Impact of mixed breeds/ "designer dogs"

[Mydogkelsey]

Originally Posted by mojo5569

I think that there are alot of people who want a smaller dog for a pet but dont want to spend a thousand dollars on one. having 2 smaller breeds mix would make it affordable to those who just want a companion. you can rarely find smaller dogs in shelters i know i have never seen them in one and when i have asked they tell me once they get them in they get a new home right away. so i dont think mixing breeds is a horrible thing but it shouldnt be over done either.

I agree w/ you.

[mojo5569]

Originally Posted by Mydogkelsey

I agree w/ you.

thank you

[JCarlson2004]

Originally Posted by MeganS

Maybe THESE generations won't end up in the shelter, but I have a firm belief that eventually a good number will! People see how much they can make from these dogs and they go "oooh puppies are cute, lets get rich." and they breed them until no one wants them anymore. Then the poor dogs who aren't wanted end up in shelters.

Well said Megan.

[cheryl000]

Originally Posted by Mydogkelsey

Mixed breed or full breed...they will both end up in shelters. I dont regret getting my mixed yorkie poo and strongly dislike when others say it's "wrong" but that is their own opinion I suppose.

I'm not saying it's "wrong." Nothing is black and white. I am just saying that I am predicting the designer mutt trend (mixed breeds selling for huge prices) will have a bad impact on shelters. I agree, they both end up in shelters. But the mixed breed has more of a chance of dying. Even full breeds die, my sister drove 7 hours to save a prebreed rott on death row last month.
I have a feeling we are going to see an HUGE jump in the pet population in a few years if this fad continues including even more yorkies in the pound. I believe that we'll see more backyard breeders because this fad has taken alot of work out of breeding and people will be cross breeding their dog everywhere. I honestly with all my hope that I'm wrong and we'll see no effect but in my heart I feel like it's going to happen and few people seem to be thinking ahead.

[cheryl000]

Originally Posted by mojo5569

I think that there are alot of people who want a smaller dog for a pet but dont want to spend a thousand dollars on one. having 2 smaller breeds mix would make it affordable to those who just want a companion. you can rarely find smaller dogs in shelters i know i have never seen them in one and when i have asked they tell me once they get them in they get a new home right away. so i dont think mixing breeds is a horrible thing but it shouldnt be over done either.

First of all, thank you for speaking up. I know it's hard to go against what seems to be the flow of a thread. I didn't consider the fact that maybe some people are buying them because they are cheaper. I agree with you that it's allot more cost-effective to have 2 mixes as pets. Thank you for opening my eyes to that aspect. I am curious though... what do you think when these mixes start exceeding the price of a purebred, akc, champion bloodline dog? Such as the puggles? I've seen them sell for up to $1200.
I looked around at shelters for my first yorkie as well. They told me the same thing, but I did see a 4 lb pure maltese while I was there. That is a GREAT thing that yorkies are hard to find in shelters though. It does depend on the area though. But doesn't that mean that people who come there looking for a small dog MIGHT end up leaving with a black lab or such? Or isn't it more likely that the yorkies with health problems at rescues are more likely to become adopted? Those are all good things about the shelter not having very many small dogs at the moment.
I am very sure that there are some people out there who are fantastic mixed yorkie poo breeders and such. But I believe that with this trend more backyard breeders are going to pick up on it since the prices here are so high. People have attendency to overdo things.
I do wish that people looking for a mixed breed would look in the shelter first like you did! That would help out allot. It's just that allot of people are looking to have the cutest and coolest dog on the block. Thank you so much for the input though, I really appreciate it and look forward to your posts.

[cheryl000]

Originally Posted by mojo5569

I think that there are alot of people who want a smaller dog for a pet but dont want to spend a thousand dollars on one. having 2 smaller breeds mix would make it affordable to those who just want a companion. you can rarely find smaller dogs in shelters i know i have never seen them in one and when i have asked they tell me once they get them in they get a new home right away. so i dont think mixing breeds is a horrible thing but it shouldnt be over done either.

I noticed that you're from OHIO and I saw this on the other thread. Are you close to there or know anyone interested? I hope these little guys find homes soon!
take care

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29063
RRRJeep861
Yorkie Talk Newbie!


Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4 Cheap yorkie
I was on petfinder and saw an add posted on the 19th for a 3yr. old yorkie male for $100 in canal fulton, ohio and a yorkie/chi mix male 3 months in ironton,ohio. It was in there classified section from private owners. They were too far from me. Hope it works for someone else.

RRRJeep861

[mojo5569]

im pretty close to there... i live about 20 min away and work about 10 min away.....i should check it out how much was the yorkie chi?

[cheryl000]

Originally Posted by mojo5569

im pretty close to there... i live about 20 min away and work about 10 min away.....i should check it out how much was the yorkie chi?

I'm not sure! It was on the for sale thread. That would be so exciting if you rescued these little ones!

[mojo5569]

I looked on petfinder for those pups but didnt find them. I really cant get anymore pups myself, but if i saw a pup that needed a home i would search for someone to save them.

