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.

They have been deliberately bred usually from pedigree parents who have been health tested

I disagree. Crossbreeds are more likely to be bred as they aren’t subject to KC restraints and don’t need genetic tests.

Why would you fork out ££££ for genetic testing on both parents to satisfy the KC, and then also have severe restrictions on the number of litters.

Crossbreeds:
Can’t be KC registered.
Can have as many litters as can be made to produce.
Don’t need certification of genetic tests.

Basically you’re removing all the health checks and balances the KC have introduced to try and encourage more responsible breeding. Not saying they’re perfect, but at least with a KC registered dog you have more reassurance the dogs aren’t being overbred etc.

Yeah I do agree with that @CayrolBaaaskin, I think you are right.

I dunno. It's only in the last 3-4 years that the Jack Russell has been KC recognised.

Until then it was just a 'type' - the genetics of which had a fair amount of variety - but most people accepted the idea of the Jack Russell as a breed for the purposes of every day conversation.

For the purposes of working, crosses have been used fairly extensively. e.g a farmer might have a great border collie but see a particularly good australian shepherd working and choose to add that into the mix for the next generation. This is how all working dogs evolved.

It's just that today's 'job' is that of a family companion. I think dogs and people might benefit from the recognition of that so that focus is brought to producing dogs that best fit with the requirement.

My gran always said a weed was just a plant in the wrong place. Temperament-wise, a problem dog is often just a dog in the wrong environment. We might as well realise the environment we are asking dogs to live in and focus on breeding dogs that meet that need.

The real tricky bit is to do that whilst massively increasing the health of almost all breeds and crosses - because when you really look at it, many of them have been done a great cruelty. And I don't just mean the poster boy brachy breeds. You can add so many, many more in there whose lives are now shorter and less comfortable than their ancestors, because of human interference in breeding.

Once you dig under the surface, it becomes truly terrifying what humans have done to the domestic dog.

It's not about what kind of dog you want or have, it's about the systematic animal abuse that comes with the the demand for special-named mongrels.

Though considering the OPs very short posting history that's only moaning about people's concerns over dog care/appropriate breeding, I can only assume they have another agenda. Did your puppy farm get shut down or something .

So, you’re accusing people of “smearing” and yet you’re calling people on here snobby dicks? Pot/kettle.

At the end of the day, a crossbreed isn’t a breed a cross breed is a poodle/Labrador/cocker/ cross. At the point you give it a name you are trying to elevate its standing as a breed. It’s not a breed.

And a handbag isn’t a living breathing creature. Incidentally I think that people who spend thousands on a handbag are nuts as well, but they’re not hurting anyone, so crack on.

But when you spend £2k on a dog because it’s a couple of different breeds with a designer name, you are feeding into a trade which shouldn’t exist.

My last two guide dogs were lab retriever crosses. Not latrievers, or rebradors (my own made up name obv but could be a good name if it put a couple of grand on the price tag,) they’re lab retriever crosses. But most importantly they were/are living breathing creatures who happen to be two different breeds crossed....

“Most people don’t want a crufts champion, they want a pet”

I wish that was true. But most people want their pet to be a crufts worthy type. People seem to equate paying more with that. The more labels people can put on things the better they feel. Nowadays they don’t just want a Labrador or a pedigree Labrador, but it has to be a pedigree Labrador from working lines - even though they have no intention of doing anything that requires a working lab. A dog is a dog for me. I would never buy a dog. Dogs seem to just find us.

I have 2 mutts, from the dogs home who needed a home.
I wanted a French bulldog but just couldn't bring myself to buy one when there was many dogs waiting in dogs home/rescues.
I object to deliberate breeding of cross breeds and charging £££ and as PP states elevating costs and making them 'a thing to have'.
If you want a cross go to the dogs home find one, if you want to brag about costs give the dogs home double/triple the fees.
When we got ours we gave the shelter the money we'd saved for the pup I was looking to buy.

They're called mongrels because crossbreeds are mongrels. I don't get why you're querying it.

I am a proud owner of 2 Heinz 57s (mongrels of indeterminate origins) and have exactly nothing against mongrels, but the things I don't approve of when it comes to crossbreeds is a) the number of people buying a dog that will look cutesy on Instagram because they think it's a lifestyle accessory instead of a living being with needs and b) unscrupulous idiots breeding their 'designer' dogs purely for money with no thought as to moral responsibility, health of their dogs, etc.

And yes, I do judge people I know and like for buying things like Frenchie puppies, because if you think you're going to love a dog more because it looks a certain way (and you're willing to feed a trade breeding unhealthy animals for profit with complete disregard as to the health of the animal), you're an idiot and should not own a dog. Flame me if you like, IDGAF.

A cross-breed has two pedigree parents ( like cockerpoo , pomski, lurcher etc.) and a mongrel has one or more cross-breed parents. That being said, I haven’t noticed any snobbery about whatever breed a pooch is among any of my dog-owning friends. They’re mostly all lovely and very much loved pets! Mumsnet can be a strange place!

