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Originally Posted by bobohyde  I am one of those members reading this, listening to the different opinions, having questions but afraid to post for fear of getting jumped on... but here goes. There are some definite strong opinions here. I completely understand the need to breed a healthy dog, one that has been checked out by a vet and without genetic defects, and one with a good temperament. I keep hearing the phrase "for the betterment of the breed" mentioned. I have heard some say breeds should not be crossed. And the op dogs were called mutts. So is it those member's opinions that in a perfect world, there should only be specific breeds and it is always wrong to cross breeds even if you follow all the other protocol about health and temperament and are breeding for families who are not interested in a registered breed because they only want a pet? |
A very thought provoking question in the morass of this thread.
A healthy dog in our purebred breeding world can not "just be checked out by your general vet". They need breed specific tests, that often times requires specialist examinations. Such as eye CERF exams, HIP and Elbow Dysplasia, Thyroid, Heart. Hyperuircosuria Genetic test et al.
There will always be a huge divide between the purebreed world and what we would call "mistakes". Dogs of other breeds bred together. In the purebreed world, we do our utmost to health test, to post those results, to show and to only breed great examples of the breed. Well there is no road map on mixes. How will the health of Breed X mated to Breed Y turn out? We simply don't know. And we don't know how their temperament, coat, color, and so many other characteristics will be. Because they are MIXES. Breed here or there willy nilly with no documentation or follow up.
And so I ask you what in your mind is a pet? What size? What temperament? What coat? What color? what sex?
So is a "pet" a Orcarkhva mated with a Pyreness? A Neo mated with A Rottie?
Are you prepared to train these particular mixes or mutts? Because trust me those mixes will need a whole hell of a lot of training. And do the shelters understand this when they have a "mix" to place. Does the breeder of the mixes understand and scruntinize the potential owners for the high requirements of training, feeding and socialization necessary?
I deliberately postulated two very difficult working breeds mated together. But hey how about, a Rottie mixed with a Scottish Terrier. How would that temperament turn out? Never you mind the health. How about a Bull Terrier mixed with a Cocker Spaniel. A Collie mixed with a German Shepherd? A Yorkie Mixed with a Giant Schanuzer?
Nobody including the quote unquote "breeder" can answer that. Cause we just don't know.