About Designer Dog Breeds

Designer Dog Breed Or Mixed Breed?

So, what's the difference between a designer dog and a mixed breed?

Mixed breed dog

Well, before designer dogs were a thing, any dog that wasn't purebred was a mixed-breed, but now there's a distinction.

Any 'hybrid' dog can trace (with proof) his/her ancestry back to two, purebred dogs.

Mixed breed ancestry is usually a complicated blend of many different dogs, some may be purebred, others mixed breeds themselves.

More often than not most of the branches on the family tree of a mixed breed puppy are unknown but the family tree of designer dog breeds has a definite structure:

• The first generation designer dog (known as an F1), is the direct result of mating two purebred dogs of different breeds.
  
• The second generation (F2) results from the mating of two F1 dogs
  
• An F3 pup is the result of a mating two F2 hybrids.

Then there are what's called 'backcross' puppies:

• F1b puppies are the result of breeding an F1 hybrid back to a purebred dog of either the mother or fathers breed (eg. an F1 Goldendoodle X purebred Golden Retriever).
  
• F2b pups are produced by breeding an F1 dog to an F1b backcross dog.

The Pros & Cons of Designer Dogs

It's kind of a mixed bag when it comes to this, and there are strong opinions on both sides of the fence.

Health

It's well known that every purebred dog breed is troubled by at least one (and usually many more), genetic or hereditary illnesses or problems. This is due to the level of inbreeding that takes place in order to keep a breed 'pure'.

Available research shows that designer dog breeds, and mixed breeds, are less likely to suffer from genetic weaknesses and are generally healthier overall than their purebred cousins.

However, it's very important to pay attention to the specific purebreds that are producing a particular hybrid.

If both parent dog breeds share the same genetic weaknesses, there's at the potential for a double dose of problems in the resulting puppies.

For example, if you cross breed two purebreds who each have a predisposition towards eye and eye-lid problems (such as Pugs, Boston Terriers or Pekingnese), the puppies are very likely to have problems in this area. And they may be more serious than in the original breeds themselves.

F2 and F3 generations are more at risk for the appearance of recessive traits, both structural and cosmetic, and this means they are potentially at a higher risk for troubling health issues related to genetics.

The Best Of Both Worlds?

Not necessarily!

Admittedly one of the first designer dog breeds was the Labradoodle, which was originally bred to combine two individual, breed specific traits with a particular purpose in mind.

The Labrador Retrievers' superior performance as a service dog, and the Poodles' non-shedding, non-allergenic coat. This combination produced a  great guide dog for people with allergies.

It works quite well in theory, but due to the nature of genetics, it's not always a 'sure thing'.

Designer dog breeders need to work hard and be conscientious about choosing the dogs they breed, and pairing them up, so that the desirable genes are passed on rather than undesirable ones. Several  generations have to be allowed to mature in order for the true results of any particular breeding/s to be evaluated accurately.

When it comes to the small or tiny designer dog breeds, health problems are more likely to occur than they are with the larger breeds.

Puggle

Predictable or Not?

With purebred dogs you have a pretty accurate idea of your puppy's eventual size, coloring and breed characteristics. With mixed breeds it can be a complete lottery!

Designer dog breeds fall somewhere between these two extremes.

Cockapoo

They're not as predictable as a purebred dog, but F1 and F2 generation hybrids will show a selection or combination of characteristics found in the original purebred dogs that founded the new 'breed'.

It's also important to realize that each individual designer dog breeders' stock will vary from those of another breeder, as there are no recognized 'breed standard' to adhere to (as there is with purebred dogs).

The 'look' of each hybrid is less 'standardized' than that of a mainstream purebred.

Dog DNA Tests

There are lots of reasons why you might want to get DNA information on your puppy/dog.

Perhaps you want to be sure that the purebred you bought (but who doesn't have 'papers') isn't a mixed breed after all.

Other times it's to get info. that might help diagnose an unexpected health issue, explain behavior, get more background on a newly rescued dog, or just out of simple curiosity.

There are simple, ready-to-use, DIY tests that can help you learn more about the genetic background of your dog, right from your own home.

All you need to do is use the kit to take a simple mouth swab, send it off to a lab, and wait for the results.

This Wisdom Panel 3.0 Canine DNA Test Kit tests for upward of 350 dog breeds and can verify that your designer dog is what he claims to be. It can also certify purebred ancestry or provide accurate breed ancestry information for mixed breed dogs, plus it screens for the MDR1 gene (which when present can cause serious, even fatal, reactions to some commonly used drugs).

The Embark Dog DNA Test Kit also tests for over 350 dog breeds as well as for 215 individual health risks, including the MDR1 gene.

This type of information is hugely important for a variety of reasons, including:

Health: Every breed has a predisposition to certain canine health issues and being aware of this can help you protect your pet and make sure he gets any screening he needs as well as being ready and able to recognize symptoms should they arise.

Behavior & Training: Just as health issues are genetically transmitted, so are a lot of in-born breed characteristics and behaviors. It's easier to keep your pup happy and well-behaved if you understand how he 'ticks' and tailor your training, corrections and daily routine to his needs.