Every year it seems that more and more dogs are purposely being bred with poodles or beagles or whatever to make a new cross breed. Consumers are snatching these up and believing they have bought something special and totally unique and paying a hefty price as well. A large number of these designer dogs are bred at puppy mills with no concern for physical or mental health. Marketing and media coverage has fueled this fad into fashion.

There are pros and cons to owning a cross bred dog. A cross breed generally has no consistency in function or temperament.; meaning that if you bred a Labrador with a Rottweiler it may neither retrieve nor guard or it might be very good at both. Mixed breeds generally do not express the genetically inherited mutated traits that a pure bred dog does, because cross bred dogs are seldom bred to cross bred dogs so those traits would not have a chance to manifest themselves. Therefore cross breeds often show fewer inherited health problems.

The purchase cost of a mixed breed is often as expensive as a full bred dog which has all its health clearances along with titles.  It costs absolutely nothing to put two dogs together and absolutely no effort goes into making a cross breed. It used to be that cross breeds were accidents, but now because of the day and time in which we live it’s an effortless event which yields great dividends to the “breeder”. We live in a day and time when the word “mutt” is frowned on and has a derogatory meaning. So times have changed.

Many people that I talk to have the misconception that pure bred dogs are over bred, hyper and have health problems.  This may be true of puppy mill breedings of pure bred dogs, but is usually not so concerning dogs that are bred with a purpose in mind. Sure things can go wrong even when you have done all your homework, but a conscientious breeder will work with you if something isn’t right.

The animal shelters are full with potentially fashionable dogs.  If you were to go to one you would find dogs such as the dobershep, the blue Maltese healer, the Mastifian Chihuahua or the infamous Pitrott.  These unique animals can be bought for a minimal price and can be considered every bit as fashionable as a Labradoodle or a Puggle.

My first dog was a Sheprador. I am not muttophobic. I just don’t like to see people unintentionally pay top dollar for someone else’s experiment/accident!