Published29 August 2024, 17:08
Designer dogs: Dog owners face the “doodle dilemma”
Because they are mixed breeds, many people assume that Labradoodles and other hybrid dogs are healthier than their purebred ancestors. But according to a new study, this is not the case.
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A British research team has investigated the health of designer dogs such as Labradoodles and Cockapoos.
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The study shows that these bred hybrids are not healthier than their purebred ancestors, but not unhealthier either.
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When choosing a dog, buyers should pay attention to a reputable breeder – and that it fits their own lifestyle.
“I released Frankenstein’s monster,” is what Wally Conron called the Labradoodles he bred – a mix of Labrador Retriever and Standard Poodle – years later. While he himself was always careful to breed healthy puppies, others focused on quantity rather than quality. His invention thus paved the way for “unethical, reckless people.”
A British research team also does not make a completely positive assessment of the mixtures known as hybrid or designer dogs: Contrary to what is often claimed, they are not healthier than purebred dogs.
That’s why designer dogs are popular
Hybrid dogs are said to have a friendly nature and sometimes even an allergy-friendly coat. Some dog fans just find them cute. Some are also convinced that mixed-breed dogs have a lower risk of disease because mixed-breed dogs are considered more robust than purebred dogs due to the larger gene pool.
This is what the researchers investigated
The team led by Rowena Packer from the Royal Veterinary College in Hertfordshire surveyed the owners of over 9,400 of the most popular hybrid dogs about 57 common dog diseases:
For this purpose, the owners of 9,402 dogs were questioned about 57 dog diseases typical of the purebred ancestors of the hybrid dogs. The data was compared with those of purebred dogs such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers and Poodles. The analysis took into account the age, gender and castration status of the dogs as well as the age and gender of the owners.
Result: This is what the comparison shows
One great hope with hybrid dogs is that they are healthier than their purebred ancestors, who were bred through inbreeding. However, the study shows that in 86.6 percent of the health comparisons there are no significant differences between the hybrid dogs and their original breeds. Nevertheless, slight differences were found between the breeds:
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The risk of nutritional intolerance, vomiting and diarrhea was even higher in all three designer crosses compared to their common parent breed, the Poodle.
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All three mixed breeds had a higher risk of ear infections than their non-poodle parent breeds.
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Cockapoos also have a higher risk of itchy skin than their parent breeds, a disorder often caused by allergies.
But there were also advantages. For example, Labradoodles and Cockapoos have a lower risk of the kneecap slipping (patellar luxation) than Poodles.
What does that mean now?
The study found no evidence to support the assumption that Doodle mixes are healthier than dogs of the breeds from which they originated. But it also found no evidence that they are unhealthier than their purebred ancestors. When purchasing a dog, dog fans should pay close attention to whether the animal’s temperament and needs fit into their own everyday life and whether the puppy comes from a reputable breeder. “Breeders should put the health and temperament of the animals above their appearance,” says Packer. Her study is published in the specialist journal «Plos One» published – under the title «The Doodle Dilemma».
The following photo series shows you how much humans have intervened in nature and changed dog breeds in the past:
Special coat colors are also not natural – and not healthy for the dog:
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