I have a lovely Labrador / Collie cross, called Mindy who has been with us for about 3 years.

She is such a well behaved, happy dog, that it made me wonder what other cross breeds have a good nature.

I have met tons of sweet and really nice mixes.Beagle mixes are usually wonderful dogs.My family has a terrier mix and he is greyt.My friend has a pitbull/whippet who is the biggest suck ever.

I have a Pit Bull/Lab mix. He's awesome. Sometimes he is better than my purebred Pit Bulls LOL But he can be stubborn too.

I like the poodle mixes. My friend has a maltese/poodle mix. Very smart dog!

Although I'm a dog show person, I must say I've been impressed by the 2 Cockapoos I know. Both are incredibly sweet, have stable temperaments and are quite pretty.

Unfortunately dalsheep is greatly misinformed, as most are about labradoodles and goldendoodles. There are no more "designer dogs" being euthanized ever day than there are mixed breeds. Yes, the world is full of puppy mills. The pet store down the road from me has 6 different purebreed puppies in it's window as I type. For those that don't know, pet store puppies usually come from puppy mills.

A resonable price to pay for any puppy, weather purebred or "designer" is $1000-$1500. When you see ads for new puppies at $300..$400..$500 they are coming from backyard breeders who don't do the health testing on the parent dogs that the should be doing. That testing (depending upon the parent breed) runs around $1,000 per year per parent dog. Throw in food, vet bills, etc. For me to raise a puppy to 8 weeks old (I do early spay/neuters and microchip on mine) costs about $475 per puppy. That's the cost to RAISE a healthy puppy until he's ready for his new home.

As for Goldendoodles and Labradoodles, the differences in them are the same as the differences in labs and goldens. If you like labs, you'd probably prefer a labradoodle. If you like goldens, you'd probably prefer a goldendoodle. Now, all dogs shed, as the dead hair has to go somewhere, but dog shed at different rates. HOWEVER...there are generational differences that affect the level of shedding. An F1 Goldendoodle (that's a golden + poodle) rarely sheds, but an F1 Labradoodle (lab + poodle) has a 50/50 shed rate. Meaning you have a 50% chance of getting a shedding dog. So people who want a labradoodle that doesn't shed usually look for an F1B (F1labradoodle+ poodle = 75% poodle, but oddly they keep the lab disposition) I happen to not be a fan of labradoodles at all. I have fostered them before and I'm just not impressed. But...then again..I don't care for labs either so that's probably why!

ou can go to the idogbiz dot com website to find out how to find a reputable breeder. There is a recommended breeder list as well. The breeders listed must show proof of the health testing on parent dogs, and must have numerous letters of feedback from past customers. It takes about 2 years to get on that list.

There are TONS of puppy mills who have websites that claim to have family raised puppies. I have a page on my website that lists ways to tell based on things you can ask, along with the kinds of pictures you see on the websites. You can find it at dandldoodles dot com /importantquestions

I find that bandogs and working shepherds crossing are to my liking.

I myself do not agree with intentional mix breeding either... "designer breeds".
But as for my favorite mix, a chocolate lab mixed with a doberman. I had one, he was such an amazing dog, so gentle, but on the same token so protective. Just wonderful.

I think "intentional mix breeding" and "designer breeds" are two different things. That is like lumping every mixed breed together and is a blanket statement.

To me "designer breeds" are those crosses with cute little names bred to peddle off to people as something special, new or cool.

But a lot of cross breeds are created with a reason.

Labradoodles as they are called in the designer world that were started in Australia from what I have read were made with the intention of creating a service dog. One that would be hypo alergenic and still have the service qualities of the retreiver side. This wasn't done by simply crossing the 2 breeds and expecting the F1 generation to be hypo and perfect (like designer breeding puppy mills try to act) this took a lot of selective breeding and culling. Some would not be hypo and others did not have the skills and temperament of a service dog just like some pure labs fail out. It took generations to develop the true type of the cross with breedings within the gene pool. Which is how you develop a breed, a simple cross is not a knew breed and there isn't a lot of consistency in the f1 generation.