Meaning of mongrel in English
mongrel
noun [ C ]
UK /ˈmʌŋ.ɡrəl/ US /ˈmʌŋ.ɡrəl/

a dog whose parents are of different breeds

But if your dog's parents are different breeds then it is a mongrel because that's the meaning of mongrel. People seem to think if the parents are pedigree then it's not a mongrel, that's not what mongrel means, it just means parents were different breeds.

Not that I think there's anything wrong with mongrels either, I've owned two from rescue.

There isn't anything wrong with cross-breeds.

There is a massive issue with puppy farms raising 1000's of badly bred puppies in horrendous welfare conditions to satisfy a market for dogs with cute bullsh1t names. - doodle; chon; poos

If you want a cross breed get a cross bred, but don't add to an exist horrific market under the pretence of getting some sort of designer dog.

So I don't think people have an issue with cross breeds, just idiots who think they are buying them thinking they are getting particular traits ignore the welfare background and the market they are fuelling.

@MsVestibule

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.

What is the difference? I don’t know anything about dogs but I have opinions on dogs that might have difficulty breathing or with their eyes popping out...

Cross breeds literally are mongrels though, how is it offensive to call them mongrels?

Also i think people object to the high prices put on random mixes and try and portray them as a saught after breed. Pugs and french bulldogs riddled with problems but no one cares because they are so expensive.

Yanbu op.
I don’t like that people desire some animals which have been interbred so much that they have genetic defects.
Crossbreeds are usually healthier for this reason.

all dogs are mongrels/crossbreeds. Basic biology.

I have a problem with anyone who breeds or buys unhealthy animals for their appearance or other qualities. The goal should be a happy, healthy animal. Just like your goal with a child is for them to be healthy.
Cross breeds have some health issues. Some purebreds have health issues.
Most breeders are poor, either throwing two animals together in the garden, or inbreeding "champion" lines.

A woman I used to walk dogs for told me that the dog was bred by a show dog breeder between a Male and that males daughter. It was a pug and couldn't actually walk properly, you could see the tail deformity went further up the spine, and it couldn't breath. He cost a fortune.

Our dog is a rescue Mongrel I am proud to say.
Bollocks to snobs.

Gosh I have a crossbreed. Never knew that people look down on me because of it. Hilarious.

@RyanBergarasTeeth

Cross breeds literally are mongrels though, how is it offensive to call them mongrels?

Also i think people object to the high prices put on random mixes and try and portray them as a saught after breed. Pugs and french bulldogs riddled with problems but no one cares because they are so expensive.

Presumably we are expected to refer to them as cross breeds in order to use the more euphemistic American term to avoid upsetting anyone, a bit like how no-one's allowed to say "died" any more.

For me, it’s the overbreeding issue that I have problems with.

A kc registered pup can only be from one of four litters. They simply won’t allow you to register more from the same bitch. In the past, this meant that bitches couldn’t be bred aggressively for cash as non kc pups were seen as not worth the money.

Cross breeds can be bred as many times as the owners wish. It’s a loophole that needs closing, purely from a dog welfare standpoint

Mongrels and crossbreeds are actually healthier than pure bred dogs - hybrid vigour.

OP, posters have given you lots of reasons why they have issues with crossbreeding and you have dismissed them all in favour of the narrative you have decided on. Sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder and only want people to tell you you're right.

I don’t like that people desire some animals which have been interbred so much that they have genetic defects.
Crossbreeds are usually healthier for this reason

The hybrid vigour thing is somewhat of a myth. A crossbreed with untested parents, or from a puppy farm/byb is much more likely to have health issues than a pedigree that complies with KC restrictions on breeding.

Again we’re back to “decent” breeders- the issue with getting a puppy is finding a breeder who is breeding to improve the breed or produce healthy puppies, vs one who is doing it purely for money.

As pp said, crossbreeds can’t be shown etc, so the only reason to breed them is to sell as pets for money.

Breeding responsibly is not cost effective- vet checks, tests, care of mum and puppies is very expensive and labour intensive. If you breed for the health of the dog it’s difficult to make a real profit.

I’m on a few Facebook pages & rescue pages for the breed of my dog - French Bulldog
The amount of people that buy one paying upwards of 2-3k and then get shitty about the insurance - it’ cost more to insure my dog than my brand new Mercedes 😂
I do understand french bulldogs are a breed that can bring out the frothers and haters but mine is as healthy as can be
I Met mum and dad
KC Reg
Parents had all the relevant health tests

No allergies
No health issues
The breeder even said that he wouldn’t breed the more popular colours like Merle ( which come with a 3k min price tag because of all the health issues that they have so he sticks with standard brindle and fawn colours
Dog is Complete knobhead but I don’t think that is down to breeding 😂
But the amount of french bulldog puppies I see under 4 months with severe allergies and skin conditions is terrible
People think they are paying xxxx so the dog should be healthy but that isn’t the case
I got mine in lockdown last March and paid £1400
Same puppy now will easily fetch £2000 -£3000
But brindles aren’t a popular colour - people want Lilac plantinum and Merle