AIBU about "designer" dogs

[mommymooo]

Now I know I'm gonna cause chaos get torn into hopefully agreed with but it's getting silly now with all these new silly new "breeds" of dogs. Cockerpoos sprocks. Jugs. Yorkipoos. Labradoodles. To name but only a few. After reading an article from the man who breed the first labradoodles and fully admitted it was the worst mistake he ever made. It made me think that yes I'm not the only one plus the people at the dog care home. Vets. And rescue I know that also Agree all these dogs that people are paying silly money for hundreds of pounds are nothing but mongrels.
When they breed again the new pups will be even further down the line as mongrels.
Now I know all you Mumsnet people are gonna start going loopy at me but if you think the dogs are so perfect and I do think they are all beautiful I love dogs more than most people there's not much I don't know about them I work with them everyday I have my own.
But try entering one for best in show for the kennel club. Try for any show for the kennel club.
They are not pedigree dogs.
Sorry. Xxx

I have a cockapoo. He cost me £1500 and he’s lovely.

I knew he was a crossbreed, the OP seems to think we doodle owners are too stupid to have recognised this.

@howl
very true 😉

He cost me £1500 and he’s lovely.

Insane.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.businessinsider.com/how-dog-breeds-looked-100-years-ago-2016-2%3famp

^How dogs have changed due to KC breeding.

And the popularity of breeds since 1900

www.cheatsheet.com/culture/the-most-popular-dog-breeds-from-different-decades.html/

@JK -

Completely agree. I have a mongrel/cross and paid a price reflective of the fact that he isn't a full breed. I was looking at a FB group for people with dogs of the same cross and the price some people pay for them is eye watering. Someone somewhere is making an absolute fortune.

My lot are rescues, couldn’t care less if they’re pure or not, great dogs that we love and are glad to have in our lives.

Our goldendoodles cost £1200. My rescues cost £120 and £200 each.
Do I care if you think it’s a crazy amount to spend on a dog? Nope. Because it’s not your money. I’m happy. The dogs are happy.

I couldn’t give a shit about kc papers and best in show ribbons. I cared about health testing, welfare and socialisation.

Well, your post isn't goady at all OP, is it?

I've been on this forum for quite a few years now and tbh OP I rather think you're misjudging your audience if you think that the dog house is a champion of 'designer' dogs. most poster seems to be completely against them, as far as I can tell.

I wouldn't pay out huge sums of a money for a cross breed dog personally, but at least the ones I've come across all seem to to pretty healthy.

Given the many misshapen, unhealthy apologies for dogs that many breeders at Crufts have won medals for, I'm not sure winning medals at Crufts is something to feel so smug about.

I've been on this forum for quite a few years now and tbh OP I rather think you're misjudging your audience if you think that the dog house is a champion of 'designer' dogs. most poster seems to be completely against them, as far as I can tell - well said.

I find MN is a huge advocate for rescue pets, for which I’m very glad as I work in rescue and it’s good to see responsible owners.

You potentially had a point somewhere in your rambling stream of consciousness, then you went and said "But try entering one for best in show for the kennel club. Try for any show for the kennel club. They are not pedigree dogs" and lost the tenuous grip you had on any semblance of a plot.

The kennel club and breed standards do more harm to dogs than any deliberate cross-breeding.

What is your point? People pay silly money for things they desire? - well, not exactly news. Could be cars or handbags as much as pups.

i hadn't thought of this before

bearded collie sounds lovely,i had a rough collie (i think) as a child ... i bloody loved that dog

Make it illegal to profit from breeding animals?
So someone who thoughtfully breeds a bitch after loads of time and effort (and money) on training etc and forgoes time earning at work to bring up the puppies, should receive no recompense?

We have done such a stellar job in this country at. convincing people not to breed their pets that there is basically a puppy shortage which is being filled by puppy farms. There should be a lot more thought put into legislation to control the number of breeding bitches for which a council will issue a licence, not at having a go at people who breed a litter every few years and home the pups responsibly (and maybe clear some £££ at the end in return for their time and expertise).

As for crossbreeding, I don't care so long as whoever does thinks about why they're doing it (I know a gundog who is sprocker X springador, his owner works him and thinks he's fab) and homes the puppies responsibly. Goady up-themselves posters involved in a breed with a sky-high COI... Meh.

