31 May 2022
RVC researchers find that owners of designer dogs believe these breeds are more likely to be healthy, good with children, easy to train and hypoallergenic.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Huge demand for designer cross-breed dogs has been fuelled by misconceptions they are more hypoallergenic, generally healthy, easy to train and good with children, according to a new study.
Led by the RVC, the study looked at the reason for a boom in cross-breed dogs – including cockapoos, Labradoodles, cavapoos, sprockers and golden doodles – between 2019-20.
The results suggest their popularity poses significant health and welfare risks for these designer dogs, as demand could lead to poor breeding, and buyers unintentionally supporting puppy farming and illegal importation of underage puppies.
Designer cross-breeding is the planned mating of distinct breeds to create a new dog, often with a catchy name – for example, a Pekingese and a miniature poodle creates a Peke-a-poo.
Researchers hope the findings of this latest research will help vets improve the advice they give to members of the public on responsible puppy purchasing that prioritises canine welfare, and supports safe and responsible breeding.
A team from the RVC, the University of Nottingham and involving an independent consultant used an online Pandemic Puppies survey to canvass 6,300 owners across the UK who acquired a puppy between 2019-20, including 1,575 owners of designer breeds.
The same team had previously documented an increase in popularity of designer cross-breeds from 18.8% (or 1 in 5 puppies) to 26.1% (or 1 in 4) in 2019.
Main drivers identified in the study for owners acquiring designer cross-breed puppies were perceptions they:
Among other findings in the study, published in Canine Medicine and Genetics, owners of designer cross-breeds prioritised convenient purchasing of their dog over welfare factors, and were less likely to be provided with DNA and screening tests for their puppies’ parents by the breeder. They were also more likely to source the puppy online.
Buyers also overlooked so-called red flags in the buying process – for example, being less likely to see a puppy in person, with its littermate or mum, and more likely to have placed a deposit without seeing it.
Researchers said owners realising the reality of some of their misconceptions could lead to an increased rate of relinquishment.
No strong evidence shows a trait for designer cross-breeds to be hypoallergenic, and allergies were cited in the study as one of three top reasons for relinquishment within a year.
Rowena Packer, lecturer in companion animal behaviour and welfare science at the RVC, said: “The UK public is flocking towards designer cross-breeds based on perceptions that they are ‘off the shelf’ easy family dogs; trainable, healthy and hypoallergenic dogs that fit into their owners’ existing lifestyles.
“Unfortunately, it is unlikely that reality will meet all of these high expectations, with little evidence to support these claims.
“These misconceptions risk poor outcomes for both dogs and their owners in the future, including rehoming, unexpected health problems and bite risks. Would-be owners should avoid being enticed by designer labels and rose-tinted expectations, and instead conduct thorough research to help decide if these are really the dogs for them.”
Dan O’Neill, RVC associate professor in companion animal epidemiology, said: “Sadly, designer dogs often do not come from ‘designer’ breeding programmes, but are farmed indiscriminately to meet the current craze for breed-crosses with catchy names such as Frug and Jackalier.
“Check out the seller before buying, visit your puppy several times before you bring them home, and always make sure you see the puppy with its mum.”
The study was funded by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. The original study that generated the dataset was funded by the Animal Welfare Foundation.
