dont get me wrong, I dont agree with irresponsible breeding. Some of them make me wild as well. And I am the first to agree that some members on here are absolutely marvelous... they are worth their weight in gold..The combined knowledge is wonderful

Thank you for your comments.   I did only want a straightforward answer to my query.   I am not a breeder and have no intention of letting my dogs produce more litters, they are pets not production line moneymakers!   At least they know what it's like to have had offspring, I think it may well have put them off!!! (joke)   If I hadn't been pestered, they probably never would have had any.   This comment is not addressed to you in particular but to everyone out there - How do you know what your next 3 months will bring?   Perhaps you are such organized and influential people that everything happens as you say it will, I don't think so!
Thanks, Jenny

Well actually yes Jenny I am organised.  Some of these people have been waiting for 3 years for my pups!!!

I am not getting at you and as I've said previously I hope all goes well, yet again I do have to say if I were you I wouldn't keep all 3, you would have your work cut out with one pup.  I don't know maybe someone else would be able to help and I know that they are not lurchers as such but are there any websites etc. which may be able to Jenny in selling the pups that deal with these specific cross breeds?

I'm glad that you have come back on, in your own defence Jenny - it knocks down my assumption that this was a covert advertisement for your puppies - it really does happen, too often, sadly.

As you say, family circumstances do change, and that's why its so important not to yield to pressure to have a litter of puppies for the family ;) !

Good luck with finding homes for them - try and keep in touch with the owners of what will be, I'm sure, lovely (if enormous:) ) dogs!

Are you going to have one or other of your dogs neutered now?   Or how will you manage at other seasons?

Regards

Margot

These puppies are longdogs, but not very popular. You could advertise them in The Countryman's Weekly. Alot of lurcher and longdog people look in this mag for a puppy. But do choose your owners cautiously, i do not want to cause offence, but alot of gypsies get friends of theirs to enquire about puppies and those friends seem like good people, then these people give the pup to the gypsies, hence you don't know that they have it.

I have had this happen with one of my lurchers. His 'owners' seemed like genuine lurcheer owners, very knowledgeble and friendly, a couple of months ago ihad a phone call from a rescue centre telling me that they had one of my pups, i was very upset. I contacted the owner and asked why he no longer wanted the dog. His reply was ' i took him to show my friends and they really liked him so i let them have him'. I was absolutely furious. These friends were gypsies and he was in a very bad state. You could see all his ribs, hip bones, spine. He now lives with me and is lovely. I am extra careful now.

Sorry, I don't have all day to spend making replies on this site, this is the first opportunity I've had since I posted my query.   However, I have been saddened by the response of many people, they must see the worst in everyone.   I think that must be an awful way to live.   I feel for you!
Regards, Jenny

Hi I Jenny I for 1 didnt think youd got pups you were wanting to offload. I think that was an unkind comment. As I said before good luck with your pups Im sure they are lovely.

Giving in to pressure from the family is never the way to go.  Nine times out of ten they don't know a lot about pure breeds and the thought of a lovely big puppy of any type would apeal to them.  It is a great shame that they were able to nag you into mating two different breeds though.

You should be able to place your puppies in suitable homes by asking the same questions you would ask if looking for homes for either pedigree type.  Has the enquirer had this type of dog before, have they got room for a largedog etc.  If you are prepared to give the the same sort of after sales care the caring pedigree breeders do you may not go far wrong and if you have to take a dog back, because the new owners cant cope or for whatever reason, can you re-home it.

Your breed club can be very supportive, they almost always have some sort of charter which sets out your responsibilities as a breeder (breeding a litter of puppies because of pressure, accident or choice makes you a breeder), and they can be help with rescue if any of your dogs come back to you and you are not able to keep them or re-home them

You know what your little bundles of joy are called - Puppies.  They have two totaly different breed parents and you should simply let the prospective new owner know that.

When was I dishonest?   There is nothing wrong with a Cross-breed for a title.   That was what I was asking about!   Do you look down on mongrels or do you see an animal for what it mostly is - A well loved and cared for pet.
Thanks, Jenny

Unfortunately very many people seem to think the words crossbreed or mongrel are derogatory terms, and subsequently concoct strange cutesy names, usually a combination of the two parent breeds, for their pups and try to pass them off to the general public as something they're not.

