Cobberdogs

[Ker]

2 hours ago, Jersey Caramel said:

Personally I find the "my unique breed" (not just cobberdogs, there are tamarukes and others) a bit cringey, but all breeds have to start somewhere and some people are very talented with genetics and take very good care of their animals.

A "tamaruke" is just a lab x poodle with a whole lots of other bits and pieces thrown into it (9 other breeds, in fact) and there are huge variances in a single litter.

[WaitForMe]

They wont be recognised any time soon because it can take decades to get there, but they are going down that path with the Cobberdog. New pure breeds can be developed. The Bichon Frise came from the poodle and water spaniels.

A Cobberdog is not a Labradoodle.

[Ker]

5 hours ago, WaitForMe said:

They wont be recognised any time soon because it can take decades to get there, but they are going down that path with the Cobberdog. New pure breeds can be developed. The Bichon Frise came from the poodle and water spaniels.

A Cobberdog is not a Labradoodle.

It is exactly the same crosses. So yes, it is.

[Jersey Caramel]

6 hours ago, Ker said:

A "tamaruke" is just a lab x poodle with a whole lots of other bits and pieces thrown into it (9 other breeds, in fact) and there are huge variances in a single litter.

Yeah I know,  but all dogs have "bits and pieces thrown in" if you go back far enough.  That's how the different breeds developed! As long as those bits and pieces are improving the temperament, health and welfare (or at least not making them worse) then I can't see why it matters for pet dog owners.

Edited August 1, 2021 by Jersey Caramel

[LemonMyrtle]

7 hours ago, Ker said:

MDBA registration isn't worth a cracker.

The reason "cobberdogs" won't become a registered breed is that there is no breed standard for them. Registered breeders breed true to type. They can't do that with the crosses because there is NO type. Also, you can get many variations in one litter.

The guy across the road has a lab x poodle. Supposedly lab x with MINI poodle, supposedly non shedding. Their dog sheds like blazes and he's 22 kg. The mini got lost somewhere. He's a gorgeous dog, but his temperament is not great. He's unbelievably anxious and ADHD level energetic. It's lucky they love him.

What’s stopping them creating a breed standard for them? Arrogance or something else?

You cant just put a full stop on new breed development. There has to be a way to develop new breeds. People change, lifestyles change, requirements of dogs change. We (mostly) don’t need working dogs anymore, we need good pets. Maybe a cobberdog will be the next great pet. 

they’re all just dogs to me anyway. Who cares who they mate with and have babies with. It’s not like they’re making a Liger or a mule. They’re crossing two dogs to get another dog. 

[Moomintroll]

2 hours ago, Ker said:

It is exactly the same crosses. So yes, it is.

No it's not the same thing, as jersey Caramel explained. there is a difference between a first cross, and trying to build a new, stable breed. 

But purebreed enthusiasts don't believe that anyone should have the right to develop a new breed, even though all the existing breed were developed at some time in human history, they did not just arise out of natural selection. 

[Ernegirl]

What does the cobber dog name actually mean? I keep thinking of cobbled but that’s unlikely.

[Jersey Caramel]

I think it might come from the Australian term 'cobber' for "mate" or "best mate"...? Just a guess though. 

Edited August 1, 2021 by Jersey Caramel

[rewritethestars]

Yes that’s what I have read about the name too. 

[ali-song]

My Dutch colleague was telling me that something called an ‘Australian doodle’ is very popular in the Netherlands. When she’s said to the owners, ‘isn’t that just a labradoodle?’ they explain very seriously that no, it’s an Aussie doodle. 

My mother is a geneticist, so of course I’m all about cross breeds. Or, as my mother calls them, wild type dogs. 

[Jersey Caramel]

29 minutes ago, ali-song said:

My Dutch colleague was telling me that something called an ‘Australian doodle’ is very popular in the Netherlands. When she’s said to the owners, ‘isn’t that just a labradoodle?’ they explain very seriously that no, it’s an Aussie doodle. 

My mother is a geneticist, so of course I’m all about cross breeds. Or, as my mother calls them, wild type dogs. 

My friend has an "aussiedoodle" that is an Australian Shepherd x poodle. 

[ali-song]

1 minute ago, Jersey Caramel said:

My friend has an "aussiedoodle" that is an Australian Shepherd x poodle. 

Oh, yes, that would make sense - thanks!

[Rosie28]

9 hours ago, Fruitmincepies said:

@Ker I’ve come across so many people who were told their ‘oodle’ would be small, only for the dog to grow to the size of a standard poodle. 

This seems so common- our old neighbours were told their oodle mutt would be small, he ended up enormous and so destructive they ended up buying a bigger property to properly contain him.

[LemonMyrtle]

1 hour ago, Ernegirl said:

What does the cobber dog name actually mean? I keep thinking of cobbled but that’s unlikely.

I was thinking that too, when the OP had that in the title. All cross breeds are cobbled-dogs though  

[Bad Cat]

9 hours ago, Fruitmincepies said:

@Ker I’ve come across so many people who were told their ‘oodle’ would be small, only for the dog to grow to the size of a standard poodle. 

I think this is the problem purebreed people have with the whole oodle thing.  Too many breeders claiming things about crossbreeds that just aren't true.

I imagine the same is true of cobberdogs. If they're not a recognised breed because they don't yet breed true then it's dodgy to sell them based on characteristics that may not breed true.

