Not all cute and cuddly in land of 'designer dogs,' humane soci...

If a pet store is selling dogs, they are from a puppy mill. Now the puppy mill may employ some cover story or third party to cover the origin, but that doggy in the window comes from a puppy mill.

It probably left its mother too soon and will have housebreaking issues -- because the mother needs to complete her training before yours can start. And that puppy may also have many expensive health problems.

"Hybrid vigor" just means the dog's parents are not close cousins, so the possiblity of genetic disease is reduced. At the same time, it means the dogs do not "breed true" so there is no guarantee as to what the puppy will grow up to look like.

I am not anti breeding and I am not opposed to designer dogs, but you absolutely need to deal with someone who will show you the dogs mother. That is not a pet store.

Chicago has arguably the finest shelter in the country, check out Paws Chicago if you need a little love. You can either get an adult dog and see what you are getting or take a chance on a puppy for a whole lot less money.

I love my Mutt !!!

I have to confess that I have found most the hybrids I've seen absolutely adorable. They are basically mutts. You're going to get the pre-dispositions of both parents, whether purebred or hybrid. I think the purebred breeders are more likely to breed in problems due to in-breeding and line breeding. Maybe a good healthy influx of new DNA is a good thing.

As the rescuer of a puppy mill dog that was left in the pet store till 6 months, I'll tell you you can turn that animal's life around with proper nutrition (raw feeding), limited vaccines and lots of attention and love.

Our little cock-a-poo, adopted in 2000 from a pet store that I guess, looking back, must have been a front for a puppy mill, is wonderful and completely free of disease and congenital problems.

We needed a small pet and were willing to pay for a small pet. We looked at every pound and shelter for miles around and found nothing but pit bulls.

If irresponsible pit bull owners would stop breeding dogs that no one wants, there would be plenty of room for the kind of family pets people actually want to find when they go to the pound.

All pit bulls should be castrated at birth. Only gangsta psychos want them.

OK! how weird! The breed of our dog was censored out of my previous post! Our little dog is a mix of a cockerspaniel and a poodle: he is a c0ck-a pooh. A total sweetie, a little lamb!

I also got my dog from Happiness is Pets in Downers Grove, after looking at shelters, etc. She had a cataract problem from birth which I noticed right away but the pet store never returned my numerous calls. They count on you falling in love with the dog which of course I did. I wouldn't trade her in for anything but I would have liked some monetary compensation from them considering she wasn't cheap. I guess the moral of the story is don't buy your dog from a puppy store. Although I heard that the Dog Patch in Downers Grove is pretty good; they take the puppies outside every day and actually will take a puppy back if it doesn't work out.

it amazes me how people fall for the "designer dog" lies!

Lie #1: they are NOT breeds! there's no such thing as a purebred labradoodle, no such thing as a purebred puggle. these designer dogs are all MUTTS! the same kind of mutts people used to give away in parking lots, the same type of mutts that can be found at any shelter and rescue across the country

Lie #2: hybrid vigor is VASTLY overrated! a couple of years ago, the term "hybrid" meant the offspring of two animals of different species, such as mules, donkeys, ligers, etc. puggles, peek-a-poos, shipoos, etc aren't really hybrids since all breeds of dogs are in the same species. I've noticed over the years the definition has been skewed in some places to now included these designer mutts.

hybrid vigor is a tricky thing to understand and many people get it wrong. simply breeding a beagle to a pug isn't going to eliminate generations of inbred genetic traits. a puggle is no healthier than its parents: you breed a pug w/ bad hips to a beagle w/ bad hips, guess what? that puggle is likely going to have bad hips! you see some hybrid vigor in true mongrels, dogs w/ extremely mixed ancestry, not in these designer dogs

Lie #3: not all poodle mixes are hypoallergenic! yes, mixing a poodle w/ another HA breed like a shih tzu will produce a HA dog, but it's far less likely mixing a notorious shedder like a lab w/ a poodle. look up the history of the labradoodle and learn how the original Australian breeder more or less gave up trying to produce HA labradoodles b/c results were extremely skewed.

