Quote: sandy moore

 Quote: debbie bruce

I have heard of a designer breed you may like. I've seen several and they are a very regal looking dog. They are called by several names including Brabanter bullenbeiser (the breeders really need to get together and agree on a name that's shorter and easier to remember)...

From searching on the Internet, the Brabanter Bullenbeiser seems to be a dog that's been around since the 1700's, and is one of the originators of the Boxer. So if someone's trying to pull a "designer breed" using this name, they should check history.

I agree with posters who mentioned getting a rescue. There are tons of wonderful dogs out there who need love, a good home and loving and motivational training.

According to wikipedia the Brabanter Bullenbeiser was one of the names used until "Boxer" became the recognised name for the breed. Those are the humble origins of the wonderful Boxer as taken from wikipedia.
Saying there should be no new breeds is like buying a few acres of farm ground, building your house and then saying "There shouldn't be any more urban sprawl" (Which I am guilty of doing, BTW). Who am I to decide what everyone else can and can't do. I do not make the rules, I just challenge the ones I don't agree with.

I do agree that people should use good judgement when breeding ANY dog.
And I also agree that there are some wonderful dogs to be found in rescues if people will spend the time and effort to look for the right match.

At least the developers of the breeds we have now, Shepherd, Dobe, etc had a purpose for the dog in mind. The only purpose I can see for the new designer dogs is to put money in the "breeders" pocket


Lisa

Oh do you accept checks? Cool, I thought I would actually need some money for this. I have checks, though!

:-)

 Quote: lisa kidd

At least the developers of the breeds we have now, Shepherd, Dobe, etc had a purpose for the dog in mind. The only purpose I can see for the new designer dogs is to put money in the "breeders" pocket.

I completely agree with this statement and Lisa brought up an excellent point about the origins of some of the best breeds around. I don't know much about other breeds, but you CANNOT compare the dedication and hard work and absolute seriousness of someone like Max von Stephanitz who started the GSD breed with the speculative and often "backyard" breeder of these "designer breeds".

I've never been one for fads, and "designer breeds" are a fad, satisfying some people for today but not for the long term, not for a century. Time will tell, but I predict that no matter how many designer breed recipes will get cooked in the kitchen, they won't survive the test of time.

All in all, a designer breed is really nothing but a mixed breed dog, one you can find in your local shelter. Being a mixed breed doesn't make a dog null and void, but he is not a purebred. A designer breed is NOT a purebred, no matter how much people who buy them want to believe it.

Debbie, awhile ago, I saw on your Leerburg profile that you listed this as your website:

http://www.brucefarmpets.com

According to your website, you breed "puggles" and "boggles" (I admit, I'm a little confused about the difference).

And I guess you sell pups of your neighbor's, too?

 Quote: Bruce Farm Pets website

Breeds available include:

Puggles (Pug/Beagle)
Boglen Terriers (Boston/Beagle)
Freagle (Frenchie/Beagle)
French Puggle (Frenchie/Puggle, brindle and white)
Beagles (tri-colors and blueticks)
Boston Terriers (black and white, red and white)
Chihuahuas (fawn, blue, brindle, short and long hair)
And the occasional - little, cute, and lots of hair pup

I'm assuming you have all of these dogs available because of your neighbor?

Since I've been on the board, I don't remember having anyone on here who breeds 'designer' dogs (or at least, they don't speak up about it). I know this board as a whole bashes those who do. We often paint them as people who don't care about the dogs, only money. This post is a good (hijacked!) example. I've read many of your other posts here before, and I can tell that you're obviously dedicated to having healthy pups...I know you've been feeding raw and you seem to be interested in learning all that you can. You don't strike me as someone who breeds pups with no regard for them.

I don't agree with breeding designer dogs, for many reasons, but I would like to hear what made you begin doing it. I'm not trying to open you up for criticism. I would actually like to know what your motives are. How do you respond to what has been said about breeders of 'designer' dogs doing it for the money? Why did you pick 'designer' dogs over an established breed?

PS- As an aside, Wikipedia is not a reliable source of fact. Anyone can write or edit an article on there. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes they don't.

I raise them because:
1)I like my dogs
2)Other people like my dogs
3)I can do a job that allows me to work at home and raise my kids.
I raise these particular designer dogs because they have a combination of qualities I value that I haven't found in established breeds-- IE. exceptional temperament, hardiness, nice color, and small size. Those are also very important qualities in the purebred dogs I raise (Chihuahua, Boston, Beagle).
There probably are some people raising dogs (purebred or designer) strictly for the money, but I doubt that they stick with it very long (who would clean dog poop every day if they didn't REALLY like their dogs). There are always people trying get-rich-quick schemes in any area of life.
Most of the people who post on this site use their dogs for highly specialized and exacting sports or careers. The protection bred GSD and Mals and others are perfectly suited for the tasks that are required of them.
There are people who do not want, or do not have the skills, to deal with these dogs. They are looking for a smaller, high quality dog for companionship that can live happily with them in an little apartment in New York or Boston, or travel with them on the road. While they don't need answers about how to get their dog to bite harder or have more drive they do need answers about raw feeding, vaccines, and general training. That's how you get stuck with me on this forum.
Just as most of you wouldn't go out and get any GSD and hope to have a good protection/working dog a lot of people looking for a companion dog feel the same way about shelter and rescue dogs (there are a lot of variables and unknowns).

PS Thanks for the Wikipedia note

Welp, gotta say I still disagree with so-called "designer" doge. People who breed and sell them are just asking for big bucks for a mongrel. Good that you take care of yours. You are in the minority. If I want a non-pure bred dog, I will adopt from the Humane Society. You can often get pure bred dogs at the Humane Society, too.
(Yes, I know all pure bred dogs started out as mixes. But the crossings were bred for a purpose, usually, and also bred by people who considered the long run.)
I'll shut up now.

Oh, btw, the O.P. was wanting suggestions for a non-allergenic middle sized dog. The Designer Dog thread started up because he said he originally had Labra-doodle that he "had to get rid of".


Edited by Janice Jarman (09/13/2007 02:58 PM)
Edit reason: Getting back on topic, sorta

I'd go with the Portuguese water dog. You may not be able to take one swimming all the time but I think they fit everything your looking for.

Doug,

I second the suggestions for a Wheaton terrier. My mom has one. She is 86, he is really her first dog, and she has been able to train him pretty well, although she does not walk him either on or off-lead. He could knock her over on lead, and his recall is not good enough off lead. Obviously, this is her fault, but at 86, I am not going to beat her up over it. She has property, so he gets plenty of excersize. He is very affectionate, great with kids, lively, friendly to other dogs, but happy to sit at her feet. He barks when he hears something, but is completely fine with guests.

He does not shed, but requires a lot of grooming, and ear care, like poodles. I would certainly suggest you get the dog at a time when you have lots of time to train it and socialize it, not when you are traveling. I would also be careful where you get the dog, there are a lot of lousy breeders out there, and these dogs are prone to allergies.

I'd vote for a standard poodle. They are one of the AKC-designated hypo-allergenic dogs; they are smart (sometimes too smart), pretty good with kids, athletic, and lots of fun.