able to keep her anymore. She was still a puppy and they were moving. She's an adorable dog and I think that she would be worth just as much as a pure bred dog. A dog is a dog. It should not depend on the breed to give it worth.