 'Designer
Dogs' are fast becoming a fashion firestorm across
the world.
Also called Hybrids or crossbreeds
the name refers to the resulting puppies from a deliberate mating
of two different pedigree or 'purebred' dogs.
Dictionary Definition:
Genetics: The
offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock, especially
the offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different
varieties, species or races.
Hybrid: An
organism that is the offspring of two different parents that
differ in one or more inheritable characteristics, especially
the offspring of two different varieties of the same species.
In animal husbandry and agriculture, hybrids of different varieties
and species are bred in order to combine the favourable characteristics
of the parent. Hybrids often display "Hybrid vigour" meaning:
"The extraordinary quality caused by hybridising in which inherited
characteristics such as energy, force, health, intensity, power,
resistance, strength and vitality are greater than the originator
or progenitor."
This is also referred to as "outbreeding
enhancement, heterosis or heterotic". A classic example
of "hybrid vigor"
is the mule, an offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.
It is strong for its size, has better endurance and a longer
and more useful lifespan than its parents. However mules are
sterile as are many animal hybrids.
Heterosis is the phenomenon that happens when two purebred lines
produce offspring with superior genetic foundation. The heterosis
effect has been used to man's advantage for many years. It is
thought that the offspring from such matings will in effect be
healthier with fewer genetic diseases. However this only applies
to first generation offspring. The "Heterosis effect" is
lost when the hybrid animal is bred with another hybrid. Conscientious
breeders only breed from two purebred animals but this is not
the case amongst many 'backyard' breeders and 'puppy farms' where
the designer dog epidemic has taken over due to the recent explosion
in popularity of this fashion-led profitable breeding business.
Karen Peak who wrote "The Myth of the Hybrid Vigor in Dogs" believes
that it is wrong to say a crossbred dog will be healthier than
a purebred one. First, in order to be classed as a hybrid an
animal must be the product of two different species:
Male Donkey x Female Horse =
Mule
Male Lion x Female Tiger = Liger
Male Tiger x Female Lion = Tigon
Even in true hybrids, genetic diseases can and do emerge. Liger
males are sterile and are prone to gigantism and Tigons are prone
to dwarfism. Both have an increased risk of contracting various
cancers and both have a short lifespan according to Maxine Annabell
of 'Tiger Territory'.
Just as all humans are Homo Sapiens no matter what colour, size,
shape or form so too are all dogs Canis Familiaris no matter
what colour, size, shape or form. Therefore a mating between
two canines cannot produce a hybrid animal.
According to J.P.Yousha in his work on "Breeding Myths" he
says:
| "Mongrels (crossbreeds)
display more genetic faults and inherited disease traits
than any one breed. There are endless sets of statistics
to prove it." |
The late canine geneticist, Dr. George Padgett discovered over
a hundred hereditary health issues in the crossbreed dog. One
often sees the mongrel, village dog or wild dog as being healthier
than purebred dogs due to them leading a more natural lifestyle
than the companion dog. Yousha says:
"It is romantically
enticing to think Nature does a better job of taking care
of Her Children than corrupt man does. The fact that "she" doesn't
look after any of "her individual children" is
obvious to those who study nature carefully. Sickness,
death and dying is just exactly how nature winnows out
the numbers to an acceptable level; cruelty by our standards
is a standard event in nature- as is suffering, Nature's
idea of "controlling" disease is to let the affected
individuals be born, suffer and die."
(J.P. Yousha has studied molecular
biology and has written many respected articles on genetics.) |
The myth that only positive traits are inherited is not always
the case as often the designer dog can inherit hereditary illnesses
and cannot survive. Breeding of related individuals can result
in physical malformations and a reduced level of fitness. This
is called "inbreeding depression". The Labradoodle
is already carrying two breeds that have similar and different
inherited health issues from the Labrador and from the Poodle.
Instead of having two health issues there are subsequently four.
Diseases such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy occurs in Labradors
and Poodles so with the Labradoodle the risk of blindness increases.
In effect, instead of breeding out hereditary diseases they may
be being bred in.
