[Rissima]

"designer dogs" are " What the??? But are not all dog breeds Mutts in fact. they are crosses on dog types which eventually reach a standard. They are all mutts if you think of it that way.

[Jack Z]

Well, if it doesn't fit into the AKC then I suppose it's classfied as a mutt. But I do see your point as to how they're all considered mutts.

[howicouldkillaman]

a dogs a dog is a dog. they are just domesticated.

[Ade]

Sounds like someone who can't afford one of those "mutts."

[Onyx Ninja]

Nobody is downing "mutts" but purposely breeding them is another matter. The only people who came up with "designer breeds" were unscrupulous breeders who wanted to make money. Done properly it is hard to make money off a litter of pups.....breeders do it for the love of the breed and to ENHANCE the breeds qualities......not to make money or more pups.And with a purebred pup you have a general idea of what your getting....if it's a basset hound you know it's probably gonna have a more mellow laid back personality and not as hyper as say a German Shepherd or Siberian Husky. All breeds are specifically designed for a purpose and function (even little dogs) And yes....dogs ancestors are usually the result of crosses over the years....however this was done to improve a quality...not just because the owner thought the parent was cute.

[cinnamon_n_spice97]

If you want a mutt, then go get one. Dogs are great and I love them all. However, if you are wanting a purebred dog, then purchase a purebred dog. A "Hybrid" is NOT a pure breed and is in fact a "mutt". Thats fine if that is what you want. But I dont believe that those dogs should be registered and that is one of the two major reasons that I dont like the CKC.If you want a purebred dog, use the AKC standards. Also, not all AKC dogs are up to par on the standards, check the parents before choosing your dog. Its not as simple as just having papers. If not worried about "papers" then get whatever mixed dog you want, just please take care of it.

[cajuncalli]

All dogs are the result of cross breeding. The advantages to these "mutts" can be; less genetic problems due to inner breeding, good qualities from different breeds, etc. They are just mutts, but that's what all dogs are.

[imcming]

designer dogs are created by greedy people and are technically mutts until mentally challenged people pay alot of money for them.

[bignuttdanes]

Why designer dogs are mutts and why a pure bred is not and their differences. A pure bred dog will breed true. There are AKC "Standards" of what a dog should look like. Great Danes have their 'Standard,' German Shepards have theirs, Labs, Poodles, Etc, etc etc..... If you take the time to trully love the breed of dog you fancy, (For me it is Great Danes) you show your dogs in AKC Conformation events. In layman's terms, If your dog is worthy of the Standard as set forth by the AKC and the parent dog club of whatever breed you fancy, it will get points. After enough points your dog will become a Champion. You have proven your dog to measure up to a specific breed "Standard."What this means is if you take a Champion Poodle and breed it to another Champion Poodle, you will have puppies that have a much better success of being Champion Poodles in their own right. They all will look like poodles. They will have poodle heads, bodies, tails etc... You breed CH Great Danes to Ch Great Danes, you will have puppies that have the same potential. Always. This has proven to be true for hundreds of years with most breeds recognized by the AKC. A pure bred dog breeds true. That is what that term means.Since Labradoodles seem to be the 'designer dog' of choice, lets use them as an example:A Labradoodle is supposed to be a 50/50 cross between a poodle and a lab. Each breed has a specific look or Standard, yet when these dogs are crossed, they do not breed true. You will have whole litters where each dog looks different. On one puppy you may have a poodle tail and a lab head and body with poodle legs. Another may be everything opposite. Or might might even look like a full lab or a full poodle. One may have the poodle coat, the other may have the lab coat. You don't know what you will get because they do not breed true. And they never will.Another thing that concerns me with people and breeding 'designer dogs.' They are not using dogs that would meet an AKC Standard to begin with. If you take the time and spend the money and health test your Champion Poodle or Lab, you are not going to want to breed one with the other. If I have a Champion Poodle, I look for another Champion Poodle to breed with. Like wise for Labs, Great Danes, etc.....No one would bother breeding a Champion Poodle to a Champion Lab. It does not happen. I have an accaintance with a German Shepard with severe parrott mouth. No ethical German Shepard owners would breed to his dog so he bred it with a poodle and sold designer puppies......That is what designer dogs all are about, seperating the unsuspecting public from their money.By definition, a labradoodle is half Lab half poodle. These dogs will not ever breed true. That is true of all designer dogs. Genetics are what they are.And what about health testing? That is another issue never addressed by designer dog advocates. Again, if they are not going to spend the time, money and effort to show their breeding animals in AKC Conformation events, they probably will not bother with health testing either. Hip Dysplasia, heart conditions, epilepsy, cataracts, there are a number of genetic health issues each breed carries for. If you don't test your animals for these diseases, they will get passed on to puppies. You should never breed an animal with a known genetic health flaw. A designer dog is a mutt. Why spend $1000 or more for a dog that you can get at the pound for $50?Buyer beware.