[kingnigel]

the problem with cross breeds for me is that when someone buys a dog iys usually as a pup, so cute and adorable, that pup might grow up to look like its mum, who might also look cute and manageable, but it could grow up to look like dad, or any variant in between mum and dad, and that could be more of a hand full. so that dog is not manageable as an adult. hence rescue kennels end up picking up the pieces.

most breeders of mongrels (muts, crossbreeds) no offence meant dont bother telling buyers about the pitfalls of owning this type of dog ie my dogs are working siberian huskies, they malt like you wouldnt believe and they are not trustworthy when let off lead, so if you cross a sibe and whatever and get a designer utonogen  is that dog also not to be trusted off lead. does the new owner get that info.
kn

[SallyintNorth]

Lets be completely honest here anyone who breeds dogs whatever breed does so for money and all the dressing up in the world can not get away from that, If the situation was any different dogs would be free or sold at the cost for rearing etc. Or am I taking rubbish ?

Like most generalisations, that one will have its exceptions.

I can think of at least one.  Farmers with a really good working bitch will usually try to get a litter from her with a good working dog.   The pups will either be retained on the farm or sold to other farmers wanting working dogs - and not for anything like the £300 I've recently seen collie pups for sale on here.  (I would expect to get an adult, trained working collie, ready for farm work, for £300.)  In fact, around here, it is regarded as really rather distasteful to breed a working bitch for profit.

[pikilily]

Oh Sally... Do you think i have been ripped off??? I thought i was getting a good deal there.   

The way i looked at it when you take the cost of feeding the bitch, her vet bills,  full vaccinations (they even came and collected Meg to take her to the vet for her last lot) microchipped, registered, and all that documentation.... feeding the puppies during weaning... I felt that if there was any profit it would be pretty minimal.  This was a litter that was bred really for them to have their own pup, not primarily as a profit making excercise.

Anyway she is worth every penny to us. . ..and if you look at the papers and compare that with £700-£800 for a crossbreed pet... or £1000 for a pug - i am happy !!

As they say 'Market Forces'....its what people are prepared to pay. 

LOL... if someone was to come to me and say, offer £200 a head for my lambs,,, would i say 'NO, I'll just sell them at the market for £80'   - probably not!!

Or those wellies that we buy....are they really worth £50-£100 ??
  Emma T

[SallyintNorth]

Oh Sally... Do you think i have been ripped off??? I thought i was getting a good deal there.   

Then you have a good deal.  The best deals are ones where both sides feel they have done well.   

[pikilily]

True True !! 

We are very happy with Meglet.....Megatron
Shes happy here!! and that is more important...
Emma T xx

[bigchicken]

A litter once in a blue moon, we wont count that. Its funny how people think that they have to justify themself, does nobody agree that the vast majority of pups breed are sold for profit or are you to busy painting youself whiter than white     

[Rosemary]

Our neighbour has a poodle x Jack Russell and she's gorgeous (the dog, not the neighbour, although she's very nice as well). We met a Border Terrier x poodle last week - she was gorgeous too. I'm wonderng if we should just get a poodle next time 

[pikilily]

A litter once in a blue moon, we wont count that. Its funny how people think that they have to justify themself, does nobody agree that the vast majority of pups breed are sold for profit or are you to busy painting youself whiter than white   

Not sure what you are commenting on here, or whose post/bit of post you are replying to?? 
Need more detail, Sir!! 
Emma T 

[SallyintNorth]

Our neighbour has a poodle x Jack Russell and she's gorgeous (the dog, not the neighbour, although she's very nice as well). We met a Border Terrier x poodle last week - she was gorgeous too. I'm wonderng if we should just get a poodle next time 

In my view they are a very underestimated dog - but some strains are now so highly-strung having been bred (in my view) for their looks rather than their temperament, you have to exercise a bit of discretion in which you select.  I think the overbreeding (again, my opinion) has affected the standard (large) and toy (smallest) the most; I think the majority of miniature (middle-sized) poodles are intelligent, affectionate dogs who make great family pets - and they don't moult, either!   

