I overheard a conversation in the pet shop at the weekend

[Deadnettle]

A man was at the checkout paying for something and talking about his dogs.

He has a litter of jackapoos, 9 puppies of which 4 have already sold. He has a litter of bugs(?) (Boston terriers x pugs) due on New Years Day. His springer has just come into season, so he is going to mate her with a poodle. He hopes that the springer doesn't have as many puppies as her mums last litter (also poodle crosses) because 13 puppies was hard work but worth it for the money. He sold them for £1000 each.

I have no problem with crossbreeds but I really worry about people buying a dog that was bred purely for profit. I worry about the dogs health and temperament. This man could really care for his dogs, he could be health testing his dogs and making sure they have excellent temperaments, and he might offer to take back puppies if the new owners can't keep them.

Its a shame then that he only talked about his dogs in terms of them making money.

[knobblyknee]

I wonder what he does with his old bitches when he has worn them out? Uggh.

[Deadnettle]

I hate to think knobblyknee.

I am not surprised people are breeding dogs purely for profit, since getting a poodle puppy an awful lot of people have told me to breed her. When I say no, they tell me to think of the money! People have also offered their dogs as stud dogs. I will always say no to breeding my pup but now I think less of a lot of people!

[Floggingmolly]

What is this trend for crossing poodles with just about every other breed, and charging a grand a pop? Time was they would just be considered mongrels and worth considerably less, not more, than purebreds.
If there was a market at all.

[Claraoswald36]

I have a gorgeous show cocker. I had a few people suggesting I might as well put him to stud. I said no chance he is a pet not an investment and had him castrated. I may get a cocker bitch at some point. She will be fixed as well immediately for the same reasons.
What's wrong with people

[fiverabbits]

When I brought 3 baby rabbits ( 1 girl and 2 her brothers) from a breeder she asked if I was going to breed them. I said no as soon as they are old enough they will all be neutered so they can all live together happily which they did. There are enough rabbits in Pets at home and rescues that need rehoming without breeding more.

[knobblyknee]

I recently saw an advert for poodle cross Havanese and guess what they were called...

HaveaPoo.

[TheoriginalLEM]

all the while people continue to buy these dogs people will continue to breed them.

[mollie123]

it is shameful and I don't feel the people doing this are genuine animal lovers - OK maybe one litter for a bitch but not to keep on doing it for the money (which is what it boils down to).
So long as people will pay megabucks for an 'interesting' or 'exotic' cross that they can boast about while ignoring the many lovely dogs in rescues who need a good home - there is probably no way to stop it.
Interestingly a few years ago (when 'lurch' was looking quite good and sleek) I was asked if he could be mated with a lurcher bitch (which would at least have been a 'lurchlurch' but I explained he was castrated and already a mix (border collie and greyhound)
More and more mixes is not a good idea.

[mollie123]

interesting list of the 'designer breeds'

Boglen Terrier (Beagle/Boston Terrier)
Gerberian Shepsky (German Shepherd/Siberian Husky)
Dobernauzer (Doberman/Schnauzer)
Staffodor Retriever (Staffordshire Terrier/Labrador Retriever)
Wollie (Collie/Whippet)
Chowman Shepherd (Chow Chow/German Shepherd)
Maltingese (Maltese/Pekingese)
Muggin (Pug and Min Pin)
German Chusky (German Shepherd/Husky/Chow Chow)
Patterland Terrier (Lakeland Terrier/Patterdale Terrier)
Lhasanauzer (Lhasa Apso/Mini Schnauzer)
Gollie (Golden Retriever/Collie)
Westiepoo (Westie/Poodle)
Bug (Pug/Boston)
Aussiedoodle (Australian Shepherd/Standard or Mini Poodle)
Beaglier (Beagle/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel)
Bichpoo (Bichon Frise/Poodle)
Borador (Border Collie/Labrador Retriever)
Chorkie (Chihuahua/Yorkie)
Doxiepoo (Dachshund/Poodle)
Mal-shi (Maltese/Shih Tzu)
Zuchon (Bichon/Shih Tzu)

A wollie is closest to a 'lurcher'
Perhaps collie/grey lurchers could be renamed as 'grollies'

[NoahVale]

I thought anything crossed with a greyhound was simply a lurcher. thus not really such thing as a lurchlurch
but I could be wrong.

I met a woman with a dog who had been finished at a puppy farm, she was the mother. Her under carriage was in a terrible state. It was so sad, as were her teats.

[NoahVale]

quick wiki confirms i am right, a lurcher is anythign crossed with a sighthound.

[Queenbean]

It is terrible, I feel so sad for these family pets that are used as money making machines.

I never quite understand the view though that the "designer" breeds end up in rescues. I would love a dog but work full time so can't get one, but regularly look at rescue sites to see what dogs they have in and there are barely any of those. Apart from Jack Russell / Staffie breeds.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Indiscriminate breeding of crosses is one of my biggest bugbears. Of course every once I awhile 2 different breeds will accidentally mate throwing up an unplanned litter but a cross does not necessarily mean the best of both! As you said this man may be doing all health testing for each breed but given the sheer amount of different crosses here it seems unlikely.

At the same time any breeder that claims they make no profit is lying, they wouldn't be able to do it if they were constantly in the red. The difference to me is that with a reputable breeder the majority of said profit will be plowed back in to the dogs. That could mean buying in foreign lines thus widening the gene pool, increasing the health screening or buying equipment etc etc.

[BooAvenue]

I cannot abide people who buy those designer crosses for exactly the reasons you state in your OP. It makes my blood boil.

[Queenbean]

Tough I've just looked at that website, some of these are heartbreaking

Eg www.manytearsrescue.org/display_mtar_dog.php?id=15053

[Readysteadyknit]

I do think the govt need to act on this - the number of dogs given up and in rescues is ridiculous. Maybe a tax crackdown on people advertising puppies on websites or £1000 per dog or cat license fee for unneutared pets.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

:(

poor things

I don't know alot about dogs but surely some of these mixes are dangerous? in the genetic problem sense. health wise. like the hip problems and problems with birthing?

instead to think what happened to those poor puppies. families fall in love then they die as they aren't vaccinated and the mum wasnt healthy.

just disgusting :(

[Gileswithachainsaw]

And of course the poor mum :( her poor fragile malnourished through constant pregnancy body :(

[NoahVale]

yes the woman who had a rescue ex breeder said her dog was in a terrible state, as described in that link really not used to a household

[mollie123]

noah I was being facetious about a 'lurchlurch' - I do know that a lurcher is a specific type of dog not a breed as I have had 2 or the dear dogs.

[Deadnettle]

families fall in love then they die

My last dog was a border collie, we rehomed him when he was 11 weeks old. From the time he was 5 months old we spent every single day checking his quality of life and waiting to make the decision to pts. He died last year at 5 1/2 years (he lasted 2 years longer than we thought he would). He should not of been bred. He was a mess health wise and he suffered.

He was the reason we could not get another rescue. After my poor collie, I wanted a dog with history, with health checked parents and a caring breeder. It took us a year to find the right dog and I am so pleased we waited. I have done everything I can to get a pup that will hopefully live a long, full and painfree life.

[knobblyknee]

I wont rehome ex puppy farm dogs.

I dont care how much hate I get for it, the fact is puppy farms will exists because people wont stop buying the puppies.

So the only way to close them is to stop making them profitable. Stop helping them by taking their unwanted stock. Make them pay for rehoming, neutering or euthanasia and disposal.

Dont enable puppy farms!