I would like to get your thoughts on this?
Here is a link to some of the recognised hybrid breeds.
http://www.achclub.com/modules.php?name=Breeders
Star this question for your friends as i would like as much input on this one as possible.
Thanks for all replies, Be as cynical or as in support as you like. This one is wide open for debate.
Kip's Mom
Favorite Answer
Unless those dogs are crossed with cats or something, they are NOT hybrids.
A hybrid is a cross between two different species (e.g. hybrid wheat), or two species with different chromosome numbers (e.g. mules).
So right there, that club is shyte.
Add: To Shilo - by your definition of "Hybrid", a human child with two parents from different "races" could be termed a hybrid. Sorry, I'll stick with the actual scientific definition of hybrid.
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I think it's crap. It's a gimmick that unfortunately many uneducated (read gullible) people will buy into. They'll spend a couple hundred dollars on their "designer breed" dog. Backyard breeders will continue to fill our shelters with excess animals, all in the pursuit of the all powerful dollar. It makes me sick, and I think the jackasses that came up with it should be horsewhipped. Add: Sad thing is, even Animal Planet is getting in on it. They have a show about dog breeds, can't remember the name. The spotlight a breed, and tell all the pros and cons. Sounds good right? Well, about a week or so ago they spotlighted "labradoodles". Great, so now even more idiots will be convinced that a labradoodle is a real breed, instead of the mutt that it really is. Nothing wrong with mutts, I own 3 of them, but I didn't go out searching for them. I wonder if they list my lab that's mixed with shar pei? Guess the fact that I got a "hybrid" for free was a good deal, huh? Ugh...and this is why I dislike most people.
♥Love Herds♥
I didn't read a lot of the answers, or click the link... but I do know there are trends leading to the registration of "hybrids".
My only REAL problem with this "movement" is the inability to hold any of the animals to a breed standard of any kind.
How can there be rules and regulations on breeding, when there's no way to differentiate a "good" specimen with a "faulty" one? There will be no skeletal standards, no way of going, oh maybe I shouldn't breed this Yorkie-poo, it has an irregular spine.
What about as the lines go on and on? Yorkie-poo X Yorkie-poo will make puppies that don't look like Yorkie-poos. They'll be "second generation", and it will be interesting.
How do you hold it to breed standard? Imagine the standards... Something like this:
The animal must be between 8 and 20 lbs. Ears either upright, or floppy, white or black, small or large, coat either curly or straight or any variation. Colors, white, black, sable, fawn, brown, or any variation thereof...
What is the animal being bred for?
I'm at a loss as to how you can improve the breed, when there's no way of finding out what you're even working with. It's challenging. And frustrating.
A. Wray (Taking a Break)
Designer breeds are not hybrids according to the definition of the term (a hybrid is a cross between two closely related species). A dog crossed with another dog is not a hybrid it's a mixed breed. An example of a true hybrid is a mule (donkey x horse).
I don't think ANY of the designer breeds should be recognized because there are thousands of them in shelters around the world for FREE, and we shouldn't encourage people to "shop" for a living creature and over pay for a mixed breed they could adopt the same animal at a rescue.
ADD: Shilo, yes many of the definitions you gave are true, a hybrid is a cross between two genetically different parents--two dogs do not fall into this category. Every definition you gave supports the idea that designer dogs are NOT hybrids. It is unwise to quote terms you simply look up and don't truly understand (in reference to your genetic definitions), since this is misinformation.
I do agree that mutts are great dogs and increasing their appeal would help them get adopted, but do not think "papering" all dogs is the answer, since this just increases the bottom dollar and not how many end up in shelters.
I also do not believe dog breeds with no job should be encouraged--what is the advantage of a labordoodle? Is it a retriever like the lab and smart like the poodle? Then why not just pay $50 and adopt the mutt at the local pound instead of paying >$500 for the fancy name??? Both the breeds I rescued have a purpose for being bred, and as a whole any organization that supports puppy mills (which is what designer breeding is) is not going to get any form of my business.
ADD: Great answer Working Dog! How can you set standards for something designed by nature to be variable! More often than not, you have non-standard parents being bred, which results in even more variability! Mutts are great, but they should be marketed as such and those who do have them shouldn't sell them. .... grrrr.. BYBs!
ADD: Owned by AmStaff I wasn't aware of the websites you listed but the GSD x pug really sent me into a fit! Could you imagine the health problems those dogs are probably going to have! Can they even be born without assistance??? Sorry for the rant, but I have a GSD and a Border Collie (those bothered me too, but the pug mix is just absurd).
ADD: Loki! Glad to see you're back in action! I agree 100%, it is misinformation if you collect your "research" from a site hocking the product your finding out about!
Having been a volunteer for a while myself, in both rescue situations and vet clinics, I also agree that mix breeds are prone to health conditions the same as poorly bred pure bred dogs. If you take a poorly bred pure breed dog and mix it with another poorly bred dog, the likelihood of the puppies having no genetic disorders is VERY slim, mix or not! Even if the parent's don't exhibit/express the disorder, that doesn't mean they aren't carrying the genes.. and lets face it, how many BYBs get vet screenings before mating their dogs. .. grr.. makes me mad just thinking about it!
ADD: Attached are the two places many of the designer breeds end up, since most people only see the cute puppy and don't think about the characteristics of the breed they are purchasing.
Anonymous
Those are not hybrids! A hybrid is 2 different species. Those are just mutts. BYB's and puppy mills trying to make as much money as possible. A hybrid for example would be a wolf crossed with a husky. That site is a scam!