Purebred or Cross??

Re: Purebred or Cross??

wobbliebob — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:59:57 GMT

As a family we have had a bit of everything my grandad used to breed GSD for the forces (im talking 20yrs ago). We have had lurchers, a lab boxers and some heinz that dont really look like anything. Henry is my first dog on my own and i picked a flat coated retriever becasue one of my very first night duties was spent nursing one with very severe RTA injuries. He was such a lovely dog he stole my heart he never batted an eyelid when draining his chest changing nasty degloving injuries etc.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Vicky RVN — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 21:17:18 GMT

[quote user="charliv"]I think the rescue dogs pick you as the owner and know how to melt your heart.[/quote]

You've totally hit the nail on the head!!!! I would never have chosen a staffie if someone asked what i wanted....but Jack came to the front of his kennel, sat down and looked straight at me. It was just meant to be! Will never forget that moment...

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Deemus — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:48:13 GMT

Coming from a farming family, we've always had collies. Most of them were working dogs but a couple of the reject ones ended up as family pets. I probably wouldn't have one again (lack of time for training and all the stimulation they need to be happy), but never say never.

My Deemus came to me by accident. He was essentially a mercy buy from the aunt of my ex who was having to sign over her colony of cats (several!!! All unvaccinated, un neutered etc). I first saw him standing on his hind legs desperate to get to the new people in the house. He spent the first two years of his life in a small garden with only himself for company. As he's a GSD X Staffie, you can imagine what he was like when I first brought him home. Not house trained, never been on a lead, never been outside the garden. It was all a new experience for him but he took it all in his stride with the ususal staffie vigour. We had our teething trouble (I'll never forget him weeing on my work trousers) but he's turned into the MOST fantastic dog. I use him at work to train the trainees in bandaging, examination of animals, giving meds. He's even modelled muzzles to be immortalised in one of my girls' portfolios.

He has his health problems, flattened femoral heads and raging skin disease but that's just part of who he is. I guess being a first generation cross he's more susceptible to pedigree problems than a true Heinz 57.

I have a selection of breeds I wouldn't touch (we all know who they are) due to inherited, widespread problems but I agreed with a previous poster, that as long as a dog is happy and healthy, does it matter if it's a pedigree or a cross?

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Saskia Quinn — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:13:09 GMT

I have a German SH Pointer, she was a rescue from the pound, she is 14 now and has spondylosis and arthritis but has managed well on medication.

I also have 2 greyhounds, 2 lurchers and a little terrier, also all rescues.

I would love to have a German Shepherd when the time comes, but hip dysplasia puts me off them.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Doolally — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:40:00 GMT

Yup! can't go wrong with a terrier With horses its all about conformation, so that the horse can do the best job possible, horses with dodgy conformation tend to go lame. If we started breeding horses with short legs/long backs/short faces they'd be a mess! So I think the best thing we can do to help cats and dogs out is to breed them to be a decent shape giving their bodies the best possible chance of working how it should.

That said I'd rehome any animal if it was right for me, regardless of conformation, on the understanding that I might not have the healthiest of animals. But if I want a healthy pet that's hopefully going to live a long healthy life I'll choose one that looks right conformationally, ok it may still get some illness or disease, but by choosing one that's put together right i'll hopefully be reducing my chances of it breaking on me.

Sorry....wafffle

Re: Purebred or Cross??

funkyfish — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:26:58 GMT

Both my dogs are crosses. I have a GSP x Lurcher and a Collie x. The GSP x I bought as a baby so i'd have a well socialised, stable adult to help any 2nd handers/rescues. My collie x was 4th hand by 4 months old with a bag of behaviour issues. My GSP x had no end of health probs which started at 12 weeks old (bladder probs etc) he also had to have a ton on physio twice a week or 9 months after a shoulder injury a couple years ago. Dad has a Mastiff x and she has needed both cruiciates done - Thank god for Pet Plan!!! So i think cross breeds get just as ill, just less predictable I guess. With pedigrees I think you know what to look out for but any dog can get HD or heart probs,