[hunniebunnie]

A few thoughts on this...

- there is a difference between mixes from 2 purebreds vs. mixes from mixes -
- just wanted to make sure this is considered. a good mixed bred pup should be one of 2 purebred parents, first generation mutts if you will.
- that means the breeder should have purebred parents.

- there's nothing wrong with responsible breeders who breed "pets" and not breeding for champions or for show -
- "designer mixes" are obviously being mixed and bred for non-show purposes. they are meant to be pets
- "pet quality" pets are obviously cheaper than "show quality" pets
- designer mixes are mixed because they can possess qualities that are desirable to those who seek them out. these qualities will include not only aestetics such as appearance and size, but also reduction of genetic health concerns that are prevelent amongst purebreds of a particular breed.

- there's no difference between an irresponsible backyard breeder who breeds purebreds and an irresponsible backyard breeder who breeds mixes -
- the problem is not the type of dog that's being bred, but HOW and WHY the parents are being bred and how responsible or irresponsible the breeder is.

- as mentioned, there are those who would like to have a small breed dog that cannot afford the prices demanded by small breed breeders. mixes offer a cost effective alternative -
- small breeds in shelters that do not have pre-existing health or behavior problems get adopted even before they get listed on petfinder.
- i also tried shelters before i purchased my yorkie and after stalking petfinder for 2 months, i finally found an adult maltese-mix listed within 60miles of where i live. when i called the shelter about adoption, the person who picked up the phone suggested that i submit an application, but warned that there has been A LOT OF INTEREST (translation 100+ calls, over 30 applications on submitted) for that particular pup. my chances are remote especially since i'm competing again people with a house with yard-home vs. my condo-home.

- to answer the question "what do you think when these mixes start exceeding the price of a purebred, akc, champion bloodline dog? Such as the puggles? I've seen them sell for up to $1200."
- like with any breed dog, purebred or mixed, the more responsible the breeder, the more expensive the puppies. so there are times when a mixed pup of good bloodlines and parents who passed health tests can sell for more than purebreds of questionable bloodlines with no tests done.
- the fact of the matter is, with all things being equal, geographic location, appearance, size, responsible breeder, etc, a mixbred price will NOT exceed that of a purebred, akc, champion bloodline.
- as obscene as it sounds, $1200 in some metropolitian areas IS the going rate for a designer mix such as a puggle from a reputable breeder. but the going rate for a purebred pug or a purebred beagle in the same area from an equally reputable breeder would cost much more than $1200.
- puppies, may they be purebred or mixed may be cheaper elsewhere in the country, but those of us in parts of the country with a higher cost of living just have to deal with the higher cost. either by paying more to a local breeder, or extra shipping costs to an out of area breeder.
- personally if i'm going to pay more than a shelter adoption fee for a pup, i'd sooner pay for a mix from a breeder with parents i can see, than a purebred with parents i can't see.

backyard breeders will breed whatever they think they can profit from
- that may be purebreds or mixes.
- the breeding of purebreds can be overdone as easily as breeding of mixes.
- it is the responsibility of the buyer to make an informed and educated decision on the purchase and adoption of ANY pet.
- the likelihood of a pup ending up at a shelter is dependent up so much more than just whether or not it's a mixed or purebred. likewise is the likelihood that same pup will be adopted at a shelter.



on a similar note, i wonder, those who are anti-designer mixes, do you see the same negative impact on yorkies and other dogs with a purebred yorkie of limited registration parents of non-championlines?

[hunniebunnie]

okay, so i'm really longwinded...but this is just a theory of mine about pets and shelters...

- the likelihood of a dog being adopted is greatly increased by how "cute" it is. "cute" factor may be attributed to size, appearance, and age. example, a lab puppy is more likely to be adopted than an adult lab. a small maltese-mix is more likely to be adopted than a rot.
- the likelihood of a dog being surrendered to a shelter is greatly reduced by how expensive it was to adopt/purchase. the more the more an owner paid for a pet, the less likely they are to surrender it without a great attempt to "make it work."

[maggiemommy]

they have all kinds of mixed breeds at rollanet.org yorkiechons is one i saw for 200 i dont think they will be that cute full grown dont know but it is crazy we are already seeing yorkie mixes in our animal shelters

[mojo5569]

You have completely read my mind... my thoughts exactly!!! I agree 100% with hunnie bunnie

[cheryl000]

Originally Posted by hunniebunnie

A few thoughts on this...
- there is a difference between mixes from 2 purebreds vs. mixes from mixes -
- just wanted to make sure this is considered. a good mixed bred pup should be one of 2 purebred parents, first generation mutts if you will.
- that means the breeder should have purebred parents.
- there's nothing wrong with responsible breeders who breed "pets" and not breeding for champions or for show -
- "designer mixes" are obviously being mixed and bred for non-show purposes. they are meant to be pets
- "pet quality" pets are obviously cheaper than "show quality" pets
- designer mixes are mixed because they can possess qualities that are desirable to those who seek them out. these qualities will include not only aestetics such as appearance and size, but also reduction of genetic health concerns that are prevelent amongst purebreds of a particular breed.
- there's no difference between an irresponsible backyard breeder who breeds purebreds and an irresponsible backyard breeder who breeds mixes -
- the problem is not the type of dog that's being bred, but HOW and WHY the parents are being bred and how responsible or irresponsible the breeder is.

