Wednesday, September 17, 2008

My God, is your penis miniature too?


If there's one thing I can't stand, it's Miniature and Teacup breeder. There is NO such thing as a good Mini or Teacup breeder. These dogs are created by breeding undersized, below substandard, more-often-than-not unhealthy dogs. And hell, just for variety, these breeders are known to throw in several other breeds to create the ideal "mini". Many smaller breed dogs are plagued by problems like slipped discs, horrible tooth decay, heart problems, and, shockingly enough, BEHAVIORAL ISSUES. Gasp! Who would have known that throwing a bunch of random breeds together for cutesy-wootsy puppies without any knowledge could go so horribly wrong!

So, congratulations, George and Karen Brausen of Dakota Winds Ranch, you guys are the BYB'er of the day!

Not only do these people pop out more puppies than you can shake a stick at, they also breed fugly grade draft cross horses. But if it's profitable, let's make as many Mini Aussiedoodle puppies as we can and sell them off for a grand... that is, if they have preeeety colours. If they're plain, they're only worth $800. But HEY, look at the sire on the top we have here! Holy shit, I better grab one quick, because the sooner these ones are bought for ungodly prices, the more dogs in shelters who are EXACTLY like him and his offspring will be euthanized. Oh, and the puppies of all dogs on the site "may or may not be used for breeding" depending on circumstances. How about speutering instead? Sound pretty f'in awesome.

These people also breed Mini Saint Bernards. Lord above, give me a break. If they can find something to shrink, they will. Too bad it isn't their gene pool shrinking away. Rather, like many designer breeders, they will come forth and multiply. These types of people have the idea in their head that they're giving people a lifelong companion as well as getting some cash in their own pocket, and its just abhorring. If you're going to try making a decent mix, look for dogs that are compatible and could have an actual purpose. Like the Alaskan Husky, for example. A robust crossbreed with known and controlled ancestry, they're bred for their jobs - not to cost you money. So many miniature breeders over-breed it isn't even funny. There are so many genetic and hereditary problems within the purebred ring, so why is it a good idea to breed something that, more than likely, couldn't even pass a standard OFA test? That is going to cost someone SO much money when they have to bring in their Dakota Sheepdog and when they have to pay thousands for displaysia they inherited from mom, it's no skin off the breeder's nose. It's just a dog, and for fuck's sake, if it makes you money, who cares? Arrogant people piss me off. Poor breeders piss me off. These guys have WAY too many dogs, too many horses, and too little experience in dealing with genetics and the problems miniaturizing dogs causes. But hey, gotta love their reasoning! If I hear one more "hybrid vigor" argument, I'm going to vomit. I agree to an extent; by introducing different alleles in a gene pool, you have a slightly smaller chance of outcrossing negative traits, but with so many ignorant breeders not testing their dogs, harmful genetics are going to surface. Just because a dog is a mutt doesn't make it any less prone to disease.

Here's a very informative page on diseases in dogs:
Genetic Disorders by Breed.


So, having said all that, I'll leave you with a picture of another fugly called the "Ori-Pei" produced by Dakota Winds Ranch. What makes you think it's good to cross a dog that's known for being brachycephalic and prone to tracheal collapse with a breed of dog that is overly sensitive to temperature changes? I doubt the retardation will end. When will people learn that miniatures and teacups are nothing extraordinary, but rather the poor traits of a few breeds all slapped together? *sigh* I guess I'll just never know the appeal. Even the money couldn't lure me into this business. I'd probably be too buried in vet bills.

29 comments:

DogsDeserveFreedom said...

I love it - Mini St. Bernards. What will moronic BYBers think of next?! What a stupid idea. I HATE BYBers ...

But hey, did you notice that they also offer dog training! Yep ... a "full course training plan for your new puppy".

Good grief.

Graureiter said...

If no one has beaten me to it, I claim the rights to the term " Fuglydoodle " !
And allow everyone, but the BYB's to use it.

As far as the " Puggles " are concerned, why cross a scenthound with something that ( nowadays ) can hardly breathe ?

fuglyfuglyfugly said...

Um, wow. They named their daughter Ayla...someone's been sniffing the Clan of the Cave Bear glue...

fuglyfuglyfugly said...

Nice fencing, too...
http://dakotawinds.homestead.com/
Gypsy.html

Um, my word verification word is "coxsuer"...good thing it's missing some letters...

Graureiter said...

From their Site.
"Flash is being offered for sale for $20,000."

That seems a tad high for what IMO is a carthorse of mixed ancestry.
And too low for the "perfect horse" he allegedly is.

gillian said...

Amen on the minis. I always suspected that such breeds would have been subjected to a lot of genetic drifting since they were only being selected for one trait. Nice to see someone in the know to back me up.

CaitStClair said...

Wow. I and I thought I had heard or some backyard breeders. This takes the cake.
It also took me a good five minutes to come up with those couple sentences. Before that I was either speechless or saying things I can't type in good company.
Seriously?! Someone please tell me this is all an elaborate joke. I can't handle it. My brain is hemorrhaging.

mikken said...