A crossbred pug will be able to breathe. A crossbred cavalier is less likely to have heart disease etc.
It’s the show circles and KC which are responsible for inbred dogs with built-in health problems.
You’re far more likely to get a healthy pup if you buy a cross-breed with a silly name.

I think there is a real need for "designer" dogs as there is not a single breed that is able to fit into modern family suburbia life.
The only way to achieve this is to cross breed - select & repeat...
Of course a lot of people will disagree, but think about it, humans spend 100's of years selecing some traits that are are now unwanted in a pet dog. Most dogs will go through some sort of training where we are busy suppressing certain traits & behaviours... our expectations for the dog has changed dramatically.

I have Pedigree dogs for the simple reason of consistency. They are similar in their traits, size and temperament.
I hope there are some very dedicated people out there, breeding this new "suburbia" dog to deliver exactly that.

@hovverry
My DD adopted a pug x jrt, he’s a great wee dog, no health issues, lovely temperament. We describe him as a stretched out pug 🤣
He was in rescue at 3 as owners were fed up 🙄

The problem isn't with the existence of particular breeds or crosses.

It's with irresponsible breeding and puppy farms.

Unfortunately, both 'designer' crosses and popular purebred dogs are exploited by puppy farmers.

It’s a very goady thread but i will add some food for thought, if a “designer” dog is bred by a responsible breeder do you think that costs the breeder any less to produce than a pedigree? The parents health tests, checks on mum while pregnant, possible vet care if needed to deliver the pups, vet checks on pups, vaccinations.... do you think the vet says “oh as these are not pedigree pups and won’t be KC registered I’ll bill you for considerably less”. Do you think it’s only “designer” dogs that are farmed and bought by ill prepared owners on a whim?

You are aware that humans bred dogs to suit their needs? That some KC recognised breeds are actually a mix of other breeds?

By all means moan about puppy farming, irresponsible owners and breeding I’ll be there moaning with you, but this obsession “designer” breeds, how much they cost, how awful they are is an ill thought through argument and just jumping on a bandwagon.

Well all dogs are mongrels somewhere down the line

I have a mongrel, she is beautiful. I did/do get asked is that a Huskita, I playthick and pretend I didn't know what it means, I usually end up saying she is Husky x German Shepherd with Akita thrown in for good measure possibly...they usually reply, yes a Huskita I reply Mongrel...a pretty one.
We adopted her from rescue as a tiny pup. So only adoption fee.

I did meet a small cockapoo puppy, the owner was giving it large about training for 'showing'. A woman listening did say 'she will definitely get 'prettiest pup' The woman said 'Oh no, proper dog shows'
They say a fool and his money are easily parted.

I love my cavapoo and i generally paid silly money for him because I liked the idea of cavalier/poodle mix, i don't care that he's technically a mongrel or whatever as i had no intention of him being a crufts champion or any thing.
Tbf all dogs are silly prices now and i struggled to find any pup in my area being of affordable price but settled on this breed for size, affection, curly coat and friendlyness. I would have loved a rescue but due to having kids under 12 it was sadly not an option

Can I say that many rescues rehome to families with kids, it’s only DR, RSPCA that are set on rules. Foster based rescues tend to assess each home individually as they have assessed the dog more thoroughly.

i don't care that he's technically a mongrel or whatever

But he's not a mongrel, despite what doom-mongers like the OP might say.
The official definition of a mongrel is of unknown parentage, but a mix of three or more breeds. Cross-breeds such as cockapoos, labradoodles or whatever, are known to be the offspring of two distinct breeds (assuming you can rely on what the "breeder" says).

Well, I’m not going to go loopy at you, not at all.
I fully agree that people are paying stupid money for what are intrinsically cross breeds while some of our beautiful old native breeds are becoming so unpopular that many are in severe danger of becoming extinct in their native country. Apart from the fact that many pedigree breeds now undergo tests to prove that the stock being bred is healthy. Not so with these cross breeds, who knows what problems may be in store with them.
My greed, Skye Terriers are so rare now that they are right near the top, dome years at the very top, of the Kennel Club At Risk Native British Breeds, most years less than fifty puppies are registered with the Kennel Club. One recent year my one litter of five puppies was the only litter registered that year. Wherever we go, out & about, people stop us & say how beautiful they are...but “ what are they” Even in their native Scotland it is rarer than hen’s teeth to meet someone who recognised the breed. I think it’s a great shame that many beautiful old breeds are being allowed to dwindle I the current fashion for “ designer dogs”