what is a "mosaic mutt?"

When I was growing up, it was always a big deal to have a "pure bred" dog. We had a Sheltie, a Collie, a couple of Airedales, and Golden Retrievers. Then I got married and I got a Jack Russell Terrier. My brother got married and he got a Weimaraner. My  neighbor had a Dalmatian; my best friend had a Cocker Spaniel; and another friend  had a Boston Terrier. An older couple down the street's Springer Spaniel and Pug. Then I became friends with a lady who had a Corgi, and she swore was the greatest dog on the planet. Needless to say, I took it all in. 

Over the years I have paid LOTS of attention to all these breeds and what is so loved about teach one. I have also watched every one of my dogs' lives cut short by hereditary conditions that unfortunately were just known to be the downfall of the breed. For example, my Collie died when I was 13 of blebs (a condition caused by cysts) on her lungs. These blebs would  rupture causing air to invade the chest cavity and she would collapse. My parents had to put her to sleep at age 7. We were told that dogs with narrow chest cavities can be prone to that condition. 

My beloved Airedale, Maggie, was diagnosed with hip dysplasia as a puppy. The breeder offered my parents another dog, but we were already smitten! Her life was filled with surgeries, prednisone, and pain. 

My Golden Retriever died of cancer, after a very long and costly battle. We did everything in our power to try to save him. He was diagnosed when he was only 5 years old. Our efforts only bought him 2 years, but his quality of life was questionable. 

My brother had to eventually get rid of his Weimaraner because it was not good with kids at all! 

My Jack Russell was beautiful. She was tricolored with a smooth coat. She was the best babysitter when my kids were playing in the back yard. One day my 6-year old son found a mole while he was slaying giants with his stick out in our fenced-in area. Chassie, was laying up on the deck, not taking her eye off of him. Suddenly he started to cry and run. She took off, leaped across the yard, and brought the dead mole to the door. She was his hero! She slept in his bed and went everywhere he went. The vet had discovered a loud heart murmur when she was very young. I was told that this condition was not uncommon to Jack Russells. She was fine for the time being, but eventually her life was be cut short. She died when she was 10. That was it! The cost involved in caring for a dog that you have made a family member and the deep grief that comes with the loss, did me in.  As Chassie grew sicker and reality set in that she was not going to be with us much longer, I decided that I wanted to get another dog before she died. But now what breed? I had read about mixing breeds for health and temperament. I had also heard that if you did it creatively, they wouldn't shed either! So, off I drove 4 hours away to pick up a Mini-Goldendoodle.  She was AWESOME. It was love at first site! She had the personality of a Golden, the cute curls of a poodle, she was heathy, and best of all she didn't shed. Our new sweet Sadie was the perfect pet! Of course, being the dog lover I am, I couldn't settle for just one dog. 

We had to get Sadie a friend once Chassie died, so we bought chocolate Labradoodle...Dreamer. We didn't stop there! We then purchased an Australian Labradoodle, then a Sproodle, and a Yorkie-chon, and a Cocka-poo, a Bischon-Poo, and a Cocker-Lhasa. I just couldn't get enough of these mixed breeds! So what became an obsession, was growing into a passion.  

I met people who had kids with allergies and had resolved to not being able to have pets. I also was dear friends with people who couldn't spend $3,000 or more on a puppy! (All of mine cost at least that.) So I decided that I wanted to become a breeder. I decided that if I were to design the "perfect" dog, it would be health, free from genetic disease, low to non-shedding without the typical doggie odor, small to medium size (20-45 pounds), and have  a loyal and loving temperament. It would be free from aggressive tendencies, and patient with children. Best of all, it would be more affordable. 

Finally, my sweet Hope (Cocker-Lhasa) was ready to be bred. My male Cocka-poo was more than ready! We had our first official Litter of "Mosaics" in April of 2012. We kept the biggest boy and named him Muttley. He was then bred to my Australian Labradoodle and now they have had several litters!  So basically, I take the best qualities of some terrific breeds and mix them. What I get is well-rounded and amazingly healthy dogs who do not shed, are adorable, and make  the perfect pet. 

I only have three litters a year so that the necessary time investment can be made into the lives of these little ones as soon as they draw their first breath, to the day their new families come to get them. It is a joy and a privilege to hand off these sweet puppies whom I invested 8 solid weeks to families who are so deserving of them.  Part of being a responsible breeder means there are costs involved. The care of the mother while she pregnant, the de-worming and upkeep of the puppies, and the advertising costs. I don't make much money from doing this, but the reward of the experience is my payback.  

So, here is my definition of a "Mosaic": 

A. A dog who has several deliberately chosen breeds in his blood line to achieve the following: 

1. Healthy for life 

2. Easy going, non-yippy, and non-aggressive 

3. Curly to wavy non-shedding coat 

4. Stocky and "non-fragile" skeleton 

B. A dog who has been handled and well socialized by me from the moment their life beings, to create a desire for human pleasing and bonding. 

C. A dog who is placed in the perfect home where they will be loved, will live indoors, fed quality food, and will be vet-cared for life.

So that is it in a nutshell! So if you want a designer "Mutt," call me. I would love to chat and see if my puppies are the right fit for you and your family. 

