Designer Crossbreeds dumped by their owners

There is an article in this week's Dog World which says

A Growing Number of so-called "designer" crossbreeds are being dumped by their owners according to Dogs Trust.

The Charity says some breeds made fashionable by celebs are now appearing all too often at its shelters. It is worried that people want to be like the stars and therefore get the sme dogs.

However according to the Trust, the animals are often dumpted when they cause a problem.

The Charities shelters accross the UK are beginning to take in a lot of 'Labradoodles' which have become increasingly popular since stars like Jennifer Aniston, Tiger Woods and Paris Hilton got them. Other crossbreeds affected include 'Puggles', 'Cockapoos' and 'Schnoodles'.

The Charity'sChiwf Executive , Clarissa Baldwin said "People look at the front page of their Newspapers and see their celebrity idol with their trophy dog and feel they must have one too. The trouble is that the poor dog is thrown out when the novelty has worn off or the fashion changes.



It's shocking . These are living sentient creatures, not something to be bought and thrown in a cupboard whenthey are no longer wanted anymore, or taken down to a Charity Shop".

according to Dog's Trust from a total of none a few years ago Labradoodles are now making increasingly regular appearances at its 17 centres accross the Uk.



I personally have to say I am not surprised by this and I think the numbers will be increasing over the next few years. It is a shame for these poor dogs and for the rescue's who have enough to cope with without these poor dogs who have been bred by money grabbing people who have jumped on the band wagon and the dogs, through no fault of their own, they did not ask to be born, are now adding to the number of unwanted dogs. These unscrupulous people make me sick.

I think some people see how good the dogs look and I'm sure the odd one even works out which outfit it would suit. Then when they've got them and find the dog eating said outfit or chewing up the couch they want rid just as quickly as they bought them. We live in a throw away world and some believe dogs fall into that as well.

Heidi

Agree 100% Heidi

When we rescued our afghan hound many years ago, she was originally bought because the owner saw "Jason King walking down Bond Street with one, and thought it looked cool".

By the time we got her, she was so matted we had to have her completely stripped. She was only 2.

She died in my arms of heart failure many years later.

I wish all celebrities would rescue - it would put them in a much better light, IMO, and would encourage all the "sheep" out there to do the same.

I wish the celebs would show the sort of damage a dog can do to a home as well. I'm not sure the Osbourne's should have as many as they do but at least they showed the damage the dogs did and showed that they will poop in the house.

Heidi

Is this not just self fulfilling though?
theres ten times more labradoodles than there were three years ago for instance so wont there be more in the shelters anyway? like the staff - more staffs - more staffs in rescues.
If all the numbers were collated - would you see a drop in the number of pedigree labradors or golden retrievers for instance in shelters?
Im not defending or supporting labradoodles by asking this, but I think stuff like this has to be looked at in the bigger context.
For instance if 17 labradoodles in the shelters means 40 less retrievers in them - is that a step in the right direction.
I think the 'designer' dogs are an easier target than pedigree dogs sometimes but IMO ive noticed that intense breeding of Golden Retrievers to fulfill demand in the nineties has left a lot of dogs that are almost unrecognisable to the GR i rememer from my childhood and I am sure that led to a large increase in them ending up in shelters.
I think it isnt a question of designer or pedigree, rather than the throwaway society and lack of dog owning criteria that now exists these days.

Nickyboy
I am not prepared to get into a discussion as to whether designers are an easier target than pedigrees, or whether 17 labtradoodles in shelters mean 40 less retrievers that to me is off topic and if you want to discuss this start a new thread on it.

It's really sad. I saw on Richard and Judy the other day a 'breeder' of designer dachshund x chihauhaus having a little interview with them and they stated how cute they were etc etc and the breeder even told them of how they are super healthy unlike a pedigree dog as they are a cross. Its terrible that they are getting all this promotion from people who should know better.

sure no probs at all - i dont know the answers just thinking out loud about the topic - I am happy to start a new thread - i was just thinking looking at the designer cross breeds in the context of the bigger picture and I wonder how thats off topic??

i agree they shouldnt be the focus of media attention, most media attention doesnt bode well for dogs of all walks of life normally.