When did all these cutesy names come about? Did I miss something?

Its crazy. I remember when mutts were a accident breeding and were free. Now its on purpose breeding and just as much as purebreds. Its ridiculous!!

I agree with what everything everyone here has said--- it is just a way for BYB's to make a ton of money. One day there was a mixed breed by a BYB by mistake and a name was invented and the first "pom a poo" was created, you know? I am in the same boat as you though-- my puppy is a purebred GSD mixed with a mutt, and looks like a GSD. So when people ask what she is I say she's "a GSD mutt" or "a mutt" or "a mix of a little of everything". She has no fancy name for being a GSD/black lab/collie/husky mix :P

It really is sickening, isn't it?

All those gorgeous, loving "designer dogs" waiting for homes but being euthanized instead at shelters all over the country - any mix you could imagine, or come up with a fancy name for - and money grubbing back yard breeders - and puppy mills - are breeding more mixes.

Makes you want to cry.

Please folks - a mutt is a mutt - ANY mix of any dogs, pedigree or not - is a MUTT.

Mutts make terrific pets and they come in fabulous shapes and sizes, but don't let anyone breed more while there is even one waiting to die in a kill shelter - adopt, don't buy!!!

Short answer: Marketing.

Even shorter answer: Ego.

Basically, unscrupulous breeders are marketing their mutts as 'specialist' or 'designer' breeds, and trying to sell them under the various cutesy names. Where does ego come in? Well, which sounds better: "I own a mutt" - or - " I own a Labradoodle"..?

Now, I've got nothing against mutts... They're often far more healthy, intelligent, and loving than some "pure" breeds, and I've owned my fair share of them. But some people can't live with the lowly name of 'Mutt."

Lets face it, way back when someone was an absolute genius for figuring out what to do with the pups from an accidental breeding of their Cocker and Poodle by calling them Cockapoos and charging a fortune for them.

it started when Backyard Breeder number 1 had the idea to make money off of their lab mixes. but no one wanted a poodle/lab mix. give them a name like Labradoodle, voulah, a new breed is born! it makes the uneducated believe they are getting a real breed, instead of the common mutt they can get for 100 bucks at the shelter. and it lets them charge obscene amounts for them

they come up with the cutsie name so they can charge you $1000 for a mutt. you expect to see "german collie mix" at a pound, and not at a breeder.

if you had a choice just adopt the doggy at the pound. they are significantly cheaper and they need a loving home.

It's a money making scheme. My dog is a plain old beagle mix and proud of it.

I know...it's ridiculous.

I just saw someone who asked about a "weagle" (weimaraner/beagle), and I wanted to see if there were actually people selling these dogs online, so I googled it and found this website.

Go there, I swear, some of the names of these "designer dogs" made me laugh out loud. So ridiculous!

Because people like to have a "breed" name for their dog, and seem to think that simply saying "he/she is a mix" makes their dog less worthy of whatever it is they think they have to make their dog worthy of.

One of my dogs is a purebred Cocker. My other is a mutt. I know what his parents were. But he's neither. He's simply a mutt. But he's mine and I love him. They're my dogs. Not handbags.