And what is your opinion on these 'hybrids'?

I really do not know what to say. Its kind of out of hand that people think that they will be registered with the AKC or any other organization. Well, thats like saying that any mixed breed can be shown in the ring. Another thing is that they seem to 'know' what they will look like, well with a mixed breed you can not determine what it will look like when older, the personality, temperament, or genetics. I like how some of them look, but really, there is no way they can be registered. Some of them look very nice, like the 'bassetdoodle' but I certainly would not pay over one-hundred dollars for a mixed breed that can't be showable or registered. You can't even predict what it will look like.





What is your opinion?


Are you for or against the 'hybrids'?


Why?

And what is your opinion on these 'hybrids'?
I'm totally against hybrids. Yes they are cute, I have to admit. But I would NEVER buy one for 102389424 dollars. I see SO many dogs in shelters that are mixes. There were mixes in shelters BEFORE all this designer crap started. The the poodle/chihuahua mix at my shelter is crap? I can adopt it and sell if for 1,000$ and no one would know it was from a SHELTER. People should look in a shelter for mixed breed.





People have been buying cute mixes from shelters for years. Its sad, now its just another way for puppymillers to make cash off of people who dont know any better.
Reply:You all who say no to the hybrids need to do some rearch every single dog of today came from one cross to another and in some breeds took 3 or 4 diff dogs to make the one they now call akc . ya are some back yard breeders but you know what are alot more ack back yard breeders puppy mills if you look at most of the new hybrid breeders they are in home breeders
Reply:I think they're cute, but i certainly wouldnt pay for the like these people do for so-called designer breeds. I have a mini-daschund and a chihuahua...i'll stck with breeds i can register...oh yeah and my chihuahua is blue
Reply:In response to Holly who breeds these designer dogs.....








You are correct that all dogs were 'hybrids' at first. However your logic is a little off. The reason we have breeds of dogs and not just a bunch of mutts all over is that people started selecting very specific traits. Some wanted dogs that could track, some bred dogs for guarding, herding ect, ect. A dog breed is not an accident it is the outcome of dedicated people trying to meet a need or job, if you will, that a dog can fill.





What are you breeding for? What purpose do these "everything-Poo" dogs serve??? The answer is: they serve the whim of the consumer and nothing else. That is NO reason to breed litter after litter of puppies.





** How can I say they serve no purpose??





First of all no dog is hypo-allergenic . That us bunk. Some dogs may be less allergenic, but no dog is 100% shed free or dander free. Many times when someone is allergic to a animal they are allergic to the animals saliva and not just the dander. Dogs lick themselves and that triggers much of the allergies.





Second the dogs are not bred for a specific job or a specific temperament trait. Its no better than blindly putting a two dogs together and having pups. Anyone can do this. The term 'breeder' should be taken lightly.





Am I narrow minded? Could be when it comes to this. Or maybe I just have years of experience with all breeds and mixes of dogs and am speaking from that knowledge. I have nothing against mixed dogs, but geez, to call them a breed is just too much for me.





**Ok I guess you got me there. If you are going to look at the term like that. But I think both of us know that when 'hypo-allergenic' is used in this context that many people think that means the dog is allergen free. It's a markenting ploy to ignorant consumers. Just another justification to breed 'everything-poos'. There are plenty of other supossedly 'hypo-allergenic' dogs out there, we don't need this influx.
Reply:I have conflicting feelings about "hybrids."





For the most part, they are bred by totally irresponsible money-grubbing backyard breeders or puppy mills who are only in it to make a quick buck. After all, they can charge big bucks for these "designer breeds" and make more of a profit than they can on their purebred pups because they don't have to pay the AKC registration fees (because the dogs CAN'T be registered). They claim "hybrid vigor" as a reason why "hybrids" are better than purebreds, yet they are usually breeding two breeds that have simlar health problems....which means that the mutts they are producing have just as much chance as having the health problems as any purebred puppy the exact same two dogs would have produced if they were bred to a dog of the same breed. And you're right, they can't be registered with the AKC or most other reputable kennel clubs, which really limits your options for showing.





