Dog breed debate. Purebred or Designer breed?
Since this debate started in another thread, I thought I'd start a new thread to allow members to continue discussing this topic, without continuing to hijack another thread. :)
The debate on what makes a dog purebred has been going on for a long time. I'm not the best to explain this, but I'll give it a go, and hopefully those that can explain it better will come along to share their knowledge.
When we talk about purebred dogs we're talking about breeds that have been around for a very long time. Poodles, Labradors, Golden retrievers, Beagles, Basset Hounds, Chinese Cresteds, German Shepherds, etc. etc. etc. These breeds are known breeds, they have breed standards, their temperament, size, common health defects, life expectancy, etc. etc. is well known. These breeds have been tested for many years, decades and more, and are considered legitimate breeds.
When those of us that are dog advocates see a backyard breeder (and make no mistake about it, these people aren't breeders), selling designer dogs like labradoodles, Shischons, Cavoodles, Buggs, etc. etc. we become a bit upset. It's a total slap in the face to breeders that actually care about the dogs that are out there, care about the quality of dogs being bred, care about the shelters being full to overflowing capacity. The fact that all those designer "breeds", when written, came up red (meaning they're not in the spell check dictionary), and none of the legit breeds did, says it all.
You can make the argument that all dogs are mixed with other breeds. Yes, they are. But the difference between a designer dog and an actual breed, is that the purebred dogs have been tried and tested, their health and pedigree is well known. They have breed standards. A breeder can tell you what you should be getting (there's always room for error, but not a lot with a purebred dog).
With a designer dog you don't know what you're getting. Will the labradoodle be small like the mini poodle father, or huge like the labrador mother? Will it have the health defects of a poodle, a labrador, both, or worse, because of the mix will it develop it's own health issues? What will you get? No two puppies will be the same, just like any other dog that's mixed. With a purebred, that won't happen.
I for one do not advocate people that sell designer dogs. They aren't breeders. Instead of promoting a breed that's already been established, they're muddying up the blood lines, creating what basically ends up being the Frankenstein of the dog world. We all know how Frankenstein ended. It wasn't good. ;)
Please feel free to write what you feel about designer breeds, and why. Let's keep the debate friendly, even if we don't agree. Instead of getting upset, explain your position, and back it up with facts, as I've attempted to do in my post.
I look forward to the debate. :)