A lot of bandogs are superior working examples, coming out better with the traits of both breeds once a type has been established. The Swinford Bandog is a good example of that. Using 2 breeds to make a better dog.

The working GSD/Belgian Mals I have seen have been outstanding dogs at sport. One of the highest acclaimed working/protection dogs I have heard of was actually a cross of these 2 breeds and was top in protection, intellegence, ability, ect. This one specific dog I have read is a known foundation dog I believe in the GSD gene pool, even though he was a cross.

The two best dogs I have had have been mutts and pound puppies...

My childhood dog was the sweetest chocolate lab/ German Shepard mix. He'd try and "save" the kids when we jumped in the swimming pool.

My current dog is an English Pointer/Boxer. (He looks just like a pointer only his spots are brindle and his build is slighter.) He thinks he is a lapdog and loves to snuggle, play and "point" at cats! He may be too smart for his own good

I do have to agree that it is a shame that so many good dogs are put down just because they are mutts. There are tons of purebreds that I think are wonderful, but whenever I think about getting one, I remember all the good dogs needing homes at the shelter. People don't realize that by getting a mix, you often get the best of both breeds...and decrease the odds of getting all the idiosyncrasies over bred dogs can be susceptible to, like allergies or tempermentalism.

Don't get me wrong, I love purebreds (growing up we had two sweet, albeit incredibly stupid English Sheepdogs). I just think more people should give mutts a chance.

We have the most wonderful Rotty x Cattle girl, Banjo. Her mother was a pure bred rotty and her father jumpd the fence and the rest as they say, is history......litter of five with 4 looking like rotty's but our girl looking absolutely gorgeous with cattle dog type mrkings, but rotty type build- she was also the onl one in the litter who still had her waggly tail. She is an amazing dog, very protective, but obedient also (just likes to inform people about who her "PACK "is. She is gentle, loving, highly intelligent and very instinctive.....I have owned a few dogs in my time, and by far she is the most reliable (loved the others also, but she really is something out of the bag!)
Having said that, we originally got her with one of her brothers (Henry), and as time went by, Henry became the dominant dog, muscling Banjo for her food, and growling at her quite menacingly- poor Banjo was quite scared, and so submissive. It got to the point where when we would take them out, Henry would be very growly and snappy with toddlers (which was obviously a major concern) but the last straw was when my husband reprimanded Henry by a growly voice, Henry turned on him and became aggressive. (no injuries resulted, but nontheless a scary experience). All the above, and other little hints that Henry was an unknown quantity (beautiful looking dog) we reluctantly decided to have him re-homed.
Once Henry had gone, Banjo became almst a different dog, before she had been submissive, and not terribly relaxed/ happy, now she was confident, very demostrative with affection, and much more interactive with us all.....she is our rock, and has seen our family through some really difficult times, always there with a wet nose, waggy tail and hugs no matter what is going on. She is also our family "barometer" and knows when one of us is sad and trying not to show it. She is simply the best. SHe has also willingly and lovingly taken Bailey (rescued Border Collie) into our "pack"and has become mum to him.
I think from cross breeds you don't always know what you are going to get. Henry was a good example of this.

I also owned a fantastic dog called Bimbo- doberman, pinscher, kelpie x. He was great, gentle and patient with my brother with an intellectual disability. Bimbo died almost 20 years ago, and my brother still talks about him regularly, and misses him terribly.

My husband also commented that he saw the most beautiful labx border collie the other day.

I don't agree with "designer Breeds", pet store, or puppy mills.
BUt some of the best dogs I have owned were Mixed breeds. One of my dogs currently is a Lab/Bloodhound Mix. I love my boy! he has the bloodhound look, but the lab energy and Temperment. His Nose does get him in trouble some days, but he is a doll. I love my mixed breed boy.