Why do people want designer dogs?

[SpringArising]

The trend for certain dogs is absolutely shocking. I really can't believe how much some people ask. I don't keep an eye on anything other than French Bulldogs and Staffies, but some lilac and chocolate French Bulldogs are going for upwards of 8k - they're not even correct by KC standards!

Blue Staffies are everywhere and it's almost impossible to find a brindle or red that's KC reg and not crossed with some massive Mastiff - blues are going for over £1000 while the rare reds who are pedigree are going for £600. It's sad I think. We're losing true to type dogs to a fad hype promoted by people who have no desire to improve the breed.

 

[pippixox]

Ultimately like others have said- a cross does not get rid of the problems the original pedigrees have. They could actually have issues from both breeds!

My brother in law and girlfriend have a French bulldog (not designer cross but a designer breed at the moment) pretty sure it cost them over £1000. Also luckily they insured it as within first year it needed an eye and breathing operation! Thankfully his girlfriend is strict with it though and it is a lovely dog. I let my dog on the sofa when invited, but it is a dog not a baby.

People want puppies because they are cute! Personally I have no urge for one! Happy with 2yo rescue.

I hate how dog trends often change for the worse: husky types are now in so many rescues- personally hardly saw any 5 years ago. Wonderful dogs but only for the right owners, but people liked the fluffy wolf look. Now French and British Bulldogs, with all their health issues .

 

[hairycob]

My son used to work in dog insurance. He found the quotes for some breeds, especially French Bulldogs, eye watering. But the rates are high for a reason. Finnish Laphunds on the other hand are very cheap to insure.

 

[Moobli]

there are a couple of gun dog trainers up here (Scotland). There are also some that advertise on pets4homes-have no idea what they are like but they are called WKD dogs or something-mostly gun dogs and GSD. You pay a lot more (comparatively) for a partly trained dog than a partly trained horse which is probably a good thing.

Yes WKD are in Staffordshire

https://www.wkd-uk.com/

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Thanks for explaining gsp everyone

The article was interesting too. That chap sounds really sorry that he opened up the door to the designer dog phenomenon after seeing the end result Surely a lot of these dogs must get good homes though mustn't they or at least I really hope so? Maybe it's like anything that's in fashion though, no-one wants it when it has fallen out of favour? I can't understand how a dog could ever be considered a fashion in the first place though. Surely you research the breeds and decide what sort of temperament you are after, what exercise levels, personality and which body shape appeals to you rather than getting the same dog as everyone else has? People are very silly sometimes in my opinion.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Thanks for explaining gsp everyone

The article was interesting too. That chap sounds really sorry that he opened up the door to the designer dog phenomenon after seeing the end result Surely a lot of these dogs must get good homes though mustn't they or at least I really hope so? Maybe it's like anything that's in fashion though, no-one wants it when it has fallen out of favour? I can't understand how a dog could ever be considered a fashion in the first place though. Surely you research the breeds and decide what sort of temperament you are after, what exercise levels, personality and which body shape appeals to you rather than getting the same dog as everyone else has? People are very silly sometimes in my opinion.

people want a puppy, they want *that* puppy and they want it now, they don't care about the rest. some want the cute puppies with bug eyes (anything crossed with a pug) and some want the ear cropped cane corso-even though cropping is illegal here. people are ****rs.

did you see the chi police dog on the telly?

 

[splashgirl45]

Thanks for explaining gsp everyone

The article was interesting too. That chap sounds really sorry that he opened up the door to the designer dog phenomenon after seeing the end result Surely a lot of these dogs must get good homes though mustn't they or at least I really hope so? Maybe it's like anything that's in fashion though, no-one wants it when it has fallen out of favour? I can't understand how a dog could ever be considered a fashion in the first place though. Surely you research the breeds and decide what sort of temperament you are after, what exercise levels, personality and which body shape appeals to you rather than getting the same dog as everyone else has? People are very silly sometimes in my opinion.

you are right, people should research the breed(or crossbreed) and match it to their lifestyle, this doesnt happen alot of the time and they end up with a hyper dog who needs lots of exercise and its only given 1 or 2 short lead walks a day and ends up in rescue....also not all of the poodle crosses are non shedding , even though they are sold as such..

