Lovely post Laurelin- EXACTLY!
Problem A is bolded, Designer mixes aren't being bred true to type.
This is right on- and if it's up to the people breeding these dogs THEY NEVER WILL BE. Once the dogs are "just another breed," there's no more "hybrid vigor" (which doesn't exist ANYWAY- but makes a great selling point to the uninformed), to brag about. People who have designer dogs, cite again and again, the "fact" that their dogs MUST be healthier because they're mixes. Nevermind that in most cases an F1 cross from two poor examples of each breed (let's face it, no one in their right mind is going to sell a fabulous breed example with breeding rights to someone breeding DDs and not health testing), isn't going to be better off than a purebred dog that is the product of GENERATIONS of pedigree research and health testing.
So do you think the DD breeders are REAAAALLY all that interested in creating typey animals that breed true? I certainly don't. They would effectively KILL their main selling point.
In contrast, people actually interested in creating a true BREED for a REASON (no...money doesn't count
), aren't looking at it that way. For one, they certainly don't sell their F1s for exorbitant prices and tell everyone who's getting one that it's an adorable "Cuteterrier," which aside from being hypoallergenic, can also cure cancer.
Furthermore, they have a true standard in place- one that everyone developing the breed AGREES UPON. Part of the mess with the
American Labradoodle is that there is no REAL standard- the one the "parent club" has is absolutely laughable, and there doesn't seem to be a particularly large faction of people interested in actually developing that standard and creating a breed. If there was...it would've been done by now.
Case in point- Pancho- look up Silken Windhounds. INCREDIBLY new breed, yet already, their stock is breeding TRUE, and they're already having specialty shows. Despite all of this the development of this breed occured FAR later than that of American Labradoodles or Cockapoos. Breeders saw a niche for a medium-sized COATED sighthound. One that would be able to resist cooler temperatures. There simply wasn't a breed in existence that quite fit that bill, so lo-and-behold, interested parties got together, created and AGREED upon a standard, and started a parent club. Done.
Point is, I don't think there's anyone on this board that disagrees with the CREATION of a new breed- especially if it fills a niche previously unfilled by other breeds. What we DO take issue with is the WAY people go about it, or the MISINFORMATION people spew about "designer dogs." They market mixed breed dogs AS breeds, and then go on to say that they're healthier, smarter, hypoallergenic, etc. etc. when it's point blank not true. They neglect genetic testing because "mixed breeds don't get genetic health problems," and then sell their dogs for a couple thousand dollars more than anything you'd have to pay for a purebred from a top show or working kennel. Yet there's no health testing, the likelihood that they are using a stud outside of their breeding program is basically nil, the dogs can't be shown, they aren't worked in any venue...so you KNOW the money isn't going back into the program. Where is it going? STRAIGHT INTO THEIR POCKETS.
THAT is what we have a problem with.
