Creativity flows rampant in the dog show world. The very concept of dog shows themselves is based on the creativity of brave individuals experimenting with art and biology to bring forth new styles of the canine form and character. Dog breeders, owners and exhibitors are all about re-shaping what stands before them into what they envision it to be. That being said, is it much of a stretch to see ourselves in kinship with artists working with color and fabrics and texture to create stylish clothing? Maybe it’s an abstract way of looking at things, but there is an ever-increasing honesty about purebred animals and plants being an expression of fashion.

Look at some of the similarities between our dog shows and the fashion runways of Paris. We use the terms “fashionable” or “out of fashion” when speaking about what’s hot and what’s not on the dog show scene. It takes considerable investment to create a bloodline, or to raise, train and campaign a champion. Each year, the new crop of puppies become our Spring or Fall collections offered to the public. Not much different from designers like the great Chanel, Halston or Versace, right?

Famous breeders, handlers and owners take on recognizable personas as their careers flourish. It may be a dashing personality, a style of clothing they favor, or a flair for hats, glasses, make-up or ties. They may become widely known for a certain “look” in the dogs they breed or own or represent. Are these not the marks of fashion designers everywhere?

Recently, while researching a European-based pedigree data source on the internet, I was surprised to see the phrase “Litter Designed By” instead of “Bred by” … It was refreshing. Suddenly, breeding, raising, training and presenting dogs to the public took on a whole different meaning.

If “Designers” is what we are, then let’s talk about the term “Designer Dogs” and how it’s creeping into the media.

The term “Designer Dog” is just a politically correct way of erasing the words “mongrel” or “mutt” or “mixed-breed” from our lives. Personally, I have no problem with those words, and I’m not wild about feeling like I’m walking through a mine-field when it comes to my vocabulary. Nevertheless, there is something about this “designer dog” thing that appeals to me. I like the idea. I understand it. As an artist, I can relate to taking one color, mixing it with another and coming up with something unique and special. What I have a problem with, is trying to do it again and getting the same results!

Before we get too snobby about things, let’s remember that every breed in our colorful canine palette began with a mixture. And, face it, a few breeds added other breeds along the way. New breeds are created by combining the blood of different dogs and hoping the characteristics we seek will shine through. After that, it’s a matter of refining the stock until the dogs breed true.

In simple terms, this means anyone who dreams of creating a new breed is entering the realm of a designer and, thus, the term “Designer Dog” is very clever. It’s clever, but misleading.

Why is it misleading? Because all dogs are designer dogs. It’s not a special category any more than the word “Thoroughbred” became the name of a breed of horse, when our lawmakers really meant it to mean “purebred” as they passed laws declaring which horses could or couldn’t compete in racing. The result (was it by mistake or by design?) wiped out all other breeds of racing horses on the track at the time: Morgans, Arabians, Paints, Anglo-Arabs, etc. Such is the power of the written word.

Words are, indeed, powerful and marketability or acceptance of first-generation cross-breeds depends on the public’s “take” on the matter.

Should purebred breeders feel threatened by any of this? Some of us may be, but what for? After all, when the public falls in love with a dog, it means they want a dog “just like that one.”

When that happens, the importance of purebreds is assured because they will always be required in order to create the mixed breed that the public wants.

Designers are known for looking far ahead and seeing what is to come. If new breeds are being developed, so be it. Every breed we love started somewhere and look how incredible and exciting it has all become.

Paris, Milan, New York, London and all the fashion moguls we admire have nothing over the great designers of the dog world … I say, “On With The Show!”