[Snuggles]

I am searching for a new dog (have a three year old Yorky/Llapsa/Pekineese mix now) and I came across Cockapoos for $300. Is that a decent price? I read that they aren't pure breds and should be avoided. Any feedback?

Also looking at Shih Tzus. Any feedback on those?

Thanks

 

[MissMutt]

What you read about Cockapoo's being avoided is true. The whole "designer dog" breeding industry is extremely broken; "breeders" don't health test their dogs, don't work their dogs, etc. They pretty much just breed two purebreds together and see whatever comes out. There is no consistency in terms of what the pups should look like, and the temperament the puppy will have is pretty much a crapshoot. Many of them fall into the backyard breeder/puppymill category.

$300 seems awfully cheap so to me this dog seems like its coming out of less than ideal circumstances.

Go with a Shih Tzu from a reputable breeder.. you'll pay more but it'll be worth it.

 

[pugmom]

You don't need to avoid them because they are not pure bred but because a lot of them come from byb or puppy mills....you need to evaluate where the pup is coming from ...why are you paying what your are paying..etc

unfortunately a lot of the people that breed mixed dogs are in it for the money and are less concerned about the welfare and health of what they are producing....

 

[Snuggles]

I just talked to a woman who has various dogs (puppy mill?). Anyway, she also has a Shapoo (Thitzu/Yorky) mix for $300. Still stay away?

 

[GroovyGroomer777]

Stay away. Depending on where you live, you can rescue the same exact type of dog from a shelter.

 

[Snuggles]

I think I am going to stay away. As I am reading the ads, there are several mixtures with her phone number. When I talked to her, she ran through a list of dogs. hmm

 

[pugmom]

Run far far away........if you looking for a mix...go on Petfinder.com or check your local rescue ...a lot of breed specific rescues have mixes too

 

[animalcraker]

Yes stay far away from breeders like that.

You want to find a breeder that health tests or check out shelters/rescues near you. If you need any help finding a good breeder or rescue most of us would be more than happy to help.

 

[Snuggles]

Thanks I have been checking shelters and such every day. Sure is hard to find a young small female dog.

 

[GroovyGroomer777]

Yikes, here in sw fl there are so many young, purebred, mixed , little, big, male, female....
You could call your shelter and leave your info, so they can notify you when your type of pup comes in.

 

[Mom2Sadie]

Cockapoos are a wonderful mix that has been around for decades. Just be careful where you get it from. Any place that just breeds and breeds and breeds and has tons of mixtures of dogs is a red flag for sure. I love my cockapoo!!

 

[Smithcat]

If you want a mutt, see a shelter. Lots of them there, and for a whole lot less.


Heres how the breed determination works:

It all depends on the breed of the sire.

If the sire is a Labrador, and the dam a Poodle, the resultant offspring are known as Labrador mixes.
If the sire is a Poodle, and the dam a Labrador, the resultant offspring are known as Poodle mixes.

This being a verifiable fact, it eliminates the entire B.S. being put forth about so-called "designer dogs' and their supposed "breeds" such as the "goldendoodle", "labradoodle", "cockapoo", "borkie" or any other mixed breed ridiculousness.

Mixed breeds are great dogs, but the whole "designer name" [email protected] is getting out of hand. It is nothing more than greedy BYBs preying upon the ignorant and ill-informed in order to sell them dubious quality dogs at an inflated price.

 

[Equinox]

Smithcat, GREAT post

To the OP: I am also surprised that young dogs are hard to come by where you live. In the past month, I have seen 10 week old purebred puppies, sweet 1 year old mixes, and quite a few "designer" mutts at the Humane Society.

 

[FilleBelle]

I nearly pocketed a little white Poodle mix at the shelter the other day. He looked just like a stuffed animal. Wanna come visit me? I'll introduce you!

 

[jesirose]

It all depends on the breed of the sire.

If the sire is a Labrador, and the dam a Poodle, the resultant offspring are known as Labrador mixes.
If the sire is a Poodle, and the dam a Labrador, the resultant offspring are known as Poodle mixes.

This being a verifiable fact

I've never heard this "fact" before...source?

Why not call them both what they are, Labrador x Poodle. I usually see people use "Lab Mix" when they don't KNOW what the other one is. Seeing as how you're more likely to know the dam if you only know one, a litter where the mom is a poodle I'd think is likely to be called poodle mixes.

 

[Mom2Sadie]

Where do you live? Here's a cutie in MO (no doubt from a puppy mill but now on petfinder).

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12930362

check out petfinder.com and do a search for whatever you're looking for. If there aren't any in your area, there will be soon!

 

[KaseyT]

Here is some information on how to find quality Cockapoo breeders:

http://www.cockapooclub.com/

Those people suggesting a hybrid is less desirable or less valuable than purebreds are expressing their personal bias, not a "fact".

Here is a "fact". If a Cockapoo is the best dog for you, it has more value than any purebred from any breeder.

 

[midnight mojo]

To the OP: I am also surprised that young dogs are hard to come by where you live. In the past month, I have seen 10 week old purebred puppies, sweet 1 year old mixes, and quite a few "designer" mutts at the Humane Society.

We rarely see little dogs where I live either. It's mostly labs, pits and hounds at our local shelter. And puppies are rare too unless you want one closer to a year old (still a puppy really but most people want 2 or 3 months old when they want a puppy). Then again, compared to many shelters we don't have a lot of dogs--there are maybe 50 there right now.

The exception was last summer after a puppy mill was busted, there were a number of small dogs then. The ones that didn't get shipped out were adopted fast with a lot of folks ending up dogless since there simply weren't enough dogs for everyone that wanted one.

 

[Smithcat]

I was not stating that a mix breed is less valuable or less desireable; just that the cutsiepie names given to such offspring are not accurate. If you ask any quality breeder of mix breed dogs,(and yes, there are quality mix breeders) they will tell you that the breed of the sire is the determining factor.
Guide Dogs for the Blind has crossed Golden Retrievers with Labrador Retrievers, and the resultant offspring are known according to the breed of the sire; either a Golden cross, or a Labrador cross. They are by no means an inferior dog, in fact the training and testing have shown these crosses to be somewhat better for guidework than the pure lines of either breed.
Stating a fact is not revealing bias, but refusing to accept a fact is.

The term "Hybrid" is also misleading, because dogs are the only species involved in the breeding process, whereas "hybrid" denotes breeding between different species; an example would be a cat-dog cross would be considered a "hybrid" due to the different species involved.

 

[Inga]

yeah, petfinder is loaded with small breeds and small breed mixes. I just saw a really cute little shih Tzu puppy. If I were in the market I would snatch her up. You will be shocked at how many are out there in need of a home if you have not already checked it out.