Lie #4: nearly 100% of purposely bred designer dogs are produced by puppy mills and BYBs. no question about it. good breeders don't breed mutts just because they look cute! any puppy being sold in any pet store in this country came from a puppy mill or a BYB and only exist to make the breeders more money, no matter what the cost to animal welfare

if you want a puggle, pomapoo, goldendoodle, whatever, check the local rescue, they've been there all along, only not labled w/ the cutesy fake names

mutt s rule and they need love to

Those pet stores need to be put out of business. I've noticed a few new ones open up recently and that is disturbing. There are plenty of dogs on the street and in shelters that need loving homes. My last two dogs have been strays that we rescued and I wouldn't have it any other way.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER buy an animal from a pet shop. As the article states, the vast majority of them are from puppy mills. If you insist on buying a purebred dog, visit the website for that breed, and find a reputable, local breeder who breeds for QUALITY of the breed, not quantity. INSIST on seeing BOTH parents, as well as the areas in which they are kept. Also, a reputable purebred breeder will offer a GUARANTEE on the dog in regards to major known health issues with that breed (such as dysplasia or other genetic issues). If they won't offer that guarantee, look elsewhere.

And don't think that if you hear it came from an Amish breeder that somehow makes it better... the Amish are among the WORST of the puppy millers.

Better yet, adopt your pets from one of the many, many shelters around. Many of these pets have been fostered, and the temperment and medical issues, if any, with the pets have been established. You usually won't get a big surprise, and you can often find a purebred dog that was surrendered due to the owners moving, allergies, etc.

http://www.petfinder.com/ is a fantastic site to check out if you're looking for a new pet.

I am the proud owner of three "rescued and recycled" pets, and wouldn't give them up for anything!

mystic riveree wrote:

it amazes me how people fall for the "designer dog" lies!
Lie #1: they are NOT breeds! there's no such thing as a purebred labradoodle, no such thing as a purebred puggle. these designer dogs are all MUTTS! the same kind of mutts people used to give away in parking lots, the same type of mutts that can be found at any shelter and rescue across the country
Lie #2: hybrid vigor is VASTLY overrated! a couple of years ago, the term "hybrid" meant the offspring of two animals of different species, such as mules, donkeys, ligers, etc. puggles, peek-a-poos, shipoos, etc aren't really hybrids since all breeds of dogs are in the same species. I've noticed over the years the definition has been skewed in some places to now included these designer mutts.
hybrid vigor is a tricky thing to understand and many people get it wrong. simply breeding a beagle to a pug isn't going to eliminate generations of inbred genetic traits. a puggle is no healthier than its parents: you breed a pug w/ bad hips to a beagle w/ bad hips, guess what? that puggle is likely going to have bad hips! you see some hybrid vigor in true mongrels, dogs w/ extremely mixed ancestry, not in these designer dogs
Lie #3: not all poodle mixes are hypoallergenic! yes, mixing a poodle w/ another HA breed like a shih tzu will produce a HA dog, but it's far less likely mixing a notorious shedder like a lab w/ a poodle. look up the history of the labradoodle and learn how the original Australian breeder more or less gave up trying to produce HA labradoodles b/c results were extremely skewed.
Lie #4: nearly 100% of purposely bred designer dogs are produced by puppy mills and BYBs. no question about it. good breeders don't breed mutts just because they look cute! any puppy being sold in any pet store in this country came from a puppy mill or a BYB and only exist to make the breeders more money, no matter what the cost to animal welfare
if you want a puggle, pomapoo, goldendoodle, whatever, check the local rescue, they've been there all along, only not labled w/ the cutesy fake names

Maybe I'm making the same point you are, and I'm just misunderstanding your wording, but after a few generations, they do become their own breed- that's how just about every breed out there starts- there's two types of dogs bred together for awhile for whatever reason (they create good looks, good personalities, strong, etc.)

