BudgetsDad said:
As the owner of two mixes, they are great dogs. I just don't understand the disdain people have for mixed breeds.
There is no disdain for mixed breeds, I have one myself, many of us here have mixes or loved one at one time or another. There however is disdain for breeding them and all mixed breeders are irresponsible.
It just seems like the dog version of racism. I know you say that you don't have anything against "mutts", but that word itself is pejorative, and more than a few posters have have used it in a pejorative sense. E.g. I can't beleive anyone would pay that much for MUTT.
The reason you see people saying "I can't believe anyone would pay that much for a mutt" has nothing to do with the dog, but rather the fact of the irresponsible breeders the money is going to...From the same aspect lets say someone bought a purebred dog from Kennel XYZ..Kennel XYZ is a known puppy mill, if someone said "I just got a puppy from Kennel XYZ, I may say something like "Ugh I can't believe you paid that for a Kennel XYZ puppy"...The difference lays in the fact that all breeders of mutts, cross-breeds, mixes are irresponsible.
It is also necessary to point out that the only time you will hear someone saying anything along the lines of "I can't believe you paid that for a mutt here" is when someone comes to brag about the latest designer mutt they just purchased..."I just bought a "Fluffadoodasnugapoo" from a breeder" is going to result in dissapointment, and that time will be used to educate.
Now on the other hand if someone comes and says "I just adopted a Fluffadoodasnugapoo from the shelter" it would be much different...The person would hear things like: "congratulations, and "thats great".
It's not about paying for a mix that is the bad thing, its lining the pockets of irresponsible breeders that is bothersome, just like lining the pockets of irresponsible breeders of purebreds is bothersome..today there is no such thing as reputable breeders of mixes so the only ethical place to get a mix from is the shelter.
Yes, I know there are irresponsible breeders. I open the penny saver and see TONS of advertised PUREBREDS being sold at 4 and 5 weeks.
Noone has ever denied that there were irresponsible breeders of purebreds.
A lot of people hold strong opinions, but i don't see much based on scientific evidence. Evolution dictates that wide genetic pool is good for the species, and many vets will tell you that mix breeds are often healther than purebreds.
The whole concept of mixed breeds being healthier than purebreds is hype based upon "hybrid vigor" the problem with this is a mixed breed dog is not a hybrid.
Ever heard of Dr George A. Padgett? He is world renowed as the leading authority on canine genetics..and his views on mixed breeds being healthier disagree with what your vet will tell you.
Responsible breeding is good, but it seems a lot of people are focussed mainly on the concept of MUTT. It comes off as very arbitrary and frankly somewhat elitist.
If you are getting that from these posts then you are misreading, nobody has frowned down or said anything bad about mixed breeds, aside from breeding them being irresponsible.
If being against irresponsible breeders (both mixed breeds and purebreds) makes me an elitist then I will wear that title with pride and honor.
The only breeders I have any tolerance or respect for are reputable, responsible, ethical breeders..since there is no such thing as a reputable, responsible, ethical breeder of mixes I have no tolerance for anyone who breeds mixed breeds.
If someone wants a mix I will be happy to point them to a shelter to save a life, and I will be happy for them and wish them well..but please do not ask or expect me to applaud anyone getting a dog from an irresponsible breeder because the only hope I will have is that the poor animal does not suffer due to inherited genetic or temperamental disorders..The only hope I will have is that the animal does not end up homeless because the misconceptions used to push the sale of designer mixes came to light and were revealed as false.