This pisses me off.

I am passionate about this.

I found this article and the Sydney Morning Herald today, about how animal shelters are filling up with designer dogs and poodle cross breeds. "Hundreds of the trendy cross-breeds, including spoodles (cocker spaniel cross poodle), beagaliers (beagle cross Cavalier King Charles spaniel) and schnoodles (schnauzer cross poodle), are on death row."

What annoys me most is that people are buying these dogs because "they (have) cute names". It's like some sort of game.

"Look I have a -

Shitty-poo (Shitzu cross poodle)

Jack shit (Jack Russel x shitzu)

Pugalier ( Pug x Cavalier Kings Charles Spaniel)

etc etc etc"

Sorry to burst your bubble, people; but what you just paid $1000 dollars for is a MUTT.

A mongrel.

A Bitzer.

A Heinz variety cross breed.

Since when did having a cross bred dog become so passe, we had to give them cute names? And also: When did a mongrel cost $1000?????

The other thing spa-doodle buyers need to be aware of is that that cute-sy wootsy ball of fluff is going to grow up to be a DOG. It's gonna pee on your carpet, and chew your shoes, and need walking and vaccinating and it's anal glands released just like any other little dog.

Hello? Earth to Paris Hilton? a dog is not an innanimate fashionable HANDBAG.

This stupidity does not occur in any other domestic animal! There are no Manx-ese Cats or Arab-paloosa horses. Nore would any cat or horse breeder expect you to pay through the nose for one, simply because it had a cute name.

As a PROUD mongrel owner, this phenomena is one of my pet hates. I got my "Staffelier" (Staffy x terrier) and my "Shitzgi" (Shitzu x Corgi - we think) for free. I dont give a stuff what breeds they are, I love them because they're part of my family and I plan on having them for the rest of their lives, even when they're old and incontinent and stink. And if they bred, I certainly would not cash in on people's ignorant materialism by charging $1000 for "Staffel-shitzgis".

Mongrel lovers - be proud!

And prospective dog owners - don't be sucked in! It's cute and fluffy, but it's still a mutt!

VIVA Jilly Cooper - Writer of "Intelligent and Loyal - A celebration of the mongrel". A dog-lover's must read!