More for breeding or Rescuing? Both?

Less of a crap shoot is if you go through a shelter or rescue organization that has animals in foster homes.  I think that I can honestly say that I give "my" pups a good start in life.  When they leave here they have a good start on housetraining, good bite inhibition, they are crate trained and depending on when they leave, I've done a lot of leash work with them.  And we've also started working on some basic commands like sit and wait.
 
I don't CARE what the rescue tells potential owners, I give it to them straight.  And when I foster, I have the final word in where pups go.  The rescue does do the intial screening, but then I do MY screening and questions and explanations.  I have MY rules about children and while they are not inflexible, it's going to depend on seeing the childs behavior and seeing how well he listens to his parents and to ME, a total stranger.  I talk extensively to people and tell them flat out that the pup will nip at the kids and what children often do to intice that nipping and make VERY clear that it isn't the pups fault and that the children need as much training as the pup.  If they STILL want to come and see the pup, well, the whole family needs to come along.
 
I've very careful where I place pups....altho I made a HUGE mistake with Tyler.....and I don't want to see them HAVE to come back.  And, if I'm not totally honest with people, by golly they WILL come back.

ORIGINAL: glenmar

Less of a crap shoot is if you go through a shelter or rescue organization that has animals in foster homes.  I think that I can honestly say that I give "my" pups a good start in life.  When they leave here they have a good start on housetraining, good bite inhibition, they are crate trained and depending on when they leave, I've done a lot of leash work with them.  And we've also started working on some basic commands like sit and wait.

I don't CARE what the rescue tells potential owners, I give it to them straight.  And when I foster, I have the final word in where pups go.  The rescue does do the intial screening, but then I do MY screening and questions and explanations.  I have MY rules about children and while they are not inflexible, it's going to depend on seeing the childs behavior and seeing how well he listens to his parents and to ME, a total stranger.  I talk extensively to people and tell them flat out that the pup will nip at the kids and what children often do to intice that nipping and make VERY clear that it isn't the pups fault and that the children need as much training as the pup.  If they STILL want to come and see the pup, well, the whole family needs to come along.

I've very careful where I place pups....altho I made a HUGE mistake with Tyler.....and I don't want to see them HAVE to come back.  And, if I'm not totally honest with people, by golly they WILL come back.

That's great that you are that involved. Many breeders are not. When we went to a GSD breeder to look at puppies, she was the same way. VERY picky. We took the girl who wasn't going to be a show dog because she came out with an over-bite. We didn't care because she was going to be a family pet. But, the breeder was definitely very strict about where her puppies went, with whom, etc. I liked that in a breeder. Not only this but there were scheduled, "family reunions." LOL. It was fantastic. She rarely breeds and is very very strict about breeding. She will not breed even if she thinks there will be a HINT of health problems in the line. Wonderful woman and fantastis breeder.

Ah, but remember I do NOT breed my shepherds.  I get my puppy fix through fostering.  But, when we bred cockers we also did rescue and fostering.  It's important to be actively involved in ALL aspects of the dog world.

I have nothing at all against responsible breeding.

However, after volunteering at my local *high kill* shelter and watching all of the sweet dogs there get moved to the "euthanized list", I will personally probalby never buy a dog. The euthanize 50 dogs a week and I know that all of those dogs deserved good homes, and knew very little compassion before passing away.

Fisher-As for buying a puppy from a breeder to have a good experience, you should meet my Nico! Nico is the most laid back, calm, gentle, loving, sweet, obedient puppy I have honestly ever met and he came from the kill shelter I volunteer at. I have also met hyper dogs from the shelter but I am 100% sure even if I had went to a reputable breeder, it is very, very unlikely they would have a pup as laid back and gentle and calm as Nico. He is one in a million. He has yet to chew up a single thing that isnt his (toy), he had 1 accident in the house total, he doesnt jump on anyone and never has, he obeys very well, he is perfect off leash (and is only 5 months old!). Everyone comments about what a good dog he is, not to mention cute []. He looks to me to be a pure bred shepherd dog, but who knows and really I dont care. You can find some wonderful animals through rescues and at your shelters.

I know that someone on here was talking about buying a dog from a breeder and she was considering sending it back the next day. The truth is you can get a good dog from a reputable breeder and you can also get a good dog from a shelter. 

