Designer Dog Breeds

Did you know?

A Yorkshire Terrier was crossed with an Australian Terrier to produce the Silky Terrier.

The Bulldog was crossed with a Mastiff to get a Bullmastiff.

The German Shepherd was crossed with the German Pinscher to get a Doberman. Later crosses with the Greyhound, Weimeraner and Black and Tan Manchester Terrier were made to refine the Doberman.

Does this mean these breeds are Designer Dogs? No!

Designer Dogs are the result of two breeds being crossed, but exceptions exist. There are some Designer Dogs today that exist as a result of crosses of more than two purebreds, such as the Australian Labradoodle.

Mostly, Designer Dogs are first generation offspring of two different purebreds. This is because there is more consistency in type in the first generation cross. Any breeding of two hybrids, such as breeding two Yorkipoos together, shows a variety of types going back to the original breeds. In this case there would be some pups looking more like the Yorkshire Terrier or the Poodle and some in between.

So, if you are looking for a true Designer Dog Breed, stick to the first generation crosses.

Designer Dog is a title given to what some people are calling a glorified mutt. There is much controversy over the continued breeding of these crossbreeds. Some designer dogs are commanding quite a price with some crossbred puppies going for as much as $2500. There is even a registry for hybrid dogs called The American Canine Hybrid Club.

Why have these designer dogs become so popular? There are lots of reasons hybrid dog breeding is doing so well. For one when a poodle is crossed with another breed, you have a good chance of getting a dog that doesn't shed. This is extremely desirable if you are allergic to dogs. People who are allergic to dogs can now have more a range of dog type and personality traits to choose from. They are no longer limited to the Poodle or Yorkshire Terrier, both of which do not shed. There may be others that don't shed, but there are few choices in the purebred dog breeds.



Another interesting factor is the handicapped person with allergies. They needed a dog that was non shedding, too. Then there are the newer dog sports where certain breed crosses excel such as, flyball. Finally, there's the health factor for breeding two purebred dogs to get a designer puppy. Many purebred dogs are prone to problems with their health. These health issues are spurring on the breeding of so called mutts. Whether it's a fad that will pass eventually or is here to stay, we shall see.

If you want to find out more, read Hot Dogs: Fourteen of the Top Designer Dogs

A WORD OF CAUTION: It takes genetic understanding to know whether a certain cross of purebred dogs could possibly produce more problems in the pups. You would not want to cross two different breeds with a similar problem. My guess is you don't want to breed a Pekingese with a pug. Both of them have problems with their eyes popping out. I'm guessing you don't want that in a pet.

How do you get a Puggle? Well you start with a Beagle then add a Pug. Voila, a Puggle is born.

By cross breeding purebred Beagles with purebred Pugs a new Designer Dog was created called a Puggle. These dogs can be playful, yet loving and loyal, sweet tempered and good with children.

Many critics call these dogs mutts. Others are looking to get one because Puggles are very cute and their personality is highly valued. The breeding of a Beagle with a Pug produces mostly fawns with a black mask. But there are some multi-colored and black pups, too.

Like the Pug ancestry, they tend to have wrinkled muzzles. The Beagle parent gives Puggles a longer body, longer muzzle. and floppy ears. They weigh from 8 - 30 lbs, depending on whether you get a Toy or a Standard. The smaller dogs are more expensive, costing around $1200.

Puggles in general do not suffer the problems associated with the Pugs or Beagles. Pugs can have eye, joint and skin problems. They also don't tolerate heat well due to their short nose. Puggles have escaped these issues having longer muzzles. The longer muzzle has also helped this Designer Dog to not snore as much as Pugs do. Beagles have a common problem called cherry eye, not Puggles.

Owners of Puggles say their pets have clown-like personalities. They like to play energetically, but quickly tire, spend time napping, then off they go again. This tendency to play can affect training. So patience and consistency are definitely needed to train a Puggle.

Learn more about this interesting Designer Dog, Puggles (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

What do you think of Puggles?
Comment below!

The Labradoodle is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle. Labradoodles were the most popular of the "designer dogs" in the United States until the Puggle came along in 2005. The reason for crossing these two Purebreds was to create the intelligence, aloofness, and non-shedding coat of the Poodle combined with the loyalty, lovability, and cheerful high energy of the Labrador.

