What's a Designer Dog?
Do you know what a designer dog is? Well how about a hybrid dog? You probably know exactly what they are but didn’t know the name for them. A designer dog or a hybrid dog is a mixture of two pure bred dogs. Say for instance a Cockapoo, can you guess what it’s a mixture of? Well I’ll tell ya, it’s a mixture of a Cocker Spaniel and a poodle. The initial reason behind these hybrid dogs was to get rid of unwanted traits found in the purer breeds themselves. They were also to be beneficial to those with allergies. But evidence has shown that not all designer dogs are non-allergenic or low-shedding. Here’s a list of popular hybrid breeds that exist today.
Pomapoo – Pomeranian and Poodle
These little ones can weigh between 10 – 15 pounds and can range between 8 – 12 inches in length. They are high energy pets and very social. If not given the attention they need they can become quite depressed. Though a bit talkative at times they can be great for alerting their owners of intruders. Pomapoos can also have some teeth issues. And since these are a slightly new cross-breeds not all of their health issues have been discovered yet.
Puggle – Pug and Beagle
Puggles can weigh between 15-30 pounds and can be 10 – 15 inches in length. These semi-schmoosh faced pups are sweet tempered and playful. They are intelligent, energetic and affectionate. They are good around children, young adults, adults and seniors. Puggles are easy to groom and maintain because of their short hair. Health issues for the puggle can be encephalitis (brain disease), skin infections or dislocated kneecaps.
Bugg – Boston Terrier and Pug
Cuter than a real bug, these pooches weigh between 10 – 25 pounds and range between 12-15 inches in length. They are playful and energetic. Their little bodies can be sensitive to super cold or super hot temperatures. And don’t feed them too much, these little chompers can overeat in no time flat. Their health issues can be related to eye problems due to the odd shaping of their eyes.
Labradoodle –Labrador and Poodle
Labradoodles are sociable, friendly and non-aggressive. Due to their intelligence they can be easily trained. Their non-allergenic coats make for great pets for those that have allergies. They can weigh from 25 – 90 pounds and can range from 13-22 inches in length. Labradoodles can suffer from hip and eye problems.
Shorkie – Yorkshire Terrier and Shih Tzu
These pint sized babies can weigh from 6-16 pounds and can reach anywhere between 6-11 inches in length. They should be groomed every 6 – 8 wks unless they’re hair is kept long. If you choose to let their hair grow long then they should be brushed every couple of days. These non-allergenic puppies are sweet tempered and can play easily with children. Health problems can be hip dysplasia or eye and thyroid problems.
Aren’t they cute? Well, of course, they’re flat out adorable. And also keep in mind that whatever health issues the pure breeds that make up these hybrid dogs have, they can pass on all the same health issues onto these designer dogs as well. But I am still unsure about how I feel about these new mixtures of dogs that are now coming about. It seems that I blinked and all of a sudden all these new mixtures of dogs are what’s "in". What about the “normal” breeds that are pure bred? Are they not good enough anymore? Not to mention, there are plenty of “mutts” out there that are not a combo of purebreds that are just as good as these designer dogs. Don’t they deserve love too?