 

[Clodagh]

Not just crosses, a friend picked up an 18 month old working lab bitch yestrday, she was living in a flat with a family, had never been for a walk even. Lovely dog, still good natured and has really fallen on her feet.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Not just crosses, a friend picked up an 18 month old working lab bitch yestrday, she was living in a flat with a family, had never been for a walk even. Lovely dog, still good natured and has really fallen on her feet.

How in the name of goodness could idiots not take a dog for regular walks? Actually, that's reminded me of one place that I lived in where one (revolting I have to say) neighbour bought a Bichon and so another (equally revolting) neighbour rushed out and bought one too and I never, ever saw either dog being walked. I used to hear the dog barking and whining in the next door neighbour's garden and the other dog spent most of its time standing on a downstairs window ledge but the only time I saw either dog was when they were puppies and they were out on their drives showing them off. Goodness, how I detested both of those couples

 

[Snowy Celandine]

people want a puppy, they want *that* puppy and they want it now, they don't care about the rest. some want the cute puppies with bug eyes (anything crossed with a pug) and some want the ear cropped cane corso-even though cropping is illegal here. people are ****rs.

did you see the chi police dog on the telly?

A chi police dog? Ha ha. No, not seen that.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

A chi police dog? Ha ha. No, not seen that.

Secret Life of Dogs on ITV. She works as a sniffer dog in the US

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Not just crosses, a friend picked up an 18 month old working lab bitch yestrday, she was living in a flat with a family, had never been for a walk even. Lovely dog, still good natured and has really fallen on her feet.

bah, reminds me of the two staffies that lived across the stairwell from OH when he was in Edinburgh. They would bark all day and they only ever went down as far as the road to do their business in the gutter-on a pretty busy road in Leith.Literally down the stairs, outside and back up again and we weren't that far from a local park either-a few minutes walk.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Secret Life of Dogs on ITV. She works as a sniffer dog in the US

I'll look that up, thanks I liked the spaniels in the airport in Florida who sniffed your case to see if you were smuggling oranges. I wasn't

 

[Alec Swan]

There's no question that there are those who when deciding upon breed or cross-breed, do so as they see it as a route to express themselves, or put another way, the dog is an ornament, like jewellery or cars or clothes. Very few, it seems to me, want a dog for itself, if they did, they'd be taking in motley mongrels and come to think of it, I haven't seen a Heinz 57 for years!

Alec.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

There's no question that there are those who when deciding upon breed or cross-breed, do so as they see it as a route to express themselves, or put another way, the dog is an ornament, like jewellery or cars or clothes. Very few, it seems to me, want a dog for itself, if they did, they'd be taking in motley mongrels and come to think of it, I haven't seen a Heinz 57 for years!

Alec.

But Alec darling, don't you know my Chi is swathed in designer Poochi clothing and wears a diamond tiara at all times. She is so like my elegant, fabulous self ... or do we both just have big ears and bulgy eyes? You can decide dear heart. Mwaaah!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Oh and I were having a discussion the other day about why more people don't buy ready trained dogs - being novice dog owners I'd much prefer to buy one with walking to heel and recall already well established but the closest I could find (not that we're actually looking to buy) is personal protection type dogs.

Lots of trained springers on the gun dog selling site, £3000 was a price I saw a few times the other day when looking.

I think the vast majority of people want a very young dog to train/mould how they want it, or at least have the ideal of this in their head. The cuteness factor is vast, too.

 

[Alec Swan]

Lots of trained springers on the gun dog selling site, £3000 was a price I saw a few times the other day when looking.

I think the vast majority of people want a very young dog to train/mould how they want it, or at least have the ideal of this in their head. The cuteness factor is vast, too.