[robert waddell]

well i am not whiter than white and i do not make myself out be something i am not
we breed our pups because we have a male and a female dog  both collies some pups we have kept but the most have been sold on to i hope good homes  (if rolls royces were free we would all have one) anybody that sells pups should make money as opposed to anybody that breeds pigs i know the quality of the dogs i have and there potential 

[Fronhaul]

On the poodle front there are two working poodles living on this farm.  Both are trained gundogs and absolutely delightful.  Although standards they are much smaller than the boy I had some years ago.  I lost my boy when he developed gastric torsion for the third time and I took the decision that to put him through major surgery yet again was too much for him.

As for the majority of pups being sold for profit I suppose it depends to some extent how you define profit.  If in true commerical terms, offsetting the cost of the bitch, any stud fees, veterinary fees, testing fees for hips, eyes and the like and the ongoing costs of feeding and caring for a bitch over her lifetime then with say two litters as the likely maximum then I doubt many show a profit.  If however you are talking about some money back to help offset those costs then the picture may change. 

[bigchicken]

Robert well done , an answer steeped in reality.  I to in the past have sold pups namely working terriers they did not have a kc pedigree but were bred for there working qualities  only the best were bred from and the bit of money I made helped pay for the upkeep of my dogs. Most times  I would breed the terriers to get a pup on two for myself  to keep the line going and the surplus would be sold. I usually had a waiting list for the pups   Most but not all went on to be working terriers.I feel I need to justify myself to no one as my intentions were always honerable towards my dogs, they gave of there best and that is what I strived to do. I used to go to working terrier shows and at first it was just a day out to talk working terriers with like minded people  but gradually things started to change more folks got the bug  [ would go to any lengths to get a rosette]  and proper working terriers became less and more and more none workers were being showed the people also changed becoming less friendly  and turning up with loads of dogs, churning out loads of litters to get that winning show dog. Not my kind of people.

[SallyintNorth]

On a lighter note... bigchicken, I wonder what you think of this story.

At our local Hound Show, as well as the Hound classes there are Terrier classes and a Pet class for the kiddies.  (If I had my way there'd be Collies, Lurchers and Terrier Racing too, but it's only a small show  )

Two very nice working Border Terrier bitches (sisters) cleaned up in the Border Terrier classes this year - proper dogs, you'd have liked them very much - and one went on to deservedly win Champion Terrier.

As soon as they came out the ring with their rosettes all over 'em, a couple of wee lassies trotted up and asked if they could borrow them for the Pet class.  Their owner, not thinking I suppose, said yes and off the girls went with their 'pets'.  No prizes for guessing who came 1st in the Pet class... 

(Well I'm not sure we can say very much... last year our niece won the red rosette in the Pet class with our Reserve Champion (Local Pack) Hound Puppy - but at least we're related and she knew the dog!)

I suppose we'd better think about making some guidelines for the Pet class, eh? 

[bigchicken]

Great wee story yes some of the hunt shows have a good family vibe.  kids will be kids fame is a fickle thing  owned by exibiter should cover this maybe  I have a soft spot for the border terrier if you get a worker its usually is a good one  I remember two very fondly. None of them belonged to me they were top workers and probably would never have even been placed at a show. Its as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and to me they were different class.

[sabrina]

the whole world and its mother seem to be trying to breed and sell puppies but not K.C registered. Adds often say checked by  the vet but this does not mean the dog and bitch. For sale but no papers. There are loads of staffies for sale but look at the rescue centres and they are full of them. One of the best dogs we had when our children were young was a collie cross lab. He was free as a pup and a wonderful dog, he lived to the grand old age of 15 and never once cost us a vet bill apart for his injections now I see the same for sale for £300 in out area. would I pay that for a crossbred dog of that type, yes if parents were in good health and there had been no problems that were know down the line. As for breeders only breeding for money, maybe some but you will find that the true dog lover who breeds and shows their animals do not do it for the money. By the time the bitch and dog have had all the tests done for hips, eyes etc, feed the bitch in pup then the puppies profit is not something you will find a lot off and many take puppies back if for some reason the new owner has to give up the dog. People who do it for money are not all that interested in what they produce but I bet the tax man would be