The only valid point I see in creating a new breed is to fill a niche not already covered by ANY other dog breed.

Example- The Labrador Retriever/Poodle mix is needless. Anyone up for Portugese Water Dog or Curly Coated Retriever?

Another example- Silken Windhound. First off, I want to sing HALLELUJAH! No silly names! On to business, the Silken Windhound is a meticulous mix of Longhaird Whippets and Borzoi added in for head shape and movement. Through careful planned breedings and record keeping, the Silken more or less breeds true. Young Silken pups grow into dogs which conform to the Silken standard (yes, there is a standard!) and most importantly, look like a Silken is supposed to. Now, what niche do they cover, you may ask? If you think about it, there is no sighthound in the world that is relatively small and longer haired. Whippets and Greyhounds are both short haired and excruciatingly thin skinned. Borzois are very large and Afghans have a coat that needs extensive grooming. There is a very large gap, and Silkens certainly fill in the niche. Their coat provides protection for the thin skin and they're a perfect size, approximately 17-21 inches (I don't remember the exact measurements). Plus, they *do* breed true and they recently closed the studbooks in an attempt to get recognized by the AKC (and other reputable registries).

Also, many many reputable breeders are now advertising in magazines and on the Internet. They do this not because they need to get rid of puppies fast. They do it because they realize that the majority of puppy buyers look on the Internet and dog magazines first. Unfortunately, the 'net and various dog magazines are riddled with unscrupulous breeders preying on innocent buyers. Therefore, reputable breeders are now placing ads on the 'net and in mags in hopes of guiding the prospective puppy buyer in the right direction. Just my two cents.