Designer Dog Breeds - Should we encourage them or not?

Regardless of their breed, age, and size, all the dogs are pure love. They are always ready to please their humans. They cuddle them, wag their tails, and accompany them everywhere.

I remember, in my childhood, every single dog was just a pup for me. No specifications, no knowledge of breeds, nothing else. But with the passage of time, I came to know that there are hundreds of breeds with different characteristics.

I remember I was about 7 years old when I came to know that our dog is, in fact, a Prague Ratter, a popular Bohemian dog breed which is not much popular outside the Czech Republic.

Okay, cut the long story short, I wanted to talk about the designer dog breeds. Along with hundreds of pure dog breeds, there are now hundreds of designer or hybrid dog breeds such as a Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel + Poodle cross), Groodle (Golden Retriever + Poodle cross), or a Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain dog + Poodle cross).

Didn't get my point? I am talking about the dog which is a result of cross-breeding between two different dog breeds, most probably two purebred dog breeds. Such dog breeds are called a hybrid dog breed or a designer dog breed.

Today I just wanted to discuss whether the designer dog breeds are just a trend or a need of the day. Do we really need them? Do we really need to mess with nature? Are there any pros and cons of crossbreeding? Should this trend be encouraged or not?

Let's find some cool facts about designer dog breeds. We'll also try to find answers to all these questions.

But the question is; do we really need designer dogs? What are their pros? What are their cons? Should we or should we not encourage this trend? Let’s try to find the answers below.

Designer Dog Pros:

Improved health conditions: Well, some pure dog breeds have health-related problems which may be avoided by breeding them with other purebred dog breeds. For example, the Pug has a very short snout that makes it difficult for him to breathe normally. So, the breeders have crossbred Pug with a Beagle to eliminate this health condition.

Multipurpose Dogs: Crossbreeding brings multiple traits of different breeds into a single dog. Such as, if you are looking for a hypoallergenic dog breed that is large in size and is friendly too, you may go for a Goldendoodle which is a Golden Retriever and Poodle cross.  A Goldendoodle will be intelligent and hypoallergenic just like a Poodle, while he will be friendly, social, and playful like a Golden Retriever.

In fact, the breeders have been cross-breeding different dog breeds since long for developing multipurpose dogs.

Variety of sizes: You can get totally unbelievable sizes such as one of the most demanding dogs are teacup-sized dogs. If you live in a small apartment, you have the option to go for a small-sized dog.

Designer Dog Cons:

Unexpected inheritance of health conditions: The newly produced pups may also inherit negative traits from their parents such as a genetic issue or some behavioral or temperament problems.

High price: The designer dog breeds are usually very expensive. The starting price of a certain breed may start from about $500 and may cost you up to more than $3000 depending on the breed.

No Guarantee of Size and Traits: The breeders can't guarantee the exact size, color, and trait of the pups because they may inherit their characteristics and habits from any parent. So, if you have got a Tiny Bernedoodle which is a small-sized dog, there are chances that he grows unexpectedly big just like a Standard Bernedoodle.

Designer Dogs are good or Bad?

Well, before encouraging or discouraging this trend, I'd say that you should get a dog from a shelter first. There are 1000s of stray dogs that are waiting for their forever homes, so the best practice is to get a deserving dog from there.

Secondly, if you have some specifications or medical conditions due to which you can just get a specific dog breed then you may consider getting a dog from a breeder.

And when it comes to designer dog breeds, it should be according to your needs, not because of the trends.

In short, you can get a designer or a hybrid dog if needed, otherwise, you can get one from a shelter easily. The most important thing is; give your pup enough love and time to make his life joyous and happy.