Are cross breeds suffering?

The hidden suffering of the dogs bred to be cute: Adorable looks. Cuddly names like Labradoodle. But the trend for cross-breed dogs raises disturbing questions
Britain's dog lovers pay up to £2,000 for the designer cross-breeds
They are wooed by their cute names and celebrity endorsements
Dangerous myth that cross-breeds are healthier and more robust
But they are far more vulnerable to agonising illness and infection
Wally Conron, creator of the Labradoodle in the 80s, says he regrets creating these 'Frankenstein' dogs


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How did they research this article? By scanning free ads? Gathering statistics from crossbreed owners that actually show their dogs are unhealthier? I know when these kind of topics have come on up other sites I've done lots of digging around to try and find out just how bad these breeders are. But by following reputable links and going through the right avenues ( Labradoodle Association UK for example ) I've found nothing but "good" breeders. Fully health tested dogs. Waiting lists. Breeders raising happy, healthy pups and taking them back if circumstances change. Of course there are terrible breeders out there too and I'm only talking about "good" breeders of Labradoodles here as they are the most widespread, but to jump on this bandwagon of all crossbreed breeders being out for money and including them all as nothing more then puppy farmers/BYB's is very unfair and not true at all. One Labradoodle I remember viewing was the most health tested Doodle in the UK. As we all know there is good and bad breeders out there on both sides of the fence. But do your research, know what to avoid and you stand a greater chance of having a happy, healthy, dog

The article is talking about dogs bred from unhealth tested parents and crosses run the same risks as do pedigrees that have been bred with little thought to the end result. Sadly the public don't want to hear this, they want a puppy and they want it now, generally they're not willing to wait months, possibly years for a well bred pup.

Gosh... I come from a world where almost all dogs are total mutts and almost all dogs are totally healthy. They are acting as if puppies all have to have 5867459763 health tests to be healthy.

The word "health" is relative IMO anyway. Does how long a dog lives determine how healthy he was? In that case... many "well bred" dogs aren't very healthy. Perhaps it means a lack of hereditary issues? As if these are worse than the early cancer, severe allergies, persistent ear infections, etc. that some of these dogs get.

I won't sit here and babble about health testing because I have had healthy dogs all my life and not a one of them have been health tested because they are just random mutts.

Not a soul in the world can convince me that mixed breeds aren't healthier and more robust than pure bred dogs. Of course not always but in general I think it's true. Larger gene pool, stronger antibodies, and when you mix the "right" breeds the right way, you can help weed out hereditary weaknesses.

So many well bred Rottweilers die of osteosarcoma, because it's a weakness in the breed. I can go on and on with breeds and susceptibilities. A well bred dog doesn't mean a healthier dog. That's not how it works.

Maybe when you are creating designer dogs instead of the Heinz 57 mutts... it matters a lot more. But I really don't know....

Wally Conron has been reported as saying that had he known what would have happened he regrets ever have started the "Labradoodle" in the first place, decades ago.

Whose bright idea was that?

Out of such ideas are Frankensteins born.

This is so true.
I'm on a waiting list for a pug puppy (not helped by the fact I want a black bitch so I'm looking at about 18 months - 2 years) trying to explain why I am doing this to others they think it's odd and I should just go on pets for holes and get one now! But I'd wait years for the right one so that's not a problem. I think in general it's all become very easy to buy what you want when you want it and this has transferred over to dogs.

I waited over 2 years for Tucson even though I was on two separate breeders waiting lists. They did both know about each other but it was still 2 years and no puppy until one of them gave me details of a third breeder who had a slightly older pup but was turning prospective owners away. No idea why I met her criteria but I did, she even came and inspected my home and garden, scrutinised the other dogs etc but Syd won her over by being very gentle with Tucson and laying down to introduce himself.
I had no problem in theory with the waiting but it did become a bit soul destroying when things kept not working out. I hope it all goes according to plan for you but be prepared for things to go wrong.
When we decided to get a second Pug we were prepared for another long wait, phoned the two breeders whose lists we'd been on previously and one had a black bitch she had been thinking of keeping but was having second thoughts, she took a week to think about it and then Phoenix came home. Just made that phone call at the right time.
No doubt you'll still be accused of owning deformed and disabled dogs as I was last week cos Pugs shouldn't be allowed to exist.