New designer breed *sigh*

[happycats]

Well, maybe it's not new, but it's the first time I have ever heard of it!

A Bassadore!! a lab, bassett cross, I saw one today in our local pet store (I go in there, and comment loudly, how they are all puppy mill puppies) I felt so sorry for him :sad: , he looked like a lab, but had very short legs ( it almost looked like he was deformed) and the price tag was $1895.00

When are people going to open their eys and see these are just mutts, ,with fancy names?????

Please don't flame me, I love mutts , but not for profit, and not because they have a fancy name!

[Sneaky2006]

What I don't get is why ppl would pay so much money for one.

How can ya not know you can get a mutt from a shelter and make up your own name for it for a fraction of the cost! Imagine if everyone did that and then donated the extra money to a rescue/shelter.... yeah I guess I'm dreamin of a perfect world.

Oh btw, I've never heard of the bassador either.

[Prin]

Ouch. Poor basset hound. And people call themselves the smartest species.

[Mockingcat]

Ugh... every dog I've seen like that (a smaller dog crossed with a bigger breed) has invariably had serious health problems, and many have to be put to sleep.

[bassador_lover]

Originally Posted by Mockingcat

Ugh... every dog I've seen like that (a smaller dog crossed with a bigger breed) has invariably had serious health problems, and many have to be put to sleep.

A basset isn't a small dog it just has short legs. I have a Bassador that is the healthiest animal I have ever owned. As with any animal you have to control diet. What makes a pure bred any better? Because they have PAPERS? I would rather have my mixed mutts who I know haven't been inbred. The one pure bred with papers that we had ended up having to be put to sleep because of his seizures... He was an American Cocker...

[LavenderRott]

Originally Posted by bassador_lover

A basset isn't a small dog it just has short legs. I have a Bassador that is the healthiest animal I have ever owned. As with any animal you have to control diet. What makes a pure bred any better? Because they have PAPERS? I would rather have my mixed mutts who I know haven't been inbred. The one pure bred with papers that we had ended up having to be put to sleep because of his seizures... He was an American Cocker...

Diet isn't everything. You might want to do some research on labradors and bassets to see what genetic issues the breed has so that you know what to keep your eyes open for as your dog gets older.

Seizures is a common problem in cockers. Finding an ETHICAL breeder who doesn't breed dogs with history of epilepsy in family lines can help to ensure that you get a puppy that is as healthy as possible.

As for what makes a purebred better then a mutt - nothing. Registration papers are just paper unless you do your homework and make sure that the breeder you buy your puppy from makes sure that his/her dogs not only meet the standard as closely as possible but also do all genetic testing to make sure the puppies are as healthy as possible.

[doggy lover]

There is no such thing as a new designer breed, dogs have been doing that since the begining of time.lol

[CyberKitten]

Oh Gawd!! Not another one , yep, sometimes I wonder about the human race!

[SnowDancer]

My diagnosis is this dog will suffer from debilitating arthritis.

[Prin]

Arthritis, hip dysplasia and back problems are my guesses.

[mafiaprincess]

I saw a dorkie in a pet store. I nearly choked. Who wants a dog called a dorkie......

[Bassador Mommy]

I have a Bassador!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you dont know anything about them you dont need to make comments--- It just makes you look uneducated! Obviously people are wanting these dogs if they are willing to pay almost 2 G's for it, and also my dog (Bassador) is by far one of the smartest dogs I have ever seen. Very protective over my children, very trustworthy. When you mix some breeds it is b/c the breed along must have sucked!!! Labs are smart and good dogs Basset Hounds are calm dogs, very laid back------ Mix them together and you get a very cute!!! very calm!!! and very obiedient dog!!! If you think it is stupid that is on you but until you know a little more about them, then you making a comment does not make you look so smart . Oh and btw she is extremely healthy and these are not a new breed, they have been around for at least 4 years, but you would not know that would you? Because you dont know what you are talking about. You all have internet go educate yourself and research it so when you run your mouth you dont look so stupid! Hope you all have a great week!

[Dracko]

4 years is a NEW breed to me.

And, I think the point of the initial post was...is this breed necessary? Why even bother? There are so many unwanted pets out there that are crosses, wouldn't it be best to just adopt one of them rather than have pets breed to create a new cross all for someone to make $$$$.

Also, you can't cross 2 breeds that are so different and not to expect to end up with health problems. There are reasons larger dogs shouldn't be breed to smaller ones, etc. The limbs need to be able to support the body, etc.