Labradoodles were developed in Australia in the 1970s when the Guide Dogs Victoria tried to breed a low-allergy guide dog. This breeding program produced inconsistent results, and the project was pretty much abandoned. Don Evans, who experimented with cross-breeding dogs on his Northern Victoria dog farm, is credited with continuing the experiment and producing several second and third generation Labradoodles from which other breeders continued to develop the breed.
Labradoodle: Comprehensive Owner's Guide

Today's Australian Labradoodle is different from the early crosses. Irish Water Spaniels, English and American Cocker Spaniels, and Curly Coated Retrievers are used in the breeding program. The goal of this crossbreeding is temperament, easy trainability, non-shedding coat, and sturdy body type is the common goal of breeders. Australian Labradoodles can have one of two coat types; wool and fleece. The wool coat is completely free of shedding, while some fleece-coated dogs may exhibit slight shedding.

Some breeders do not want to see the Labradoodle become a recognized breed. Neither the Labrador Retriever Club nor the Poodle Club of America recognize the Labradoodle, and both are against the breeding.

A medical consideration with this cross is the genetic tendency for to weak hips in Labradors. It's quite possible this problem will manifest itself in the Labradoodle.

Labradoodle: Comprehensive Owner's Guide

Goldendoodle is another Designer Dog developed from the breeding of Golden Retrievers with Poodles. This Designer Dog Breed is often said to have its roots in Australia, as with the Labradoodle. U.S. breeders disagree. Poodle crosses have become increasingly popular because of the Poodle's non-shedding coat. So it's more likely that the Golden Retriever and Poodle cross began in several countries at the same time. They have been bred in North America and Australia since the mid-1990s.

Similar to the Labradoodle and other Poodle crosses, the Goldendoodle was bred to try to produce an assistance dog for people with allergies.


There is no consistent size or color among Goldendoodles since they are a crossbred dog. They are generally healthy and hardy dogs with no particular major health issues. Also, Goldendoodles tend to live longer than either parent breed. The Goldendoodle life expectency is about 15 years.


Goldendoodles are loyal, loving and have a keen sense of smell. They love being outside as well as inside. Since both Retrievers and Poodles are water loving dogs, Goldendoodles can be taught to enjoy swimming. However they should be taught to swim and enjoy the water as young puppies. They're great with kids, being friendly and intelligent. They're easy to train. Positive reinforcement techniques is the best way to train them. Force training will most likely result in behavioral issues. Goldendoodles have strong retrieving instincts and love to play.

Goldendoodles are very social dogs. They are family-oriented and affectionate animals. Because of their love of family they should not be left at home alone for long periods of time.

The Cockapoo is a hybrid dog. This particular Designer Dog comes from a cross between a purebred Cocker Spaniel and a purebred Poodle (mostly the Poodles are Miniatures). Most breeders try to keep small build, and wavy non-shedding coat of the Poodle. The Cockapoo has been popular in the United States since the 1950s, and has become so common that most of the dogs living today come from breeding male and female Cockapoos rather than by crossing Cocker Spaniels and Poodles.


Cockapoos live a long life, are friendly, and typically have fewer genetic defects than either parental breed. Cross-breeding usually results in hybrid vigor; a phenomenon where the best genetic qualities of both parental breeds show up in the resulting offspring.

One of the most popular aspects of the Cockapoo is its non-shedding coat, which came from the Poodle side of the family. Some hairs will come out when combing or brushing the coat, but it's unlikely you'll find dog hairs on the furniture or in the carpet. Cockapoos also produce very little dander, which is a big issue with those allergic to dogs. This makes the Cockapoo an ideal dog for people with pet allergies. Poodles are also extremely intelligent animals. The Cockapoo inherited this characteristic also.

Cockapoos have ideal personalities for a pet.This characteristic is given credit to the Cocker Spaniel side of the family. They are sweet-natured, patient, and get along well with both children and adults. They are affectionate, loyal, eager to please, easy to train, and non-destructive. They also inherited the Cocker Spaniels' sturdy build, good health, and long life. A well-cared for Cockapoo will generally live 18-22 years.


Keeping the Cockapoo's ears clean is an important aspect of care, as they are prone to ear infections. This is typical of long-eared dogs, especially Cocker Spaniels.