Moose, owned by James Silva, plays "Superdog" in the front yard of their Acampo home. Moose is a designer dog known as a Yorkie Poo, half Yorkshire Terrier, half Poodle. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

Forget purebred

Newfangled mutts — Puggles, Labradoodles, Yorkiepoos and Biscotties — are romping into Lodi and have owners wrapped around their paws

When Jamie Springmeyer discovered the Labradoodle, she knew there was a way to keep both her allergy-suffering fiancé and a much-wanted pooch under her Galt roof. Not only would she get the friendly disposition of a Lab, but she would also could also get a non-shedding coat of a Poodle.

"Being hypoallergenic made (getting a Labradoodle) convenient," she said.

Springmeyer, the proud owner of Huxley, the designer dog with long legs, big feet and floppy ears.

Designer dogs, whether Labradoodles, Puggles (Pug-Poodle), Morkies, Chowgis (Chow-Corgi), Biscotties (Bassett Hound-Scottish Terrier), Pekechis, Yorkipoos (Yorkie-Poodle), Goldendoodles (Golden retriever-Poodle), Cockapoos (Cocker Spaniel-Poodle), are the new purebred. Once deemed mutts or children of fence-jumping, these hybrid dogs are getting the reputation (and high price tag) of their purebred parents.

No longer is it enough that man's best friend be loyal and able to sit on command. Today's designer dogs are created personally for you, like a Gucci handband, available in any size or color you want. While there are still purists, owners of designer dogs wonder why you would want a purebred when you can get two for one.

"We have the best of both breeds," said Barbara Vietmeier, a Lodi resident who has an adopted medium-sized, tan Puggle, Sophie. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Sophie is short and stalky — likely the Beagle in her. Her face is wrinkled and scrunched, resembling her Pug lineage. Sometimes her lip gets caught on her tooth, giving her what Vietmeier calls her Elvis Presley snarl.

At 8, she is still playful. She carries a stuffed Santa toy in her mouth and waits for someone to tug. And, like any dog, she gets distracted by neighborhood cats roaming through her front yard.

But she has a serious side, too. She works for her faux diamond-studded collar and a place on her owner's bed at night. She visits children at local schools and helps bring smiles to residents of care facilities. Vietmeier says one patient even keeps a photo of her and Sophie in his shirt pocket.

"My husband said there is no other dog that's better," she said.

Designer dogs are not the mangy guard dogs that sleep outside or keep content if they get caked in mud. To their owners, designer dogs are part of the family. They get monogrammed placemats. They wear jewels around their necks. They ride in the front seat. They have their own fluffy beds — unless they sleep cuddled under the sheets with their owners.

Jo-Anne Boos, of Lodi, has two little dogs, both of whom wear lavender bows clipped to their soft, long locks between their ears. As she holds Babydoll a mocha-colored Morkie (Maltese-Yorkie), to her chest, she admits that she just might baby her dogs. But how can you not? They are tiny, delicate little girls (one is pretty much deaf) nicknamed Muffy and Buffy.

When it comes to these designer dogs, there's just something about the look in their eyes and the way they feel in your arms that could win over almost anyone.

James Silva works on his family dairy in Acampo. He is a serious, and seems to be a hard worker. He's the type that might work alone, with only a cattle dog or Golden Retriever as his company.

But when Silva opens the door to his home, he is holding his farm dog, Moose, in one hard. Moose is an overstatement for his size, but not personality. At four months, the black and white furball of a dog can fit in the palms of two hands. But he is, nonetheless, a designer dog turned cattle dog. She's good at entertaining himself for hours.

"He has a thing for leaves," Silva said, of his furball that flashes past as the dog sprints in the grass after discovering a brown leaf.

He picks her up and carries her under one arm.

Moose is spoiled — but that's the point.