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The Florida Statute 828.29 states that no dog, puppy, cat or kitten may be offered for sale without a health certificate from a veterinarian, nor can any puppy or kitten be sold under the age of eight (8) weeks of age.
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What is a Designer Dog?
A designer dog is purposely bred from two different purebreds, and designer dog litters are almost as predictable in their looks and disposition as purebred litters. Roxie, the very pretty buff and white Cavachon shown to the right, is a designer dog cross between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Bichon Frise, and she has some very desirable characteristics from each breed. Also by using two purebreds for a designer dog litter, the resulting puppies have a much more varied gene pool compared to a purebred litter, and this widening of the gene pool in designer dogs does lessen the likelihood of their carrying genetic disorders, as long as each breed is carefully chosen and does not carry the same genetic disorders.
Some people call designer dogs "mutts," but the difference between a designer dog and a cute mutt is that the designer dog has been purposefully bred for certain characteristics, while most mixed breeds come from accidental litters. However, ALL dog breeds are the result of thousands of years of mixing dog breeds in order to create a better dog for the ever changing human environment, so the designer dog breeder is simply continuing this tradition.
It's All in the Genes . . . Almost
Most breeders know what physical characteristics are genetically dominant and which are recessive, so they are able to predict what the resulting puppies from any two purebreds mated together will look like. Usually a larger breed is mixed with a smaller breed, in order to breed down in size, but still retain desired characteristics of the larger breed. But there are some designer dogs who are bred to keep the larger size, such as the LabraDoodles, who are very smart and are sometimes used as service dogs. But designer dog mixes can also be a mix of two toy breeds, and the two little parti puppies playing in this picture are Mal-Shis, which are one part Maltese and one part Shih Tzu, and they were in a mixed litter bred by some friends of ours.
Smaller Poodles, and the various Maltese/Bichon breeds, are often used in designer dogs, as these smaller dogs do not shed and are therefore hypoallergenic. Also smaller dogs are more desirable in urban areas, where people are more likely to live in condos, smaller townhomes, and homes with very small outdoor yards. And Cock-A-Poos, which are a Cocker Spaniel and a small Poodle mix, have been a long time favorite designer dog since the 1960's.
Cocker Spaniels are frequently used in designer dog mixes, as they have been a perennial favorite breed for many years, due to their engaging and merry personalities, and pretty coats, colors and markings. And we have been breeding Cocker Spaniels for quite a few years now--breeding for great health and temperament, smaller size, and spectacular colors and markings--and many of our smaller Cocker girls are daughters and grandaughters of our beautiful solid red girl named Sparkle, pictured here. All of our Cocker girls are from AKC dogs, and we register our Bologco litters with the American Canine Hybrid Club.