The only good reason to breed is to better a breed. Not to create more.

With the amount of dogs dying in shelters, the vast majority of them being mixed breeds, why anyone would want to create more mixed breeds is beyond me. Yes, the shelters and rescues may not have the type of mix that you are looking for -- but when you want a mixed breed, you can't be specific anyways. After all, it's getting two completely different genetics from both sides -- it's looks and characteristics won't be predicatable.

People say that mutts are healthier with less temperment problems --- but that is a complete myth. The breeds aren't the ones being bred, the two dogs in question are -- and if you have a dog that carries health problems, bred to another dog that carries health problems, then the puppies will either have or will carry health problems. Breed/s is irrelevant. The sad thing is that people who pay $1000 for a purebred show/working quality animal are more likely to pay for it's surgery -- and that is why vet statistics will tell you that more purebreds end up having surgery than mixed breeds.

With the overpopulation problem, we need higher standards. Mixed breeds are rarely created for anything other than for the sake of mixing breeds. If one wants a mutt, they should go to a shelter where 85% of the dogs are mixed breeds. Otherwise go to a reputable breeder who breeds purebred dogs.

As for designer breeds -- well this is much worse than breeding your dog to the neighbor's dog to keep a puppy, in my opinion. This is asking thousands of dollars for a dog whose purpose could be fullfilled by a purebred dog. A "chug" has absolutely no purpose. It's a pug mix with increased risk of luxating patellas and behavioural issues. It's a chihuahua mix with increased risk of breathing problems and obesity. It's INCREDIBLY rare that I ever see a purebred dog in the petshop. Because purebred dogs just aren't the "thing." Designer breeds are. They are taking away from what we already know. They are ruining hundreds of years of selective breeding. I walk into the petshop and see poo-a-poms, shi-poos, yorkipoos, maltepoos, cockaliers, cockapoos, labradoodles....the list goes on and on. All ridiculous names. All of them registerable only with unreputable registries that promote puppy mills. Our standards should be higher.

Just my opinion...I've often joked about breeding Visa to a standard poodle to create "groenendoodles" so I could sell the puppies for $2500. People often tell me I SHOULD. NO WAY.