Is it just me? It seems like EVERYONE these days is talking about their new "springador", "sprocker", "cockerpoo" or whatever. I'm not particular bothered about these mixes, as long as they're bred well and are healthy, but what's with the obsession all of a sudden??
Re: Mixed breed popularity Ive always had labs, but when i was looking for a new puppy back in december, i decided on a Springador. I must admit i didnt do much research, and id not heard of them before, but i fell in love with a picture. Not the best way to buy a puppy, i know. However i love Izzy to bits, yes shes a mixed breed, but she is healthy, and doing well, and i wouldnt swap her for the world.
Re: Mixed breed popularity I don't mind cross breeds as a rule - working in the rescue centre it was pretty rare to see a 'pedigree' lol! What annoys me in the fixation with given them stupid names!! Chorkie (chihuahua x yorkie), yorkiepoo (yorkie x poodle), and so on and so on.... If one of those dogs turns up in a rescue centre it gets called a terrier x or a Labrador x, spaniel x, poodle x .... You get my drift. And they are impossible to rehome because people want pedigrees, however you can bet any money that if we slapped a stupid name on them people would be queuing out the door for them!! Grrrrr! Really gets me riled up, sorry!!
Re: Mixed breed popularity No, like I said, I don't have an issue with them, in the same way I have no issue with mongrels (Willow and Shadow are the first pure-breeds I've ever had) and hopefully in choosing the parents, the breeding is done a lot more conscientiously than with mutts. I would definitely be concerned that lots of people buy them without researching their characteristics first - I was talking to someone with a sprocker last night and she was pulling her hair out with his behaviour when left alone during the day. To me, it sounded as if he was just bored... "he can't be, he gets a 25 minute walk in the morning and a 45 minute walk in the evening". No idea that these two breeds can be super high maintenance so you're unlikely to get a chilled pet by mixing them. I also know that not every owner will buy them just because they're cute, or have a funny name, but I'm just astounded by the apparent explosion in mixes I've heard of recently.
Re: Mixed breed popularity What bugs me is the price " breeders " expect to get for these cross breed, posh named dogs, often a higher price than a pedigree , calling them " rare " , grrrrrr
Re: Mixed breed popularity I read an article about the bloke that first bred labradoodles for the guide dogs and he apparently regrets doing it now because of the craze that has emerged for these 'designer' cross breeds. What people charge for them is ridiculous too!! Anything up to £1000, and probably more!! When you can go to your local rescue centre and pick up something pretty much the same for under £200 and be doing a good deed!
Re: Mixed breed popularity Well, 'oodles' have been around for a couple of decades.... Certainly a marketing success story. I don't think it matters what gets bred to what as long as all the right health checks are done on the parents (hip scores etc). Sadly, that is lacking in the xbred dog industry as there are usually no clubs or organisations to regulate it. Still, some xbred breeders are responsible and do the right thing. There's a little Cavalier x Poodle (.....Cavoodle.......) who does Flyball with us and she is a super little dog, but most unfortunately has just been diagnosed with a degenerative joint disorder at the age of 3
Re: Mixed breed popularity Oh I know they are beautiful dogs and it's not their fault that breeders have taken advantage of the trend. Shortly before I left the last dogs home I was at I had an amazing springador called Cooper, he was chocolate with a white flash on his chest. Really terrified when he first came in so I spent a week just sitting in his kennel throwing him treats before he came anywhere near me, but when he finally plucked up the courage we just clicked instantly. He was such an lovely dog and I was literally on the verge of asking hubby if we could adopt him when someone came along for him. They were lovely people who regularly walk dogs for the home so we knew them which was nice. Cooper was diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia upon his castration (they X-ray certain breeds and large dogs for this as standard) which should have meant euthanasia because he was only 9 months old and it was policy that anything over moderate should not be rehomed but the adopters wouldn't hear of it and Cooper is now living a long and happy life with them. They set up a bank account just for Cooper for any treatment he will need (obviously they can't get insurance for his hips). He had a lovely home to go to and he was one of those dogs that will stick in my mind for a long time. Sorry.... Got a bit distracted there!!
Re: Mixed breed popularity Great that Cooper found just the right people (though he would've been equally as lucky to have landed with you).