- as mentioned, there are those who would like to have a small breed dog that cannot afford the prices demanded by small breed breeders. mixes offer a cost effective alternative -
- small breeds in shelters that do not have pre-existing health or behavior problems get adopted even before they get listed on petfinder.
- i also tried shelters before i purchased my yorkie and after stalking petfinder for 2 months, i finally found an adult maltese-mix listed within 60miles of where i live. when i called the shelter about adoption, the person who picked up the phone suggested that i submit an application, but warned that there has been A LOT OF INTEREST (translation 100+ calls, over 30 applications on submitted) for that particular pup. my chances are remote especially since i'm competing again people with a house with yard-home vs. my condo-home.

- to answer the question "what do you think when these mixes start exceeding the price of a purebred, akc, champion bloodline dog? Such as the puggles? I've seen them sell for up to $1200."
- like with any breed dog, purebred or mixed, the more responsible the breeder, the more expensive the puppies. so there are times when a mixed pup of good bloodlines and parents who passed health tests can sell for more than purebreds of questionable bloodlines with no tests done.
- the fact of the matter is, with all things being equal, geographic location, appearance, size, responsible breeder, etc, a mixbred price will NOT exceed that of a purebred, akc, champion bloodline.
- as obscene as it sounds, $1200 in some metropolitian areas IS the going rate for a designer mix such as a puggle from a reputable breeder. but the going rate for a purebred pug or a purebred beagle in the same area from an equally reputable breeder would cost much more than $1200.
- puppies, may they be purebred or mixed may be cheaper elsewhere in the country, but those of us in parts of the country with a higher cost of living just have to deal with the higher cost. either by paying more to a local breeder, or extra shipping costs to an out of area breeder.
- personally if i'm going to pay more than a shelter adoption fee for a pup, i'd sooner pay for a mix from a breeder with parents i can see, than a purebred with parents i can't see.
backyard breeders will breed whatever they think they can profit from
- that may be purebreds or mixes.
- the breeding of purebreds can be overdone as easily as breeding of mixes.
- it is the responsibility of the buyer to make an informed and educated decision on the purchase and adoption of ANY pet.
- the likelihood of a pup ending up at a shelter is dependent up so much more than just whether or not it's a mixed or purebred. likewise is the likelihood that same pup will be adopted at a shelter.

on a similar note, i wonder, those who are anti-designer mixes, do you see the same negative impact on yorkies and other dogs with a purebred yorkie of limited registration parents of non-championlines?

Wow, you did cover alot, and I will try to cover most of it. I believe that it is harder to find a more reputable person selling mixed breeds. First of all, most of the time no papers are involved. Second, a breeder should know what bloodlines they're working with, which means knowing everything about both sides instead of a person just happening to own a yorkie and a maltese for example. But everyone's definition of reputable is different.
I have to get going now, I respectfully disagree with you on several things, like I believe the breeding of mixes is easier to overdo since it's easier to find any small dog vice searching for another yorkie. I have already seen full grown puggles and yorkie mixes sitting in shelters. I believe they're not being adopted because they're full grown and people are looking for puppies. I know there are many factors on why people get rid of dogs, but if as you say the people who pay more are more likely to find them better homes. Then would you say that the people who pay less for a dog are less likely to care where they go to, ie: a shelter? I believe that a purebreed is more likely to be adopted quicker and I would hate to see some of these little mixes end up on death row in some states that allow it.
I suppose only time will tell what will happen. I do wish laws on breeding were more strict so the backyard breeders and puppymillers can be stopped. I just already see the backyard breeders picking up on this trend/fad. I have to get to cleaning my house, the husband comes back from the ship today. yay.
Thank you and everyone else for your input.

[cheryl000]

on a similar note, i wonder, those who are anti-designer mixes, do you see the same negative impact on yorkies and other dogs with a purebred yorkie of limited registration parents of non-championlines?
__________________
If you're talking about more yorkies ending up in shelters due to not having papers... no, I don't believe that has an impact. I believe those, pet quality puppies should be for the people who are looking for a companion. They do end up in shelters, but for now they get taken pretty quickly.

At one point I believed that people should only breed if they have papers. But now I see that would be wrong because that won't stop backyard breeders or puppymills. The states have to have stricter laws.
I went to the mall and there was a petshop so I went in because I wanted to ask them some questions. We live in California and I noticed every paper posted over each dog said they were from Missouri or Iowa. I asked the lady out the counter how come because I was curious. She then told me that it was basically because they could not find any good California breeders of these dogs. She said that those states have good state laws on breeders.
Wow, boy was she surprised at my answer. I told her that those 2 states huge on puppymills. And I know for a fact that they ship them in they can make a bigger profit because they're so much cheaper. And I told her that California state laws are MUCH stricter.