Designer Dogs Last weekend I asked all my kids what they wanted for Christmas so I could get started with the shopping.  Believe it or not, all of them had jeans on their list.  Now, they didn't just say "jeans."  They were specific as to the type of jeans they wanted and none were the same.  Each one seems to have their personal "flavor of the month." Flavor of the month is a good thing when it comes to jeans, ice cream and other products.  Personally, I look forward each month to seeing what new flavor Baskin and Robbins is featuring.  When it comes to "creating" new dog breeds, I have very different feelings, particularly when it is done in such a way it basically fleeces the person buying a dog. In the last fifty years, the pet industry has become a multi-billion dollar industry.  With it came the blood-suckers.  Who, in my opinion, are the blood-suckers?  Let's take a look at a short list of a few… Pet stores that sell dogs Puppy millers Dog brokers Modern breed creators Dog fighters Breed Creators With regard to our writers' question, I am referring to the breed "creators."   Now we have to accept that nearly every breed we have is man-made.  There are a few evolutionary breeds out there but they are few and far between. The majority of our current, I would guess about 98%, were "created" to meet the needs of people who worked their dogs, or to eliminate undesirable traits in the existing breeds of the time.  Very few breeds have been "created" since the beginning of the twentieth century. When dogs like the German Shepard and Springer Spaniel were created over 100 years ago, it wasn't done as a profit making venture.  They were breeding for dogs that met a particular standard and purpose. Puppies that didn't meet the standard were culled or not allowed to breed. It was done with a specific goal in mind and not as a money-making operation.  In the case of the German Shepard, the process took approximately twenty years to come up with a well-defined single standard with good genetic lines. In the 1960s' one of the first designer dogs to have success was created.  The Cockapoo.  Also known as the Cockerpoo.  It was the result of the unplanned breeding of an American Cocker Spaniel and the Poodle.  What these inventive breeders did was give these mutts a name and called them pure breed dogs. How can they get away with this?  Easy, a gullible public and a different idea in modern days about dog ownership.  Keep in mind, until about 90 years ago, most people owned dogs because they served a purpose or did a job.  It was only the well to do that could afford dogs as companions. It is quite easy to go out and get a business license, open up shop as a kennel club and start to issue "pure breed" papers.  Now, the average person sees these papers and takes them as golden when in actuality, they aren't worth crap. So, What's the Problem? Okay, so what's the big deal?  If someone wants a dog that looks a certain way and is willing to pay for it, then, who cares?  You should.  Particularly if you or someone you know is considering buying one of these dogs. First, let's look at the Cockapoo.  They were created over forty years ago yet they still have an extremely vague breed standard.  For instance they have four different size ranges. Teacup Toy (under 6 pounds) Toy  (under 12 pounds) Miniatures (13-18 pounds) Maxis  (over 19 pounds) In other words, regardless of whatever the heck size they are, they will meet a standard. Their coats can be straight, wavy or curly and can be any color. Their tails can be docked or left in tact.  Ears can be from medium to long.  Whatever you end up with they are perfect. Now, they do have a couple of disqualifications according to the standard. Aggressiveness Shyness Genetic Diseases Poor Health Uncertain Lineage Am I the only one sitting here right now going, "Well duh!"  These, in my opinion are not breed standards, they are excuses for a poor breeding program that never was able to determine a definitive standard.  After forty years! Again, what is the problem? When you have such a vague and wide-open standard, you have no way of truly knowing what you are getting.  When every puppy can be labeled as top quality, the breeders have no reason to ensure appropriate breeding practices are maintained.  No matter what they produce, they can charge top dollar. Deception In the last few years, there have been numerous hybrid dogs come onto the market.  One of my favorites is the Miniature Rottweiler.  This is a cross between a Pekinese and a miniature Pincher.  Not one drop of Rottie blood in them.  Guess what they cost.  $700.00 plus shipping and handling! Another one gaining in popularity is the Puggle.  This is a Pug and Poodle cross.  You can get one of these dogs for $800.00 plus shipping and handling.  If that doesn't strike your fancy, there is always the Japanese Pom, which is a Japanese Chin and Pomeranian mix, which run a little over $600.00 plus shipping.  That's a lot of money for a mutt. Health Concerns I did a little research on the skeletal and muscular configuration of the mix that makes up the Mini Rottie.  The mix is a Pekinese and a Mini Pincher.  These two breeds have very different muscular and skeletal configurations even though their weight is generally the same. The Mini Pincher is lighter boned and carries the majority of their weight in the chest neck and head.  Their back hips are slighter, designed to handle approximately 25% of their body weight.  The Pekinese, on the other hand is a little bigger boned and capable of carrying more weight in the rear.  Approximately forty percent. Now, if one of these puppies is born with the skeletal formation of the Mini Pincher and the muscular distribution of the Pekinese, you could find this dog having some serious hip and back issues as they get older.  I called my vet, who has a strong genetic background and she agreed.  All for $700.00. Semantics It all really boils down to common sense and semantics.  You can call it a Puggle, a hybrid, designer dog whatever.  The bottom line is, it's a mutt.  In my opinion, the individuals out there peddling these dogs for outrageous prices are little more than shysters and cons. I believe our forefathers produced enough breeds to suit every one's aesthetic tastes.  If you're looking for something different, there are plenty of established breeds that have been around for hundreds of years.  Some are big and some are small.  Some have long hair and some have none.  Your choices are limitless. Now let me make something clear.  I love mutts.  Some of the best dogs I have ever seen have been mutts.  What I hate are people who will intentionally manipulate dogs for financial gain so they can create the newest "flavor of the month." We don't need any new breeds when we, as a society, can barely take care of the ones we already have.  If you want to spend upwards of $1,000.00 on a mutt, here's what you do.  Go to your local shelter or rescue and find the dog that suits you.  Pay the $100.00 dollar adoption fee and give the other $900.00 to the rescue organization. You will not only get a great dog, but will save several others at the same time. This article may be republished using the following attribution box: ------------ Copyright ©2004 Christopher Aust, Master Dog Trainer & Creator: The Natural Cooperative Training System (NCTS) for Dogs The Instinctual Development System (IDS) for Puppies Subscribe to the BARK 'n' SCRATCH Newsletter: subscribe@Master-Dog-Training.com VISIT NOW: http://www.Master-Dog-Training.com