I'm hoping to get a working Cocker Spaniel baby next year, for agility etc, a friend is breeding (working lines- has a que of homes and will donate pups to hearing dogs etc). I help rehome and foster lots of dogs through friends and work so don't feel bad getting a pup.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Maisy — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:20:21 GMT

I think that as nurses we probably go more for showing awareness of health matters regardless of whether its a pedigree or crossbreed. My Border Terrier was bought from an accredited breeder and we had done our homework about the breed before choosing. A good breeder will vet potential owners (and vice versa), as well as carrying out any necessary health tests before breeding. Henry's breeder actually breeds Pugs primarily and only has the occasional terrier litter, and I was suprised at how different the Pugs were compared to the ones often seen in practice - these dogs were actually running (!), carrying on and acting like normal dogs.

Horses for courses though as to what people choose

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Kim Buckley — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:10:26 GMT

[quote user="Doolally"]

I would always go for a breed that isn't extreme though eg starting off with good basic conformation (not brachycephalic etc!) to give yourself the best chance before adding in all the hereditary issues!

[/quote]

Like a border terrier?

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Doolally — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:03:18 GMT

I wouldn't specifically go for a pure-breed purely because I think there are too many animal's in the world, and purposely breeding is adding to the problem. Where there's demand there will always be supply. I don't necessarily disagree with the breeding of pure breeds, especially when done by sensible breeders aiming to improve the breed e.g Sally-Ann is doing a good thing for SBTs and i'd send buyers to people like her rather than backyard breeders who don't care about improving the breed.

But, anyway. I have a JRT who is fab, as they have such a wide gene pool hereditary diseases are limited, he's been healthy so far, but he's only 4, so we'll see.

My cats are pedigree ex-breeding Selkirk Rex cats. They're a relatively new breed, only developing in the 1980s. And although I don't really agree with the breeding of pedigrees, the Selkirk Rex breeders are being very sensible. This is my first venture into the pedigree cat world, and I am quite impressed and although pedigree cats have their problems, the pedigree cat breeders do seem to be more clued up than some pedigree dog breeders. As the Selkirks have persian in their bloodline they are all PKD tested. As they are a new breed there aren't any other known hereditary diseases, but if things do appear they will test for them. They're all blood tested before breeding. Although they do have persian and british and exotic shorthair in their ancestory they're purposefully bred to be not as brachycephalic which can only be a good thing. As there aren't many breeders in this country all breeders are sticking to the same standards, I just hope as the breed gets more popular they aren't bred to the extreme like exotic shorthairs etc have been.

So, actually, i'm torn lol. I'm all for responsible breeding whether pedigree or non, and i guess the only way we can have standards is within the pedigrees...I would always go for a breed that isn't extreme though eg starting off with good basic conformation (not brachycephalic etc!) to give yourself the best chance before adding in all the hereditary issues!

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Kim Buckley — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:05:57 GMT

I have two mutts but they aren't rescue dogs.

Meg is nearly 14 and is a collie x springer and my mum got her from the paper when she was 8 weeks old as a surprise for me and my sister. She is such a great dog and has had a couple of lumps removed and that is it. She is a bit deaf and senile now but amazing for her age.

Millie is border terrier x (border terrier x cocker spaniel) and we got her from a friend as we used to look after her mum when they were on holiday. She was my 16th b-day present and will be 9 in Oct and apart from her mild spike syndrome episodes, she has also been healthy.

I would always have crossbreeds except I really really want a border terrier just because I love them and when it comes to getting one, I will get it from an accredited breeder. There is no other breed I am particularly bothered about.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Charlotte Fitzgerald — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:32:48 GMT

I have to say that when I was thinking about getting a dog I really wanted to get a Labrador but couldn't afford a good pedigree.

