What is a Designer Dog?

The first knownand documented "designer dog"  is the Doberman. However, it was not recognized as such back in the 1800s. Herr Dobermann was a tax collector in Germany. He needed a dog that was a protector and an enforcer as well. It is not known what two dogs he bred. However, it is thought that these dogs were great candidates that could have created the Doberman breed: the Rotweiler, German Pinscher, Greyhound and the Manchester Terrier. Dobermann began breeding between the years 1864-1889. After years and years of breeding, the Doberman was accepted as a purebred dog breed.

In the past when two different breeds were mated, they were considered  "mutts." But, in the 1980s, a clever breeder by the name of Wally Conron was trying to develop a dog that would not shed hair and would be non-allergenic for one of his clients who needed a guide dog. Initially, he was unsuccessful, but through trial and error came up with a hybrid dog which was a cross between a poodle and a Labrador retriever. There were three offspring, one of which he presented to his client. The other two were a hard sell. So he renamed the dog a Labradoodle, and the designer dog came into existence.

With mixed breed mutts, which are a "one of a kind" dog, you really don't know what you are getting because there are so many breeds in the dog's DNA. On the other hand, with the designer dog, a breeder will be able to report to the client how the dog will look and act. The appeal of the designer dog is usually that they get the best traits from both parents.
In order for designer dogs to be recognized by the ACHC, which is the leading registry for designer dogs, they must organize a club and track the dog's lineage. Owners need to show that both parents were purebred dogs and that their offspring are stronger and healthier dogs than the parents. Currently, a popular example is the goldendoodle, a combination of a golden retriever and a standard poodle. And this dog has the best of both parents: it is intelligent, funloving, enjoys retrieving, and hardly sheds at all. What else could you ask for?