[Shropshirelass]

Sorry if this offends anyone but I totally agree with the following picture & am just fed up of seeing hundreds of ads for these so-called new breeds of dogs such as cockerpoos, sprockers & labradoodles which sell for huge amounts of money when their mongrels. I have nothing against mongrels just the morals behind these new breeds, personally I wouldn't own a mongrel or rescue dog by choice. But see below & hope it doesn't offend x

[jaykay]

I suppose it meets demand. If people want them and are prepared to pay for them........

I can see an argument for a Sprocker, i always did think that there was a 'spaniel gap' between the two parent breeds. Also the 'oodles' I gather don't shed hair, so that suits some.

Why wouldn't you own a mongrel or a rescue dog?  I have to say some of the best dogs I've ever had have been both.

Stopping unscrupulous, out-to-make-a-buck and no-thought-for-the-welfare-of-their-dogs breeders - that I can definnitely agree with!

[Rosemary]

Sorry if this offends anyone but I totally agree with the following picture & am just fed up of seeing hundreds of ads for these so-called new breeds of dogs such as cockerpoos, sprockers & labradoodles which sell for huge amounts of money when their mongrels. I have nothing against mongrels just the morals behind these new breeds, personally I wouldn't own a mongrel or rescue dog by choice. But see below & hope it doesn't offend x

I think technically they are crossbreeds ie a first cross between two recognised breeds. A mongrel is a wider mix, often of unknown parentage. And maybe the crossbreeding helps to eliminate some of the issues with purebreeds.

That apart, they obviously meet a percieved need in the market - which is how all the current pure breeds came about too, I suppose. My neighbour has a jackapoo and she's just gorgeous 

However, any breeding should be done with healthy parents - and there's a wee bit of me thinks that some folk are a bit unscrupulous about this breeding and just see ££££££££

I do absolutely agree that breeding of dogs should be much more tightly controlled - whatever the breed or cross.

[Raine]

 


I saw someone recently selling cockerpoo's.  It was a recipe for disaster as they were crossing indoor pet poodles with outdoor, working (manic) cocker spaniels!


I love my lab X, she has been a great dog.  I also love my greyhound.  I am more interested in a dogs personality and that they would fit into our life than the breed.


I would also try to get a rescue, unless it was a working dog.

[mojocafa]

What do you get if you breed a Dalmatian with a poodle.......


........ A spotty poo

[Torrin37]

How did most of the breeds you think of as pure breeds come about? I am no dog history expert but I believe they've all been made from a mix of other breeds at some point in their history.

I totally agree that breeding should be regulated and people shouldn't be able to just breed unsuitable litters which might have health issues, but why are the x number of "pure" breed dogs we have at this particular point in time be the best dogs to keep going forward into the future? Some of these mixes might well be here to stay.

[lilfeeb]

Both my dogs are rescues of unknown parentage, one is clearly a lab cross and the other looks like a minature alsation. They are both lovely friendly, well mannered healthy dogs. They are great with the kids, happily ignore the chickens and geese and tolerate the cat's frequent attacks on them with good nature.

The cat on the other hand is manic!

[lilfeeb]

I do agree with shropshirelass that the names being used for these cross breeds drive me demented. what is wrong with calling them a spanial/labradoor cross. Although I understand that some of them like labradoodles are being developed as a breed in themselves and you can get 3rd and 4th generation labradoodles.

This is how the current recognised breeds were developed too and it maybe that these types of cross breeds will eventually become standardised breeds of the future. Hopefully with some better, more imaginative names and without some of the health issues.

[jimmy]

We have 2 cockerpoos, due mainly to my wifes allergies.

They are a fantastic breed, with many great qualities (Very good with children, fantastic for alergy sufferers, don't shed hair).
There's also a well established breeding club for cockerpoos which acts extremely responsibly, inspecting and approving breeders and so on.

Saying that any cross breed is a mongrel and inferior sounds a little bit Nazi-ish... All "pure breeds" came about by crossing in years gone by.

Also on the question of health, many 'pure' pedigree breeds have large health problems. They have often been bred for aesthetics rather than health. Many can barely breathe, others can barely walk.

Hate the names if you really like, I'm not sure why you would though. They're a fantastic breed.

As long as you do your research, and go to an approved registered breeder (Go visit them before making any decision), you'll be able to see how the parents are, what their setup is like etc, and if they're doing things properly.

It's not offensive, just ignorant

[happygolucky]

I think technically they are crossbreeds ie a first cross between two recognised breeds. A mongrel is a wider mix, often of unknown parentage. And maybe the crossbreeding helps to eliminate some of the issues with purebreeds.

I agree Rosemary and I have seen loads of cross breads I would be more than happy to own.
I actualy see no problem, if some one wants to pay that much money then let them. I saw a Beagle Pug mix and she was so lovely......!

[mojocafa]

This has absolutely nothing to do with this thread but...


... After reading all this about crossing breeds, I then went through unread posts and a new thread has been added titled boer bucklings, I miss read it as boer ducklings and thought OMG someone has bred a duck with a goat!!!

[Alistair]

Supply and demand, and when the demand goes then the price will drop and people will stop, it seems wrong on one hand though that the KC and responsible breeders spend ages trying to iron out genetic problems just for others to introduce the possibility for a whole load of new ones to appear

I fully agree, they are just mongrels, but hey what's wrong with that, I've got a mongrel, she's a class 5 agility dog, I've got 2 isds collies and neither of them can keep up with her

I've also got one of the original designer dogs, a lurcher, greyhound x saluki (actually he is a long dog (thanks doganjo))

I make a lot of money grooming designer dogs so I shouldn't moan, but they are just mongrels if names even matter

Pedigree dogs where bread to do specific jobs I thought, not just to answer the current fad?

Oh and mini my mongrel has just informed me that she is a designer dog, she is a woof woof grr, which translates as a german bull whippet or a gerbupet poo

[Moobli]

I personally don't mind if people want to cross breed dogs and call them whatever name they fancy, so long as the breeding is done ethically and responsibly.  There is clearly a demand for these crosses and the only issue I have is when puppy farmers jump on the bandwagon and churn out litter after litter of these type of designer dogs without any care for health or temperament issues and the poor bitches are simply used as breeding machines with no life at all outside the whelping box 

[SallyintNorth]

I personally don't mind if people want to cross breed dogs and call them whatever name they fancy, so long as the breeding is done ethically and responsibly.  There is clearly a demand for these crosses and the only issue I have is when puppy farmers jump on the bandwagon and churn out litter after litter of these type of designer dogs without any care for health or temperament issues and the poor bitches are simply used as breeding machines with no life at all outside the whelping box 

this

Oh, and I really don't think it safe to assume that all pedigree dogs are bred in a better, higher welfare manner than crossbreeds and mongrels.  I suspect there are just as many purebred pedigree bitches producing purebred pedigree pups in terrible conditions as there are bitches producing 'designer crossbreeds'.

[HelenVF]

I think anything can be bred as long as it's done right, and well thought out.  I think the feeling with the "designer breeds" is that it screams puppy farm to some and they get churned out with no thought to welfare.  I'm sure there are some fab breeders out there, but it is difficult to get past.

We have a beddie x whippet - which is a pretty common cross.  No designer name, no ridiculous prices, just a good, old fashioned cross breed, working dog.

Breeding with no thought to welfare is wrong, be it crossbreeds, mongrels and purebreeds.

I remember when sprockers first started appearing and it was going to be the next best thing in the working gundog world.  As far as I know, that didn't happen.  There are odd ones about, but you still see pure cockers and springers around. 

Helen