"My Girl"
...and her Aussie playmate
Posted on 04/10/2009 12:33:45 PM PDT by Onelifetogive
There is a great deal of debate about whether anyone should ever buy a dog or whether everyone should adopt one of the millions of dogs and puppies that are euthanized each year. It would be nice if people would be willing to adopt a pet from a pound, but most people are just not willing to do this.
(Excerpt) Read more at malteser-buyingapuppy.blogspot.com ...
All dogz is bad.
"My Girl"
...and her Aussie playmate
Of course. A shelter dog can be fine, but it isn’t always what people want. I have 2 shelter dogs - one I got when he was a year old, the other at 15 weeks. I also have a Border Collie bought as a puppy.
The oldest dog likes to run away, although we have his ‘come home’ interval down to 30 minutes, vs the original 24-36 hours. The two pups both stay put.
When you get an older shelter dog, you get whatever is in his past as well. A rescue puppy may well be a poorly bred puppy mill dog with bad genetics. Maybe not - ours is an Aussie who is a great dog. With a well bred puppy, you have pretty good confidence in what you are getting.
Not really. People should try to adopt. Morons and ghetto/trailer park eugenicists breeding pit bulls should be shot.
We have one ‘store bought’ dog, a Rott/Shepard mix thats now 15 years old. We picked up Roxie before we knew what a ‘puppy mill’ was.
Today, we have three more dogs, all ‘rescues’. We won’t ever again buy a dog from a pet store, its either a rescue organization or the pound.
I work with rescues and do my own private rescuing, so I do see the unwanted dogs wandering the streets and have cared for the starved and abused dogs, however, I really think it is too strong to condemn someone for purchasing a dog. We can all agree puppy mills are atrocious, but there are legitimate breeders, “hobby breeders” per the article, and if someone really wants a particular breed of dog, I see nothing wrong with that. The problem isn’t that the purebred dogs are overbred, but that the mixed breeds are not spayed and neutered.
I hate the PETA branch of animal rights activists who say breeding is morally wrong. It isn’t. There are lots of unwanted children out there, and everyone who wants a child could just adopt one instead of having their own. Are the people who have their own children causing the death of a girl babies in China? Absolutely not! Each person has to decide what is right for him or herself. Without breeders, dogs would cease to exist. I love the variety of all the different breeds and each breed is unique in personality and physical traits. Sometimes a purebred puppy is a better fit than a shelter puppy for some people.
One of the two best dogs that have ever owned me was a stray mix [Husky-Shepherd]. The other is a purebred Chessie, purchased from a breeder. With a purebred you get consistency, not only in looks, but generally, in temprament. With mixes, sometimes ‘yes’, sometimes ‘no’.
If by ‘hobby breeders’, you mean backyard breeders, I’d beware. They don’t always know what they’re doing. Responsible breeders do. I’d also stay away from operations that get their dogs from puppy mills [assembly line breeding]. Just my two cents.
If you can live with an older dog, consider breed rescues [for almost all purebreds]. You can get a purebred, ususally older than a pup] that can be housebroken, leash trained, perhaps obedience trained and evaluated by a rescue member for a reasonable price.
Our dog, is a shelter dog, and she is the sweetest dog ever. She some kind of a terrier mix....a white Benji. She was about a year when we got her....and her history was that someone found her walking the streets without a collar. She must have gotten loose from someone who cared for her, because she was well-nourished and had a nice temper with people and children.
Her one drawback is that she flips out when she sees another dog....wants to go give them kisses. She loves everyone and everything.
I think getting a dog from a shelter or a rescue has the societal benefit of providing a home for a pet in need, and this is a wonderful thing to do.
I also think that getting a pup from a responsible and humane hobby breeder has the societal benefit of providing a home for a pet, while it also promotes responsible breeders and allows them to preserve and improve the breeds. This is also a wonderful thing to do.
Which you choose to do is up to you. I would not denigrate either choice.
But if you are going to buy a pup, it is incumbent on you to do your research, to get to know your breeder, to inspect his facilities, and to ensure that you are not part of the problem.
When my family picked up our “pet quality” Pembroke Welsh Corgi, we were very picky about the breeder and she was very picky about us. It was only after we were both satisfied, after two interviews and a site visit each way, that the transaction took place. We got a great dog (at a steep price, I will admit) and we supported a good breeder who doing it right.
