Pics of Bichon Cockapoo

[vmillls]

Hi:

I've had a Bichon Cockapoo (Alvin) for several months. You may have seen Cockapoos, but I doubt you've seen this particular mix.

There are several pictures on my blog http://www.designerpuppys.blogspot.com and one picture on http://www.yapstar.com. You can look him up by name.

[Macawpower58]

How very cute this mix is! So fuzzy. My parents had almost the same kinda of mix when I was a child. Their's came from an oops litter, and was just given away! ;)

[special]

Alvin is a sweet looking dog. Did you rescue him? I couldn't tell by your blog. How old is he?

[Irish_Lass]

Alvin is a cute wee lad. It sounds like you're head over heels in love with him. :)

[dlaura]

Alvin is a cutie! Thanks for sharing.

[vmillls]

We bought Prince Alvin online from a breeder in Missouri in late April, 2009. He was born on February 7, so he's a little shy of 5 months old. His mother is a Bichon and father a Cockapoo. He's supposed to be about 15 pounds, but he's already 11 pounds and according to the vet, not overweight, just growing fast.

[Wiztherewoz]

I can't understand why people would breed a mongrel intentionally when there are so many thousands being put to sleep every day because nobody wants them.

Make a mongrel and stick a "designer" tag on it, and people will spend a big heap of money on one. Bizarre.

I'm sure Prince Alvin is lovely, and I know he's lucky to have such a loving home with you guys. I'm happy for him.
I just feel sorry for all the unwanted mongrels out there who don't have the luxury of a posh title.

(Please don't be offended by this post, I just can't help how I feel about this kind of thing, and apparently have trouble containing strong feelings. It's a flaw. I mean no harm. I just hate people breeding "designer" dogs while others die due to lack of homes.)


To anyone thinking of buying a designer dog over the internet: Please be careful of funding breeders who are only in it for the money rather than to better an actual breed, and please consider adopting from a rescue instead.

[squashynose]

I wasn't gonna post in here because I got angry just reading it. But then Heather did it so well, I'll give it a go too.

Can someone define the term "designed dog" for me? Maybe the OP would be so kind.

I fail to see the difference between a "designer dog" and a general mutt. Slapping the term "designer" on something just seems a way to charge people waaay more money for the same thing.

We had a labrador/poodle cross in, and members of the public were shocked! "How come you've got a Labradoodle in?? They're so expensive!!" It's a mongrel! :banghead: And of course everyone wanted to adopt it. How is that any different to the rest of the crossbreeds in shelters? Currently I have in my care... A JRT cross something, a greyhound/staffy mix, a staffy/lab, GSD/collie, collie/staffy, lab/collie, and GSD/rottie (plus some purebred staffies, a pug, a rottie, a dogue de bordeux, and a dalmatian).

Maybe if I gave a fancy name to my crosses, people would adopt them too... Let's see, staffy/labs could be Staffadors, rottie/staffs could be Roffies. We could have Collidors, Colliffies... Anyone want one? They're a total bargain at only £100. Go to a 'breeder' and you're looking at paying upwards of £1000.

Oh, we should change what we call shelters. Let's call them Designer Dog Emporiums from now on, and charge a litle extra too.

[Irish_Lass]

Well, you know I want to visit your Emporium & peruse the "Roffies" you have Em'. Shame you live on the other side of the pond.
On a more serious note, I completely agree with what Em' & Heather said. I too felt the same but was afraid to initially post my feelings because A) I was annoyed and B) I didn't want to say the wrong thing & be accused of stirring up trouble, that's never my intention on here. All I could manage at the time was a polite "he's cute", which he is...then again I think all doggies are cute. Its not Alvin's fault that he's a "designer dog" and I don't doubt for a second that the OP loves him to death. I just think its wrong that people are charging a small fortune for what is effectively, as Em' put it, a mongrel.

[Wiztherewoz]

I think the argument for designer dogs is that the background of the parents is known, whereas rescue mongrels are from parents of unknown origin.

My argument is that with a mongrel you never know which traits of the parents you will get anyway. I love mongrels. But I would rather rescue one that is already born than create my "brand new" variety of one and claim that it is a fancy breed of its very own. Which it isn't, because there are already hundreds out there - that are the result of accidental pregnancies or people experimenting just for the sake of it - stuck in rescue shelters with nobody who wants them, and nobody realising they're the exact same "breed" as a designer dog just because they don't come with papers to prove it.

[squashynose]

A dog hybrid (also called a designer dog) is a new term for an individual dog with ancestry in two different purebred dog breeds, traditionally called a crossbred dog. Designer dogs are described by whimsical portmanteau words, such as cockapoo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dog_hybrids
What a load of nonsense....

[Hunna]

So.. then technically the Bishon Cockapoo isnt a designer breed?
Its not a cross between 2 purebreds, its a cross between 1 purebred and one mix breed.


