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Dangers of Luxury Dogs
Hazel S. Pagador
17 November 2020
When your favorite artist starts advertising a brand or is simply seen using it, the popularity of that brand would typically increase - no matter if the artist actually uses it or just features it for marketing reasons. This popularity boost can also apply to more than just brands or products, though not always so fortunate.
This was seen during the release of the Disney film 101 Dalmatians in 1996 which resulted in a surge of popularity among Dalmatian dogs due to the titular characters from the movie. From adoption centers to shelters, it was reported that almost every single one of these breeds were adopted.
This only lasted for 6 months, though.
Puppies, who began as purse-sized angels, turned into energetic adults. As they grew bigger, their owners found themselves unable to keep up with their needs as an adult and would either return them or abandon them altogether. According to Seattle Animal Rescue, Dalmatians quickly became one of the most abandoned dog breeds within five different countries.
But these days, you will not see just any ordinary breed as the center of attention in movies. You have probably seen these dogs everywhere, from innocently roaming around your favorite vlogger’s background to being featured in every Instagram post and much more; the majority of these dogs are what we now call ‘Luxury Dogs,’ or ‘Designer Dogs,’ who are hounds resulting from a crossover between two pure breeds.
Seems innocent, right? Even downright convenient, some might say; why get yourself torn over a German Shepard and a Golden Retriever when you could have both in one? Well, as it turns out, there are a few dangers to luxury dogs.
The first and most obvious issue relates to shelter dogs. Instead of adopting the dogs who are about to be put down, one might disregard them and opt for a ‘unique’ dog instead. But another sinister consequence is the cross-breeding practice itself. In fact, some pet stores claiming to sell luxury dogs may be lying. Most pet stores and individuals advertising luxury dogs for sale turn out to be selling a different breed than what they claimed it to be.
Wally Coonron, who created the Labradoodle and is hailed as the pioneer of luxury breeds, has stated how vigorous research used to be put into each dog before they were mated. Dogs would undergo extensive observations to make sure that they were compatible with one another and if they would be safe to breed. But nowadays, he comments, breeders act rather carelessly for the sake of profit and demand. No research or clear aim is being put into the breeding process, which ends up harming both the dogs and the potential owner.
The Bark Editors, from TheBark.com, also stated how these types of dogs may potentially give their offspring genetic diseases when birthed due to the lack of proper research put into the compatibility of breeds. Picture this: two unlikely breeds mate, creating a one-of-a-kind breed. Once that one-of-a-kind dog grows, there is a probability that it will find a mate. With the unlikely genetics of the unique breed’s parents, the unique dog themself, and its mate’s combined, their genetics will be jumbled up and increase the chances of the offspring having genetic diseases. Examples of these include severe allergies coming from the unique dog’s parents, becoming picky with a certain food, and worst case scenario, a shorter lifespan than their parents.
Pets should be viewed as your friends and in some cases, as your babies! If you are planning to buy a pet, avoid doing so because social media persuaded you to, but rather because you genuinely want to have one and feel like you are capable of giving it the tender love and care it deserves.
Bibliography
The Bark Editors, “The Truth Behind “Designer dogs” and Dog Breeding.”
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