The newest mongrel dogs

I thought I heard it all. First we had the puppy mixes – Cockapoos, Pekeapoos and the like. Then the so-called designer breeds appeared. One of the latest breeds to be harnessed for this madness is my beloved Siberian, which I have had for over forty years. The Siberian Husky is being crossed with other breeds such as the Chow Chow (“Chusky”) and the Pomeranian (“Pomsky”).

“Cute!” People cry. “I want one!”

Really?

This is a classic example of why dog ​​breeding should be left to breeders (capital B), who are committed to protecting and improving their breed. These devoted individuals are not breeding for one trait, “pretty,” but for an overall healthy, wholesome dog.

Most novices would protest, “Me too!” Do you know what quality breeding means? Probably not.

These recent northern crossbreeds are an excellent example of why this practice is so objectionable. Not that the average person knows this, but the Siberian has the potential for three hereditary eye problems: PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), corneal dystrophy, and juvenile cataracts. For eye defects and other genetic defects for which genetic testing is available, show breeders test their breeding stock and remove affected individuals from their breeding program. These breeders remove dogs that are not directly affected but carry the gene from their pool of studs and breeding bitches as well. Do you see a big divide starting to form between real breeders and “backyard breeders”?

To make matters worse, some Chow Chows also have cataracts (as do some Pomeranians) or corneal dystrophy. Therefore, crossing a Siberian with a chow chow or a Pomeranian doubles the chances of cataracts (and, in the Siberian-chow chow mix, corneal dystrophy). Chows and poms potentially share other eye defects like entropion (folded eyelids). So a greedy breeder mating a Siberian with a Chow or Pom, either for fun or to make money or both, risks producing puppies that may eventually go blind. Is it fair to produce blind dogs? Want one? Cataracts can be surgically removed, of course, but do you want to incur the cost of surgery?

There is more. Siberians are medium-boned dogs with great reach (stretch) in the front and thrust (power) in the rear. Their front legs extend well in front of them when they move, and their hind legs extend back. But the Chow Chow has heavy bones and a strained gait specific to the breed. The combination of these two dogs of very different builds and different movements could create a number of orthopedic problems in puppies.

Do you see where this is going now? No one who breeds these mixes is thinking about the problems they are creating.

Anyone planning a litter must consider the welfare of the puppies and the dogs they will produce.

How do you do this?

(1) Know the genetic flaws in your breed.
(2) Know the genetic faults in the lines of the future stallion and the breeding bitch.
(3) Know the genetic faults in the stallion and the breeding bitch.
(4) Do any available genetic testing on the stud and breeding bitch.
(5) Refrain from breeding any dog ​​or bitch that has or is a carrier of a genetic defect.

Expert breeders have their breeding stock certified free of hereditary eye diseases by the Canine Eye Research Foundation (CERF) and the dogs’ hips and elbows free of dysplasia through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), for example.

Too many problems, you say? Very expensive? So don’t breed your dog. (And if you’re a dog lover and thinking of getting one of the new mongrels… don’t do it).

It’s selfish, inconsiderate and cruel to mix races just to see what you get, because what you get is a mess. Some of these defects may not show up for weeks, months, or years, causing dog owners heartache and expense in the future.

Don’t go that way.