I think all these "designer breeds" popped up when people when crazy for "Non-shedding" or "Hypoallergenic" dogs. Which, isnt really so. I have 2 purebred shih tzu's, and they do shed, just not nearly as bad as say a Lab would. And their grooming requirements are very demanding, much more than a Lab would be.

[squashynose]

Sorry, I'll finish the quote
Dog hybrids (designer dogs) may be first generation crosses from two purebred breeds, or any of various backcrosses, or the result of breeding successive generations of crosses in an effort to create a new breed of purebred dog, or outcrosses of any of those; the term hybrid dog (designer dog) does not have a consistent meaning.

[vmillls]

Thanks to everyone who posted about Alvin and designer dogs. I have gotten some interesting information from this and other forums. I now understand that the words "designer dog" are truly controversial. The words seem to be associated with puppy mills and haphazard breeding practices.

This is all rather unfortunate, because I'm (right now) looking at the living proof that at least one designer dog is a good idea. And he has an adoring family who treat him like a prince. And he gets the best of health care, training, grooming, and a lot of L O V E. I was looking for certain traits, and was lucky to find them with this pup.

[squashynose]

Wanting a crossbreed/mutt/mongrel for certain traits is good, means you're trying to find the right dog for you. Labeling them as "designer" is what annoys me. I'd be interested to know how much the breeder was charging for these pups, although I totally understand if you'd rather not say.

Sorry, but "designer dogs" are not a good idea. Calling them "designer" will just make more people jump on the bandwagon, churning out more and more mixbreeds, when there are millions and millions already rotting in shelters.

[e1beth1]

Thanks to everyone who posted about Alvin and designer dogs. I have gotten some interesting information from this and other forums. I now understand that the words "designer dog" are truly controversial. The words seem to be associated with puppy mills and haphazard breeding practices.

This is all rather unfortunate, because I'm (right now) looking at the living proof that at least one designer dog is a good idea. And he has an adoring family who treat him like a prince. And he gets the best of health care, training, grooming, and a lot of L O V E. I was looking for certain traits, and was lucky to find them with this pup.


The most important part is you realize the sort of stigma that surrounds these types of dogs. Your baby is adorable and thank you for giving him a good home. If you've spent any time working or volunteering for a shelter or a rescue group these types of breed mixings are not only a source of anger because of the amount of animals that needlessly die in shelters each day, but also because of the health issues these breeders don't care to screen for and properly breed to avoid many times. Please, please, please don't feel like you can't post on this board though, you're a petowner/lover just like the rest of us. :)

[Hunna]

Yes, I agree with E1beth1.

It is very obvious that you love your lil Alvin very much. Any dog would be glad to have you as their owner.

Welcome to the Petlovers forums... and I do hope that none of us scared you off.

[vmillls]

You're right, I won't disclose the price of the dog. But I will say that the
known breeder costs are as follows:

advertising (breeder's website and puppyfind.com),
vet cost (for at least de-worming and 1st distemper),
transport via plane,
carrier,
phone calls,
microchip

My guess is the breeder may have made a small profit if luck was on her side.

[MandyPug]

You're right, I won't disclose the price of the dog. But I will say that the
known breeder costs are as follows:

advertising (breeder's website and puppyfind.com),

It costs very little to post on puppyfind and it's backyard breeder/puppy mill central

vet cost (for at least de-worming and 1st distemper),

She likely did the shots and deworming herself, supplies are purchased very very cheap online in bulk (which she would do being a backyard breeder/puppy mill), this also saves the cost (usually $50-60) of an office visit at the vet.


transport via plane,


Cargo transport is very reasonable. About $150-200 is average within the USA


carrier,


Once again, very cheap online and if ordered in multiples.


phone calls,


Most people now a days that have a business have a phone plan that includes long distance in their package.


microchip

She likely did it herself, supplies can be bought online very cheap when in bulk.

My guess is the breeder may have made a small profit if luck was on her side.

Depending on what she charged per puppy, and the quality of care she kept them in... she likely made quite a profit like most bybs and mills do. Maybe she didn't. But it's not very common to find a reputable breeder of mongrels labeled as "designer dogs". Breeders that sell "designer dogs" or "tea cups" prey on people that want to be trendy. There is no set of traits out there that anyone wants that cannot be found in one of the over 200 varieties of purebreds, or the millions of already created mongrels in shelters.

[Hunna]

I personally run... I think at last count 12 websites for a total cost of $8.95 a month, plus the yearly cost of website renewal which is like $3 a site. Websites are not the moneypit that people think they are, if you spend a little time researching them out.

My sister, whom I do love dearly, calls herself a breeder too. She just got through selling her last litter of Papered Shih tzu's, with first shots and wormed. NONE of the pups saw a vet, and the Mommy Dog hasnt either in over 2 years.

YES, there are good breeders out there, but they are few and far between.

If I EVER purchase another pet again, it will most definately be a rescue. I've learned too much since buying my Bandit 3.5 yrs ago.