Blessings, 

 Nicole "Mosaic Mama" 

I entered the realm of dog breeding 8 years ago with very little knowledge but a heart full of passion. I spent every spare moment of my time researching and trying to come up with a solution to these cancer epidemics that we all see plague certain breeds. To this day, I continue to study and try to familiarize myself with the latest research and developments surfacing in the veterinary communities. I feel like I have learned so much and am anxious to pass along what I have learned to those who are looking for a healthy puppy. 

Again though, I am a novice. I have no training in veterinary medicine. But here is what I have observed….

1. Bloodlines matter. Lymphoma and other cancers are genetic as well as environmental. While some dogs will get cancer without a bloodline history, certain cancers have attached themselves to certain breeds. 

2. Timing of spay and neuter seem to make a difference. Allowing a dog who is prone to cancer because of breed type, to go through initial hormone surges, does minimize lymphoma and bone cancers. However, allowing a female to go through more than one heat cycle does raise her risk of mammary cancer. 

3. Dog food matters. Quality dog food without the harmful preservatives is very important. Puppies need to be on a puppy food that meets the needs of heart, lung, brain and bone development, but not contain the harmful preservatives that some dog foods have. Adult dogs, need to also have the same quality of dog food. Vets do not always get this part right. I have found that they are big supporters of Hills. However, there are other foods on the market that are a much healthier choice. This is a subject that is ever evolving and changing. I recommend that you do a lot of research before settling on a food. A very popular way to feed dogs right now is a raw diet. As this may be a wonderful way to feed, make sure you are ordering the necessary enzyme packet and vitamins/minerals that are essential to maintaining a dogs overall health. Too many people do not think that  part is important, then wonder why their dog has severely dry skin, or has gone prematurely blind. Be very careful. 

4. Vet care matters. One thing that dogs are dying from in addition to cancer, is tick born illnesses that do damage to their liver and kidneys. This can go virtually undetected until it is too late to treat. A vet will pick this up in routine blood work and a round of antibiotics will cure them if caught early enough. 

5. Heart worm and Flea/Tick meds are super important. However, spacing them out to every 45 days in the warmer months and every 60 days in the cold months, is adequate protection. Over medicating the dog can possibly lead to a breakdown in immunity, especially when the dog is older. The companies who produce these meds want to cover themselves from any liability so they recommend dosing the dogs more frequently. If you do your homework, you will see that the meds can be spaced out further. 

6. Breeders matter. A good breeder cares about breeding out disease. They also care about vet care, vaccine timing, accurate deworming, and choosing the right and responsible families to sell to. Unfortunately bad breeders are everywhere. Chose wisely and take your time. It is worth getting on a waitlist with a good breeder than buying impulsively from a bad breeder. 

I was in the lobby of my vet’s office waiting to be seen with one of my dogs, and a lady walked in with the most stunning Springer Spaniel that I have ever see. His coat was flowing in the breeze as he walked through the doors and everyones head turned, as if a movie star had just walked in. She walked over and sat down in the seat next to me, and I started a conversation with her. It turned out that she was a breeder and this particular male was her star stud. He was 13 years old, and his sperm was frozen. She told me how he was a champion Springer and what classes and divisions he had won. Clearly she was incredibly proud of him, and honestly he didn’t look a day over 4 years old. She told me that she, in her breeding prime, had over 30 Springers at once. She told me that most of them died of cancer, because it was the downfall of the breed.

I was interested to pick her brain, because I am an owner of two Sproodles. (I didn’t tell her that I was a breeder also.) I asked her what she thought of mixing Springers with Poodles. She got very defensive and said that she worried about the health quality of mixing these dogs. (Keep in mind, she just told me that Springers get cancer). But it was an expected response from an avid and passionate AKC breeder. 

While I fully understand that irresponsible blending of bloodlines needs to be avoided, there is a proven health, temperament, and overall benefit to blending certain bloodlines. The good traits seem to pass along, while the bad traits seem to diminish. HOWEVER…..blending two lines, like Golden Retriever and Poodle, only reduces the cancer risk by 30%. Blending a Goldendoodle, with another mixed breed, reduces it up to 90%. That is why I do what I do. I take parents who are mixed responsibly with wonderful bloodlines and temperaments, and we get a puppy with several healthy lines running through them. Then we feed them high quality food, give them top-notch vet care and socialization and finally, pick the right families who care about the same things we care about. After all that has taken place, these puppies are given the best possible chance for a life free of genetic disease. 

Many people have asked me why I don’t breed more litters a year. Honestly, just the three litters we do breed takes a tremendous toll on my entire family. We are home bound for at least 10 weeks (two weeks before the puppies arrive through their eighth week of life when they go home). The clean up is immense! It becomes round the clock cleaning after 5 weeks. If I bred more litters than I do now, I would be forced to change my level of involvement per puppy, and lower my standards. I just can’t bring myself to do that.

I guess I feel like, I am making a difference in my little corner of the world by giving families an opportunity to have a wonderfully bred puppy who they can love for a lifetime. Maybe they have already been hurt by the loss of a beloved dog to cancer at a very young age. Or maybe they have dealt with a dishonest and uncaring breeder. Every person who buys a puppy from me will always walk away feeling cared about and supported by me. They will know they can pour their whole heart into their new puppy without fear of it dying too young. Most of all they will know that I did my very best for them and their new addition.