I'm glad you enjoy your Bassador, but that in no way makes it a "good" idea to have breed these two together to create yet ANOTHER type of dog that becomes a novelty. There are just too many unwanted pets out there and I can't believe anyone would think it is a good idea to purposely breed an animal to bring more in to the world.

[Prin]

4 years is a new- wait- it's not even a breed! You may love your mutt, and I love mine, but no way do the sellers deserve $2000 of anybody's money.

Want a calm, obedient dog? Then train your dog and exercise him and VOILA! I have two of them.

Instead of "educating" us, why not go here: http://www.nopuppymillscanada.ca/ and learn something for yourself.

[Skryker]

Originally Posted by Bassador Mommy

If you dont know anything about them you dont need to make comments--- It just makes you look uneducated!
When you mix some breeds it is b/c the breed along must have sucked!!! Labs are smart and good dogs Basset Hounds are calm dogs, very laid back------ Mix them together and you get a very cute!!! very calm!!! and very obiedient dog!!! If you think it is stupid that is on you but until you know a little more about them, then you making a comment does not make you look so smart . Oh and btw she is extremely healthy and these are not a new breed, they have been around for at least 4 years, but you would not know that would you? Because you dont know what you are talking about. You all have internet go educate yourself and research it so when you run your mouth you dont look so stupid! Hope you all have a great week!

if the comments here have offended you, but your response is not only argumentative and rude, it is misinformed. Perhaps you should check the definition of a "breed" before you accuse others of being uneducated.

From Encarta:

breed: noun (plural breeds)
Definition:

1. from biology: distinct animal or plant: a strain of an animal or plant with identifiable characteristics that distinguish it from other members of its species, especially one whose characteristics are preserved by controlled mating or propagation

2. somebody or something of particular type: a particular type of thing or person, especially one that can be easily distinguished from other similar things or people

Giving your dog a cute name does not make it a new breed-it is a cross between a basset hound and a labrador. Period. Could be the best dog in the world, it still is not a representative of a new breed.

A breed of dog (or cat or apple tree) reliably produces offspring with certain recognizable traits-a lab and a lab give you lab puppies. Your "bassadore" crossed with another "bassadore" would produce puppies of wildly different traits, some favouring the basset hound and some favouring the lab. You could get long-legged hounds and stumpy legged labs or anything in between-all in the same litter. That is NOT what a breed is. There are not years and generations of breeding involved to produce a consistent type of dog.

What you have is the result of someone taking any bassett hound and any lab and mating them (if it was even on purpose). You lucked out with a wonderful and healthy dog. You could just as easily gotten a dog with the worst traits of both breeds and all the health issues of careless and unethical breeding.

Obviously people are wanting these dogs if they are willing to pay almost 2 G's for it

All I have to say to that is to quote PT Barnum-"There's a sucker born every minute". A search of your local animal shelter would turn up any number of mixed breeds at a fraction of the price of "designer" breeds, and you'd be rescuing an animal at the same time.

Signed,
A Proud Mutt Owner.

[Scott_B]

Couldnt have said it better myself Skryker

[Skryker]

Thanks, Scott! I didn't mean to be quite so cranky , but I really, really hate this designer breed stuff. What's wrong with saying you have a mutt?


(And why pay $$$$ for a "breed" that doesn't exist, when 15 minutes of research about dogs can let you know that what you're buying isn't a breed at all? )

[technodoll]

OMG what a funny coincidence... yesterday we saw what we THINK is a bassadore-type mutt on the street and we both went "oh geez that poor ugly dog!" really he looked like a fat black lab with stumps for legs! sooo pathetic looking, unbalanced, just so "wrong". if he had had normal-sized legs he wouldn't have looked like a sausage but the mix...

i said to hubby "he might be a very good dog but GAWD why the HELL do people breed these things! it's like a freak show!"

feel sorry for both these dogs that never asked to be born, and the suckers that pay good money for these mutts, they can pick up for free at shelters, they're a dime a dozen

wonder who's the UN-educated now...

[Mocha's mum]

Great post Skryker. I agree with you 110%.

That's all I'm going to say....I feel a very angry rant brewing complete with bad language, and that's not mature or effective....

[Hunter's_owner]

Originally Posted by Skryker

Thanks, Scott! I didn't mean to be quite so cranky , but I really, really hate this designer breed stuff. What's wrong with saying you have a mutt?


(And why pay $$$$ for a "breed" that doesn't exist, when 15 minutes of research about dogs can let you know that what you're buying isn't a breed at all? )

Yeah Skryker, you said it wonderfully.

