Mixed mutts

Labradoodle. Puggabull. Schneagle. Baskimo. Snorkie.Besides being quirky, slightly ridiculous words, these names signify a trend in pet ownership. Whether you refer to them as designer dogs or purebred mutts, there is a niche of animal lovers who have found a place in their homes for hybrid pups. Hybrid breeding is a great idea to Annie Bowers, who breeds Labradoodles."It makes a lot of sense to take two really good dogs and mix them together," Bowers said. Bowers owns Annie's Animals in Somerset. Chris and Valerie Jensen of Auburn bought their Labradoodle from Bowers. The Jensens wouldn't trade their 2-year-old Labradoodle, Bodi, for the world. They researched and decided to buy a Labradoodle because the dogs are hypoallergenic. Plus, they like when people approach them to say Bodi looks just like Benji."I would encourage anyone with allergies to get a Labradoodle. It won't bother them; it's really true what they say," Chris Jensen said. Breeding a designer dog can take just as much, if not more, time and money as breeding a purebred animal, according to Bowers. Her puppies cost between $600 and $1,200, which is about half of what other breeders charge, she said. Part of the cost includes artificial insemination some hybrid dogs require.Bowers has been a small Labradoodle breeder for about six years. Up until two years ago, she said people didn't understand what a Labradoodle was."In the last few years, everyone knows what a Labradoodle is. I don't have to explain it anymore," Bowers said. However, there is more controversy surrounding the hybrid dogs than their cute faces may imply. Those against designer dogs argue the animals are basically mutts priced at an exorbitant rate. "For myself, we call those dogs mixed-breed dogs. They're not a purebred," said Matt Green, director of operations at Placer Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "We see those same quote-unquote designer dogs by accident every week in the shelter environment." Green says it's more important to study an animal's personality. He explained it's difficult to gauge how one breed of dog will behave when it is mixed with another breed. "I think things become in vogue without validation," he said. "You can marry a supermodel but eventually you have to talk to them. Designer dogs may be cute, but you have to take in the personality because that's the big factor you have to live with."Those who breed them, such as Bowers, counter the dogs provide the best of both worlds without some of the problems that come along with purebreds. Purebred dogs can suffer from effects of in-breeding such as eye problems. Auburn resident Sandra Stewart didn't buy her 4-year-old Labradoodle, Peja, because it was a designer dog. Instead, she focused on how it was raised in its early years. "I think a big part of why I purchased my dog was because it was from a loving breeder," Stewart said. The arguments for or against designer dogs fall on deaf ears when it comes to those who have found the perfect pet for their home. "He's just so cute," Chris Jensen said of Bodi. "He was just a cute roly-poly puppy when we got him and he's still a roly-poly puppy." Others see designer dog ownership as simply a matter of personal preference."I could see a lot of pros and cons for mixing breeds. You get what you want out of both breeds, then again I think you are paying a lot of money for basically a mixed-breed dog," said Brandon VanCleave, an employee at Pet Xing in Auburn. "But you pay for what you want." The Journal's Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or comment online at auburnjournal.com.