Labradoodle breeders located in Plant City, Tampa, FL (Florida)
and Johnston, IA (Iowa). Telephone 813-375-2493.
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Labradoodle info - page 9
| Designer Dogs or Dogs of Good Design: When and where was the line crossed? For over 100,000 years, dogs and man have enjoyed a symbiotic and profitable relationship. That association began when early wolves would scavenge near human encampments and enjoy the warmth of human fires. As time went on, man expanded his relationship with wolves, beyond providing warning and protection, into joint hunting efforts. And as this relationship evolved, so did the wolf. Roughly, 100,000 years ago, today’s dog (Canis Familiaris) began to develop from Canis Lupus, the wolf. From that time forward, man molded dogs for his own purposes. The first archeological evidence of selective breeding occurred around 7,000 BC in early Mesopotamia. The Mesopotamia’s recognized the Arabian Desert wolf as an impressive hunter, since it was lighter and swifter than its relatives. So over time, and with selective breeding, the Mesopotamians developed from this animal the first example of a purebred dog. And that dog still exists today and is known as the Saluki or Persian Greyhound Now let’s fast forward to the present day, because all you need to do is stroll down any street to see all of the different breeds created to fill a special need for humans. For example, the giant Newfoundland was bred to pull nets for fishermen. The Dachshund was bred to dig and hunt badgers. Poodles which were originally bred as a water dog used to retrieve waterfowl. And even the original lapdog, the Tibetan spaniel was bred to warm the bodies of the Buddhist monks while they prayed. One of the most important new jobs dogs perform is being guide dogs for the visually impaired. Johann Wilhelm Klein founded an institute for the blind in Vienna in 1819. There he began training dogs as guides, unfortunately it was almost one hundred years later before his program gained any attention outside of Austria. In Germany, Dr Gerhard Stalling founded a school entirely dedicated to training guide dogs in response to the increasing number of soldiers blinded during World War I. The development of specific breeds continues into the 21 st century. The Labradoodle, the first dog to be labeled a ‘Designer Dog,’ was developed in the late 1980’s to fill a void in human/dog world, an allergy friendly guide dog. The Labradoodle is a unique dog, with a fascinating history. Their story begins in Australia. And it all started with an inquiry from a visually impaired woman in Hawaii, who wanted a guide dog that wouldn’t cause her husband’s allergies to flare. Now in response to the women’s request, roughly thirty hair and saliva samples were sent to Hawaii to test for allergy friendliness over a two-year period. Unfortunately, none on those original samples proved successful. Following the failure of those samples, a man named Wally Conren suggested to the Manager of the Australian Guide Dog Association to cross a Labrador Retriever and a Standard Poodle. Approval was granted and his first litter produced three puppies. Wally gave the resulting cross the name still in use today—Labradoodle. Now from those three puppies, hair and saliva samples were sent to Hawaii for testing once again. And this time, the samples from a puppy named Sultan were successful! As you can see, these are dogs bred with intent. They fill a vital niche in the dog world - being allergy friendly service dogs. Their development was not some chic attempt to create a ‘designer dog.’ They were developed as a specialized service dog, because that type of dog didn’t currently exist. The development of the Labradoodle, and later the Goldendoodle (a golden retriever /poodle hybrid), allowed people needing a service dog, but who suffered from dog allergies, to finally get the help they needed to make life more manageable. And like their cousins the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever, and so many other dogs no longer performing the services for which they were bred, most Labradoodles and Goldendoodles live the life of a beloved pet while a few perform the work for which they were originally developed. However, that does not negate the importance and the life changing benefits these dogs bring to those needing their allergy friendly coat. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize how and why these dogs came to exist. ‘Designer Dogs’ actually began as dogs of good design. However this ‘good design’ has been corrupted by people breeding hybrids purely to make money, not to create a healthy, useful dog. Their only creations are dogs with cute names, rather than dogs with a purpose. My happy accidents, Kayleigh and Sadie are/were both Golden Retriever/ lab mixes. Now known as ‘Goldadors’! The all important intent has been sacrificed at the alter of human greed. Unfortunately, the original intent and purpose of the Labradoodle and Goldendoodle hybrid development has been lost in the media hype over designer dogs. One reason many people look into ‘Designer Dogs’ is hybrid dogs can be healthier than purebred dogs, due to what is known as ‘Hybrid Vigor’. An unscrupulous breeder will tell you there was no need to do health testing on the parent dogs, because that hybrid vigor guarantees you a healthy dog. Not true! Beware of common genetic linkups. Here’s why, hip dysplasia is a very real problem in purebred Poodles, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. If you have a Goldendoodle whose Poodle father is genetically predisposed to hip dysplasia and whose Golden Retriever mother is similarly inclined, your Goldendoodle stands an overwhelming chance of having hip dysplasia. Like everything important in life, research is a must before you bring home any dog. Now, there are governing bodies regulating the standards for Labradoodles, but to the best of my knowledge, no organizations are setting guidelines for the breeding of other hybrids. In this case, the buyer needs to look to