[Romeo Void]

47 minutes ago, Rosie28 said:

This seems so common- our old neighbours were told their oodle mutt would be small, he ended up enormous and so destructive they ended up buying a bigger property to properly contain him.

I love that.  We bought a new car to make the dog more comfortable.  I got a few eye rolls from car yard men when I told them I needed a hatch with a straight back so my Greyhound could stand upright and not have to lean over 

[Rosie28]

20 minutes ago, RomeoVoid said:

I love that.  We bought a new car to make the dog more comfortable.  I got a few eye rolls from car yard men when I told them I needed a hatch with a straight back so my Greyhound could stand upright and not have to lean over 

They weren’t so thrilled- the dog had caused so much damage to their house they had to do $50k of repairs before they sold and then they ended up with a house they didn’t love because it suited the “it’ll be small” dog. They loved the dog though!

[LemonMyrtle]

Just now, Rosie28 said:

They weren’t so thrilled- the dog had caused so much damage to their house they had to do $50k of repairs before they sold and then they ended up with a house they didn’t love because it suited the “it’ll be small” dog. They loved the dog though!

$50k worth of repairs??? People manage to keep big dogs in apartments. Maybe their issue wasn’t size, but training, exercise and a touch of dog personality. I’d say even a small dog would have damaged their house. 

[Rosie28]

8 minutes ago, LemonMyrtle said:

$50k worth of repairs??? People manage to keep big dogs in apartments. Maybe their issue wasn’t size, but training, exercise and a touch of dog personality. I’d say even a small dog would have damaged their house. 

They had a trainer involved from the get go. He just needed a backyard to run around in - he was very high energy and basically ate the house while they were out. They walked him twice a day and had a dog walker walk him in the middle of the day but it wasn’t enough. Caused heaps of damage to all the plasterboard etc. Could have happened with a smaller dog but they would have had a hope of containing a smaller dog- this one threw himself against doors to get out. He was a lovely pup, but they were silly to believe the “breeder” who said he would be small and perfect for townhouse life, they clearly had no idea. 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Rosie28

[Romeo Void]

Wow that sounds hellish @Rosie28, it sounds like they tried everything.  Some might call them crazy, but I really respect that they didn't take the easy rout. I hope it's all panned out for them now? They sound like really decent people.

[Mooguru]

51 minutes ago, Rosie28 said:

They had a trainer involved from the get go. He just needed a backyard to run around in - he was very high energy and basically ate the house while they were out. They walked him twice a day and had a dog walker walk him in the middle of the day but it wasn’t enough. Caused heaps of damage to all the plasterboard etc. Could have happened with a smaller dog but they would have had a hope of containing a smaller dog- this one threw himself against doors to get out. He was a lovely pup, but they were silly to believe the “breeder” who said he would be small and perfect for townhouse life, they clearly had no idea. 

But that's an individual dog. I've got an almost identical story in my friendship group in terms of a destructive dog damaging property with all possible supports in place (like trainers, dog walkers Etc) where the dog ended up being PTS after it attacked someone (the second time after landing someone else in hospital requiring surgery).

Except it was a pure breed from a reputable breeder who had allegedly never experienced anything like it before. Despite the vet strongly suspecting a genetic neurological (?) issue.

[Rosie28]

Of course it’s only one dog- I didn’t pretend otherwise, the point is these mixes are not predictable, and to pretend that mixing will give you the desirable traits of both breeds, which is what they always do, is a scam. 

[BKK]

3 hours ago, ali-song said:

My Dutch colleague was telling me that something called an ‘Australian doodle’ is very popular in the Netherlands. When she’s said to the owners, ‘isn’t that just a labradoodle?’ they explain very seriously that no, it’s an Aussie doodle. 

My mother is a geneticist, so of course I’m all about cross breeds. Or, as my mother calls them, wild type dogs. 

Wouldn’t an Aussie Doodle be a very small creature….

[Fennel Salad]

28 minutes ago, Mooguru said:

But that's an individual dog. I've got an almost identical story in my friendship group in terms of a destructive dog damaging property with all possible supports in place (like trainers, dog walkers Etc) where the dog ended up being PTS after it attacked someone (the second time after landing someone else in hospital requiring surgery).

Except it was a pure breed from a reputable breeder who had allegedly never experienced anything like it before. Despite the vet strongly suspecting a genetic neurological (?) issue.

I've lived this. The most beautiful, smart docile dog with family, but couldn't take him anywhere near other people and dogs. Anxious and aggressive.

We were experienced big dog people, properly socialised him from puppy, trained him, he had extensive work with behaviourist who concluded ... bad genetics.  Of course, the breeder neeever had a problem before .... 

My beautiful boy ended up having a very short life from spodylitis, a terrible, cruel condition I don't wish on any living thing. It cost us many thousands and terrible heartache. But hey! He came with perfect hip and elbow scores!

As I've since learned, breeders sometimes also have their little closed Mafia cartel who will never own up to selling problematic pets.

I will never own another pet after that experience.

 

[Romeo Void]

@Fennel Saladthat sounds traumatic   I've decided I will only own older dogs/cats that need homes for their twilight years. I don't want to add any incentive to breeders, and I love the gentleness of the older years. I don't even mind having to tend to their health needs.