This is madness.

Why in God's name do people think that paying hundreds of dollars for a mongrel will get them something "really special"?

And "Labbes"?! What the hell is that? Let's take a hunting breed and cross it with a retrieving breed and get something that absolutely couldn't do any job well, even if by some slim chance it ends up being physically sound. If you want a small Lab mix, GO TO THE DAMN SHELTER. They're freaking GIVING THEM AWAY.

mikken said...

And tell me, please. What happens to the puppies that look too much like one of the parents? Because it's really hard to sell an "Aussiedoodle" that looks like a full Aussie or Poodle (and WTF with that "sire"? Does he or does he not look like a stray dog in need of rehab?).

And the names...the names. "Comfort Retriever"? Because yeah, mixing a Golden with a Cocker is going to give you something more...comfortable?

What I really, really don't understand is how these people who seem to have put *some* thought into this and do have some degree of giving a crap about the actual dogs can CONTINUE TO DO THIS?

They write, "Some of the breeds that we may breed, are only tempory, in order to reach our long term goals."

"Long term goals"? We must be talking savings account because there's no way we're talking about improving the breed(s) involved...

mommyof3 said...

I think I've seen this website before, but was completely infuriated all over again. Why is this not considered a puppy mill and shut down? They obviously have more dogs than brains, and breed anything with a penis to anything with a vagina. Hell, how do they even know what the mixes are anymore? My guess is they probably don't. And seriously, that poodle is one of the fugliest Ive seen, what a mess!!

The problem is, not just the stupid asses that are breeding these mixes, but the even stupider asses that are freaking BUYING puppies from people like this. What in the hell makes you think that you are getting something special, when you can run to the pound and get the same mix? And WTF is up with the "hybrid vigor?" Umm, if you take a fugly poodle with obvious health issues and breed it to god knows what, you'll get mutts with health issues. Duh.

Good post, but know I'm gonna go scream my head off into a pillow. Can't take this kind of stupid.

horseys4me said...

Good grief...can anyone say PUPPY MILL?! Anyway I agree, i used to work for a high end pet store and GOD everyone pays hundreds even thousands of dollars for the tiniest dog they can find and it can barely walk bc it has slipping patellas (Cant spell that sorry!) cant eat anything but raw bc it has liver shunts/allergies to everything, cant bark bc its trachea collapsed and its hair is falling out! i mean come on...is that really the price your willing to pay for a purse dog? Thats thousands just in purchase and vet bills right there...my dogs were 80-250 bucks at a rescue...healthiest dogs ive ever owned... *headdesk*

horseys4me said...

Oh and the number of labradoodles and puggles in shelters has skyrocketed in the last couple of years...dont even get me started on why...

horseys4me said...

Ok apparently i just cant make one comment today lol

I knew I'd seen this page before they are the ppl that breed gypsies to draft crosses for " people who cant afford a full bred gypsy" -- cuz thats a good reason to breed right there...gah!!

jayjenjo said...

well, there are established breeds with a core of good breeders who do test that use the word miniature in there name such as daschunds schnauzers and poodles.

You will rarely hear the abbreviation "mini" and never see the word teacup when dealing with anyone reputable, I commonly get calls from people looking for a "miniature bulldog" and they do not like it when I tell them it's a gimmick not a breed. After all, the mini people have a breed club web-site and it says they are sooo perfect and healthy!

If some one wants a miniature bulldog, contact regular bulldog rescue cause we get them, The mini people see no need to provide that service for their "perfect" little dogs. unfortunately, a lot of them a very fragile or unhealthy, so my advice if one wants a small bracyaephalic is to find a dedicated frenchie, pug or boston breeder who tests for a wide variety of issues and puts good airways as a TOP priority

Barb said...

I love the "training packages" they sell... it's brilliant marketing, really. They'll charge you $600 or a grand or more to supposedly crate train your dog, and start it on some basic obedience commands. Steep pricing to start with, but then they go on to explain that with the stress of being shipped to a new home and all, the dog may "forget" its training. Then they'll go on to describe HOW to crate train a dog, HOW to teach it to sit etc. Hahahahahaaaaahahhahaha...
But then again, I guess anyone gullible/stupid enough to buy one of their mongrels might be stupid enough to fall for this, too.
"Yeah, sure, we trained your dog. He's just forgotten. That's the ticket!"

Anonymous said...

Miniature is an established variety of some breeds (like the poodle). (Speaking of poodles, el oh el at Dakota Winds' "cafe la tait" and "chocolate" poodles. Not only are they making up dog breeds, they are making up coat colors!)

*Amber* aka Suzy SINsation said...

Am I the only one who can't figure out what an Ori-Pei is?? I mean, I get the shar pei part, what's the Ori supposed to represent? Fugly dog anyway, I thought it was another wrinkley-nosed puggle.

mommyof3 said...

I don't know what the Ori-Pei is either, but I've seen this name before, there were a couple of them on CL onetime, I forget where, but remember seeing it and thinking WTF is it?