On the other hand, if the breeder is doing health checks and looking into the background of both dogs BEFORE breeding to make sure that the puppies have the best chance of being as healthy as possible and they can find loving forever homes for their pups (and are willing to take the dog back if it doesn't work out for any reason) then I really have a hard time seeing how that is so different from what responsible breeders are doing. Yes, these mixes don't have a breed standard and the breeder isn't going to improve either of the parent breeds (and that is part of being a good breeder, but only part of it). But there are so many people out there breeding purebred dogs who are not only not breeding towards the breed standard or improving the breed but are actually contributing to the deterioration of the breed that I don't see how breeding mixes the same way you would responsibly breed purebreds is harming any breed.





I guess if more people were breeding these mixes in a more responsible manner (doing health checks, looking deep into the health and temprement history of both parents, selling with spay/neuter contracts, etc) then I wouldn't really have a problem with it. But even assuming all breeders were responsible, let's call it what it is...these mixes are NOT breeds. They're mixes. If you want to give it a cutesy name, than fine...but don't try to pass it off as an actual breed. And I have no problem with people charging $100 or even $200 for mixed breed puppies. After all, the sad fact of the world is that people are more likely to take better care of a dog they paid a few hundred dollars for than a dog they bought for $50. But asking as much or more for a mixed breed puppy as responsible breeders are asking for show-quality puppies is outrageous! And the fact that people are willing to pay that much is even more ridiculous! Especially since the exact same mix of breeds is probably sitting in a shelter somewhere nearby for a reasonable adoption fee.





As for not being able to show them...they should not ever be eligible to show in the conformation ring, since the point of conformation is to evaluate breeding stock of established breeds and these mixes are not breeds. But I see absolutely no reason why any dog, purebred or mixed, shouldn't be allowed to compete in performance events like obedience, agility, rally obedience, herding, tracking, carting, etc. While most mixed breeds can't compete in AKC events, there are many other venues that allow mixed breed dogs to compete (APDT, UKC, St. Huberts, CPE, NADAC, and more). Even the AKC is considering allowing mixed breeds to compete in the future (it's still thinking about it though). As it is, if your dog looks enough like an AKC recognized breed you can get an ILP (Indefinate Listing Privilege) number...so in reality there are already mixed breeds competing at AKC performance events.
Reply:I agree with you. Designer dogs are just a way of extracting large amounts of money from gullible people for Muts
Reply:I think the whole Hybrid craze is ridiculous. You can't predict the outcome and you're essentially ruining both breeds by making promises of being spectacular. Hybrids are nothing more than a glamorized mutt and there is no reason to pay $1,000 or more when you can adopt a dog that needs a home with the exact same characteristics.








edit: I'd like to repeat that simply mixing two different breeds does not result in the creation of a third breed. Labradoodles and Pomapoos or whatever are not a distinct breed, they are mixed breeds. And of course the breeds we have today resulted from mixed breeding. However, it was selective breeding over several centuries to better each dog.





I'm sorry, but people wanting a cute low shedding puppy is not a valid reason to become a breeder.
Reply:If a person has a PhD in animal genetics and a reason for developing a new breed, have at it.


Without an education in genetics and no valid reason other than trying to make a buck, hybrids have become our worse form of puppy mill.


They breed and breed and breed those poor animals for no other reason than getting your money.
Reply:They are mutts. Don't get me wrong, a mutt still makes a great pet, but there are plenty available at animal shelters. Purposely breeding mutts is irresponsible.





Breedings should only be purposely done to better the breed. This means even 2 purebred animals of the same breed, if they are imperfect (wrong size, color, markings, overbite or underbite, etc.), should not be bred.
Reply:I think that there is to many dogs out there already, why keep breeding dogs for them to end up in shelters and eventually killed. The only cool hybrid I found was a pug and a boxer mix it lookes like a mini boxer not even like a pug.
Reply:AGAINST!!!


