Designer Breeds

[Alysser]

It wouldn't bother me if they were trying to create a breed with a purpose other than scamming people and making money, but today that's just what mutt breeders are doing.
I am a fan of the Catahoula Bulldog, which started out almost 100 years ago as a cross between a Catahoula Leopard Dog and an American Bulldog. There was, however, a reason they crossed them. People wanted a dog with the drive and intellegence of a Catahoula and the strength of a catch dog to bring the ferral hog home. Up until then they had to use two dogs. It generally worked and now the Catahoula Bulldog has been an established breed for over 50 years.

Catahoula Leopard Dog


American Bulldog


Catahoula Bulldog


(American Bulldogs vary greatly in type, I'm not sure which lines were used in creating the Catahoula Bulldogs.)

I guess I'm trying to say I don't mind if someone sets out to create a breed for a purpose, and stops if it's not working the way they intended, like the Australian Guide Dog Society did when they found out their labradoodles weren't working. What gets me is when people cross breeds with the intent of making money, or creating a cute new name.

Agreed 100%! I don't get designer dog breeding. I will never understand how anyone can breed for money

[shepgirl]

I disapprove of all designer breeds while dogs are dying in shelters. It's another money scam and gullible people fall for it while lovable dogs needing homes are euthanized.

[bckrazy]

I met a Pugapoo at the dog park. PUG x POODLE!

I find any dog lovable and cute, in general... just because they're a dog... but this dog looked gross. D: Not aesthetically pleasing in any manner. It was an overweight, curly, unkempt Pug, basically. It almost looked like a bunch of random dog body parts pieced together, and it walked like it either had HD/ED or would have it very soon.

The owner was so proud. I assumed he was from a shelter but, no, pet store puppy. Why???

Mixed breeds are fantastic, of course. But when people are breeding unscrupulously, with the main intent being money, NOTHING good is going to come of it. If any of these DD "breeders" actually stepped up, incorperated more than TWO breeds, went anywhere beyond one or two generation, bred reputably, and bred for a reason, and actually got together a breed club to responsibly create a breed... I would encourage them. However, all the DD trend is doing is promoting random, irresponsible breeding; period.

[Casper]

I find the names to be super lame. I saw someone advertising a "Beaglier", or rather a Beagle/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in the newspaper the other day.

The name puts me in mind of what little schoolchildren might say on the playground...
"My Beagle is more beaglier than your Beagle!"


I mean... seriously.

[Ginger's Mom]

The owner was so proud. I assumed he was from a shelter but, no, pet store puppy.

We met a "chug" at the park last weekend. I must admit he was quite adorable. His owner was a very nice young man, who was obviously quite proud of his dog, and enjoyed showing him off and watching him interact with the other dogs there. To be honest, I look forward to seeing them there again. However, when I asked if he rescued him, he said he got him from a breeder. I think the people on here understand when I say I wanted to scream, "Breeder? Breeder? What sort of breeder needs to make up names for dogs as they go along? Don't you know how many mixed breed dogs there are in shelters?" But, I just said "oh" and played with my dogs until the anger passed. If we see him and Ben on a more frequent basis I may start talking about shelters vs. breeders, but not on the first meet with a man who is enjoying taking his dog out to dog appropriate places. It's not likely to have an impact until he has some sort of idea about the type of person it is coming from any way.

[Giselle]

Like I've said before, the reason it is so difficult to educate the general public on this topic is because this is an issue of ethics.

In our collective mind...
- breeding dogs for money is *unethical*.
- breeding mixed breeds and claiming they are a "breed" unto themselves is *unethical*
- breeding mixed breeds in the midst of vast pet overpopulation is *unethical*
- breeding without performing health tests is *unethical*
- breeding dogs solely for companionship while MILLIONS of companion-quality dogs are being euthanized at shelters is *unethical*

To us, it all makes perfect sense because we've developed a certain viewpoint that blends breeding with ethics. "Bad" breeders are those who do not follow our collective ethics. "Good" breeders are those who do follow our ethics: essentially, those who breed for the improvement of the breed itself. The only way to really change the hearts and minds of the general public is to convince them that breeding is an ethical issue in and of itself. And then we can really cut down on the number of unnecessary litters being born.

[lute]

I find the names to be super lame. I saw someone advertising a "Beaglier", or rather a Beagle/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, in the newspaper the other day.

The name puts me in mind of what little schoolchildren might say on the playground...
"My Beagle is more beaglier than your Beagle!"


I mean... seriously.

I'm with ya there! Beaglier is one I haven't heard of yet. There is a puppymiller that goes to the vet I work for. She has recently started mixing all her different breeds. She was bringing in a lot of Yorkteses(YorkieXMaltese) last year. This year it is Cavashons(CavaliersXBichons). She makes me so mad every time she comes in. She does in fact breed for money. I can't call any animal control on her because she keeps her facility remarkably clean and all her dogs are vetted. The shelter won't touch her.

[cynicallynn]

I call my dog a German Dane if I am in the company of people who know I'd never buy from a breeder; otherwise, she is just a Great Dane mix. The boyfriend's dog, an unidentifiable mutt, is a very rare and valuable specimen known as the "Urban Hybrid".

[Suki Wingy]

I have called my dog a North American Spotted Terrier, but more often I just call him a No-One-Knows-So-Stop-Guessing.