OK, I'm actually laughing about the training, I guess anyone stupid enough to buy a puppy from them in the first place deserves to get ripped off, I just think it's horrible that it's lining these very vile people pockets. Did you see all the bitches they have under the Labbes? At least 6 or 7, and those are just the Lab bitches, I can't imagine that they can sell that many pups, can they? Even if they only breed each bitch once a year, that's a crap load of pups, whose buying these?

Amaocha said...

I never got why breed an Aussie Doodle but as far as I'm concerned a Goldendoodle bred from a Standard/Royal Poodle to a Golden Retriever made sense.
They wanted an easy to train hypoallergenic seeing eye dog. I own one that came from a good breeder who had sires and dams tested for diseases guarantees and expects follow ups to see how the dog you bought is doing.
But this BYBness makes me cry at night. Ori-pei? WTF!?

mikken said...

Sorry, don't buy the Goldendoodles, either.

Standard poodles are wicked smart and could be used as service dogs. Ditto for PWDs.

~CRUNCHBERRYS MOM~ said...

ahhhhh Dakota Winds. so deserving of BYBof the year.

Meaghan Edwards said...

Designer mutt breeders piss me off to no tomorrow.

http://www.poomixrescue.com

little gator said...

Standard Poodles are wicked smart, but are fine-boned and very lightweight for their height. I've heard they don't have the muscle mass a guide dog needs.

mikken said...

Ok, I'll concede that guide and other service dogs may need to be heavier than a standard poodle (I have a friend whose service dog is a Rottie because she needs a breed she can catch herself on as she falls without hurting the dog). But if that's the case, let them be bred specifically for that by responsible breeders who are looking at both temperament and health issues (longevity is a biggie for service dogs!).

Folks like this place are mixing anything under the sun with a poodle to get something with a cute name and a (often false) label of "hypoallergenic". And their poodle...oh man. I wonder how many offspring he's sired? And has he been cleared of genetic diseases? Hips and elbows checked out? Geez.

Who is buying these dogs? And what happens to the ones who end up looking like just one of the parents? Too purebred-looking to sell, too mutt-genetic to be of any good to the breed it looks like?

luckytocope said...

I nth the question--WTF is an "Ori-Pei" is? I get that it's part Shar-Pei (as if that breed didn't have enough problems when bred carefully) but Ori?

Hey, I have a "purebred" Bagel Hound (half beagle, half basset.) Guess how much I paid for her? $75 adoption fee at the county animal control, like any other mutt! (She is a very sweet dog, even if, like most beagles, she's a nose connected to a stomach.)

Amaocha said...

Mikken, I know poodles are smart they are on the top of the list for intelligence in dog breeds.
The trouble is that they are too smart and a little more independant minded than a golden retriever. We had a discussion with the breeder and MIRA (seeing eye dog company in Canada) and they said that very few poodles ultimately are chosen because they are for example, more likely to reach for the food on the table when no one's looking no matter how well they are trained.
By crossing them with the Golden retrievers they get a smart ass dog but also the retriever's unwavering dedication.
Anyway, don't tell me not to buy them, since we've had ours for already 3 years now o_o;

mikken said...

Amaocha, of course you can buy whatever breed you like - even a mix like the Goldendoodle, if that's what works for you.

And I suppose that there must be some kind of responsible Goldendoodle breeder out there who knows the lines they're working with, the health issues, the possibilities, etc. and is working towards something better with each generation. These mixes have at least the freedom to look like whatever you want, so you don't have to breed for a specific head shape or whatever, you can go directly to health, temperament, and longevity. Breeding specifically for a job (like guide dog)? All the better. Dogs with good jobs don't tend to end up in shelters.

BUT. The vast majority of these mix breeders are careless schmucks who don't look to improve their lines, don't care what happens to a dog once it leaves them, and will sell to anyone with the $$$ to pay. Look at our featured "breeder", for example. They seem to be mating everything under the sun to that one poodle! Is he really that spectacular a specimen of his breed that his genetics should be so generously shared? Do they know his lineage and what kind of issues may be passed on to his progeny? Has he been screened for...well, anything?

It's breeders like this that fill shelters with "doodles" and "bugs" and whatever else cutely named breed of the month comes up.

huh said...

An Ori-Pei is a Pug-Shar Pei mix. I don't know if the 'Ori" is to designate the "oriental" origin of the Pug, perhaps the original dog used, who knows? Believe it or not the "story" is that the cross was created by a breeder who wanted a smaller version of the Shar Pei (of course he did) without the health problems that exist in the Shar Pei. The fact that the Pug is also riddled with health issues never seems to have entered the picture.
And that the health issues in the Shar Pei are mostly a result of selection for appearance. The tiny original gene pool didn't help of course but people driven by intelligence could have gone a long way toward using that small pool responsibly. sigh.

Morgan Elizabeth said...

Ugh, and if I see one more micro mini yorkie-poo.... If people must breed these mixes do some breeds that make sense! Labradoodles make sense to me, both are water dogs(however you CAN just get one at a shelter for a 1/10 of the price). Mini St. Bernards, WHY?