Though technically not a rescue dog, we found our then 14-week-old puppy on Trade Me from a lovely family in Wellington whose older dog simply refused to accept him. And though not technically a ‘designer dog’, he is a very cool-looking crossbreed that garners so many compliments that my partner and I gave serious consideration to one day breeding from him. However, the more I researched, the guiltier I felt about even giving it a moment’s consideration.
In 2019 in an interview with ABC, the creator of what is arguably the original designer crossbreed, the labradoodle, lamented his canine creation to be a “Frankenstein’s monster” and his “life’s regret”. Australian breeder Wally Conron created the labradoodle in the late 1980s to help out a blind lady whose husband suffered allergies, by crossing a Labrador and a poodle and, inadvertently opening “Pandora’s Box”: “Why people are breeding them today, I haven’t got a clue,” he muses. But it’s easily answered by a quick scan of the multi-thousand-dollar price tags of designer puppies on sites such as Trade Me—which, in 2018 made the admirable decision to ban the sale of brachycephalic, or ‘flat-faced’, breeds the pug, the British bulldog and French bulldog owing to their propensity to suffer breathing and other health problems compounded by irresponsible breeding practices (Google ‘original British bulldog’ to see how decades of selective breeding have altered its appearance).
One of the biggest misconceptions about the many popular poodle crossbreeds, for example, is that the puppies will automatically be low-shedding and hypoallergenic—traits most associated with the poodle parent. But this won’t necessarily be the case, depending on the type of dog that it was bred with—and that’s even if you get the crossbreed (or pure breed) that you think you’re paying for.
“The popularity of some breeds and specific crossbreeds has triggered a surge in demand for puppies which has driven up prices for their puppies, creating a lucrative market for scammers and unscrupulous breeders,” SPCA scientific officer, Dr Alison Vaughan, tells Verve. “Prospective owners should satisfy themselves that there is no detrimental effect on the health or welfare of the animal being bred or on the health or welfare of the offspring produced.”
“Adopting from a reputable animal rescue organisation not only helps the individual animal,” says Dr Vaughan, “but it alleviates the problems caused by oversupply and assists in reducing the problem of unwanted companion animals.”
Unscrupulous breeders aside, while one-time or hobby breeders may mostly be decent folk with a genuine love of dogs, how well-equipped are they to be breeding canines, and how much research into the health and history of their pooches have they put in? The world generally does not need so many more dogs, and, as any kennel club will testify, the main purpose of producing pups should not be for financial gain, but to improve the breed.
Of course, it’s no-one’s business how anyone else chooses to spend their hard-earned dollars, but surely if you’re considering handing over the kind of cash that’s the equivalent of the price of a half-decent used car, you’d rather it went to someone who’s put the work in to gain the expertise to ensure that you’re getting the healthiest of pups?
Dr Vaughan says that in an ideal world, the SPCA “advocates for independent regulation and inspection of all breeding establishments”. Before purchasing a pooch, it’s essential to view the mum and her pups together, and to never go through with the sale “if you have doubts about the puppy or the situation”.
“Vaccination, parasite treatment and desexing records should be provided to the adopters or buyers, along with microchip and council registration.”
The SPCA, she adds, “opposes the breeding of puppies, kittens and other animals in both private and commercial undertakings without regard to the availability of good homes”.
Which brings us on to the greatest and most obvious point—there are already simply far too many dogs in shelters awaiting a forever home. The SPCA alone houses around 4,000 animals across its 35 national centres, and in 2020 it was reported that Auckland Council euthanised nearly 7,000 of its shelter dogs in the previous financial year (the SPCA opposes the euthanasian of healthy and behaviourally sound companion animals).
“Adopting from a reputable animal rescue organisation not only helps the individual animal,” says Dr Vaughan, “but it alleviates the problems caused by oversupply and assists in reducing the problem of unwanted companion animals.”
Spca Tips for Potential Pooch Parents
- Before adopting or buying a dog, consider whether the breed will suit your lifestyle, home, and family situation, especially whether the dogs’ exercise, training, mental stimulation and social requirements can be met. “It’s also important to know the ongoing costs of veterinary appointments, food, housing, boarding/minding, insurance, training, fencing and annual local government registration fees,” says Dr Vaughan.
- Never purchase animals from puppy farms—breeders whose primary motivation for breeding is to produce large numbers of animals for profit. Puppies from these operations may be sold via the internet, newspaper ads, markets, car boot sales, pet shops and sometimes at the puppy farm itself.
- To grow into well-adjusted adult dogs, puppies must be socialised to the many sights, sounds and experiences they are likely to come into contact with throughout life. “The sensitive socialisation period in dogs begins at 2-3 weeks and continues until about 12-14 weeks,” says Dr Vaughan. “And under the Code of Welfare for the Temporary Housing of Companion Animals, puppies must not be offered for sale or rehoming before eight weeks of age, so socialisation needs to begin before they arrive in their new home.”
- Puppies must also be vaccinated and treated for parasites, microchipped and registered. An agreement should be made with the adopter or buyer prior to sale or rehoming, that the dog will be desexed based on veterinary advice, unless sold or rehomed to a registered breeder.
- Desexing dogs is the responsible thing to do. “Some people believe that female dogs should have a litter before they are desexed, but this is not the case,” says Dr Vaughan. “Desexing dogs offers many health benefits, including protecting them from reproductive cancers and other diseases.”
