'Designer' offspring of purebreds are at risk of being exploited as are their owners, Humane Society says

By Melissa Patterson

The puggles, maltepoos and labradoodles scampering along Chicago streets are bred to be cute and customizable, pet industry experts say.

But these high-priced "designer dogs" are also increasingly exploited by abusive breeders at puppy mills and unscrupulous sellers, leading to more sick puppies and unhappy owners, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Made fashionable by celebrities like Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Simpson, hybrid puppies—the offspring of two purebreds—often go for more money than purebreds, which can range from $200 to $2,000 per dog.

Hybrid puppy breeding operations are cropping up in rural areas from Pennsylvania to Kansas, animal advocates say. But a hot spot for hybrid owners, said pet industry insider Laura Bennett, is much closer to home.

"Urban areas—the Chicagos and the New Yorks and the L.A.s and the San Franciscos"—are where wealthier clientele prefer custom-made puppies, which are often bred for non-shedding coats, compact size and friendly disposition, said Bennett, pet blogger and CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance.

But owning a designer dog can come at a price beyond the original cost.

Tracy Mattes of Woodridge fell in love with her cockapoo Jake through a cage at a Downers Grove pet shop in 2005. But by 2006, Mattes discovered her puppy had a myriad of serious and costly health problems, including severe allergies, a juvenile cataract, a digit on his paw that needed to be removed and a kneecap that popped out of place.

"His veterinarian bills are through the roof," she said.

On top of Jake's almost $700 price tag, Mattes estimates she's spent more than $6,000 in surgeries and other vet care. Three-year-old Jake takes two medications per day and requires at least once-a-month vet checkups.

Puppies bought from pet stores or Internet breeders are much more likely to have been born in a puppy mill and therefore develop health problems, said Kathleen Summers, deputy director of the society's Stop Puppy Mills campaign.

The Humane Society estimates there are about 10,000 puppy mills nationwide.

But Erika Burklow, manager at Happiness is Pets in Orland Park, disputed the assertion that pet-store puppies have been abused. Her store's owners hand-pick their puppies from private owners, keep records of genealogy and licensing, and offer warranties against certain health issues, she said.

"In general, you'll hear the vet . . . say go the pound and get yourself a mutt 'cause you're probably going to be better off with it," veterinarian Derrick Landini said.

mlpatterson@tribune.com