To think there’s nothing wrong with cross breeds?

[sophialagiraffe]

There is nothing wrong whatsoever with cross breeds, whether that’s lurchers or cockerpoos. People are allowed to like what they like.

What DOES matter is where the dog comes from. But all this sneering about “mongrels” is fucking nasty and says more about the poster than the dog.

Most people don’t want a Crufts champion, they want a pet.

People will sneer at anything on Mumsnet - from toilet roll to garden furniture.

I guess it makes them feel better about themselves for a minute or two.

How do people ensure that a cross breed has been done properly paying attention to all health issues ?

Well, according to MN they are ‘mongrels’, Laurie so surely not an issue?

It's the breeders that people have an issue with, not the actual dogs.

There isn't anything wrong with cross breeds in the old fashioned sense, ie farm accidents (which is what most of mine have been), but there is something wrong in letting your dog have a litter "for the experience" or cash. With a pedigree you should get hip scores, eye tests, temperament tests and breed specific tests. The trouble with crosses is there is no traceability, you have no idea how many litters the mum has had and you have no idea what you are getting. To be able to sell a so called designer cross for the same price as a fully checked pedigree is wrong, not for snobbish reasons, but ethical and welfare. I strongly beleive that breeding dogs should be tightly regulated, then whether you breed a cross or not, there are guarantees in terms of welfare.

@LaurieFairyCake

How do people ensure that a cross breed has been done properly paying attention to all health issues ?

So why endlessly sneer at them and call them ‘mongrels’?

It’s just a way of keeping the people who had the tenacity to buy a non-MN approved breed of dog in their place.

@LaurieFairyCake

How do people ensure that a cross breed has been done properly paying attention to all health issues ?

@LaurieFairyCake our golden doodle came from a very serious breeder with all the relevant paperwork to both parents including hip , elbow and eye checks. Both parents were kennel club registered and had excellent lineage.

He has been a fantastically healthy dog and is now 12. His mother has very sadly just died aged 14.5. So I feel completely confident that it’s possible to have confidence in getting a healthy dog if the breeder is reputable.

If he’s a mongrel that’s absolutely fine. I wish the insurance reflected that!

People are just worried about welfare.

The amount of crossbreeds that come into groomers fully matted, the amount of crossbreeds coming from puppy farms, the number of people breeding dogs that are on trend rather than x-raying dog hips/elbows etc to ensure no genetic conditions are passed along.

Proper breeders do all the appropriate tests (and breed good temperaments) to ensure they produce robust dogs. The problem is that the family down the road are unlikely to do any of that. So some poor pup suffers from something entirely preventable.

Of course I'm not saying purebred dogs don't have issues however the true responsible breeders are doing all they can to reduce those issues and improve them. That's the difference between a good and a poor breeder.

Also, crossbreeds are likely to have unknown issues such as dad having an undiagnosed poor heart, mum having undiagnosed hip dysplasia. Put them together and you're increasing the chances of those conditions being passed on. Hybrid vigour doesn't change this. There will be crossbreed breeders out there doing the right thing but they are few and far between unfortunately.

I've heard this IRL twice recently. Both said 'why would people pay that much for a mongrel?'. If they know anything at all about dogs, they'll know the difference between a cross breed and a mongrel. They do know the difference, they just like the opportunity to sneer at people who haven't done things like they have.

There's nothing wrong with cross-breeds but there are too many, commanding silly amounts of money and are often bred purely for profit with scant regard to well-being.

It’s not sneering. I have no problem with a cross. BUT they often come from BYB with no health testing, puppy farmers or large commercial breeders. And often there is no thought to whether these two breeds actually compliment each other. It’s often done to create something fluffy that will sell.

My issue is not with the dog. I don't sneer. I do, however, think anyone who pays ££££ for a crossbreed is fucking stupid.

It's not a cockerpoo. It's a crossbreed/mongrel. It is the same as all the other crossbreeds wasting away in rescues up and down the country. Giving it a stupid name does not suddenly make it genetically superior and worth thousands.

I don’t care a jot if it’s a mongrel. If I want to get a mongrel, I will. I’m not planning on showing or breeding, so I don’t care. But why be so sneery and arsey about it? And pull the other one with ‘just concerned about welfare’ - world of difference between being upset about puppy farms and sneering and insulting others’ choices!

Some people spend £££ on handbags, or cars, or holidays.

People like what they like. Doesn’t make them ‘fucking stupid.’ Does it?

I should think it's because many are bred by idiots, for money, without any of the proper checks. It therefore follows that those buying are also idiots. Many of the resulting dogs have health problems, don't they? Hence some not liking this.

I don’t think people sneer at mongrels, rather that they are often bought without any thought to health testing or temperament. IMO dogs should be bred true to the purpose they are intended for regardless of if they are pets or not. Just because it’s a pet why should it not be heathy, able to do it’s job if required and true to standard?
Also buying a pedigree gives you a much better chance of getting the pet that suits your family, much less variables in energy levels, personality etc.

I’ve got a fair few pedigree dogs and a ‘mongrel’ from a rescue centre.

The mongrel has no end of health problems from both of his breed, hips and elbow dysplasia, allergies, bad skin. He also inherited his nervous temperament from his badly socialised and nervous parent.
He’s a good dog but it’s such a shame as it’s all so avoidable with a few simple health tests and some thought.

@Alexandernevermind But what happens to the accidents like your dogs if someone requires a license to breed them? Is there not a risk someone would drown puppies or abandon them rather than risk the fine? I suppose you could say you couldn’t sell if you weren’t licensed but could still breed but I imagine then cash would still change hands and you’d still have abandoned puppies from people who had accidents and couldn’t be bothered to find homes without financial incentives.

Health problems sure, because no pedigree dogs have those do they?

Oh, wait.

People ensure cross breeds have no i congenital health issues the same way as pedigree breeds. By getting the parents tested. Cross breeds generally have less health issues than pedigrees. Also there’s no issue in general re breeders. In fact cross breeds tend to be bred by people breeding pets which tends to be better welfare wise.

It’s just snobbery because they’re popular.

Of course there is nothing wrong with a mongrel
I reserve my contempt for people who make up wanky names for them such as Goldenschiznoodle or similar in order to charge more for them.
It also concerns me when people want one because the oodle bit is hypoallergenic, there’s no guarantee the other bits won’t be dominant. Anyone getting a mongrel where they know what it’s parents are need to consider if they could cope with the WORST bits of both breeds combined because that could happen - a dustbin of a Lab with the intellect and busyness of a poodle isn’t an easy combination

I only care about welfare

The idea of sneering at a crossbreed/Heinz57/mongrel wouldn't occur to me. My own doggy daycare people have a poodle cross who's properly bred - wonderful dog.

I have 2 pure bred dogs (1 is a rescue) - hoping to adopt a third who's a cross breed

So what you’re saying is you want to spend thousands on a designer breed and you’re getting worked up about your dog being perceived as a mongrel 😂

As I thought hopping, it’s just a way of keeping people in their place, right?

@Ostryga

So what you’re saying is you want to spend thousands on a designer breed and you’re getting worked up about your dog being perceived as a mongrel 😂

What I’m saying is that a lot of posters are snobby dicks

Well of course pedigree dogs have health problems.

However if you breed a dog with an elbow score of 0 with another score elbow 0 then your likely to not get a dog with elbow disease.
Same with hip dysplasia and DNA testing. Breeding two DNA negative dogs will ensure that puppy does not have that genetic disease.
Why would you risk it other than to save money on health testing?