Be careful when buying cross-bred dogs

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/10/2020 (2011 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I’ve been seeing a lot of online comments and posts about how the price of puppies during the COVID-19 pandemic has skyrocketed and how “mutts” are fetching thousands of dollars.  
Purebred, papered pups have always fetched a high price, as you are generally dealing with breeders who have done their work to make sure the dogs are bred in a responsible way, a governing body that certifies the lineage and, hopefully, a health guarantee against defects due to breeding.

On top of that, you know what you are getting, what that breed’s size, temperament and care will entail. All pets are individuals, of course, but you know in general what to expect.

‘Designer dogs’ — dogs bred from different breeds to try to achieve a blend of traits — are highly regarded by some but others regard them as mutts.

Both are right, really. While the intention is good and you can end up with a very appropriate dog when you get the desired traits, you don’t always get them and, in the worst case scenario, you can get all the undesired traits.  

The ‘inventor’ of the labradoodle was trying to create a dog for a client who needed a service dog but whose husband was allergic. He thought that he could breed a dog that had the service-dog traits of a Labrador and the hypoallergenic nature of a poodle. It was a noble concept but it led to legitimizing the creation of  ‘designer dogs’ — crossed breeds with cute and marketable names.

I’m not saying every ‘doodle’ is a badly bred dog, as there are some very reputable breeders of crosses. But backyard breeders often try to pass off poorly bred dogs with designer names.

The practice undercuts what the dog-breeding community has been striving for and the whole reason pedigrees (papers) exist, which is traceability. Being able to look back through a dog’s family tree to make sure the dog has a clean pedigree without health issues.  

As soon as you cross dogs, you remove the pedigree trees, as kennel clubs do not recognize these breedings and do not track them.  

Can a breeder use these pedigrees as a basis for their program, and continue the practice with non-pedigreed dogs? I guess so, but I have never heard of it being done.

If a breeder continued a pedigree, like a kennel club does, and was able to show the lineage of an animal contained diverse and health-issue-free parentage, that would be great and something to look for.

Unfortunately, many barely record what breeds of dog a mixed puppy is. I have seen operations where dozens of litters of puppies are produced yet there is only one male and females are retained to use in the “breeding program.”

Due diligence is key in adding a canine companion to the family. Please make sure the breeder you choose is a responsible individual, not someone just out for the cash.

There are lots of tip sheets on buying a puppy and what to look out for, a little research can save a lifetime of heartbreak and expense.  

Contact Jeff with your questions or ideas at thrivepetfoodmarket@shaw.ca or visit www.thrivepetfoodmarket.com