We have no problems with the crossbreeds or mongrels - many of us own them!
:)

I think the reason so many people are against the NOTION of crossbreeds and mongrels (NOT THE DOGS THEMSELVES) is that so many of them end up being mistreated, abandoned or dumped into welfare. They unfortunately, to a lot of people, are not as valued as pedigree dogs. Therefore to DELIBERATELY breed them is seen as highly irresponsible. I hope you do manage to find the good homes these pups deserve, did you contact either of the breed clubs for advise?

this thread has been interesting, as it has illlustrated several points which we often "preach" to those planning to breed, perhaps for the wrong reasons,  or without enough information.  So many people who are planning a litter "for the benefit of the bitch" or one of 100 other goofy reasons also tell us that they have loads of homes lined up with family and friends, and are relucatant to listen when list memebers tell that for so many reasons these homes may not materialise - as your case has shown, circumstances change, pleple change there mind etc, etc.  Your have disocred the truth of this, and given an excellent first hand example to others contemplating a similar thing.  Next, what is wrong with crossbreeds?  As you so rightly say, nothing, and we dont look down on them, however most of us hear understand that there are enough crossbreeds and mongrels out there without deliberately adding to the numbers.  Look at the Breed Rescues and the Rescue kennels, lots of dogs in need.

Then the matter of what to call them.  From the point of view of most responsible breeders the practice of crossing two pedigrees and calling them a cutesy name can be indicitave of puppy farming or other undesierable breeding practices.  You may not be awar of this, but lots of places sell crossbreds from more that well bred pedigree examples, even though neither parent has had health checks etc.  The "designer dog" is a money making ploy for many.

As the owner of two very large breeds will will be fully aware of the extra care, time and facilities needed for such dogs, and that they will be well beyond many families capabilities.  Without knowing anything about you, this raises a red flag in the minds of many on this site, who see the poissibilities of 3 large hounds ending up in rescue (or worse) wihin the next year.

You have a litter of what is termed "longdogs" by the sporting fraternity, however, it would be unwise, in my opinion, to try and sell them as such.  This might point them directly into the hands of those who are prepared to illegally carry on coursing.

People may have been judgemental, but only because they caare so deeply for dogs, and your question and situation appears to be indicative of a potenital problem
bye
Gwen

I personally think if we upset people, too bad - but it is worth it for every puppy saved from being born through ignorance.

Jenny,

If you type in search, 'designer crossbreed' and  'oodles'  you will find more than enough information to understand why so many people on this forum despair when someone asks "what shall I call them? "   You might also like to search "stud my dog" and "looking for a stud dog" / "breed my bitch" and will also find plenty to read :(  the number of people breeding pups for profit with no thought of where they will end up is unbelievable :( and if they can give the pups a catchy name and charge piles of money for a 'new breed'  :rolleyes: then they're even happier :( :(

If you read these boards for long enough you will understand why sometimes people come accross as if they don't like mongrels, but most of us own or have owned mongrels and rescues and loved them as much as the pedigree dogs :)

Good luck with finding forever homes for your pups and I hope having had a bitch doesn't change your loovely boy too much
Regards
Dill

http://st15.startlogic.com/~justonel/breeder.html
This makes for interesting reading.

If a litter of crossbred pups are advertised as 'mongral' could mean anything from a tiny breed to one as described in this post. At least by giving it a name ie long dog, sprocker, lab x etc it is clearer how it may turn out.
Amos

Hi Amos,

With any crossbreed there is not necessarily an indication of how they will turn out by looking at either of the parents :(  there is a lovely little dog near me who is nicely natured and a much loved pet but his owners bought him expecting him to look like a Labrador.  Well he does, in that he has a Lab's head and is the desired Yellow that they were after BUT he has the body and length of leg of a CORGI :rolleyes: 

Also the characters of different breeds of "designer crosses" can often be very different ..............

Regards, Teri   

It gives a guide, thats all I am saying.
Amos

Can't seethat at all.  What is wrong with saying Deerhound Wolfhound cross or colliie cross whatever.

Yup, I called my last dog lab X... I see nothing wrong with that, people still know it's a cross.

That is what I am saying!!! by describing the dog instead of just putting mongral it gives some indication.
Brainless, I am sure if I said black you would say white!!
Amos

No but I would have no idea what a Sprocker or labradoodle was if I ahdn't heard of these silly tags before.  What is wrong with saying Springer Spaniel X Cocker Spaniel, or Labrador poodle cross??

The latter is honest, the first is making out they are a breed.

Hi Jenny

I just want to say that the most important issue here should be that the pups are healthy and potential new owners are vetted to make sure they understand the responsibility of taking on a large breed dog.  I am sure that will be of paramount importance to you.  Accidents do happen and I am sure that many people passing comment on this issue will have said at some time "there, but for the grace of God....".  Best of luck with your pups, I am sure they are beautiful.

Well it's a little vague but the OP certainly gives the impression that this was a deliberate breeding not an accident.