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What Is It With Designer Dogs?

The Menagerie
#61

The new breed standard:

General Appearance: Eyes, nose, and tail as per request of owner. Fault: fewer than four legs

Size: Toy group may range from purse to shoulder-bag. In the Working Group, may range from front seat of VW bug to cargo bay of SUV.

Coat: Does not shed or grow hair, but maintains cuddly appearance. Self-grooms and clips own nails.

Color: per owner preference.

Temperament: Reliably housebroken at birth. Loves every human and every living thing except burglars and grizzly bears, which the breed will attack without hesitation, but only to protect owner or owner’s family and property. Can reliably distinguish a dog toy from the owner’s cherished personal property. Does not bark. (Working Group may bark twice to alert for burglars and/or grizzly bears, no more than once an hour. Fault: Any barking between the hours of 8 pm and 9 am.)

Although the Designer Dog may vary in size, color and appearance, it must never do anything Lassie wouldn’t do. The breed must be unmistakeably photogenic, always appearing to best advantage in smartphone videos posted on youtube. Toy group in particular must wear costumes with panache.

#62

If people didn’t buy them then they wouldn’t be bred. It is “in” to have a cutsie name for your dog. I’ve read that the true Labrador-Golden/poodle breeders do have crosses they have followed to produce a dog that breeds true ( ends up being poodle with a dash of e other breed). They follow a process that most of our modern breeds used to be developed. Some of these breeds have developed in my life time from just a few individual dogs.

People who breed working animals have always outcrossed to bring in a particular characteristic. I have a New Zealand Heading dog, Border Collie cross ( NZBC? BCNZ? LOL). His litter was planned and the breeder was looking for a particular working characteristic.

Getting dogs from shelters is such a gamble in health and disposition for many people. I would be much more likely to get a dog from a rescue that can give me an idea about disposition and health issues.

#63

:lol::lol:

#64

I love mutts. Especially black ones that somewhat resemble labradors. I have two and my friend who is a vet and I have spent hours trying to guess what breeds they are.

My first experience with a “designer” dog that was not plucked out of shelter was a cavashon and his owner. She was highly offended that I (as a vet tech) had never heard of this “breed”. When I found out later that it was a mixed breed she was huffing about, I laughed and laughed!:lol: People are so silly.

#65

I think I just called our family dog an “American Dog,” so well blended you couldn’t tell what her parents were! Most people didn’t/don’t get it…

Zoe was a pound puppy labeled as a Pit/Shepard cross when we picked her out, she looks like neither. Fawn color with a black nose and leeettle white mark on her chest, stands 24" tall and short coat, with a fairly straight tail that will curl up when she gets her hackles raised. Ears are semi floppy(half flopped?), kinda pointed. Best I’ve got is a hound cross of some sort… Vet listed her as “Heinz.” She was friggin’ cute as a pup and is still going strong at 14!

#66

so well blended you couldn’t tell what her parents were!

they were probably pure-bred mutts. Many people have this bizarre idea that “mutts” are all mixes of purebreds, but not true. Most mutts are descended from long, proud lines of mutts, uninterrupted with any purebreds anywhere. Your average pure-bred mutt will look sort of like a lab, or if the ears stick up it’s a “shepherd mix”, if the tail is curly it’s a “husky mix”, and if it’s kind of chunky in build it’s a “pittie mix”. But they are all usually pure-bred mutts with no actual breeds whatsoever in their ancestry. You can do DNA testing and confirm this- if the DNA test comes back with a long list of “contributing breeds” that means it’s a mutt. If it’s actually got a purebred in the recent ancestry, the DNA tests will indicate that breed very strongly- which rarely happens, which is why the DNA tests are laughed at. But they are very accurate, just not usually interpreted properly- most dogs are purebred mutts.

Blinded rigorous tests indicate visual identification of breed(s), even by supposed experts, is very inaccurate. Most mutts are mutts, and even cross-breds are difficult for experts to identify because as soon you start mixing they start looking like basic mutts.

