designer dogs

cameragirl21 wrote: Just curious what people's take is on these new trendy pooches. I'm very intrigued by the whole designer dog phenomenon because when I was little, this was what we called a mutt and people gave them away...now they're selling them for upwards of $1000 and people are clawing at each other in pet stores to buy them! From a business perspective, this simply proves that with good marketing, you can really sell anything.
So I especially became intrigued just last week when I ran into a woman with a little dog...while I love all animals and really love dogs, I have always preferred big, beefy dogs like German Shepherds, Rottweilers, etc and sure I think Yorkies and Pomeranians are cute, I don't think I'd ever own one. Simply put, I've never really been into little dogs but this woman had the tiniest, cutest little thing ever and when I asked, turns out it's a Shih-Poo--Shih-Tzu/Poodle mix. I'm not big on either breed but this dog was so cute that I stopped running (I ran into her on my jogging trail, she was walking her dog there) just to admire the dog. She said she got it for nearly 1k at the pet store.
So I did a little research--turns out what makes a designer dog more than a mutt is that a mutt is a mix of God knows what and a designer breed is a mix of 2 high quality purebreds with stellar papers and family history. And they have their own AKC type designation--a hybrid registry, only certain mixes are recognized.
I don't really know what to make of this trend, seems bizarre to pay a breeder a fortune for a mix I can get at the shelter but in doing the little bit of research I've done, I must admit, I REALLY want one of these.
http://www.breederinfocenter.com/index.php...=20070329141256
How cool is that...a mix of a snow dog and a desert dog, bet it can live happily in any climate. I love huskies but it's very hot here, probably too hot for them but that mix would fare just fine I bet.
Anyone else like or dislike designer dogs?

gr33n3y3z replied: I want this dog when its time Shiba Inu

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...m%3D1%26hl%3Den

cameragirl21 replied: I've seen those, they are very cute.
Here, someone was giving away a puppy on Craig's List FREE and I was like, "yeah, right, who's going to give away a Shiba Inu for FREE?!".
Why can't you get that now, because of the rabbit you own?

mom21kid2dogs replied: I my designer dog! He's a lab beagle mix I got from the pound. We paid arouond $30 for him

Cece00 replied: I think its absurd to pay $1k for a dog.

punkeemunkee'smom replied: I LOVE Huskies! It is too hot for them here tho.

Spot 6 is a mix but a very common mix around here he is a 'white' Catahoula Catahoulas and an Australian Shepard Aussies basically 2 really good cowdogs. His Dad also had Heeler in his bloodlines so 3 cowdogs if you go back a little. He is definately showing the inteligence and protective abilities of his breeding!The thought process I believe is the hope that the best qualities from each breed will integrate. I know Yorkies have notoriously weak hips so when they breed with a poodle(yorkie-poo) they hope that will not be a trait that continues....IF I were to spend the $$$ on a small dog, it would be a full blooded Yorkie because I had one a child and I LOVED him!

PrairieMom replied: We got our "designer " dog for free. he is a Boarder collie / lab mix. We were acutally scared he was newfie mix for a while. He has webbed toes, and even the vet thought he might be, thankfully he stopped growing at 80 pounds. I would never pay that much $ for a dog, just because someone some where has decided that its cool to cross breed. 5 years ago people would have been doing anything to give away those same pups.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
Borders are AWESOME dogs! I had a pup on hold that the breeder decided to keep and then sold to someone else so we got Spot. My parents have always had Border Collies and I adore them!

gr33n3y3z replied:
yes we have to wait bc of the rabbit plus were gutting the house when we get back from Fl and I have to see also if I have a Job left too LOL
Well I will have the job I just dont know if I will stay there or not depends if they give me what I want to keep me there.

gr33n3y3z replied:
depends on what you want
I dont mind paying that for something that I want
bc I dont ever ask for much so when I really want something I usually get it but then next year I could change my mind and I been know to do that many of times.

HuskerMom replied: I don't mind designer dogs but I can't stand the little tiny ones that people carry around in their purse. Personally I'd want my dog to have more of a purpose than looking cute like home protection or hunting or something like that. And I love huge dogs, it seems like the bigger they get the nicer they are. Dh's parents have a st. bernard and he is one of the nicest dogs I've seen.

Crystalina replied: Well, mixed breeds are much healthier then pure breeds. I breed smaller Yorkies and yes they sell $800 for males and $900 for the females and I'm not saying that mine are sick or will be sick but when you are always breeding pure to pure you get really pure which causes all sorts of things health wise. Not only that but now that it is a "fad" people are breeding anything to anything which is ok but some of those dogs turn out really fugly. There are even dogs being called Yorkies now that look more like Chi's in the face and the hair texture. Some of the mixed breeds are absolutely adorable though.

The reason my dogs sell for alot is a few reasons, one is that I, of course, get all the shots and tails and claws done. I also get all of my babys micro-chipped before they go and I just hope that the new owner will activate it. I also want to make sure my dogs go to nice, clean and responsible owners and I assume that if they are willing to pay that price they will take care of the dog. This is not a guarantee I know but it helps a little. I recently turned a 20 yr old girl down because she still lived with her parents. If she ever moves out and can't have a dog then what will happen to it? I thought hard before making that decision and took alot of things into consideration because if she would make a good owner I would want her to have the pup but she was just very childish still. I also never sell around tax time because it's too easy for people to use tax refunds to pay for the dog. It sounds b*t*hy but at the same time I don't want anyone buying them "just because".

My3LilMonkeys replied:
Me too!

We had both mixed breeds and purebreds (Golden Retrievers) when I was growing up, and the mixed breeds were way healthier. Though there are many breeds of dog that I absolutely love and would really like to have, I would never pay the $$ for one - I'd just watch the shelters/rescues/free dogs in the paper until I found one I liked.