There are ‘new breeds’ showing up these days. President Obama has been shopping for a dog for the White House. One of the breeds he has been looking at is a ‘Labradoodle’. This is a cross between a Labrador and a Poodle. The other dog breed he is interested in is a Portuguese Water Dog.
Have you heard about a 'Morky'? This is a cross between a Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier. These are technically not ‘breeds’ recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) but are really just mixed breeds. For a complete list of recognized AKC dog breeds please visit The American Kennel Club.
I had an opportunity to speak with a Veterinary Doctor recently who told me one of his customers had flown half way across the country to purchase a ‘Morky’. He and I found it amazing that there are people everywhere cross breeding pure breeds and making a buck from this when they are just ‘mixed breeds’. This customer, he said, spent $5,000 for this dog! When he told me about that, I felt that I needed to write this post. I asked the Vet what type of clip these Morky’s would receive at a groomer and he said ‘I don’t know because it is not an AKC recognized breed.’ I suppose it would be based on the type of hair and would be evaluated dog by dog. I am not sure why anyone would pay that kind of money for a mixed breed and I find it hard to wrap my head around even thinking about it. If you are really looking for a mixed breed, maybe look at what is available from your local shelter or humane society? They will be a lot cheaper too!
Hypoallergenic Dogs and Cats
Is there such a thing? No, not really. Every type of dog or cat has dander and will shed some hair. The assumption is that there really is a hypoallergenic breed somewhere out there. Some breeds will shed less hair and may be a bit easier for an allergy sufferer but some people may be allergic to the saliva as well. Dogs that shed very little would need to be kept on a grooming schedule and the owner will have to do their part in between appointments. Not only would the dog need all this grooming attention, but the home where these dogs live will need exceptional cleaning to maintain the ‘hypoallergenic’ environment.
I had a chance to also speak with my family asthma and allergy specialist about this topic. He said that when a patient comes in and says ‘we are looking for a hypoallergenic dog or cat’ he cringes! He said that he looks these people straight in the eye and tell them ‘No, don’t even think about it; get a fish instead.’ Most of his patients are there because of some allergy or asthma condition and most have had allergy tests. He couldn’t come up with a number for me but said a lot of people have allergies to dogs and cats. He has no idea why these people who are suffering so greatly and visit him often would ever want to bring something into their home environment that triggers these problems. To be honest, I don’t get it either.
