Designer dogs or just dodgy mutts ?
Published on August 4, 2008 by Freelance Contributors · 3 Commentswritten by Karen Clark-Stapleton
Ok so you have been looking through the many doggy websites offering pups for sale and see many many cross breeds, some will try to baffle you with science (Hybrid #1 etc)when in reality the progeny have simply been bred by greedy uncaring and uneducated owners who simply want your hard earned cash, they will charge upwards of £800 , so what will you get for this money and who is to blame for the ridiculous situation whereupon actual pure bred dog sales are suffering?
With a pure bred dog you are mostly getting a known quantity.Its traits are known as are the genetic faults and there are no breeds in the UK that remain totally health problem free no matter what the breed club or its membership say .Yes some breeders are not good but at least with research you can see the likely problems the pup will have through the lines being used, especially if you look at site such as Eurobihons who actively publish problems in lines within the UK and EU.
With a crossbreed or hybrid (new word being used to give legitimacy to this stupid trend), you not only get a dog with a mix of the traits from the parents, you are just as likely to get a dog whose traits are in fact different from both parents. Genetics tendencies that had been bred to latency in the purebreds will undoubtedly come out in a cross breed.
This could be good or bad. You may breed in a dog with exceptional strength, but also exceptional aggression, both not seen in such quantities in either parent.In order to create a breed, usually a very limited number of animals from different breeds are bred together, to create a new breed. At the start of a new breed, the offspring are inbred, till the breed breeds “true”.
It’s also true, that in creating this true breed, undesirable traits which are hard to breed out.will be present , yet if you take a look at the many adverts now available both in print and online none mention the methods used for breeding, the health problems both have , the health guarantees, or testing used, this is simply because they don’t do ANY testing, they don’t care what is being produced so long as they get their hands on your hard earned cash!
Throughout the World many rescue centres report an increase in such hybrid dogs like the Labradoodle, why you ask,our Kennel Club gave it legitmacy with pedigree papers, well because both these dogs have a variety of health and temperament problems making them rather unsuitable for many homes.Many off the larger breeds, have chronic genetic problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia, or early onset of arthritis or cancer or cataracts and heart murmurs to name but a few…… Will you read about these health problems, don’t be daft, that wont sell dogs will it?
Now , I am not stupid or arrogant enough to say that all cross breeds are awful , afterall ,breeds such as the Australian Kelpie and Cattle dog, came from cross breeding working dogs to suit the hot, dry climate of the Australian Outback, no other dogs are now more suited the job these dogs perform, but, these pairings had been carefully considered and the reasons behind the matings do have some justification, what cannot be justified is the manner in which owners are simply buying two dogs in order to make money, none of them will pay tax on the money they make, its like a cash cow for most of these and most will be unemployed, simply raking in a fortune on the backs of the dogs they have.
If breeders of purebred dogs actually did some research on the potential owners and enforced contracts of sales then this simply wouldn’t happen. Why oh why is the canine world full of such unbelievable greed or is it just those in the UK with a small island mentality ?
In the end, there are reasons for choosing one over the other, but its got to be your choice. Whether the choice you make is an informed one remains to be seen, but I can virtually guarantee that the breeder will not give you a guarantee, they wont help you when things go wrong and they most definitely wont give you a refund for a useless and sickly pup, in essence these breeders are pet profiteers or puppy farmers, they care little for their dogs and they sure wont give two hoots for you…….
If you want to do some research BEFORE parting with your cash and buying a dodgy mutt then at least have the commonsense in reading about the genetic diseases of the two parents being used for the pups for sale, and think , that a genetic disease present in both parents WILL be a problem for you ….http://www.handicappedpets.com/genetic/breeds.htm
Highly Recommended: This could be the most important link you EVER click as far as your dog’s life is concerned – see why….!
Tags: Animal Welfare
IMO there’s nothings wrong with Hybrids as long as the offspring’s are healthy I find it revolting breeders who introduce Dwarfism deafness and multitude off others faults into a animal in a effort for something just to look cool it is a form of animal abuse
this aplies to ALL breeders
are your animals unhealthy
is the dog and bitch not matched corectly
is the dog larger than the bitch
have they not had the health tests specific to their breed(s)
have they failed the health tests specific to their breed(s)
do you not have expeciance whit ethecial breeding and not have anyone that does
do you not have a list of poteintial homes before you start breeding
are there any breeding quality dogs of that breed(s) in rescue homes.
if you have ticked any of those questions do NOT think of breeding
It’s true hybrid sales are now outstripping those of purebreds. I think this is largely because all the scientific research show mutts live longer and healthier lives than purebreds, so more families are choosing a hybrid “Designer Dog”.
Most people just want a happy, healthy family pet. Say “Boxer” and they think heart disease; say “Golden Retriever” and they think hip dysplasia. The incidence and severity of inherited diseases in purebred dogs increases every year, and yet breeders continue with outdated practices that continuously limit genetic diversity.
Certainly their are puppy mills that have jumped on to the “Designer Dog” band wagon purely to make a profit. But this has happened with popular purebreds in the past (remember the rush for Dalmatians and Huskies after the movies “100 Dalmatians” and “Snow Dogs”?). Puppy mills will breed whatever makes them the most money: purebred, hybrid, small white fluffy; they don’t care – they breed whatever sells.
However, there are also many dedicated hybrid breeders whose main aim is to produce healthy dogs, without the genetic problems that have plagued many purebreds. Many families have known the heartbreak of losing a beloved dog because of genetic problems, and these breeders simply want to provide healthy, happy family pets.
If purebred breeders are really interested in doing something about “designer dogs”, they need to first take action to improve the health of their own chosen breeds.
There’s a good article (written by a British purebred breeder) on this topic at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2007/03/07/ftcrufts107.xml
There is to date no quantative or empirical evidence or research that suggests that mongrels live linger than pure bred dogs, SO I find your comments misleading.
However I do like your final remark about testing, in fact that is one of the subjects we actually are experts in .