Re: Mixed breed popularity [quote author=Oberon link=topic=9790.msg141789#msg141789 date=1423130777] Well, 'oodles' have been around for a couple of decades.... Certainly a marketing success story. I don't think it matters what gets bred to what as long as all the right health checks are done on the parents (hip scores etc). Sadly, that is lacking in the xbred dog industry as there are usually no clubs or organisations to regulate it. Still, some xbred breeders are responsible and do the right thing. [/quote] Exactly and if you are not completely dim you make sure all health checks are done which we of course did and went to a wonderful breeder that I'm still in contact with . I am sticking up for these mixed breeds as Hattie is a Labradoodle and a wonderful girl that I am utterly proud of. Please don't forget your 'pure breeds' started off as 'cross breeds' originally. Also Labradoodles are being used very successfully as Assistance Dogs for young children. I also saw a photo on the front cover of a magazine of one retrieving a shot Pheasant they are afterall Labrador x Standard Poodle which are two Gun Dog breeds. I'm not sure if it's any more a successful marketing exercise than that of Labradors, Spaniels etc.! I really get so upset with people turning their noses up there really is no need for it no more than if someone has a mongrel. Whatever dogs are mixed, crossed with or labelled as long as they are loved and cared for a name just shouldn't matter. There are many Labradors, Spaniels etc. that are given to rescue centres because they weren't quite upto the mark for working dogs or gun shy but we don't hear about that Life is about choice.
Re: Mixed breed popularity My old dog Billy was a Brittany Spaniel / Labrador Cross. A Brittador? A Labraniel?? I don't know; it wasnt a planned pregnancy! But he was one of the very best dogs ever, lived to the ripe of age of 16 - loyal, clever, brave; a fantastic dog. I know of a Labradoodle breeder quite near us, who used to breed standard poodles. They simply went out of fashion - why, I have no idea, because standard poodles are super dogs - clever, hard working, and they don't shed (which is one of the reasons many people pick Labradoodles). Since breeding was his business, he started breeding Labradoodles and Golddoodles, and his kennel is very well respected and well run, and he is very successful at it. The dogs he breeds are delightful; but guess what? They are clever, hard-working, and they don't shed... : Helen, what was your main reason for picking a labradoodle?
Re: Mixed breed popularity Hattie is our first dog and we wanted a breed that was firstly excellent with children with an excellent tempremant, easy to train Hattie has all of these qualities in spades, she is a clever girl too, so all in all we feel we hit the jackpot Hattie is also an extremely fit dog, in excellent health, weight etc. and has none of the health, hip/elbow problems so many 'pure breed' Labradors seem to have these days due to unscrupulous breeders. Excellent reasons to me xx
Re: Mixed breed popularity 59% of guide dogs are Golden Retriever crosses - mostly with Labs. The Labs tend to be a little too exuberant and the GRs too stubborn. First crosses get the best of both breeds. Gypsy looks mostly Lab but she's 50/50
Re: Mixed breed popularity I'm sorry if I've upset anyone or they think I'm turning my nose up at them, I'm really, really not. I'm sure that they can make just as good or bad a pet as any other dog. Mixing up the gene pools a bit certainly doesn't hurt, either, and maybe one day these dogs will be recognised as "purebred" in their own right, as the current pedigree lines continue to deteriorate from too much inbreeding. Having owned mongrels over the years, I know what smart, loving and generous (as well as challenging) dogs they can be. "Pedigree" for snobbery's sake means nothing to me. My point was simply that there seems to have been an explosion of them, as designer dogs, in recent times, just within my own, very limited, experience. Having never heard of such a thing as a "springador" or a "sprocker" up until about a year ago, I now know quite a few people who own them.
Re: Mixed breed popularity [quote author=snowbunny link=topic=9790.msg141830#msg141830 date=1423137354] Mixing up the gene pools a bit certainly doesn't hurt, either, and maybe one day these dogs will be recognised as "purebred" in their own right ... [/quote] What does happen if two Labradoodles are bred together? Guide dogs breed their Labradoodles by crossing Labs and Standard poodles. (They have just brought a glorious young poodle from the USA to be a stud) but I can't think they'd use Labradoodles as brood bitches/studs?
Re: Mixed breed popularity I don't think anyone took it as a slight Fiona, it was clear what you meant And I am sure there were very, very many springadors, or jackiepoos, or pugeagles around in the past - just that nobody ever thought to give them those names! I think there are two major dangers - one is as already said, that breeders of so-called designer dogs don't necessarily do the proper health checks. Secondly, since there are necessarily no pedigrees, it is possibly even easier for unscrupulous puppy farm breeders to churn out these dogs and sell them to unsuspecting buyers.
Re: Mixed breed popularity One pure bred lab, one pedigree working cocker, one sprocker and one springador in this photo. Hard to say who is what, isn't it. All fabulous gundogs.
Re: Mixed breed popularity I love all dogs , and to be honest, we haven't a clue what Millie is but she is a dog and loved , its just the prices people charge for the Millies of this world that makes me cross x
Re: Mixed breed popularity Unfortunately our Jack Russell x Labrador (bred by accident rather than design) didn't manage to start any trends. 'Terrador' obviously wasn't a very attractive breed name!