Whilst at work my little man came along looking very feable and sorry for himself (he had a PDA). I fell for him although I never in a million years thought I would get a collie type and haven't looked back. He has been alot of hard work regarding training etc but very rewarding and I wouldn't be without him now. I think the rescue dogs pick you as the owner and know how to melt your heart.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Lolita — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:47:56 GMT

I have a crossbreed, JRT and something else...possibly staffie or collie, not sure, hand reared him, love him to bits, he's my baby dog, am partial to a staffy tho, but would rather have a heinz 57 myself, but I guess its whatever you fall in love with or needs a good home.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Vicky RVN — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:49:05 GMT

I will always have whatever catches my eye (or pulls my heartstrings!) in a rescue centre! When i went looking i had in my mind a small-medium scruffy mutt....and then ended up with my little man....

So Jack wasn't what i was looking for, but i wouldn't chance him for the world If a pedigree/cross breed rescue i get one day needs lots of money spending on treatment....it doesn't matter cos that's what i have insurance for

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Shelly vn — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:59:34 GMT

I have a crossbreed and a pedigree and they both have an equal number of health problems! In fact the crossbreed has cost over £4000 at the RVC for tx for a lung tumour and he's got crippling arthritis as he's a golden retriever cross so i ahve no prefrence between pedigree and crossbreeds

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Fleabee99 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:21:12 GMT

we have a purebred siberian husky, just bascially because we always wanted one, but instead of getting a puppy we got a rescue that had been taken back to the breeder after 3 yrs of being beaten up

yes we should have checked the breeders rep and yes we should have checked dexters medical history but we just couldnt bear to see him left in such a state

so 8 weeks later, after abit more research on the breed (dont get me wrong we researched them beforehand but nothing compares to actually having the animal and seeing its behaviours first hand) his insurance will cost a fortune because hes a pedigree and because we also found he was cryptorchid he will need an expensive op aswell due to poor breeding

but unfortunately this is the world we live in and all me and my partner can do is make sure dexter is never bred so he doesnt pass on his birth defect and love him all the same because we love the furry bugger and will spend what it takes to keep him happy =P

but in respect of the argument a person would probably be better with a cross-breed but personally knowing what we know now, me and my partner would still do it all again coz we love the breed =) and dexter of course <3 !!

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Jessica Scaife — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:15:02 GMT

My Sam is a mix of different collies, he's absolutely brill, I love him. We've always had cross breeds. Sam was also a rescue, we got him at 10 weeks old and now he is 8 1/2 months old. I think for me personally I prefer to have a rescue, not that I'm preaching, if the breeder is accredited then I have no problem with it, as long as the dogs are healthy and looked after that all I care about.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

littlehays — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:02:14 GMT

crossbreeds all the way!! i love my collie-cross, can't see me owning a purebred to be honest...

Re: Purebred or Cross??

PHA86 — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:05:42 GMT

I've had Dobermans for over 10 years now. One of which had Von Willebrands, two of which had dilated cardiomyopathy. I'm so fond of the breed seeing as it's what I've grown up with, but when I finally get round to having my own dog I'm thinking crossbreed. We had a lovely Saluki/Doberman cross in for spaying a few months back, she was beautiful!

Re: Purebred or Cross??

miranda luck — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:02:23 GMT

So all in all it sounds like a good thing. I see (on the KC website) there are some breeds with no accredited breeders so still some work to go.

I wonder how aware the 'general public' are of the scheme?

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Sally Howe — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:20:27 GMT

Hi Miranda,

There are criteria you must follow when breeding etc which is what I've always done anyway. Just had to re-word my contracts of sales a bit. They like you to be a member of at least one breed club (must be for the breed you will be accredited to). They like breeders to have a kennel name, ours is Jamborob.

There are feedback papers in the puppy packs for new owners to fill in and if there is any "wrong doings" etc then after investigation the kennel club can remove your name. It's all on the kennel club website.

Basically if you are doing it all correctly in the first place it's not a problem.

Re: Purebred or Cross??

miranda luck — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:57:50 GMT

Hi Sally

How did you find the experience going through the accreditation process?

Re: Purebred or Cross??

Sally Howe — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:28:59 GMT

I have pure bred staffords and I am an accredited breeder myself