The “Volume Breeders” — Puppy Mills — are a big problem.
But I’d also rank irresponsible buyers up near the top. People with children, or contemplating children, should really carefully consider the ramifications of buying Pits, Chows or any other dog with strong prey drive. The rescues & shelters are full of dogs that no longer ‘fit’ their former owner’s life-styles.
Hobby Breeders tend to be involved in breed rescues, so at least that segment is self-policing. How do you tell the difference between a “backyard breeder” and a “Hobby breeder”? Go Visit. See how the Sire & Dam live. Is the breeder vetting you (the prospective buyer)? Are you being asked a lot of questions about your household (do you have a fenced yard; other pets; what types; small children; etc.)
Finally, are you being offered a full-return ‘warranty’, no questions if it doesn’t work out in say the first month? What kind of health guarantee. Reputable breeders will offer to cover genetically-related problems up to the purchase price of the dog.
Finally, I applaud all of you who choose to rescue dogs from the animal shelters.
I’ve never had to go to a shelter or a breeder or even an advertisement to get a pet.
EVERY time my wife and I have decided that we did not need any more animals (usually after one had passed), one has come along (usually within a month or two at most from “the decision”). they come as strays in our yard, or “giveways” by a neighbor, or finding them by the side of the road; buit they DO come and they ALWAYS prove us wrong in our decision that we did not “need” another animal.
A couple months ago we got a 6-7 month old female “pit-bull/something-or-other mix” puppy from a neighbor who had run into some problems taking care of her.
That little animal is without a doubt the smartest, friendliest, most obedient and most loving and loyal dog I have ever owned. She did not look like what I had been led to believe a pit-bull looks (although some research into the actual breed has led me to believe she probably is a pit-bull mix). I am ALMOST sure she is NOT a “pure-bred” American Pit-Bull Terrier; but with that said, last weekend while walking her in a park someone stopped me to compliment me on her appearance and ask me if she is “pure” pit-bull - so she must look more like one to SOME people than she does to me. And part of my research has indicated that they CAN differ greatly in body & head size/shape and in overall appearance.
In any case, she is truly a wonderful dog, and a welcome addition to our family, “pit-bull” or not. She DOES hate squirrels - although since I consider squirrels to be nothing more than bushy-tailed rats with good PR agents I can’t argue with her there.
That’s MY “pet ramble”. I guess my point is: everyone should just get their pet(s) wherever/whenever an animal needs them (or vice-versa); and don’t worry about “breeding”, papers and all that crap.
I adopted this Lab/Shepard mix from the county pound. Smart, strong, affectionate, healthy, alert, mean bark, and formidable teeth. I dont think I could love this dog more.
If people just have to have a fully pedigreed dog
PLEASE adopt an ex-racing greyhound. Less then 2% of them reach adoption agencies after their racing days are over. They are so sweet and not nervous like everyone says. People only see them at the starting box when they are shaking and ready to race! They are regular couch potatoes.
“I hate the PETA branch of animal rights activists who say breeding is morally wrong.”
The problem is not that PETA thinks breeding animals is wrong, they think that man should not be involved with any species of animals.
PETA believes that only “natural animals” should exist. PETA believes that if an animal has been raised by humans, rescued by humans, would have died without human intervention, is habituated to humans, is a breed “created” by humans, or is domesticated than it is not a natural animal and should not only be destroyed, but the domestic breeds should become extinct. PETA would rather kill stray domestic breeds than adopt them out, and would if they could get away with it. This is one reason the adoption rate at PETA shelters is rather low.
After three breeder dogs I adopted two rescue dogs. The mutts are the best dogs I ever had.
“It would be nice if people would be willing to adopt a pet from a pound, but most people are just not willing to do this.”
THIS STATEMENT IS A CROCK OF POOP! Everyone I know with pets gets them from pounds, or rescues in their areas! I would not buy a pet from a breeder! There are too many pets already - NO REASON TO BREED ANY MORE!
Well, I am a hobby breeder, so the people I deal with do buy puppies. I respect your view based on the people you know. My parents are just like you. They can't understand people paying money for pets when so many people are trying to give them away...
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