John Carter, President of the South Australian Canine Association
said:
| "We have spent years
literally breeding out the faults in dogs and here these
people are, just putting dogs together and breeding them
back in. We are talking hip dysplasia, eye problems, temperament
problems and all kinds of things." |
One may argue that all dogs are in effect designer dogs as throughout
history dogs have been bred with other dogs by man to suit a
specific need. Purebred dogs were developed for a purpose such
as hunting, herding, guarding, fighting/war dogs, search and
rescue, pulling heavy loads etcetera. The breeders were selective
in only choosing dogs that would be instrumental in achieving
a dog that would fill a role in serving mankind. Dogs have 78
chromosomes from 39 pairs. A puppy gets half of these from its
'dam' (mother) and half from its 'sire' (father). The chromosomes
contain the DNA which gives the pup its genetic make up. Hence
the animal gets some of the mother's characteristics and some
of the father's in a random manner. No two animals in a single
litter will be exactly the same. The resulting litters of first
and second cousins were bred again to each other to minimise
random chance characteristics. Several generations later the
dog would breed true and have reliable physical and temperament
characteristics.
It is thought that many genetic problems began when the dog was
only being bred for the show ring or as companion animals. A
classic example of this is the Dalmatian. Show breeders produced
dogs that had more sharply-defined spots but this selective breeding
produced an abnormal 'Uric Acid' gene which has resulted in Dalmatians
with hereditary Urine Stone Disease and deafness. It is only
recently that geneticists discovered that the mutation contributing
to the widespread deafness in Dalmatians is the same
mutation
that creates the spots.
 In the past, breeders of working dogs cared little for the appearance
of the animal. These people were totally dedicated to their dogs
so much so that for many like Herr Doberman and Max von Stephanitz
they devoted their whole lives to producing the dogs we know
and love today. More importantly, their venture was motivated
not by profit, but by a genuine and deep interest in dogs, coupled
with a need for a new kind of service dog, and backed up with
many years of experience in handling and breeding dogs of many
types.
So where did it all start?
The Labradoodle (Labrador/Poodle)
is widely accredited as the dog that set the "designer dog" movement
in action. Wally Conron, the breeding manager for the "Royal
Guide Dog Association" in Australia embarked on a quest
to find a non-allergenic guide dog for a client that, as well
as being visually impaired, also suffered with an allergic reaction
to pet hair.
The Poodle is a low shedder and had been considered as a seeing
dog before, but this was unsuccessful due to training set backs.
In the 1980's Wally Conron saw the potential of breeding the
trusty Labrador with the Poodle to get a non-allergenic guide
dog. It should be noted that at this point the Labradoodle was
bred with a utilitarian purpose in mind and not as a fashion
fad.
Two years and thirty-three disappointments later he achieved his goal and
produced three non-allergenic puppies. The first ever designer dog
was the Labradoodle 'Sultan'. Wally assumed that the other two
pups would be assigned quickly to others on the waiting list
but to his amazement nobody wanted these "crossbreed puppies".
There are only a few weeks during which guide dog puppies can
be assigned to their owners as there is a critical window in
which the dogs must begin their dog training. Wally decided to call his
new breed a Labradoodle and never again referred to them as crossbreeds.
He contacted Channel 9 television station in Melbourne and told
them he had a new breed of guide dog called a Labradoodle. This
sparked Channel 9's interest and they interviewed Wally a few
days later. As soon as the show was aired the phones didn't stop
ringing from people who wanted to buy one of these new dogs.
The pups were rehomed within a couple of days.
These first generation dogs were very large and had stubborn
temperaments. Many ended up in rescue shelters, abandoned by
people who could not handle these intelligent but dominant dogs.
Another problem was their unpredictability as to size, coat and
character. This could only be determined as the dog matured.
Wally decided to breed more Labradoodles especially for allergy
sufferers. He contacted the Australian Kennel Club asking for
the names of breeders with healthy stock. He was told:
| "If you use any registered
dog for your breeding programme, that breeder will be struck
off the register and never be allowed to show or register
their dogs again." |
When Wally approached breeders directly many threatened him with
litigation if he used any of their progeny. As news of the Labradoodle
spread worldwide other new breeds began to swamp the market.
Breeders stopped checking for hereditary issues as the demand
for designer dogs rapidly increased.
