More hybrid dogs...

[remix22]

I've come across another "designer dog" (read as: an on-purpose mutt) on Friday. I swear, my forehead is going to hold a permanent bruise from hitting my head on my desk out of frustration by all these people trying to pass off their mutts as some kind of new purebred dog. But, I suppose if I paid $800 for an unpapered puppy, I might be in denial

Comments

[oracle7]

"Designer dog" sales are now outstripping those of purebreds. I think this is largely because all the scientific research show mutts live longer and healthier lives than purebreds.

Most people just want a happy, healthy family pet. Say "Boxer" and they think heart disease; say "Golden Retriever" and they think hip dysplasia. The incidence and severity of inherited diseases increases every year, and yet breeders continue as they've always done, with outdated practices that continuously limit genetic diversity.

If people are really interested in doing something about "designer dogs", they need to first take action to improve the health of their own chosen breeds.

[remix22]

The majority of people I meet who have a "designer dog" don't know anything about the health issues affecting the breeds. More than half the people I speak to don't even know what DHL PP stands for (or even means that the dog got a distemper shot) and don't even know what Bordatella is

[oracle7]

A lot of the people now breeding hybrids origially bred purebreds, but became disillusioned with the increasing number of hip problems, and the failure of breed associations and rehgulatory bodies to take action.

The Labradoodle Association, for example, places the highest emphasis on health and temperamanet, and states that, "these must not be compromised for any reason". They also require the following testing on all breeding dogs:

OFA Prelim or BVA at or after 4 months (not within 4 weeks of a heat cycle)
PennHIP at or after 9 months OR Final OFA at 24 months
Yearly CBC and Thyroid Panel including TgAA, Antech NY, SuperChem and Thyroid Profile 5 (ADDISONS)vWd DNA
Cardiac Exam
Yearly CERF Exam
PRA DNA
Patella Luxation Exam, Knees
Elbow reading of Normal

As far as I'm aware, the Poodle Club of America has no mandatory testing requirements at all.

[oracle7]

"Hip problems" should have read "health problems"

[remix22]

So...essentially what you're saying is that breeders saw a problem with breeding practices, and instead of taking the actions required to breed out certain health problems, or take action action against breed associations, they instead "create" a whole new "breed" and new "associations" to regulate these new "breeds." These breeders see a problem and all they do is create a new one.

If it were so easy to breed out certain health problems in one single generation, why not just do that instead of creating more mutts? These breeders saw a niche and jumped on a bandwagon to make a pretty penny.

[oracle7]

Certainly their are puppy mills that have jumped on to the "Designer Dog" band wagon purely to make a profit. But this has happened with popular purebreds in the past (Dalmatians and Miniature Schnauzers are a couple that spring to mind). Puppy mills will breed whatever makes them the most money: purebred, hybrid, small white fluffy; they don't care. They breed what sells.

However, there are also many dedicated hybrid breeders whose main aim is to produce healthy dogs, without the genetic problems that have plagued many purebreds. They aren't wanting to compete with purebreds; these aren't show dogs, or new "breeds". Many families have known the heartbreak of losing a beloved dog because of genetic problems, and these breeders simply want to provide healthy, happy family pets.

There is a good article (written by a British purebred breeder) at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2007/03/07/ftcrufts107.

[shalimar_98]

::cough:: Shiloh shepherd ::cough::

Tina Barber started out with a great idea but then well it got ugly. More dogs per capita in that breed have megaesophagus, bloat and temperment problems than you see in GSD's

Labradoodles have a few that are doing it right. The rest appear to be doing mostly F1 crosses with no set standard that they are breeding to.

While I still think Tina Barber had a good plan I think she needed to be more open to new blood, less secretive about breeds added and stricter on health issues. If the thingapoo breeders were half as good as she is on the good points I would consider changing my mind. Until then. Not so much.

Edited - 1st userpic made my comment seem lots snarkier than I meant it.

[oracle7]

The real problem of "new breeds" gets down to the basics of how "purebreds" are currently produced

[shalimar_98]

I would have a better opinion of the thingapoo "breeders" if they had any goals besides "non-shedding", and that's a crap shootright there. Good breeders of purebred poodles test for (or should) Addisons, hip dysplasia, thyroid problems, PRA and Von Willebrand's. They also should be keeping track of bloat, cushings, epilepsy in the line.

Most thingapoo breeders pick a cute friendly poodle and breed it to their cute, friendly other breed and sell the pups for a mint.

Ok enough ranting in someone's comments. Off to form my own post :)

[oracle7]

Many people now breeding hybrids originally bred purebreds, and their main goal is health and temperament, not appearance. Labradoodle breeders, for example, have extensive health testing regimes to try and avoid the health problems that have plagued the parent breeds for generations.

If poodle breeders were really serious about the health of their dogs, they could eliminate problems such as PRA and vWd (for which genetic testing is now available) in a SINGLE GENERATION. They simply choose not to.