the parent breeds and research the recommended testing for each of the parent breeds. You must research in depth any and all common genetic issues of the parent breeds. Because you want to understand the testing done on the parent dogs and the scores needed to predict if these genetic issues will be passed to the puppies. When purchasing a ‘Designer Dog’, you need to be aware of the physical and temperament traits of the parent breed. You can't have traits that exist in both parents bred out in the puppies. Take for example the Puggle, which is a hybrid of the pug and beagle. Pugs shed profusely and can be a challenge to train. Beagles also shed and are known to be a strong willed dog that can also be a challenge to train. So beware of the Puggle breeder telling you the Puggle puppy will be low shedding and easy to train. Research the parent breeds, because an unscrupulous breeder does not want an educated buyer as a customer! Now on the other hand, a good breeder will be up front with you regarding the possible traits the puppy will inherit from its parents. If they have been breeding that hybrid for a while and have kept in contact with the puppy families, they can give you a good idea of what to expect. Again, let’s look at the Puggle. Beagles can have a tendency to howl. A good breeder should be able to tell you two things regarding your puppy’s potential for howling. First, if the parent dog is prone to howling and second, if any owners of previously sold Puggle puppies have commented or complained about their puppies howling. Now, this is no guarantee, it’s just an indicator – but it can alert you to whether the breeder is telling you the truth. Unless someone is foolish enough to buy their ‘Designer Dog’ from a pet store, where the puppy likely came from a puppy mill, there is usually a waiting period. You may wait for a pup to become available, for it to be shipped, or for travel arrangements to be made. Many people wait months to get the puppy they want and I make a point to tell my readers it is well worth the wait to get a well bred puppy. Reputable breeders are not a dime a dozen. You have to seek them out and that takes time and patience. If you decide a particular hybrid ‘Designer Dog’ is right for your family, make sure you do your due diligence! Research the particular hybrid very carefully. Scrutinize your breeder even more intensely. The high prices commanded for ‘Designer Dogs’ cause many puppymills and backyard breeders to capitalize on the trend. Make sure your puppy’s parents have been health tested, that the results are good, you have seen and understand the test results, and the breeder offers a health warranty of at least two years. A warranty period is critical, because many genetic issues do not show up until a dog is fully mature. Remember, the price you pay for a puppy is different from the cost of a puppy. An unhealthy puppy can cost you thousands in veterinarian bills. . Research the current selling prices for puppies of the particular hybrid you wish to purchase. For example: the price range for Puggles is ranges from $500 - $1,800. If a breeder offers you a Puggle puppy for $250, that should be a red flag. This may be a puppy mill dog or may have a genetic defect preventing the breeder from selling it at market value. . Lastly, ask yourself if the traits you want in a dog are truly worth the price being asked for the ‘Designer Dog’. Is there is unique characteristic this particular hybrid has that is worth the research, time, and financial commitment necessary to find a reputable breeder and a healthy hybrid? If the answer is ‘no’ you may want to consider you local animal shelter. One of the unfortunate results of the ‘Designer Dog’ trend is an increase in purposefully bred hybrids in the shelter system. Rehomes of some ‘Designer Dogs’ go through organizations committed to that particular hybrid or one of the parent breed rescue organizations. Someone who has spent a great deal of money on a dog is not likely to give it away. They generally look for a way to recoup some of their initial investment and hope to sell the dog to a new owner. Now, with that being said, shelters are seeing ‘Designer Dogs’ coming through their doors. ? To find out how the ‘Designer Dog’ trend is impacting the shelter system, I spoke to Kris Best, Communications and Development Manager and Lynae Gieseke, Executive Director, both of the Minnesota Valley Humane Society. According to Kris and Lynae, the single biggest reason dogs are being surrendered, whether they are a hybrid or a purebred, is the owners not realizing the amount of work it takes to train and raise a dog. In fact, 20%-25% of shelter dogs are purebreds. When looking at hybrids, Kris and Lynae recommend carefully researching the parent breeds and making sure they have the traits best for your family. You may get the best of both breeds in your dog – or you may get the worst! They are seeing people purchase a ‘Designer Dog’ because of the cute name and adorable puppies without taking into consideration whether this is the right type of dog for them. Kris Best, “Don’t get a dog just for the ‘label’. It’s not a purchase like your designer purse or sunglasses.” The key to any dog whether hybrid or purebred is their training. This takes a commitment by the owner. Kris Best states, “We are seeing an increasing number of Labradoodles and Goldendoodles in CanineUniversity, because most people are surprised by the high energy of these dogs!” You can find ‘Designer Dogs’ at your local shelter, but they tend to move in and out of the shelter quickly. I like Kris Best’s suggestion, “Why not look in your local shelter and create your own ‘Designer Dog’ label? Look at that adorable Lab/Dalmatian mix and make it your ‘Labmation’ or the handsome Shepard/Husky mix and make it your ‘Shepsky’?” Or better yet, see just a dog, a companion and giver of unconditional love. A being who will enrich your life in ways that cannot be expressed. Whether designed with intent or by happy accident, all dogs deserve a loving, nurturing, forever home. |