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Hybrids in the News!
Designer Dogs Making Headlines
Designer Dogs Making Headlines
Welcome to:
Designer Dogs are the Rage!!
Designer dogs, those hybrids produced from purebred ancestry, are taking the country and even the world by
storm. Garry Garner, president of American Canine Hybrid Club says the news media caught on to designer
dogs last spring, and the interest has never let up.
Major newspapers throughout the United States have published articles and photographs, as have magazines.
Even television is in on the craze. NBC Today Show, ABC Good Morning America, ABC’s Regis and Kelly, Fox
News Dayside and others have all contacted ACHC for information on the dogs and for references to breeders
and individual pet owners. Newspapers have ranged from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The
Chicago Tribune, and other major market papers to smaller ones in more localized areas. ACHC receives
requests for interviews on the average of three times a week.
The most popular hybrid at ACHC is currently the Puggle, a cross between a Beagle and a Pug. Following
newspaper stories in Canada and England, foreign requests have flooded the ACHC office for sources of the
dogs. Unfortunately for those potential pet owners, ACHC has not registered any Puggle breeders in either of
those countries. Many other hybrids have been registered for breeders in Canada, but none elsewhere outside
the U.S.
The largest ACHC breeder of Puggles is Wallace Havens in Wisconsin. Mr. Havens produces about 300 Puggle
puppies each year. He was the first to register a Puggle litter with ACHC, and he named the breed. ACHC
allows the first breeder to register a new designer dog to name it if chosen to do so. Most breeders choose to
create the new name, but a few decline, so the staff in the office come up with something.
ACHC currently registers over 200 different hybrids produced from purebred ancestry. Besides the currently
popular Puggle, other popular breeds include the Cavachon (Bichon Frise x Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), the
Yochon (Bichon x Yorkshire Terrier), and the perennially favorites, the Peke-a-poo and the Cock-a-poo (Crosses
of Pekingese and Poodle and Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, respectively). Almost any small breed crossed with the
Bichon is guaranteed acceptance as is almost any crossed with the Toy Poodle.
The Cavachon was first registered by several breeders in Missouri, and it became so popular that ACHC created
The Cavachon Club of America for the breed at the request of several breeders.
A few breeders actually want to produce a new pure breed by setting a standard and working toward it.
However, very few have the persistence to follow through with it. ACHC recommends breeders wanting to do
this to consider it very seriously and then proceed with a definite plan. Usually recommended is the
establishment of several “colonies” with several females and a male. Then, after selecting those with the desired
traits, breed those with others from another colony that have the same traits. Excessive inbreeding can be
prevented this way, and the desired qualities may eventually be established so that the dogs breed consistently
true.
Phyllis Disque of Shiloh Kennels in Iowa started this process in 1995 and has created the “Cantel” breed that
consistently produces the desired qualities. She started with the Bichon and crossed it with the colored and parti-
colored Toy Poodles. She said she wanted a parti-colored dog with Bichon qualities. Asked why she named it
“Cantel”, Mrs. Disque replied, “You can’t tell if it’s a Bichon, and you can’t tell if it’s a Poodle!”
After establishing the breed, Mrs. Disque trademarked the Cantel name to prevent others from legally claiming to
produce them. Many breeders claimed they were producing Cantels with only one generation and weren’t
particularly concerned with producing consistent specimens. ACHC has created The Cantel Club of America
exclusively for the genuine Cantel.
Asked about the most peculiar Designer Dog, Garner replied, “I haven’t seen it yet, but one breeder asked if we
would register a Chihuahua crossed with a Dalmatian. We gave the usual answer that we will register ANY
Hybrid produced from purebred dogs.”
Most Designer Dogs are selling for as much or even more than the purebred parents. For instance, the Beagle is
one of the lowest priced purebred dogs, yet the Puggle often sells for much more than the purebred Pug.
Internet offers of the dog range from $450 to $2000 each.
A professional photographer in California who owns a Puggle produced by Wallace Havens has taken such an
interest in the breed that she has produced a calendar of the dogs. She currently offers it on eBay and other
venues. She is planning an all-breed Designer Dog calendar for 2007, as well as another Puggle calendar.
Anyone interested in the 2006 Puggle Calendar can contact her at chelle@designerdoggies.com or by calling
415-999-4114.