Wally Conron found his breeding stock and continued to supply
people who were allergic to pet hair with his dogs. Wally, now
aged 78 is retired and speaks of his former breeding days:
| "I quickly realised
that I'd opened a Pandora's Box when our next litter of
Labradoodle produced only three allergy-free pups. I began
to worry, too, about backyard breeders producing supposedly
"allergy free" dogs for profit." |
Already one man had claimed to be the first to breed a Rottweiler
Poodle cross. Nothing however could stop the mania that followed.
New breeds began to flood the market: groodles, caboodles and
snoodles. Were breeders bothering to check their sires and bitches
for hereditary faults, or were they simply caught up in delivering
to hungry customers the next status symbol?
Wally's Labradoodle must not be confused with the Australian
Labradoodle. Wally only bred his Labradoodle from a pedigree
Labrador and a pedigree Poodle. He never bred from two Labradoodle's
in an effort to maintain genetic diversity and avoid inherited
diseases.
When a Labradoodle is mated with another Labradoodle it is referred
to as a "Multi-generational" (Multigen) or an Australian
Labradoodle. The Poodle (standard, miniature and toy), the Labrador
Retriever, the Irish Water Spaniel, the Curly Coated Retriever,
the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel have
all been bred into the Australian Labradoodle over the past decade.
Australian breeders have carefully bred the Labradoodle back
to the Poodle to maintain the designer dogs' greatest asset,
the curly coat. They claim that they now have a reliable new
breed.
Designer dogs or just a mutt?
Extortionate prices are being charged for what many people consider
is just a mongrel or crossbreed dog like any other.
Ask any dedicated breeder and they will tell you that a mutt
is a dog that has the characteristics of two or more breeds whereas
a purebred dog has been developed to adhere to a standard regarding
physical attributes and appearance. Breeds that went into creating
the purebred dog were not selected at random but with a specific
goal in mind. Care was taken to only breed from healthy stock
so as to minimise hereditary diseases. Character and temperament
within a given breed is mostly predetermined by its ancestors.
A Labrador does not have the temperament of a Poodle. Neither
does a Rottweiler have the temperament of the Poodle, or the
Pug of a Beagle and so on. This latest fashion for designer dogs
has led to amateur breeders with no expertise producing litter
after litter of puppies wholly and solely for profit.
Lack of knowledge is leading to thousands of dogs being born
with severe health problems or unstable temperaments. It is not
only health issues that are at stake. Take two breeds with strong
guarding instincts and dominant characters and you may well end
up with a powerful dog with an equally powerful bite that would
be a time bomb waiting to explode within the average family home,
especially if that family home chose the dog on a basis of fashion
consciousness rather than sincere dog ownership motives. The
Border Collie crossed with the Dalmatian called the Dollie is
often far too energetic for even the most active outdoor family
as the intense physical ability and drives of the Collie are
no longer confined to the small, light and unobtrusive frame
of its ancestors, but now live on in the heavier-framed and naturally
less obedience-orientated Dalmatian.
There is not a single country in the world that has to date introduced
any legislation to control these opportunist breeders who do
not take responsibility to properly document breed or health
data or even to keep track of how many dogs they produce and
sell. They care not that their dogs do not fit a purpose and
are not breeding true to type. Such capitalist people and their
indiscriminate breeding practises will churn out whatever their
public desires and charge thousands of pounds for an animal whose
wealth lies within its highly fashionable and sought after name.
Before any new breed can be registered with a kennel club there
needs to be at least three generations producing puppies with
a consistent look and temperament and even more importantly,
the breed must fulfil a purpose not already being met by current
purebred dogs.
Dedicated, honest breeders are controlled by kennel club rules.
There are limits to the amount of litters they can produce, the
age at which a bitch can be bred from, they must have their stock
screened for hereditary disorders, eye diseases and bone and
skeletal problems. They can show any potential buyer the pup's
pedigree lines and have an obligation to both their animals and
their customers.
Not so for the backyard designer dog breeder who will create
a dog to match their label-conscious client's lifestyle or their
fashionable wardrobe. Yet they refuse to be held accountable
for their indiscriminate breeding practises and any potentially
harmful chaos that ensues.
Designer Dogs continued->
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