It drives me crazy when people pay a thousand dollars for a MUTT that you can go to any humane society and get the same dog. Mutts are wonderful animals, growing up I had a wonderful lab-beagle cross, but they shouldn't be bred and definetly shouldn't be sold as a dog from a "Designer breed", instead, they should be rescued.

[Frenchy]

Originally Posted by Bassador Mommy

You all have internet go educate yourself and research it so when you run your mouth you dont look so stupid! Hope you all have a great week!

So why exactly did you come here and post this ? This thread is from 2005

[Dracko]

Originally Posted by Frenchy

So why exactly did you come here and post this ? This thread is from 2005

Good point. I hadn't noticed that.

[technodoll]

some people just feel the need to defend their choices, no matter how uneducated those may be

[happycats]

Thanks all, it seems the educated of this forum, knew exactly what I meant by this post

The only uneducated mouth runner here is..........the sucker who paid "2 G's" for a MUTT!!!
You and uneducated people like you keep puppy mill's and BYB in business since you paid 2 G's for a mutt, they (BYB and puppy mills )must be laughing all the way to the bank!

Give it a fancy name like "Bassador" and fools like you pay, and the poor dog's suffer!!

Just because you paid 2 G's for your dog, doesn't make you a good dog owner, or an educated person!

[OntarioGreys]

Mix them together and you get a very cute!!! very calm!!! and very obiedient dog!!! If you think it is stupid that is on you but until you know a little more about them, then you making a comment does not make you look so smart .

Even though the post may be old, there is no guarantee the other pups from the same litter had the same personalities, genes come from both parents, and no 2 pups in the same litter are going to be the same, another pup in that same litter could have ended with a labs hyperness, and be very stubborn and hard to train. The biggest problem when mixing breeds is there is no guarantee what personality traits each pup with inherit, you just happened to be luck with the puppy you picked out, you could have instead have went with a purebred puppy from a reputable breeder that has the personal and temperment you are looking and be guaranteed that is what it will matured into for a lot less money, there is not need to create more breeds to reinvent personalities and traits that already exist.

The bigger problem comes when crossing genes from different breeds is and then inbreeding is that it can result in genetic health problems that makes screening difficult until many generation have been born and tested, which is not happening with all these mixes and everybody and every one is breeding them.


THe one I do not have as much problems with is the Silken Windhound a medium sized long haired sighthound that looks like a small borzoi, they spent 10 years in the planning research stage before breeding and started using champion bred Borzoi and Long haired whippet all DNA tested, it was a very closed door breeding program only selected breeders where chosen to breed, every pup breed a detailed history was kept including where it went and dna testing down and pedigree lines, breeders where chosen across the world to ensure a good strong diverse gene pool, breeding with borzoi and long hair whippets continue from 1975 to 1999 at which point studbooks where closed and a breed standard was set. No other dogs than those from certain breeders would be recognized or could be registered, even though the Windhound has only been around for a short bit, the fact is was a very controlled breeding with extensive documentation it is now recognized as breed in 2 european countries, even today the whereabout of every pup born is known and a breed rescue has already been established here, the US and in europe for the future should rescue be needed. If I decided I wanted a pup I could go into the registry and check the parents out for pedigree lines and to see if any genetic problems occured in the line, the only real genetic problems they are seeing is drug sensitivities which is common to all sighthound breeds and something similiar to (FADS) in humans which causes still births or death of some pups shortly after birth , otherwise the breed is generally very healthy usually living into the late teens.

I can understand why is was bred, the whippet is the only other medium sized sighthound and extremely few have the long coat, and not as full, with the short haired sighthound their skin is paper thin with very little hair to protect then owners have to be careful with them playing with other dog or even where they can let them run, as rocky terrain or shrubs can lead to injuries, whereas the long coats offer protection and allow the owners to have dogs they do not have to worry as much about, so it was bred to be a much more versatile dog in a much smaller package than the other longhaired sighthounds, making for a dog more suitable for many city dwellers.