Eventually a c*ckapoo or a labradoodle or whatever is going to develop its own consistent genetic issues and you're going to have the same problems over and over again.

In the cat world, they crossed Asian leopard cats with tabbies to create bengals- at first it was a mutt, but once you start doing it consistently they are their own breed.(And trust me- they come with plenty o' problems!)

I think another misconception people have is that there are no purebreds in shelters- there are tons because people give them up for the health and behavior issues. If you've got your heart set on a purebred, at least find one in a shelter rather than getting anew one and supporting the industry!

"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.

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.

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

Spike rules

I got him from a shelter (he's a purebred black lab) because his previous owners couldn't control him - they thought a few walks a day on a leash would be ok, but they were wrong, obviously - anyone who has ever had a black lab can tell you that. But they were good enough to give him up to the shelter. We live out in the woods so he gets all the exercise he needs.

Custom bred dogs is just a goofy idea. I've had both mutts and purebreds and I bought one purebred from a breeder - not a good idea - and got the rest of my dogs at the shelter and I've seen labradoodles and they just look idiotic.

Spike is at day-care right now - if he were here he would add a few lines.

He still rules

Designer dogs are Lies!
Every puppy bought, nine dogs die.
If shelters are full of pits, then how did I get my two shep mixes from CACC? Oh, and one is only 20 lbs, that's a small dog.
Finally, I've been working with shelters, fostering dogs for 15 years. People are morons who jump on what ever band wagon is cool at the moment. If it's not designer mutts, it's dalmatians, or c#ckers, or pocket pets.

Adopt Adult Dogs From Shelters!

ps. Pits are great dogs with the right handlers. If you were beaten and abused you might bite the hand that fed you too.

Gem wrote:

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

True enough. We considered a pug but I was extremely concerned about the breathing issues that a lot of them had. We instead got a puggle, who has the slightly scrunched nose look but a far more extended snout.

I also sort of agree with Marie. At the time, our house was small so we wanted a smaller dog but nothing too tiny. Something between 20-40 lbs. All that the shelter had were rat dogs and huge mammoths. Adorable dogs but not the right size for us.

All pet store puppies come from puppymills. Then there are the backyard breeders who do anything for a buck. The midwest is loaded with them. Most of our puppymill rescues come through Chicago.
http://www.prisonersofgreed.org
Responsible breeders do not sell puppies to pet stores or on the internet. They actually care where their pups go and stand behind them for life. If you can't visit where the puppies were born and raised and meet the puppies' parents; at least the Mother.......RUN!

What is the difference between a "designer dog" and a mutt?

I spent over three months looking at petfinder and a host of other sites and loctaions but mainly all I found were pits, and pit-mixes.
Finally I looked at some breeders, and found a wonderful dog, checked her history, family, and where she was raised.
looking at the history of what you are buying is the key

astronomer wrote:

I spent over three months looking at petfinder and a host of other sites and loctaions but mainly all I found were pits, and pit-mixes.
Finally I looked at some breeders, and found a wonderful dog, checked her history, family, and where she was raised.
looking at the history of what you are buying is the key

I spent about a month checking petfinder and saw a lot of breeds other than pits/ I remember back about the late 80s when I had lost a dog and was looking for him (I was living in Indiana at the time) and one of the shelters I went to had an entire wing with nothing but pits and pit crosses who were the subject of lawsuits. I wouldn't touch one of them. Not to say that they are a bad breed per se but they have a terrible reputation and many backyard breeders have sprung up and you never what what you are getting.

And Spike STILL rules

With smiles, silly noises, rolling down snowy hills like an otter and giving kids sloppy kisses

his is a benevolent rule

Designer dogs are mutts, but people with more money than sense, don't get it. I am not a fan of Pit Bulls, but it is not the breed, but the owner. Years ago, it was Shephards,Rottweillers and Dobermans were the "evil" breeds. My sister got 15 stiches in her face from her beloved CockerSpaniel, it all depends on how the dog was raised and treated. He was rescued from a bad family.