Throughout history, inventors have regretted their creations: the atomic bomb, the AK47, and now the Labradoodle.

"I opened a Pandora's boxIn Greek mythology, Pandora is given a box by the gods containing all the evils in the world and told not to open it. She, of course, does. and released a Frankenstein's monsterIn Mary Shelley's novel, Victor Frankenstein creates a living monster from the dismembered body parts of corpses.," says Wally Conron.

The Labradoodle was born in 1989, when a Hawaiian woman wrote to Conron asking for a guide dog for her husband, who was allergic to fur.

After three years of careful calculations, Conron came up with the idea of "a dog with the working ability of the Labrador and the coat of the PoodlePoodles generally do not shed their fur, so they are good pets for people with fur allergies. ".

The dogs, with their wavy fur and wide brown eyes, won thousands of hearts. Today, polls regularly declare them the public's favourite dogs, and they are credited with spawning a trend for copy-cat "designer" dogs.

For Conron, this can only be a bad thing.

"People are just breeding for the money," he warns. "UnscrupulousHaving no morals, or behaving in an unfair or dishonest way. breeders are crossing poodles with inappropriate dogs simply so they can say they were the first to do it."

A cross between two of the world's most intelligent breeds, the Labradoodle is a popular family pet thanks to its docileCalm, obedient. Labrador genes. But they are not without their problems.

"I find that the majority are either crazy, or have a hereditary problem," explains Conron. Labradoodles are prone to epilepsy, food allergies and Addison's diseaseWhen your adrenal glands produce too little cortisol. Symptoms include pain, weakness and weight loss., which means their bodies cannot regulate stress.

But other experts have cast doubt on his comments.

The Labradoodle Association insists that members of the crossbreed are "generally considered healthy dogs", unlike many pedigreePure-bred.  breeds. As a result of generations of in-breeding, pedigree dogs are more likely to inherit faulty genes from both parents, or to have extreme, unhealthy physical characteristics.

For example, large dogs, such as German Shepherds, often suffer hip dysplasiaWhen one's hip socket does not fit properly.  as their bones struggle to support their enormous weight.

The King Charles spaniel, one of the most popular dog breeds, is also very sickly. Half of the dogs will have developed a serious heart condition by the age of five, and 70% will be in severe pain from a neurological disorderCanine syringomyelia: when the brain is too big for the skull.  that damages their spinal cord.

Some say the problem goes beyond individual breeds. For journalist William Saletan, all dogs are the result of a cruel human experiment that turned wild and magnificent wolves into shadows of their former selves.

"Dogs are the world's longest self-serving, ecologically reckless genetic experiment, perpetrated by the world's first genetically engineering species: us," Saletan declares. 

"In the course of engineering dogs to look, feel, and act as we wanted, we ruined millions of them." 

Pharaoh Hounds were once thought to be ancient creatures, the inspiration for the dogs drawn on Egyptian tombs. Now, DNADeoxyribonucleic acid is the material in an organism that carries genetic information. tests have revealed the truth: they are modern dogs, bred for fun to look like ancient drawings. "Life imitated art," summarises Saletan. 

In his old age, Wally Conron is clear about his regrets. But as the number of schnoodlesA cross between a Miniature Schnauzer and a Poodle., goldendoodles and sheepadoodles continues to rise, it seems that few are listening to his desperate pleas.

Yes: The trend for "designer dogs" has led the cruel mass-production of unhealthy puppies to be sold on to people who want a fashion accessory rather than a loving pet.

No: Labradoodles have many brilliant qualities, from their docile nature to their hypoallergenic coat. They have brought joy to millions - it is wrong to regret their existence.

Or... A Labradoodle is no more unnatural than a Labrador or a terrier. All dog owners, no matter the breed, are complicit in remodelling nature. We should have left wolves alone.