There's a certain market for trained dogs amongst those who haven't got it in them to train and the sad truth is that if they can't 'train' then they generally can't 'handle' either. Most trained dogs which are sold regress in one way or another, but then with the owner becoming attached to the dog, so the bond is formed.

I might add that generally every word of the sound advice which the seller offers to the buyer goes in one ear, and out of the other!!

Alec.

 

[eatmyshorts]

I agree Alex - training done can be quickly undone by bad handling/lack of further training. I think mongrels/crossbreeds are fab but i hate how people appear just to jump on the bandwagon to make a fast buck. Give it a few years & our pounds will be full of designer "breeds" - just like we are starting to see more huskies coming through now. In one way i can see that perhaps charging a decent amount for any dog ensures genuine interest/comittment, but on the other hand, someone makes a profit, & the unscrupulous see an opportunity.

 

[CorvusCorax]

They are already in pounds but they are advertised as poodle or pug crosses....which is what they are.

The poodle crosses I see all look delightful but the bigger ones are like kangaroos on steroids and the little ones all appear quite noisy and reactive - as a generalisation.

 

[s4sugar]

Most of the designer dogs get purchased because the people buying are lied to.
Advert sites are full of puppies ready now which will have the best from both parents and none of the negatives. If you want a well bred purebred dog you usually have to wait for one or, horrors, the breeder wants to keep the pick for themselves.
If you ask why someone with a poodle cross didn't buy a poodle the usual answer is "I don't like poodles" or "poodles are nasty" when they have never met one and I would trust a poodle over a BYB cocker or Lab any day.
They get all defensive when you call their dog a Crossbreed.
I'm a microchip implanter and refuse to use made up names - Mothers breed cross or they can go elsewhere.

 

[Clodagh]

I like the cockerpoos I have met, fun little dogs, but I wouldn't want one. They seem to have the manic anxiety and neediness of a cocker with the high maintenance coat of the poodle.
I agree with you, S4S, crossbreeds are always available whereas a well bred pedigree you have to wait for.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

There's a certain market for trained dogs amongst those who haven't got it in them to train and the sad truth is that if they can't 'train' then they generally can't 'handle' either. Most trained dogs which are sold regress in one way or another, but then with the owner becoming attached to the dog, so the bond is formed.

I might add that generally every word of the sound advice which the seller offers to the buyer goes in one ear, and out of the other!!

Alec.

I can imagine, yes! I'm happy to train my lot myself, once we realised they needed more than the woods walks the others liked, it's been fun. I've enjoyed teaching them new things, like sending them for a retrieve then calling them off, all originally to keep pusscat occupied!

 

[Moobli]

There's a certain market for trained dogs amongst those who haven't got it in them to train and the sad truth is that if they can't 'train' then they generally can't 'handle' either. Most trained dogs which are sold regress in one way or another, but then with the owner becoming attached to the dog, so the bond is formed.

I might add that generally every word of the sound advice which the seller offers to the buyer goes in one ear, and out of the other!!

Alec.

I like to train my own dogs personally, as I get a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from it. However, I do think there is a place for trained dogs - and do wonder whether there would be less dogs rehomed if families chose a part trained puppy or a trained adult dog - but, as you rightly point out Alec, training is an ongoing process and many of those that can't/won't train a puppy then won't keep up the work needed to continue their dog's training into adulthood.

Trained working dogs are a different matter though, and it is not at all uncommon for farmers or shepherds to buy and sell trained dogs as they simply don't have the time or the knowledge and/or skills to train their own. I guess the same is probably said about gun dogs. I also know of a handful of police dogs who were bought with their foundation training already in place so they could get straight on an initial course with their handler - though that is not all that common.

A friend of mine bought a trained personal protection dog a few years ago and he was absolutely awesome. An incredible dog. She was fully committed to continuing his training and went regularly back to the people she bought him from for refresher training in his protection training as well as continuing his obedience training herself.

 

[vallin]

There's a certain market for trained dogs amongst those who haven't got it in them to train and the sad truth is that if they can't 'train' then they generally can't 'handle' either. Most trained dogs which are sold regress in one way or another, but then with the owner becoming attached to the dog, so the bond is formed.

