Designer dog breeds are the latest fad in pet ownership. Those searching for a canine companion often fall victim to deceptive practices used by unscrupulous puppy producers.
Individuals breeding these designer dogs are combining two breeds of totally opposite or unknown traits together with promises of magical offspring combining the best of both worlds. However, guarantee's cannot be made that ANY desired genes will surface, nor can they always predict a dog's coat, size, temperament, or characteristics at maturity.
We've all seen them: Puggle's, Cockapoo's and Golden-doodles, being presented as one of a kind, unique and "rare" in order to persuade buyers into purchasing. Does this mean they're better than a purebred puppy? Are these breeders ethical? Are they even healthy pets? Didn't we used to call them mutts?
These mixes are just that, mixes or mutts. Unfortunately back yard breeders and puppy mills have jumped on the bandwagon by mixing breeds, calling them something whimsical, and charging big bucks for them. They're not abiding by any breeder's code of ethics when they fail to follow a breed standard as set by reputable organizations like the CKC, AKC or UKC. They are not breeding to improve a breed, they are marketing puppies. There are thousands of these animals in shelters all across the country, yet people continue to breed more of them...
No ethical breeder would allow a purebred dog to become part of a cross breeding program. The breeding stock used to produce these puppies are typically low quality and often quite unhealthy. This results in poor quality unhealthy puppies.
How do these people convince the public that by combining two distinct breeds, they will produce a dog with genes that eliminate genetic defects? It's just not possible. If breed A is susceptible to eye diseases and breed B is susceptible to hip displaysia now you will have puppies that could potentially have both diseases. In the late 1990's the late geneticist Dr. George Padgett found more hereditary diseases in cross bred dogs than in purebred dogs. His findings were printed in Dog World Magazine.
You may have heard the term "hybrid vigor". A cross bred dog is NOT a hybrid. A hybrid is defined as offspring of two different species. A mule is a good example of a hybrid (a cross between a horse and a donkey).
The predictability of a breed comes from many generations of careful selection for traits that are desirable. Buying from a reputable purebred breeder assures temperament, type, proper socialization and health. At maturity, your dog is the size and type you initially selected. Ethical purebred dog breeders sell pets on spay and neuter contracts to control pet over-population. Documenting and addressing breed problems, they furnish Canadian or American Kennel Club registration papers (not to be confused with the Continental Kennel Club) and are available to provide advice to owners and encourage responsible dog ownership.
The wrong choice of dog can quickly disrupt your family routine, cause emotional heartache, and can easily drain your savings account. Search www.ckc.org to find each breed's temperament, size, coat, health profile, and expected upkeep. Kennel visits, encouraged by reputable breeders, are a starting point to choosing a dog from a reputable breeder.
It is true that many of today's recognized breeds are products of deliberate cross breeding. However most were developed with a specific purpose in mind. There is a precise process in establishing a new breed and getting recognized by the Canadian or American Kennel Club. The breeder must keep diligent breeding and stud records and must work to consistently produce offspring that look exactly like their parents. This takes many years of hard work. In Canada authorization must be granted by Agriculture Canada to add a breed into the Canadian Kennel Clubs list of recognized breeds.
The Bullmastiff for example is one breed that was created in England in the mid 1800's by combining a Mastiff with a Bulldog at a ratio of 60% mastiff 40% bulldog. Gamekeepers who were employed to protect game from poachers on estates needed an able assistant. The common working breeds in England at that time were not particularly well suited to the job. To fulfill this task they combined the two breeds which later developed into what is now known as the Bullmastiff.
Irresponsible breeding practices are the main reason for pet overpopulation. Many of these puppies will end up in shelters. If they have poor temperaments, behavior problems or are not adopted quickly they will be euthanized. What a sad ending for them.
The purpose in breeding a purebred dog is to have a set breed standard that guides what the offspring will look like and act like. Ethical breeders use this standard to guide their breeding decisions and to improve the breed. Crossing two or more different breeds means that the offspring are randomly going to represent different characteristics, and these characteristics are not necessarily going to be the good ones. Designer dogs as well as purebred dogs may have a variety of health concerns and conditions.
The best advice is to make sure you do your research before choosing a dog.