Very desirable, very expensive dog breed

[Smudge]

especially when they tell me they wanted to bred the mutt.

That's what I told the lady I was talking about - that she was breeding mutts. For some odd reason she didn't like that statement.

It's true though.

Why would I spend $800 on a mutt when I can get a sheltie from sheltie rescue for $200? I don't know what the going rate for mutts is at the pound, but I'm pretty sure it ain't $800!

 

[tofu pup]

yea, I tick some people off too doing that. I also get alot of people mad when I tell them they should not breed there dog. They ask why and my first response is Does he/she have a Championship? no, do they have any obedience titles, no...

See, this is what gets me. If all your dog has achieved in its life is a) surviving to sexual maturity intact and b) being a "nice dog", why exactly do you think that you need to make more of him?

I'm not hung up on conformation titles. Heck, I'm not even hung up on titles from any kennel club - if you have a dog who's out there proving himself every weekend as a useful stockdog, SAR dog, or hunting dog, he's already achieved more than 98% of the dogs in the US ever will, and it's certainly worthwhile to consider breeding him. (You certainly don't have to, and it's still possible that you shouldn't, but having a dog that's done something beyond pooping and not biting the kids is a good start.)

I'll come out and be heretical and say that crossbreeding is not, in and of itself, necessarily evil. If you're breeding dogs for a specific purpose (stockdogs, SAR dogs, police dogs, hunting dogs), the paper doesn't matter. If there's genes over in another breed that could be useful to the purpose that a dog is being bred for, then why not use them? This is how breeds were developed for their "original purposes" way-back-when; as the work of dogs has changed over time, isn't it possible that careful crossbreeding would, instead of "dirtying" the breed, improve the dogs?

Of course, if you're just crossbreeding to make status-symbols for suburbanites (hello, Goldendoodle!), what's the point?

I do think that there's value in preserving certain breeds, even as their purposes change - look at Shelties. Very few people rely on sheepherding for their livelihoods in contemporary America, and sheep-farming in this time and place is vastly different from what it was in 19th-century Shetland. If you want a professional stockdog nowadays, you want a Border Collie-type dog, not a Sheltie. Sure, some people "do herding" with Shelties, and that's great, but how many are actually relying on the work of their herding Shelties for their livelihoods? Today's Sheltie has a very different job - usually as a beloved pet or, less often, as a hobby-competition dog. Is it really a terrible loss that Shelties are now bred more towards companionship than herding? I think not; herding (and the type of herding they were originally bred for) has been eclipsed by a vastly different type of work. We still breed for a healthy, sound dog that will be an active, long-lived family pet, and keeping the breed alive for that purpose is, I think, very worthwhile.

 

[labgirl]

In the UK there are very few shops selling puppies and kittens as there was a massive education campaign to make people aware this was wrong and an animal bought from such a place was likely to have problems. Regrettably we have had some dog selling superstores open in the North but there has been a steady campaign against them.

The saddest thing in my opinion is that Harrods, a well-known name, sells pups and kittens.

I now boycott them, even though once upon a time I used to receive their catalogues.

I always say one day when I am a super-rich authoress I am going to refuse to shop in Harrods and make sure the papers know why!

Very appalling and sickening.

 

[mbfrench]

Gee..this would put Earnhardt right up there as a valuable and desireable dog,by some folks standards.Imagine paying such an amount for a mix breed dog.

Earnhardt is yellow lab,golden,and who knows a bit of husky in his "pedigree"

Honestly some people have the brain of a pea!

When Earnhardt was born,he was one of seven puppies.I did not charge a penny for any of the puppies.But only families were given a puppy,if we felt they would make good parents,and be responsible owners.

Imagine paying 800.00 for one of these puppies...not!
I could not even begin to ask any amount from any one.Yes they are mutts..Good,loving homes,was our goal.

 

[MissSuzie]

Gee..this would put Earnhardt right up there as a valuable and desireable dog,by some folks standards.Imagine paying such an amount for a mix breed dog.

Earnhardt is yellow lab,golden,and who knows a bit of husky in his "pedigree"

Honestly some people have the brain of a pea!

When Earnhardt was born,he was one of seven puppies.I did not charge a penny for any of the puppies.But only families were given a puppy,if we felt they would make good parents,and be responsible owners.

Imagine paying 800.00 for one of these puppies...not!
I could not even begin to ask any amount from any one.Yes they are mutts..Good,loving homes,was our goal.

Ok, first off, which one of those sweet pups is our Earnhardt? They are too cute.

I realize that labradoodles or goldendoodles are not purebred dogs, but I honestly don't see the harm in breeding them if there are people who want them and will give them good homes. Before Meggie, the best, most WONDERFUL dog I ever had was a cockapoo. She may not have been a purebred, but she was just as wonderful a dog and companion as my sweet Meggie and she cost $25. (We didn't pay, she was a gift to us from a friend when my daughter was little.) Anything is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. You cannot say a mutt is not worth $1,500 if someone is willing to pay that much for it.