If your bassador breeder or other mixed bred breeder went thru all these steps and could prove a registry existed and along with pedigree that was well detailed , could prove dna genetic tested had been carried out and original stock came from champion lines, had put a lot of effort and research into the planning of the breed I would say yes maybe your dog is worth it's price tag if not then it was bred strictly for gullible fools willing to part with their money

[Cram]

The Alaskan Klee Kai was bred similarly. Only one person started the breed (Linda Spurlin in the 1970's) and had complete control over selecting the pups for further breeding. The puppies weren't available to the general public until about 10 years ago and the UKC opened their registry to them in 1999 I think- and closed the books this January. Again, the Klee Kai fill a niche- not for cuteness, but for a reasonably sized northern breed dog for city dwellers (other than the American Eskimo). They have less energy than a big husky and are much more loyal and easy to handle, while still retaining the husky look and independence. All the dogs are followed as well and very few breeders actually exist. They also have fewer health problems because they were bred from health tested dogs originally and any who do not meet the standard are not bred (for example, our little guy because he is a cryptorchid). That is how a breed should be developed, not by every person who wants to make a buck on the cute names/ hypoallergenic hybrids.

[CyberKitten]

I agree with Skylar and Ont Greys and the others - there is no way one can guarantee what the puppies of two dogs will look like. And I do not get why ppl will spend money - I assume it is them have been sold something and did not educate themselves on the issue. A mutt is a mutt is a mutt - and many of them are cute and well behaved and obedient and are available at rescues and pounds all over North America. I bet even that combination is available - and you'd be helping a Rescue group and not helping greedy and horrible puppy mills and backyard breeders who take advantage of the people who buy these dogs.

It IS about money but is also about people not taking the time to read about what are breeds and what constitutes a dog recognized by the CKC (which does not include these new mutts with fancy names). And there are s many adorable, wonderful mutts who need homes. Why on earth are we creating more???? Especially when no one can possibly know the genetic history or pedigree -which they do not have.

People take a chance buying these dogs but I guess it is their money. What hurts me is all the dogs who need homes and the poor people who lose their money to these greedy sellers. But sometimes you obviously cannot help people, esp like the one who posted here and opted to be rude instead of simply explaining why they bought the dog. I could understand someone saying, we love our dog, we just did not know.... That happens - and you fall in love with the dog. But I'd never buy a dog from a byb, a newspaper ad or a pet store to start with... so...

Anyway.... all I can say is Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

[itscindy]

I've just gotta say something after reading so many sanctimonious posts about mixed "designer" breed dogs. I am the proud owner of a schnoodle. I prefer to call her a schnauzer/poodle cross as most people don't know what a schnoodle is and I don't want to be judged by purebred dog owners who have an attitude about designer dogs. I agree that there are huge problems created by the designer dog boom and I realize that by me purchasing one of these puppies, I've just opened up the space for some dealer to bring in another one...BUT

In my defense, I owned a purebred Welsh Terrier for 14 years. We just put sweet Rozie down on January 2nd. Despite my deep love of the breed, I couldn't...just couldn't get another Welsh. What I wanted was a dog around the same size and I love terriers but others in my family wanted a break. Also, in researching other terrier breeds I found that they are all - with the exception of the Welsh - RIFE with hereditary health issues!! I just couldn't choose a purebred dog and adopt all those health problems along with them. The list of ailments reads like a grocery list! Any time I went to a shelter (it's been over 14 years since I was dog-shopping), they were FULL of BIG, BLACK dogs...shepherd crosses, rottweiler crosses, nothing that interested me. They NEVER had puppies and they NEVER had medium sized dogs.

So tell me this...how does someone who wants a mutt but has certain size, coat and temperament criteria and doesn't want to come home from the pound with a small dog that...SURPRISE!!... grows into a monster. I did not know how to go about finding a mixed breed dog of the mix of my choosing without getting a designer dog. I wanted a puppy, not someone else's socialization mistakes. Bless those poor sweet dogs that wind up in the shelters and bless the folks who adopt them. I am a dog lover but I have my needs. There is a NEED for reputable mixed breed breeders, but the purebred dog breeders go mental if you mess with their pedigrees. Come up with a popular mix and someone will want to make money off it. It's unfortunate and disgusting but that's human nature. And probably why we all love dogs so much.

I know my little "schnoodle" might not turn out to be exactly the way I had hoped - I may even get the worst of the two breeds - but I know she'll be the size I want, and I know she'll have the feisty terrier attitude I want and I know that I did the best I could to socialize her and give her a good start. I am frustrated by this topic. I don't mean to upset anyone but I needed to defend myself and others like me who are just looking for a suitable family pet.

[azaleyes]

I've heard of a Bassadore, but have seen puppies ranging in crosses from Dalmatians x Saint Bernards and Fox Terriers x Shih Tzu's in pet stores... I think that providing mixed breed dogs with the grouping " designer dogs " is giving backyard breeders an option out for when their dogs (which are usually very poorly managed anyway) accidently breed together.