#67

[QUOTE=wendy;6556514]

Many people have this bizarre idea that “mutts” are all mixes of purebreds, but not true. Most mutts are descended from long, proud lines of mutts, uninterrupted with any purebreds anywhere. [/QUOTE]

“Proud lines” :lol: You mean generations of neglecting to spay, neuter, and contain an animal resulting in mixed dogs breeding willy-nilly until they no longer resemble a single breed. Why are you exalting such irresponsibility?

P.s. I don’t know why you think DNA testing is so reliable unless we are referring to very different tests. I know people who have sent off results on papered CH dogs and gotten back bizarre mixes. I’ve never heard of someone getting remotely accurate results.

#68

The DNA testing of dogs to tell you what breeds it contains is a SCAM.

#69

I’ve always had mutts, furry mutts is my preference, preferably with some shepherd mixed in.
When I couldn’t find a furry mutt puppy, I went for a Std poodle because I wanted a dog that would be great with my kids, and I don’t care for labs of goldens.
After owning my Std poodle for 13 years, I don’t understand why people would not get the real thing. She’s a GREAT dog! Sure, poodles need regular grooming…but that’s a small price to pay for no smell, no shedding.

I still love a good furry mutt, but the Std poodle spoiled me.

#70

I have a Pekingese, Poodle mix that also looks like there is Pug in there too.

Hmmm. Maybe I should call her a PekePooUg? A PooPeeUg? PugOooEek? :lol:

Lots of people want to know her breed because they think she should be purebred. Don’t know why. One man asked and I said Pekingese Poodle and he responded, “Oh. I’ve never heard of that breed”. He thought they were special poodles bred in Peking. :wink:

Now I just tell people she’s a Pekingese mix and then they argue with me. :wink:

#71

New nickname for my great dane, thanks! LOL

#72

[QUOTE=maunder;6556820]
I have a Pekingese, Poodle mix that also looks like there is Pug in there too.

Hmmm. Maybe I should call her a PekePooUg? A PooPeeUg? PugOooEek? :lol:

Lots of people want to know her breed because they think she should be purebred. Don’t know why. One man asked and I said Pekingese Poodle and he responded, “Oh. I’ve never heard of that breed”. He thought they were special poodles bred in Peking. :wink:

Now I just tell people she’s a Pekingese mix and then they argue with me. ;)[/QUOTE]

Pekeapugapoo.

#73

[QUOTE=danceronice;6556930]
Pekeapugapoo.[/QUOTE]

Gesundheit! :lol:

#74

I think one reason that the DNA tests are so erratic is that even the breeds we think of as purebred are really mixes, most of them are less than 100 yr old in the form we see them today. It’s not uncommon for breeders to outcross to correct faults that are coming to light in their dogs.

#75

Thanks for replying.

The reason I was interested is that I’ve often explained my easy acceptance of breeding (proven) dogs of different breeds together for a purpose, as having come from starting in the horse world. I was curious if other horse people felt the same way - perhaps that isn’t where it comes from in me, after all!

I’m far more interested in performance than bloodlines or papers in dogs. Now, obviously with your “designer” breeder as a lot of people are using the term here, there is no performance. All the toy breed mixes aren’t what I’m referring to. Rather, the hunting dog mixes, the herding dog mixes, and (heaven forbid) the sport dog mixes - all of which many people consider designer dogs as well.

I equate these types of dogs to the “sport mixes” or “working mixes” we create in the horse world - Anglo-Arabs, Appendix QH, basically all the warmbloods. Bringing in outside blood to enhance certain aspects and produce a better performer.

Value, of course, is rather subjective. An AKC registered, health tested, conformation type dog of pretty much any breed is going to have decent value in general - but essentially no value to me, because it isn’t something I’d want.

#76

[QUOTE=BostonBanker;6557525]
Thanks for replying.

The reason I was interested is that I’ve often explained my easy acceptance of breeding (proven) dogs of different breeds together for a purpose, as having come from starting in the horse world. I was curious if other horse people felt the same way - perhaps that isn’t where it comes from in me, after all!