And, I'd happily pay several hundred dollars for another cockapoo like my little Honey. She would have been worth ever cent!

Please note: I am not justifying puppy mills by any stretch of the imagination!

 

[BarbV]

See, this is what gets me. If all your dog has achieved in its life is a) surviving to sexual maturity intact and b) being a "nice dog", why exactly do you think that you need to make more of him?

I'm not hung up on conformation titles. Heck, I'm not even hung up on titles from any kennel club - if you have a dog who's out there proving himself every weekend as a useful stockdog, SAR dog, or hunting dog, he's already achieved more than 98% of the dogs in the US ever will, and it's certainly worthwhile to consider breeding him. (You certainly don't have to, and it's still possible that you shouldn't, but having a dog that's done something beyond pooping and not biting the kids is a good start.)

I'll come out and be heretical and say that crossbreeding is not, in and of itself, necessarily evil. If you're breeding dogs for a specific purpose (stockdogs, SAR dogs, police dogs, hunting dogs), the paper doesn't matter. If there's genes over in another breed that could be useful to the purpose that a dog is being bred for, then why not use them? This is how breeds were developed for their "original purposes" way-back-when; as the work of dogs has changed over time, isn't it possible that careful crossbreeding would, instead of "dirtying" the breed, improve the dogs?

Of course, if you're just crossbreeding to make status-symbols for suburbanites (hello, Goldendoodle!), what's the point?

I do think that there's value in preserving certain breeds, even as their purposes change - look at Shelties. Very few people rely on sheepherding for their livelihoods in contemporary America, and sheep-farming in this time and place is vastly different from what it was in 19th-century Shetland. If you want a professional stockdog nowadays, you want a Border Collie-type dog, not a Sheltie. Sure, some people "do herding" with Shelties, and that's great, but how many are actually relying on the work of their herding Shelties for their livelihoods? Today's Sheltie has a very different job - usually as a beloved pet or, less often, as a hobby-competition dog. Is it really a terrible loss that Shelties are now bred more towards companionship than herding? I think not; herding (and the type of herding they were originally bred for) has been eclipsed by a vastly different type of work. We still breed for a healthy, sound dog that will be an active, long-lived family pet, and keeping the breed alive for that purpose is, I think, very worthwhile.

I think your arguement is brilliant, though I'm not 100% in agreement.

1) Cross-breeding has a purpose. How else was a Sheltie or any other recognized dog breed developed? As you say, there is a huge difference between cross-breeding to produce a special trait and develop a new and recognized breed, and designer dog breeding (let me see if I can breed a purple cock-adoodle,malti-abrador that will fit in a ladies purse...

2) Have Shelties strayed from their initial purpose? Yes, but that would be the same for almost every dog breed out there. The days are gone where dogs were needed for hunting, for scouting out mice and rats, etc. Yes, there are still some working dogs that will always be necessary....true herding dogs, seeing-eye dogs, police dogs. I would hate to see those bred away.

So this is where I differ in your argument. Personally, I would love Shelties to keep more of their herding aspects like the Borders and Aussies. I hope we don't breed it out of them entirely for the sake of a pretty ear or nice tail set.. It's that intelligence that makes them special.

My tuppence worth.

 

[dawns2shelties]

I recently saw the gentleman who initially bred the Labradoodle. He initially bred these 2 dogs together for a blind girl with allergies. He said it took several litters to come up with the perfect dog hypo allergenic and good instincts for a guide dog. It is not guaranteed all of this mix will be hypo allergenic as alot of people think. Some dogs get more of the poodle gene and vice versa. He said if he knew there was going to be a big explosion of designer dogs including Labradoodles he never would have done this. His purpose was to help this girl not create what has become.

 

[mbfrench]

Ok, first off, which one of those sweet pups is our Earnhardt? They are too cute.

I realize that labradoodles or goldendoodles are not purebred dogs, but I honestly don't see the harm in breeding them if there are people who want them and will give them good homes. Before Meggie, the best, most WONDERFUL dog I ever had was a cockapoo. She may not have been a purebred, but she was just as wonderful a dog and companion as my sweet Meggie and she cost $25. (We didn't pay, she was a gift to us from a friend when my daughter was little.) Anything is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. You cannot say a mutt is not worth $1,500 if someone is willing to pay that much for it.

And, I'd happily pay several hundred dollars for another cockapoo like my little Honey. She would have been worth ever cent!

Please note: I am not justifying puppy mills by any stretch of the imagination!

He is the last on on the right.The biggest of all of them.Its funny,cause even in that picture,he still looks like that.Same facial expressions~

There were seven,but one pup was sleeping and I did not wake her.

 

[dawns2shelties]

He is the last on on the right.The biggest of all of them.Its funny,cause even in that picture,he still looks like that.Same facial expressions~

There were seven,but one pup was sleeping and I did not wake her.

That's so funny that's the one I thought was him. Can't mistake that face.

 

[mbfrench]

That's so funny that's the one I thought was him. Can't mistake that face.

Earnhardt said... thank you!