Wolf Or Stuffed Animal?

The issue of designer dog breeds -- to wit, pugs crossed with beagles produce puggles -- is explored by Jon Mooallem in the New York Times magazine (2/04/07). Mooallem theorizes the trend toward "doodles" and "puggles" is based on human vanity. We seek our dogs to serve our selfish needs -- our laziness about training, our macho about wanting a dog who's not a frou-frou purse puppy, or our space limitations in a post-modern world. The reporter's journey took him to a cross-breeding puppy factory in Wisconsin where he witnessed a terrible dog fight and an injured stud poodle limping into a corner. Dog Lady worries about the canine crazy quilt trend. Although the puggle label is fetching, this mutt-by-any-other-name could have all sorts of issues medically and tempermentally since the two breeds are at direct evolutionary odds with each other -- ie. pugs have runny noses; beagles run with their noses. Check out other designer cross breeds. These are harmless. No real dogs were hurt in the breeding of these jokes.

Posted by Dog Lady at February 4, 2007 12:51 PM