Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Designer Dogs

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I really enjoyed the book .
I have Maltipoos and was interested to find a book that taught me a few things I did not know .I had read the book The Complete Guide to Mutts also and found it well written also .
The Complete Idiots Guide to Designer Dogs will help people to more understand what a crossbreed is and what they can expect .
I recomend it to all .

I read the whole book which is a good sign!! I found it interesting and helpful. It went over steps to decide if a person really wants a dog, and what a "designer" dog is. It also went over training, feeding, health, and grooming a dog. It provided information on the benefits of crossing a certain small breed with a miniture poodle, and what the breeding is trying to improve. I would have however, liked to have seen more information dedicated to the Shihpoo and the Poochon, which are the two breeds I am most interested in.

I found this book informative and easy to use. The section on finding a breeder is especially well-thought out. There is a section on finding a hybrid dog in rescues or in shelters as well. This book is comprehensive and can help point you towards a "designer dog" that will fit your family and lifestyle.

I love this book. It is soooo useful. It talks about all the basics. And how to look for a Breeder and what you need to look for. It also has some info on different hybrids. If you wanna get one then get this book.

I gave it 5 stars,because this info as these crossbreeds become popular is very much needed thanks to the AKC and money-hungry breeders destroying our purebreds!

This book is an excellent place for potential dog owners to begin their education.

The AKC by allowing any breeder to register any litter from 2 purebreds of the same breed,regardless of congenital and/or temperamental defects,plus allowing breeders to modernize the breed standards according to what they think is stylish!

I doubt if there is a single purebreed that doesn't have congenital problems and few that are used or even can perform the jobs(working/ sporting breeds) that they were originally bred for! Take todays American Cocker Spaniel,no way would it be possible to take this dog into the field,with that absurdly heavy coat it now has,unless it was clipped! Look at any of the old photos in the breed books and see what breeders and the AKC have done to these dogs!

The AKC does not even require breeders to have their breeding stock tested for known congenital defects for those breeds,and graded,let alone refuse to allow litters of defective parents be registered!

So uninformed buyers go out and pay high prices for purebred registered pups from kennels or pet stores, not knowing the vet bills and possible heartache they most likely will face in the near future. That's why breeders of border collies did NOT WANT AKC recognition of the border collie, for fear of the damage it would do to the breed!

Yes,no doubt there are puppy mills breeding these crossbreeds for money alone,but the purebred breeders were the ones who first became known as "backyard breeders".

So anyone who is considering getting a dog. A crossbreed is a good choice,but educating yourself first is the most important step,and then maybe you will even decide to get one from a rescue or shelter. But do yourself,your family, and any potential pet, a favor and get the info first,to save yourself a chunk of future money,and possibly heartbreak,if you make the mistake of getting a dog bred from defective,untested parents.

One complaint I have about info on these crossbreeds,is the claim by some breeders/books, that they have *hybrid-vigor*. Crossbreeds are NOT hybrids,as a dog/coyote or dog/wolf cross are. So do not be fooled by this false claim!

Remember that these pups will only be as healthy and congenital-defect-FREE as the purebred parents are! So just as in buying a purebred pup,you should never even consider getting a pup from untested/ungraded parents! Do your research,and find out what problems each breed has,and then RUN,don't walk away from any breeder who has not had the parents tested and graded. And NEVER,NEVER,NEVER buy any pup from any of those pet shops you find in the malls,who are supplied by the puppy mills!

This is an informative book and I do recommend it for potential dog owners,just please remember to do your research on the congenital problems of any breeds you are interested in,and how the parents should be tested and graded. If enough people complain to the AKC about their not requiring seriously defective breeding stock to be spayed/neutered and taken off the registration list,all the potential pets and /or show stock would be healthier and less costly in vet bills for the owners. The AKC should also outlaw Pet stores from selling their horrible quality puppies with registration papers!

I purchased this book to learn more about hybrids before I got one. this book was very informative and I would recommend it to anyone thinking about getting a hybrid.

Bought a cockerpoo who is AWESOME! The best dog I've every had. She's an excellent watch dog, VERY VERY smart, lots of energy, and like having a real kid around. The book gave an excellent summary of Designer Dogs!

I am purchasing a maltipoo and just wanted more of an idea about grooming, training, and what questions to ask the breeder. This book provided all the information I needed, along with helpful suggestions of things to purchase.

The information is well written, short and specific.
I'm thinking about getting a dog and this book was very informative.

I'm in shock that a reputable publisher would support the unethical practice of breeding mutts to scam the public. This book claims to help buyers find a "responsible breeder of designer dogs", but that is a contradiction in terms. NO responsible breeder would purposely cross breeds.
It's unethical because the only responsible reason to breed a dog while 2million unwanted dogs (mostly mutts) are euthanized each year is because the breeder is dedicated to preserving and improving a particular breed according to it's standard. Responsible breeders do not breed to supply the pet market. Those individuals who are producing mutts and dubbing them with "Designer dog" names are motivated solely by greed and are not only perpetrating an unscrupulous scam on the public, but doing harm to the very dogs they breed. They do NO health screenings or genetic testing at all. They do not even breed to a standard, (because there is none). They get their "breeding stock" from pet stores and puppymillers because no responsible breeder of quality dogs would ever sell their dogs to be used for such nefarious purposes, so the mutts they are breeding are propagating defects, health issues and temperament problems.
In the case, for example, of the "Puggle", they are risking the very lives of the dogs they produce by virtue of the breeds they are crossing (pug + beagle). A brachycephalic dog, (such as a pug) with the lung power and prey drive of a beagle would be in serious danger or dropping dead while playing on a hot day. Those "breeders" are very adamant in perpetuating the lie that "mutts are healthier", yet these puggles are already exhibiting epilepsy (a disease that has virtually been eradicated in the lines of responsible beagle breeders), before the age of one and a defect where the bones break very easily and do not properly heal. They don't guarantee to take back their dogs, (as responsible breeders do), so these sick animals are now growing in numbers in shelters.
It's OK to love a mixed breed dog, but it's unethical to purposely PRODUCE mixed breed dogs in the name of the almighty BUCK. Dogs are not products.