That's easier said than done. They're numerous stories on YT from those who thought they were buying from reputable breeders & their story turned into a sad one.

So true. But hey, I didn't say it was a foolproof option, just the best one we have.
:(

So...thus far the only "goal" or "motivation" that has been mentioned is to "breed healthy dogs"....?

Another question: What would be the reason(s) for one wanting a dog that was a result of two different breeds?

The Love of the outcome!:p:2hearts2:

Advantages and drawbacks
The mature appearance and behavior of purebred puppies is more predictable than that of mixed breeds, including cross-breeds. With purebred dogs, the genetic variations are well documented and a breeder has a fair estimation of what type of offspring a given pair will produce. Still, there is variation within breeds; for example, two champion sheep-herding Border Collies might produce offspring with no interest in sheep herding.


Two mixed breed dogs from Central AmericaSome trainers believe mixed-breeds exhibit higher average intelligence than purebreds, but others believe mixes are no more intelligent than purebreds. Both sets feature both slow learners and dogs with high learning capacity. For example, Benji, the hero in a series of films named for him, was a mixed-breed terrier.

Many people enjoy owning mixed breeds, valuing their unique appearance and characteristics. While purebred dogs exhibit little variability of appearance within their breed, mixed-breed dogs exhibit often unique appearances. Although some dog owners prefer the status of owning a specific breed of dog or have a nostalgic attachment to a breed they wish to acquire, many others enjoy mixed-breed dogs that exhibit characteristics similar to their favorite breeds; in fact, with a mixed-breed, they can enjoy some aspects of appearance and personality of two favorite breeds with a single dog. There is usually an abundant supply of mixed-breed dogs wanting owners, available at negligible prices, while pedigreed dogs can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars and reputable breeders can be hard to find.

Some owners value a dog's pedigree as a status symbol and, therefore, have no use for mixed-breed dogs; others particularly appreciate the physical or behavioral traits of certain breeds; still others ignore pedigree and, instead, value a dog's personality and health.

Local animal shelters adopt out dogs of both purebred and mixed ancestry, emphasizing each dog's personality and suitability as a companion for each potential owner's lifestyle

I wouldn't want any dog to go to that sort of person.

yorkipoos are a mix of yorkie and poodle.
i prefer the yorkipoo to the yorkie and to the poodle.
there are people who prefer the mixed breed
just visit petland on a saturday and you will see the people
they dont have a clue as to where these dogs come from,
and they dont even want to know
the problem is STILL the puppy millers
until they outlaw this cruelty, there will be no good answers
if there were ONLY reputable breeders, then the dogs would be
very valuable.
but too much ignorance has caused this problem
petland charges outrageous prices and people pay the price
with unhealthy dogs
the market is flooded with dogs in petstores and the internet..
99% of all petstore puppies come from puppymills
so it makes sense to go after the petstores first.
i wish my taxes were being spent to protect them:animal-pa

I beleive that in mixing breeds, there is a chance that you will end up with a dog that has inherited a problem to each breed. But on the other and if the problem is caused by reccessive genes, it could lessen the chance of the offspring inheriting it.

So I see no genetic reason why one should not mix breeds as long as they are starting with two healthy dogs.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::)

Good article!
 

I think those are important points. There's an example of cross breeding with a purpose. If I were blind that would be a great asset to me, a guide dog that I wouldn't be allergic to. But it also shows how unfortunate this is. People see that something is trendy and try to cash in on it. These "unscrupulous" breeders (if they can be called that) don't take any consideration when it comes to which dogs the will breed, what are their physical tributes that are desirable and their temperament that will be passed on to the next generation, and how often to breed. This is when mixing of breeds becomes a problem, and it's not only a mix breeds that is a problem, this can also happen with pure bred dogs.

That's also a valid point! I've been wanting to get a dog for as long as I can remember, and I'm still waiting. It wouldn't be fair to a pup for me to purchase one, even from a reputable breeder and not be able to offer it a good quality of life. So I wait, and in the meantime volunteer at an animal shelter. (that's a personal choice) Everything needs to be taken into consideration before making a commitment to bring home a furry friend. Regardless of breed or cross they are still a commitment and they deserve a good quality of life.
But....yes there's a but... I don't think it's fair that the price for a pup, or for that matter vet care, keeps skyrocketing and I think it has a lot to do with the labels put on dogs. These designer dogs are inflating the price of "fashionable" pups. Breeders won't let a pup go for what others might think is a fair price when they know some ignorant (ignorant to the fact that greedy people don't usually breed for healthy happy sound dogs) person might be willing to pay more. That makes it harder for people trying hard to do their research and find a sound happy pet since we're bonbarded with advertising from people who claim they are good breeders. Which is why was wondering what a "fair" price for a yorkie is...cause now I don't know. Maybe the price can be an indicator? Maybe not?
My parents have asked what a puppy of the breed that I want would cost, and they are shocked by the answer. Now they tell me that I'm crazy for wanting a yorkie, but I really like the type of temperament and the predictability that comes with a purebred. So for now, I continue to wait.

Breeds that have already been established have their own breed specific issues--not just genetic, but physical as well. Breeders of a specific breed can identify them and control them. When you cross two breeds, you have then have offspring that will be succeptable to complications from TWO gene pools. You may luck up and produce a dog that has the 'best of both worlds' but you may get one that has the worst of both.
The problem is, this doesn't often seem to be taken into consideration. I have yet to see, either on this forum or elsewhere, the precautions taken to prevent these types of issues. Or any long term study proving or disproving the theory.
Seems like an awful lot of "theory" to be playing around with. These issues are not being taken into account and nothing seems to be done to prevent them, predict them or even keep track of them.

And again, there still seems to be one major thing lacking--the purpose. Other than to produce what suits the immediate desire, with one generation.

I have to agree with you on that!

That's fine, we all have our separate opinions. As said before, you can't get a group of people who are passionate about something and expect them to all have the same views. I thought you said "just to give them away", which I interpreted as free...

No, that's not what I meant. They breed to preserve a certain look or characteristic that makes the breed, a breed. Breeding just for "fun" or for "cute puppies" is selfish and not a reason at all to raise a litter.

You sound like a hobby breeder, not a BYB (there's a big difference). If you are a good, reputable breeder who breeds high-quality dogs, does genetic health testing, and is dedicated to the breed, you aren't a BYB. A BYB is an unknowledgable breeder who breeds their low quality dog to the neighbor's cute little dog to get some cute puppies. Their motivation is usually just for the fun of it, for $$$, they want their kids to experience the miracle of birth, or because their dog "is just so sweet and they need to get little mini-hers around".

Well it seems to me the only ones who agree with the mixing of dogs are the ones who own them (bought them) or are the ones who breed them.

They are indeed mutts and like others said no thats not a BAD word.
If it walks like a duck......