Kiger Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 [quote name='miller']The reason that most service dog charities as moving toward using Golden/Lab crosses (like the one I'm raising as a Guide Dog) is because they are healthier than pure breeds [/quote] This is such a myth. If your lab has hip dysplasia and your golden has hip dysplasia, you aren't going to get a bunch of healthy puppies because of "hybrid vigor". You're going to get a bunch of mutts with hip dysplasia. I got to see a ton of unhealthy mutts when I was a vet tech. Buying from a responsible breeder is the only way to lessen your chance of getting a life time of vet bills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiger Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Newfie beat me. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poofy Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Yes the seeing eye people are crossing goldens and labs. However they are using dogs from their own colonies. They do this for grooming reasons, not because they are heathier. They still have to do all the hip eye heart, etc..etc.. The golden tends to be easier then a lab and the lab has an easier to care for coat. A lab is a lab and a golden a golden. If you want a lab, get a lab, if you want a golden, get a golden. If you mix the two dogs, genetics does not say that it will be a "mixture" of the two personalities...infact you could have totally unexpected results such as agression, fear, etc...if you want a particular temperament, then LOOK for that temperament in the dog you are seeking...there are a scale of attitudes within every litter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogPaddle Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Tyr is a "hybrid" and it is looking more and more like he has hip displaysia - he is 8 months old and has difficulty getting up after lying for a while, has fallen 2x today, limped or walked without the use of one of his rear legs for a couple hours last night (we had been out to the park, played, no problem, he came home and lied down for an hour and hip seized up.) So I don't personally buy the hybrid vigour thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_blue Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 That's bad news DP. :( Whether your dog is a mutt or a purebred, I think the most important things are the genes of the parents, and their parents, and so on. Bad genes= bad pups and good genes= good pups. The most important thing is EXTENSIVE RESEARCH before you even think about breeding. :evilbat: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackieMaya Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 I used to have a Golden Retriever/Yellow Lab cross, and I referred to him as a Golden Retrievador. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted March 27, 2003 Author Share Posted March 27, 2003 Boy, am I behind the times. I didnt know anyone was actually doing that kind of cross breeding, but I can understand why the Guide Dog people might. Having had both, I can say that Goldens are usually less rambunctious than labs, a little calmer, and make excellent Guide and assistance dogs. The main problem is the grooming requirement, which is usually greater than a labs and somewhat more difficult because of the long hair involved. So I can see why the Guide Dog Society would like a mix like that. Alex would have made an excellent Guide Dog had he been trained as a puppy. I well remember grooming Taurus, with the huge long strands of hair - the brush had to be cleaned every three strokes..... Alex brushes up quite quickly and nicely - Freebee actually sheds more. Thanks for that information. I am a BIG fan of all the societies who help train and place assistance dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit Posted March 27, 2003 Share Posted March 27, 2003 Hybrid is the offspring of two animals of different species or varieties. Like breeding a mare to a jack; the resulting offspring is a mule (hybrid). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted March 28, 2003 Author Share Posted March 28, 2003 Hobbit - where are you from? I have never heard a donkey referred to as a "jack" before..... Just curious..... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 A JACK ASS :lol: :lol: An ass..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtnek Posted March 28, 2003 Author Share Posted March 28, 2003 DUHHH....thanks Daisymom. That never even occured to me.... :D :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisysmom Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 So very happy to help Courtnek :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosebud Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 :) Well I see that everybody has a good outlook on breeding and cross-breeding. Courtnik, You should be proud of your baby! Having a good temperment in a dog regardless of the parents is always a good thing, and I have to admire you for your participation in rescue of mixed breeds. I can also understand the 2 glasses of wine thing. Everyone else, I can respect the efforts of the societies who want a better breed for assistance dogs, but there are other breeds to choose from without creating one. It's not correct to breed for temperment, either your line has it or it don't and breeding for temperment is only going to create a line that has a hidden trait that will be unpredictable; meaning a good temperment could become bad in the dogs old age. :angel: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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