Some Truths About Designer Dogs

A designer dog, by definition is a hybrid of two purebred dogs. The breeders of these dogs claim that they are reducing the health problems of purebred dogs and creating a dog with the best traits of both parents.

There really is nothing wrong with trying to create a new breed of dog by breeding two pure breeds. That is how many of our breeds originated. The breeders bred the dogs that showed the desired traits and did not breed the others. According to some sources, in order to prove that the dogs are a true breed, they must then breed and document about 50 generations of dogs that breed true.

^{Photo of Jackson, by Mike Pettey, used by permission}

The reason people do get a purebred is because they want the trait that the breed offers. When you breed two cocker spaniels together, you can pretty well be assured that what you will get will be cocker spaniel puppies. When you breed mixed breeds or hybrids together, you can’t guarantee what the pups will be like.

When the first two purebreds are mated, the offspring will have 50% of the genes from each parent. These are called hybrids. That doesn't necessarily mean that the pup got the best traits of both parents. It could have been the worst traits that were passed on. There are no certainties when it comes to breeding dogs.

If the breeder decides to mate the next generation, lets say, for example, two Lab/collie hybrids, the offspring will still have 50% of the genes from each parent, but which genes is the question. It is possible for a pup to inherit all or most the collie genes from both parents. Another pup in the same litter could get all or most of the Lab genes. Which genes and which traits will be passed on? You could have a dog that looks like a collie but wants to swim and retrieve or a dog that looks like a Lab who constantly wants to herd.

According to Wally Conron, the creator of the Labrodoodle, his intent was to develop an allergy-free guide dog with the poodle’s coat and the Lab’s working ethic. He stated in the article, My Story: I Designed a Dog, in Reader's Digest Magazine that the first generation was a success. Subsequent generations were not.

^{My Story: I Designed a Dog, by Wally Conron, in Reader's Digest Magazine pps 28-30, 7/10/2007}

The health of the dogs is another issue that designer dog breeders claim they are improving. Collies and Labs are both susceptible to hip dysplaysia. Breeding them together without screening for it doesn’t do anything to improve the pup’s chances of not having it.

While there is a thing called hybrid vigor where the offspring of two different breeds is bigger and stronger than the parents, that only holds true for the first generation. There is also a thing called outbreeding depression which means the offspring can be weaker than the parents.

Many of the dogs in my life were mixed breeds. They were fantastic dogs and I loved them dearly. They were all adopted and there were no claims about their breeding. I didn’t spend a great amount of money for them. They were what they were.

I only got purebred dogs when I wanted them for a specific purpose, such as herding sheep. Then I turned to breeders who only bred herding dogs who could work. I was not disappointed.