What is the point of having designer dogs?

Question

Why would you want a puggle?
Why would you breed a lab and a poodle?

I am just confused as to why people go around purposely mixing dogs!

Answer 1

At first, I wanted to give a smart-aleky answer that was something like, the point is the same reason we have designer clothes, drugs, etc. It's a marketable quantity.

But, upon reflection there is something else I'll add here just to take it to a little more depth.
All PUREBREED dogs are from a 'mixture' for a specific 'purpose'. This world used to rely on dogs for work far more than we do nowadays. Now we have dog shows and movies which popularize a particular breed. Then indiscriminate folk jump on the bandwagon and breed whatever is popular, not respecting how easily we can create problems, life and death problems, by doing so. Just because a longer, silkier coat is desired by the masses, is not a reason to breed for that 'attribute'. On that 'silky coat' gene, for example, may be other traits and characteristics not so good for the animal, like overt nervousness, blindness, congenital heart defects, deafness, breathing difficulties, etc on and on all to satisfy the demanding public's popular choices at the moment. And that type of breeding may be far removed from what the original intention was for the shaggy thicker wiry coat (as in Afghans, who were bred to bring down lions, and so hence the need for a coat that would protect from claws and teeth - where a thin smooth and silky one wouldn't).
Rin-Tin-Tin, the tv German Shepherd, made that breed so popular in the USA, for example, breeding became so indiscriminate (more from ignorance of breeding and genetics than from evil intention) that today hip dysplasia has nearly destroyed the breed. Collies and dalmations have become blind and deaf from this same type of popularity demand and the attempt to meet the demand. Yes, this is still on point of the Q.
All dogs are mixed breeds. There is still a debate going on as to where dogs come from, wolves or jackals. Possibly a mixture.

We've been purposely mixing dogs for centuries. But more in the past for a working purpose than 'just because we can' in today's market. There are even small breeds that were bred small so they could be carried and be the 'flea catcher' during earlier times to keep them off humans (fleas prefer your pet to you if they have a choice) when there were no 'flea sprays'. Dutch barge dogs were bred for great strength and stamina and their pulling power to pull the barges along the canals - one of the breeds is the Rottweiler, so reviled today for it's viscious nature, because of indiscriminate breeding.

So it goes to us, the consumers. If we stop demanding newer, better, more different, then it will not be happening.

I love dogs. They are all mutts, purebred mutts, or mutts without 'papers', they are unconditional four footed love to me.

Thanks for a good Q

Answer 2

I will tell you why. Sometimes, the mating of the best of two breeds does get a better, healthier puppy. Line breeding (breeding within the breed) just reinforces some undesirable physical and behavioral traits, where the opposite is true when crossing certain breeds. It is NOT a ruse, it is NOT a scam, it is NOT a new way to get people's money. Some of these crosses have been around almost long enough to form a breed of their own, because they have proven to be a good reliable cross and one worth propagating. I do breed designer puppies and use only registered parents for reproduction. I can just about tell you what colors and patterns that I am going to get from each male and female, that's how true that they breed. If I have a registered adult that displays any physical, emotional or behavioral traits that shouldn't be passed on to another generation, they are not used for breeding purposes, they are pets only. Contrary to the popular belief on this board, crossing breeds (and for that matter, lines within the same breeds) only makes for HEALTHIER DOGS, NOT INFERIOR ONES. I have no idea why people think the opposite is true, it is not! When you cross purebreds to purebreds, and one has a fault of some kind, dominate genes will likely cause that trait to drop off and be eliminated, thus making crosses healthier puppies. Now, on the other hand, I will NOT breed 2nd generation crosses, it defeats the purpose. And yes, if you breed a cocker to a poodle, you will get a wonderful, playful, loyal and healthier puppy, with a beautiful personality and a beautiful coat of hair...they do not have near the health issues that is customary for a cocker nor do they posess the downright "pickyness" of the poodle but you do get the "non-shedding factor and also the loyalty and IQ and agility, but together, they make some of the most wonderful puppies that you have ever been around.

If this doesn't even begin to answer some of your questions, then your mind is closed and you really don't want answers.

EDIT: furthermore, most of our registered breeds right now, those whom you refer to as "purebreds" were at one time, "mixed" and then became common enough to be recognized as a breed that was eligible for registration.

Answer 3

My family got a mixed breed from a breeder because my mother wanted a dog that didn't shed and you can't guarantee that at a shelter.

A few points.

(a) we did not spend an inordinate amount of money on her. We spent $300. That covered all her vet bills for the first 8 weeks of her life, all the shots and health tests that were done her. The woman clearly was not making much, if any money, on the puppies she sold.

(b) We got a healthy happy dog. She's 6 1/2 years old, has had no health problems, is smart, and a wonderful dog.

(c) We got a dog that indeed did not shed. She was a mix of Wheaten terrier and poodle, both non-shedding breeds. Why did we end up with a mix and not a purepred of one or the other? Two reasons: a purebred would be incredibly expensive and our previous dog was the same mix (she was an accident -- a poodle in the area got pregnant by a wheaten in the area).

Answer 4

Personally I find it a useful gauge of how gullible a person is.

There is no point producing them except to make money for the sellers - exactly the same reason that illegal drugs are produced.

I find it laughable when these fools who have been conned come on here & start citing the sales pitch to justify their ill informed purchases.

IMO no puppy should be born without a planned purpose.
This can be showing, working, S&R or whatever but just to make money is not a valid reason to breed. Only the best should be bred from. If you want a mix then adopt one from a shelter or pay a donation if a pet has had an accidental litter.
No reputable breeder produces mixes or breeds puppies aimed for sale.

Answer 5

Because it is human nature to think they are getting something 'special' so when someone makes up some mutt dog that they can give a cutsie name to, 99% of the humans end up wanting one - they think it says something about them that they have a 'puggle' or a whatever... anyone can mix two dogs together and make mutts and people (the 99%) don't realize that it takes someone knowledgeable and caring to produce good quality, well bred dogs that have predictable temperament, health and structure. It takes too much thought to actually find a good breeder and is much easier to get a mutt that you think it 'something' even if it is still only a poorly bred mutt...

Answer 6

i don't know the point in buying a mix as a designer dog but i know the point its sold as a designer dog the MONEY the price increases greatly with the word DESIGNER fancy way of saying mixed breed I guess I believe a puggle is suppose to be a pug and a beagle

Answer 7

There is no point. The people that breed those dogs are idiots! They care about money and not the animal.

There is nothing wrong with a mixed breed but purposely breeding them is stupid and every time someone buys one they are adding to the problem. Too many animals in the world already for people to be breeding like this.

Answer 8

There is no point to it. People buy expensive mutts cause they are the kind of people who like to pretend that they have something ' rare ' they want to be different than others, they want people to oooh and ahhh over their purchases. A mutt is a mutt is a mutt.... They like the idea of paying too much for a mutt? They are the same dogs you get from the paper for $50, the same dogs you get from the shelter.. They are not special, rare or anything but mutts.
Don't pay purebred prices for a mutt!

Answer 9

It all comes down to MONEY.

See, if I take 2 non-show, backyard bred toy poodles and breed them together I can make $300 a puppy. If I take a poodle girl and a shih tzu girl and breed them to a pomeranian boy, I have Pom-a-poos and Pom-shihs that I can sell for $600-$1000 each depending on size.

It really is a much greater return for my investment and there is a market for them.

Answer 10

It's snobbery. I adopted both of my dogs from the animal shelter; my county puts to sleep about 12,000 dogs and cats a year that people don't adopt.
People who think pure breds and designer mixes are better have no heart.