[PinkMartini]

Originally Posted by Saragp

I guess the bottom line is that I am just upset that these breeders are what I feel, taking advantage of a trend that seems to be sweeping the nation. Put the word 'designer' on it and all the sudden its on the news!

I totally agree! I totally am against people intentionally breeding mutts. In my experience, most of the people who breed these dogs are making a ton of money at it. And most of the people who buy these dogs are good people who are simply mis/underinformed.

It's staggering how many people are not aware that there are purebred dogs to suit almost every lifestyle. Instead of a Labradoodle, how about a Curly-Coated Retriever or a Portuguese Water Dog?

I am not anti mixed-breeds. I am pro-dog across the board. But the advantage of adhering to purebreds and participating in a system with registries, regulations, etc., is that if it is properly carried out, you end up with breeders who are accountable, knowledgable, and breed with the best interest of the dogs in mind. This includes spay/neuter contracts for pet-quality puppies, not breeding dogs with health or temperament issues, and making sure that the family/owners of a dog are well-suited for the breed (i.e., no Border Collies for city families!) and committed to the well-being of the dog.

The dogs being bred in these cases are not health tested, not temperament tested, and have no titles to prove that they can work, or adhere to the standard. All that is being produced is a mutt. A mutt that you could find ANYWHERE.

A responsible breeder who would health test, temperament test, and title a dog would not be busy breeding mutts. They'd be concentrating on bettering the breeds that already exist. Any breeder purposefully breeding mutts is a breeder to stay away from, because breeding mutts is irresponsible.

Mutts are everywhere. Go to the pound and you'll find these "very good dogs" of every variety, size, and coat type. There are plenty of these mutts, we don't need them to be purposefully bred. We have too many dogs already. It's one thing if someone is breeding show or working quality dogs to better a breed... it's another to pump out puppies to make money because the mix they are creating is popular. Breeding dogs to make money is despicable. A reputable breeder would not be making money off their pups.

There are breeds to fit every lifestyle; we don't need purposefully bred MUTTS. If you want a low-shed breed, get a poodle. They're smart, friendly, and playful. Or go to the shelter and adopt a low-shed breed. We have NO use for these designer dogs.