I understand that shelters are bursting at the seams, and probably 25% of the dogs are purebreeds. However, I feel that if there weren't so many "hybrids" (mutts) being bred or dogs allowed to roam free and breed at will (creating who knows what kind of so called "hybrid") there wouldn't be so much of a problem.





Aside from that, if breeders were responsible and ethical in with their breeding, they would make sure any puppies produced come back to them apposed to being dumped on someone elses porch.





I agree with your statement regarding personality, temperament and genetics 100%. If they're stupid enough to breed two different breeds, they more than likely didn't get any health testing done.





I have the same problem with all the ta-do with the "Teacup" or "Superior Size".... what is that all about? Nowhere have I ever seen either on any registry list. Teacup poodle or Superior Sized Doberman...... yeah ok... that just means they've either kept the smallest or largest of litters to breed to get the tiny or oversized dogs they're looking for. That is in no way-shape-or -form in the best interest of the breed or for the betterment of any breed !!!
Reply:I am against breeding 'hybrids.' Not because they can't be registered or shown in a ring, but because there are WAY too many mixed breed dogs as it is. You can usually find whatever mix you are looking for in an animal shelter. I know some of them are rare, but there is always a similar looking mix in an animal shelter. And I also think it is insane that people will pay so much for these dogs. They fall into the 'breeders' claims that this special mix is the best dog you could ask for, it doesn't shed, doesn't bark, well behaved...blah blah. Most of these dogs that they claim don't shed actually do. And I am a firm believer that a dog's temperament mostly has to do with how the dog is raised. And I have met a few of these hybrid dog breeders, a lot of them do it because they think their puppies are cute, and a lot of them do it because they can see that they can make a LOT of money off these puppies. I have personally met a miniature bulldog breeder, a chug breeder, and a puggle breeder. They all kind of started on accident, and now are producing puppies like crazy because they see how much of a demand there is for it.





I think hybrid dogs are getting out of control. I think these mutts with a fancy name and a high price tag are just adding to the unwanted pet population, and taking homes from the mixed breed puppies who are in animal shelters.








People sometimes say "how do you think we got the breeds we have now? You have to mix different breeds?" I am against this statement. When the Australian Cattle Dog, or which ever breed you prefer, was created, it was created for a purpose. And it wasn't just a mix of two breeds. They started with one dog, added different dogs until they got the specific characteristics they needed to create the perfect cattle dog. It is a working dog, they created it for this purpose. And responsible breeders always breed to produce healthier, more stable puppies than their parents. With hybrid dogs people are just mixing 2-3 breeds until they get a cute look. There is no other purpose. And they are not adding different breeds, getting health and temperament tests on all the animals they breed. They are breeding two breeds, giving them a new name, and putting a high price on them. Buying a puppy like this is just the same and going to the shelter and getting a mixed breed puppy. And by adopting from a shelter you are saving money, and Saving A Life!!!
Reply:Yes I am against most of these 'hybrids'. I think this may be because they do not have a purpose outside the home. They are not bred to fulfil a certain task besides a pet. It is just to please the owner and is why they have the name 'designer dogs'. It is like that one type of fish that they mixed it's DNA with that of a jellyfish and now they glow. That is just wrong and is for our entertainment. These new dogs may have unseen health problems also. What are they doing to our presious breeds? There are enough mutts in shelters. They dont need to be in pet stores too. That just makes people want to buy instead of adopt. They are the same thing! Just save a life instead of getting the same thing and continuing the cycle of puppymills, now with mixes.
Reply:All dogs are wonderful, but I would never pay any money at all for a mixed breed dog. My friend bought a shih tuz/poodle mix (don't know the hybrid name for it) and she paid $400.00. The dog is a sweetie but looks like a shih tuz, with legs that are way to long. Rather ugly. I have nothing against mixed breed dogs at all, but people are getting ripped off by paying for them. Go to the pound for a mixed breed, and only pay for full blooded dogs. Just my 2 cents
Reply:When bred carefully by a responsible breeder, a purebred is less likely to exhibit health issues because those breeders work extremely hard to eradicate them from the breed. They will eliminate any dog from their breeding program who manifests them or whose ANCESTORS, (on their pedigree) have manifested or produced them in


their offspring. Responsible breeders also do health screenings and genetic testing on their dogs.