Designer dogs, those hybrids produced from purebred ancestry, are taking the country and even the world by
storm. Garry Garner, president of American Canine Hybrid Club says the news media caught on to designer
dogs last spring, and the interest has never let up.
Major newspapers throughout the United States have published articles and photographs, as have magazines.
Even television is in on the craze. NBC Today Show, ABC Good Morning America, ABC’s Regis and Kelly, Fox
News Dayside and others have all contacted ACHC for information on the dogs and for references to breeders
and individual pet owners. Newspapers have ranged from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The
Chicago Tribune, and other major market papers to smaller ones in more localized areas. ACHC receives
requests for interviews on the average of three times a week.
The most popular hybrid at ACHC is currently the Puggle, a cross between a Beagle and a Pug. Following
newspaper stories in Canada and England, foreign requests have flooded the ACHC office for sources of the
dogs. Unfortunately for those potential pet owners, ACHC has not registered any Puggle breeders in either of
those countries. Many other hybrids have been registered for breeders in Canada, but none elsewhere outside
the U.S.
The largest ACHC breeder of Puggles is Wallace Havens in Wisconsin. Mr. Havens produces about 300 Puggle
puppies each year. He was the first to register a Puggle litter with ACHC, and he named the breed. ACHC
allows the first breeder to register a new designer dog to name it if chosen to do so. Most breeders choose to
create the new name, but a few decline, so the staff in the office come up with something.
ACHC currently registers over 200 different hybrids produced from purebred ancestry. Besides the currently
popular Puggle, other popular breeds include the Cavachon (Bichon Frise x Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), the
Yochon (Bichon x Yorkshire Terrier), and the perennially favorites, the Peke-a-poo and the Cock-a-poo (Crosses
of Pekingese and Poodle and Cocker Spaniel and Poodle, respectively). Almost any small breed crossed with the
Bichon is guaranteed acceptance as is almost any crossed with the Toy Poodle.
The Cavachon was first registered by several breeders in Missouri, and it became so popular that ACHC created
The Cavachon Club of America for the breed at the request of several breeders.
A few breeders actually want to produce a new pure breed by setting a standard and working toward it.
However, very few have the persistence to follow through with it. ACHC recommends breeders wanting to do
this to consider it very seriously and then proceed with a definite plan. Usually recommended is the
establishment of several “colonies” with several females and a male. Then, after selecting those with the desired
traits, breed those with others from another colony that have the same traits. Excessive inbreeding can be
prevented this way, and the desired qualities may eventually be established so that the dogs breed consistently
true.
Phyllis Disque of Shiloh Kennels in Iowa started this process in 1995 and has created the “Cantel” breed that
consistently produces the desired qualities. She started with the Bichon and crossed it with the colored and parti-
colored Toy Poodles. She said she wanted a parti-colored dog with Bichon qualities. Asked why she named it
“Cantel”, Mrs. Disque replied, “You can’t tell if it’s a Bichon, and you can’t tell if it’s a Poodle!”
After establishing the breed, Mrs. Disque trademarked the Cantel name to prevent others from legally claiming to
produce them. Many breeders claimed they were producing Cantels with only one generation and weren’t
particularly concerned with producing consistent specimens. ACHC has created The Cantel Club of America
exclusively for the genuine Cantel.
Asked about the most peculiar Designer Dog, Garner replied, “I haven’t seen it yet, but one breeder asked if we
would register a Chihuahua crossed with a Dalmatian. We gave the usual answer that we will register ANY
Hybrid produced from purebred dogs.”
Most Designer Dogs are selling for as much or even more than the purebred parents. For instance, the Beagle is
one of the lowest priced purebred dogs, yet the Puggle often sells for much more than the purebred Pug.
Internet offers of the dog range from $450 to $2000 each.
A professional photographer in California who owns a Puggle produced by Wallace Havens has taken such an
interest in the breed that she has produced a calendar of the dogs. She currently offers it on eBay and other
venues. She is planning an all-breed Designer Dog calendar for 2007, as well as another Puggle calendar.
Anyone interested in the 2006 Puggle Calendar can contact her at chelle@designerdoggies.com or by calling
415-999-4114.