I’m far more interested in performance than bloodlines or papers in dogs. Now, obviously with your “designer” breeder as a lot of people are using the term here, there is no performance. All the toy breed mixes aren’t what I’m referring to. Rather, the hunting dog mixes, the herding dog mixes, and (heaven forbid) the sport dog mixes - all of which many people consider designer dogs as well.

I equate these types of dogs to the “sport mixes” or “working mixes” we create in the horse world - Anglo-Arabs, Appendix QH, basically all the warmbloods. Bringing in outside blood to enhance certain aspects and produce a better performer.

Value, of course, is rather subjective. An AKC registered, health tested, conformation type dog of pretty much any breed is going to have decent value in general - but essentially no value to me, because it isn’t something I’d want.[/QUOTE]

While I think those intentions are good (quality parents to create a working dog), the reality is if the bitch has 10 puppies, are you going to find ideal homes for them all for the purpose they were bred for?

I really like some crosses, think they can be wonderful pets. The issue at hand is the “value” of them. Sure, my mutts are worth a million dollars to me, but the reality is they should not carry the same value as quality purebred. And, that most of these designer breeds are not coming from quality purebred bitch x quality purebred stud.

#77

We just got a puupy about 6 weeks ago. Mom was a heeler/beagle cross, which I am finding quite common and dad was a corgi, who strayed over from the Amish farm next door. The gentleman selling them was not doing it to make money, only to recoup some costs. Only $100! Rescues and even our local Humane League wanted much more.

So far he’s looking to take on mostly beagle traits. There is some dapple and a blue eye from the heeler. He stalks like a heeler. Our other dog a Toller, loves her new playmate, companion.

In trying to get an idea of what our new addition might look like, I have found many dogs with all three in their mix. Guess for some, hybrids sounds better then mutts.

#78

7L, congrats on your pup! But you know we need photos of all puppies:yes:

#79

The “designer dogs are AWFUL” thing is kinda a recurring topic on any animal forum, but I have to confess, I’m getting less sure this is accurate. Yeah, I hate the people who randomly mix random cute dogs just to make a buck and sell them online. But is it any worse to create endless doodles as family pets (for which there is at least an endless need and a less-than-endless supply these days) than to create “working” mixes which have a tiny market? I can’t get over the people who created Border Jacks, just to excel at agility. WTF were they thinking?

And re: the argument that people should just be going to a shelter and rescuing a doomed dog? It’s getting harder and harder to find anything in a shelter that isn’t a pit bull or a Rottweiler. Most people shouldn’t own either, and they know it.

#80

HastyReply - you just have a NZ Heading Dog. No need to add the “BCX” part in as BC is one of the foundation breeds and it is an allowable outcross. No fancy name needed :slight_smile: unless your breeder specifically wanted it to be known that he had added BC in very recently. (I live in a farming area of NZ where these are one of the most common breeds of dog around.) We add the BC back into the NZ Heading Dog every now and again to re-empahise the eye. They are not common as pets only as they get into even more trouble than BCs do when they dont have a job :). They do make GREAT agility dogs.

Same as the NZ Huntaway (originator breeds - labrador (bark, stamina), BC, GSD and some others generally “lucky over willing” as it were - originated at a place called Hunterville thus the name) - now usually a black and tan, rangy, athletic, largish, bark-king dog used for mustering sheep off haaarrrddd country. Periodically adding back in lab (for bark and size) and the “farm” BC (for sheep sense) but still very uncommon to find a Huntaway that has much white in it. Farmers are quite careful on that - the Huntaway has a completely different way of moving sheep than a BC or a Heading Dog… they essentially stand below the sheep and BAAARKKKK, then move to where the sheep have and BBBBAAAARRRRRKKKKK - thus the need for a good bark.

However, these are purpose bred dogs for a reason and the qualities of all breeds have been blended for that reason. I would never have either of these types of dog in town without a lot of mental stimulation and training. They are not the same as a maltipoo or anything similar.

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