When bred carelessly by a backyard breeder, a purebred who, let say carries three of the health issues known to the breed, is bred to a dog of the same breed who is similarly a carrier, will then produce puppies with a possibility


of inheriting those THREE issues. However, if crossed with a different breed of dog who is carrying three of the defects of that particularly breed, may produce puppies who now have a likelihood of inheriting a possible SIX


genetic health issues or defects.





Those individuals who are producing mutts and dubbing them with "Designer dog" names are motivated solely by greed and are not only perpetrating an unscrupulous scam on the public, but doing harm to the very dogs they breed. They do NO health screenings or genetic testing at all. They do not even breed to a standard, (because there is none). In the case, for example, of the "Puggle", they are risking the very lives of the dogs they produce by virtue of the breeds they are crossing (pug + beagle). A brachycephalic dog, (such as a pug) with the lung power and prey drive of a beagle would be in serious danger or dropping dead while playing on a hot day. Those "breeders" are very adamant in perpetuating the lie that "mutts are healthier", yet these puggles are already exhibiting epilepsy (a disease that has virtually been eradicated in the lines of responsible beagle breeders), before the age of one and a defect where the bones break very easily and do not properly heal. They don't guarantee to take back their dogs, so these sick animals are now growing in numbers in shelters. By the way, they charge more for a "puggle", (anywhere from $1200-$2,000.00) than a beagle pup from a responsible breeder would cost.
Reply:I am pretty much for hybrids.





Why you may ask?





How do you think we were able to get many if not most of the breeds we have today?





Yep, you guessed it, mixing different breeds.





Just because it's not recognized as a AKC breed right now, it does not mean it won't happen in the future.





Amelia, so your saying that because people are mixing breeds today that have been doing it for several years aren't valid because they haven't been doing it for centuries?





I just have to laugh at a statement like that.





Everyone has to start somewhere and these breeders are starting here.





Maybe there are those that only are doing for the money, but I know of at least one Labradoodle breeder that is doing it for a purpose and to create another breed of dog.





I know of people that are mixing Staffordshire Terriers and another breed to get a new breed for herding cattle or horses. One that has more stamina and a higher drive. There are ranchers that are very interested in this hybrid and are hopeful of it's outcome.





Again, I will say that I am for hybrids! I could care less of the thumbs down I will get, it only shows that I must be saying something right since the sheep are giving me a bad rating.





Yep, this definitely looks like a ByB to me:





http://labradoodles.com/index.html





That was sarcasm in case you may have missed it about this being a backyard breeder.





Jamie B, how can you be so narrow minded and say that they serve no purpose?





Many people say that breeding to make a hypo-allergenic dog is not a reason to breed. I say they are wrong in that statement. That is a very good reason to breed if for no other reason.





I'm sorry, but I see nothing but narrow minded answers here and it's very sad.





Years of experience, but yet doesn't know what the word hypo means?





You do know that hypo means basically less of something, or low occurrence right?





I am hypoglycemic, which means I get low blood sugar, it doesn't mean I don't have any blood sugar, just that my blood sugar is low.





Hypoallergenic basically means less chance of someone being allergic to the dog. Poodles are pretty much the kings and queens in this regard.





So if people want to breed poodles and labs or whatever breed to get a hypoallergenic dog, then so be it. It may take a while, but you know what, if the dedication is there, it will more then likely get done.





Did you go to the site I linked? If not, maybe you should!