A couple months ago I watched a Tv show on the Smithsonian channel that really interested me. “Man’s Best Friend” was a show documenting the presence of dogs in our lives and the ever-changing popular breeds of dogs. Introduced over the course of the program was the idea of hybrid dogs. Hybrid dogs are a combination of different pure breed dogs, created to combine the best of both breeds into one. Over the past 5 years, hybrid dogs such as the puggle, snoodle, and labradoodle have evolved, producing high demand. There are many perks to hybrid dogs besides their obvious cuteness. The most popular of these breeds is the labradoodle, a hybrid cross between the labrador retriever and poodle. This particular breed has become immensely popular in the past few years because they are hypoallergenic dogs, meaning that even those with allergies can now own dogs! However, these dogs do not come cheap! Labradoodle puppies are sold anywhere from $1,000-2,500 per puppy. So it seems like this is the perfect idea right? We have man’s best friend, now lets make him even better; the ultimate dog! Wrong. The consequences and complications that come with hybrid breeding can be damaging. Issues such as hip dysphasia, blindness, and other diseases and disorders become more prevalent in hybrid dogs. Also, the conditions that these animals are being bred in are often unacceptable, bordering on puppy mills! Often an owner will have hundreds of dogs at a time, experimenting with new breeds of dog. The thing that really bothers many people, including me, is that these pure breed dogs and hybrid dogs are putting mutts and pound puppies out of homes. These same dogs are often euthanized if a homes can no be found, or there is not enough room in shelters. Ironically, people want hybrid dogs because they are the mix of two purebred dogs, which ultimately makes it a mutt. So what is the difference between the $50 mutt found at the local shelter, and the $2500 mutt labeled a hybrid? The difference is the labeling and advertisement. Unfortunately, these hybrid dogs, such as the labradoodle are already showing up at local shelters across the country. Personally, I find it ridiculous to pay thousands of dollars for a dog just because of its looks and their supposed superiority. Millions of people find their dog, man’s best friend, at the local animal shelter. So why waste the money, and risk the health consequences of hybrid dog breeding? As all things come and go out of style, hybrid dogs will do so as well. What we are then left with is even more dogs and a shortage of homes and families to love and care for these animals.
