How fabulous! I love Donald McCaig books - and he really tells it how it is. (However, I did get a slating on Dogsey a while back for quoting him but that's another story ). I have both "Nop's Trials" and "Eminent Dogs, Dangerous Men" by him ... I think I now need to read "Dog Wars ...", as it sounds fascinating (and in tune with how I feel myself!).

Sorry a bit OTT.

You are a rare commodity! Someone who is willing to talk about their x breed and their breeder so thank you for that.

Can I ask what else you consider a sign of a good breeder? As in my previous post regarding the other owners of these xbreeds – do their breeders and yours do all the other things that IMO reputable breeders do?

Of course Ernie is great – all our dogs are great regardless!

Another one here as well who is not against x breeds – I have what possibly could be called a borzuki and probably the first ‘designer dog’ (however they did have a purpose) a lurcher, so no I don’t dislike them just those that breed them for money without all the checks and backups.

Spot, the breeder of my doodle did all the things you mentioned on your list, apart from ask for a referance from my vet, and included taking back and rehoming my dog.
She was a massive support to us and it's just a crying shame that all breeders can't be like her.

And in this day and age, when such tests are readily available, there is absolutely no excuse.

Just saying a dog is 'healthy' doesn't fly. Your dog may be healthy now, but down the line the reality is that you have no idea about how he could develop.

As for this being 'irrelevant' to the main Doodle discussion, I would say the lack of health testing on breeding stock is the MAIN reason they are discussed. The reality is that the majority of Doodle breeders breed for nothing but profit. Sure, there are some who health test and are genuinely for the creation of a new breed(s). However, they are by far in the minority. No one in their right mind can say that all the hundreds of different types of 'designer' crossbreeds are being legitimately and responsibly bred with the best intentions.

Not going off-topic, but I wouldn't come to Cumbria & call someone a Bint lol - not unless you want your head panned in!!! Funny how words can have different meanings depending on location. Up here, it's very offensive slang for a woman (usually meaning they are brainless, rough/slapper!!) LOL

That made me smile! SO true too!!

If breeders of these designer crosses do the necessary health-checks & endeavour to find homes for their prospective litter PRIOR to breeding all well & good. I suspect in the main this isn't the case though.

I'm sick of seeing little tatty cards sellotaped to pet shop/post office/supermarket bill-boards (or local paper) advertising this type of cross & trying to charge extortionate prices for them. Some of the prices exceed some of our rarer pedigree breeds!

Doesn't seem a coincidence either to me, that lots more of these 'designer crosses' have popped up since the start of the Credit Crunch. Food for thought?

On page 7 you posted "Exactly, breeds where bred for a purpose, there is already a breed to suite every purpose anyone would ever need."

On page 9 you posted "The only step that is being made in the movement of cross breeds is to make money.. nothing more nothing less."

These broad sweeping statements tell me that you do have something against purposely bred crosses and mongrels - as you refuse to believe, despite other poster's explanations, that there could be very legitimate reasons for these crosses.

As this is my heritage and the tradition in my own family I am insulted by that. It is a very pompous attitude, but I can see you own it without reservation. I happen to disagree with it which is why I posted. Each to their own as there will be no convincing either way I'm sure.

No different that the price and ethics of why the vast majority of purebred dogs are bred (especially here as they are a rare commodity).

The majority of dogs are bred to become people's companions. That is how it should be. People will spend out of pocket whatever they think that is worth to them and it is entirely their choice if they want a mix or a purebred dog.

Keep in mind the Cavalier is a rare breed here rising in popularity (in a similar situation to some doodle types) If you would like I'll link you to threads on breeder forums where Cavalier breeders who claim they are reputable explain their high price tag. Frankly, I don't buy their explanation, but many do and therefore wait on waiting lists and travel far to find their high priced purebred from their "reputable" purebred breeder.

This is a great example of the fact that there are some purebred breeders just as ready to gorge the public as some of the crossbred breeders. Oh, but they can justify their price . . . of course.

People who buy the "fad" doodle and believe false claims are the same idiots that'll buy the "in fad" purebred from the mill without at first researching their traits.

You are making no improvements in the dog situation by slamming mixbred breeders and dogs and slating them all as the same when we all know that there are some who are doing as good a job (if not better) than any purebred dog breeder.

Improvement would be made if more concentration was put into slamming unclean byb operations and puppymills - those that breed both purebred and mixed. In the USA, HSUS estimates 2-4 million pups are bred and sold from mills each year. That is more than they put down in their shelters.

BTW - here it is the purebred small dog (preferably AKC registered) that fetches the highest price tag, and therefore is the highest sought after by the millers. These forums are read world wide. Many who are knew to the dog world are taken in with the initial message of "buy registered" and research no further . . . then off they march to the ads and find a fairly high priced poorly/commercial or mill bred purebred - a lot has been accomplished with that then hey?

You talk here of random crosses, again showing your prejudice as not all crosses are random. When crossbred breeders are using good stock and doing the proper pedigree research and health testing it is no more pot luck than the poor health that goes with many of the purebred dogs.

Hmmm....Now I can't decide if I have a Basollie or a Collenji.... Maybe I should start a poll.

Which ever one, they both sound like rare diseases! Basollitis...Collenjitis....Yikes!

My thoughts exactly, A-M....money....(and status).....funny that.

I honestly see no difference between breeding peds or crosses as long as that breeder meets the criteria I believe neccesary for them to be considered responsible.

There are good and bad in both and there will always be those that jump on the bandwagon of the latest fad. Who knows what the next "dog of the moment" will be, but no doubt whatever it is will be exploited like many dogs are being now.
The difference is that those who are genuine about their chosen breed or cross will continue with them regardless of the next fashion trend.

People can't on one hand moan about the health problems in pedigree dogs and then think owning a crossbreed from untested parents will suddenly make all the problems disappear. That is the false illusion that some owners of Doodles appear to be under. Unless Doodle breeders fully health test their breeding stock, all claims of 'hybrid vigor' are just rubbish.