I might add that generally every word of the sound advice which the seller offers to the buyer goes in one ear, and out of the other!!

Alec.

I don't know, as said above if I were to buy a dog I would go for one with the basics installed rather than a puppy - that doesn't mean I wouldn't then want to further it's education but for me training a dog to heel and come to call, whilst vital skills, is boring as sin and requires apparently endless time and patience. I should add though, it's quite possible I just hate training those two skills as despite consistent and regular training with the MILs dog they are still skills she has yet to master

 

[Sarah_K]

I like the cockerpoos I have met, fun little dogs, but I wouldn't want one. They seem to have the manic anxiety and neediness of a cocker with the high maintenance coat of the poodle.
I agree with you, S4S, crossbreeds are always available whereas a well bred pedigree you have to wait for.

There's one goes to my agility class. He's a lovely dog but my god I think he could run from Lands End to John O'Groats and still have the energy to run back. He's fortunate in that his owner is keen on Obedience and agility so can keep him occupied. I can't imagine what he'd be like with a less active and involved owner.

I have a crossbreed- or Chichon I think is the "designer" name. He's got the nervyness of a Chihuahua and the coat of a Bichon. He was a rescue but he's a smashing little dog

 

[MotherOfChickens]

as for the ready trained dog then losing its training due to inadequate handling. well, thats the same as horses but we all have to start somewhere surely?! I've had dogs all my life but my parent's dogs were far from trained-in fact house training was the only thing they got right. Although there seems to be many expert dog trainers on HHO, they must have all had their first dog at some point I am sometimes gobsmacked at how difficult some people find house training etc but there you are-pups are a lot of (uncomplicated) work. Then you get the slightly older pup that people stop training because all of a sudden their cute pup isn't as reliant on them and as obedient as they were and they give up training just when they need to be doing more of it.

A work colleague of mine has recently obtained a working lab (her 5th). She chose the pup and she stayed at the breeders until she was nearly a year old. Colleague then got a house trained pup who was ready to go hill walking and slot into her life (she did go up and work with her and the trainer regularly. I'm not sure I would do it but she's a lovely bitch and all parties are happy. Cost a fair bit though!

 

[{97702}]

In response to the original question..... because people are gullible and believe what they read on social media

Cos all rescue dogs have "issues" and therefore shouldn't be considered domcha know

And cross breds/mongrels are free from the horrendous genetic defects that affect pedigree dogs because of "hybrid vigour"

And people are fashion conscious and go for the latest fashion

 

[Smitty]

There's no question that there are those who when deciding upon breed or cross-breed, do so as they see it as a route to express themselves, or put another way, the dog is an ornament, like jewellery or cars or clothes. Very few, it seems to me, want a dog for itself, if they did, they'd be taking in motley mongrels and come to think of it, I haven't seen a Heinz 57 for years!

Alec.

I think I have one. He is brown, short and ordinary. I fondly believe/tell people he is a Patterjackdale, but mongrel is probably nearer the mark.

 

[CorvusCorax]

In response to the original question..... because people are gullible and believe what they read on social media

Cos all rescue dogs have "issues" and therefore shouldn't be considered domcha know

And cross breds/mongrels are free from the horrendous genetic defects that affect pedigree dogs because of "hybrid vigour"

And people are fashion conscious and go for the latest fashion

Word

 

[Kaylum]

In response to the original question..... because people are gullible and believe what they read on social media

Cos all rescue dogs have "issues" and therefore shouldn't be considered domcha know

And cross breds/mongrels are free from the horrendous genetic defects that affect pedigree dogs because of "hybrid vigour"

And people are fashion conscious and go for the latest fashion

The rescue dog issue thing yes lots have issues and my latest girl has but those issues are so easy to deal with having already had a dog with the same issues it really is quite easy for experienced people to help these dogs. I thought I would never be able to get a rescue dog as we work but some charities now see experienced owners as a very good home. We were very determined to get a rescue and have now rehomed a Cairn x Scottie.