It is a personal preferance. I personally would never buy a dog from a reputable breeder unless I planned on showing it and I cant with a good conscience buy a dog when I know how many sweet, lovely dogs get euthanized at my shelter every week.

I also open my home to foster dogs, I have yet to meet a single foster dog who is aggressive or unadoptable. Those dogs get euthanized first thing at our shelter. I am sure some shelters are not as reputable as some good breeders arent as reputable.
 
 
I agree 100% with the fact that if you breed you should also be active in rescue. That would be one of my *for sure* requirements if ever purchasing a dog from a good breeder.

Because I do not work or show my dogs (definately two very good reasons to buy from a quality breeder), I adopt from shelters.

Please try to remember that each shelter/rescue/pound is a totally different place with different people, different policies and different standards. A bad experience with one shelter (staff lieing about a dog's disposition for instance) shouldn't translate to thinking all shelters are like that. Many shelters do temperment test, which of course is no guarentee and shouldn't be seen as such, but it's the same thing that many breeders do with their pups to get a good idea of what potential buyer would be best for each pup. Marlowe's temperment test has been born out 100% in the 6 months we've had him. I know it isn't always like that, but it is definately possible.
 
As far as cleaning up others' messes, well, I guess I just find that kind of rewarding. I don't see dogs as products but as living creatures, and sometimes they need my help to deal with their problems. If not me, then who?  I don't adopt dogs who have known issues that I don't think I can deal with, but there are some things that I know I can handle. A timid or shy dog is a dog I can work with. I have experience with abused dogs as well as seperation anxiety (hoo-boy). I can train dogs who just need some manners work (you'd be amazed and appalled at the number of people who don't train their dogs in any way, yet then surrender them for being wild) because, well, I've done it.  I know other people who rescue dogs with aggression issues because they have experience and know they've got a good chance of being able to rehabilitate that dog. I've never had an aggressive dog and probably wouldn't know what to do with one, so that's one thing I look out for when adopting.
 
I really think everyone who loves dogs, from breeders or rescuers, should volunteer for a little while at a shelter. You'll see the absolutely ridiculous reasons people surrender their dogs. It didn't match the furniture. It's too big. It wasn't born speaking English (people seriously think that if you say "sit" to a dog, they should understand what that means automaticaly). We have to move and can't take it with us. Our kids went away to college and we never wanted the dog anyway. Believe it or not, really high quality pure-bred dogs go stray too, and their owners can't be bothered to look for them (see Marlowe for an A#1 example). A couple brought in a pure Neopolitan Mastiff to our shelter because they were getting married and between the two of them had "too many pets". You'll see it all pretty quick. And you'll see that a lot of shelter dogs are just regular pets who are down on their luck. I feel that people in similar situations should be given a second chance, and I feel the same way about pets. Maybe even moreso with pets. We brought them into this world, they are our responsibility to care for in whatever ways we can because they can't care for themselves.
 
Someone has to care for these dogs, and I know it's not for everyone, but as I said, if I don't, then who?

 

I've also had horrible experiences with the shelter and am very uncomfortable with ever getting a dog from there again.

I think you are generalizing. Not every shelter is going to give someone a bad experience.

ORIGINAL: ruffian

I personally prefer to buy a pup from a breeder that I have researched and talked to many times.  I like to know what my dog will look like as an adult.  I have a 7 year old, and I dont know that i could trust a rescue adult dog to not bite him.  I dont leave him alone with the dogs I do have, or anyone elses dog either.  I am glad there are people out there that can and do adopt dog from shelters I just cant do it now, maybe after my son is older, then we will see.  I also like to show and want to do obediance, both require a regestered dog here as well.

I have never owned a shelter dog that has bitten anyone. One of my Shepherds was rescued at 2 yrs and she is absolutely fantastic with children. I have no fear whatsoever. You can tell a lot about a shelter dog after spending time with him/her for awhile. That's all you really have to do IMO, to learn the temperament. Just because you know the parents of your dog doesn't mean that problems may not arise. Anything can trigger any dog no matter how much you know their history, how much you've trained them, etc, so saying that you should be more fearful with a shelter dog is not really accurate, IMO. Of course, if you adopt a dog that's more aggressive or spontaneous, then ok, you have a point. But hey, everyone does what they feel comfortable doing. []

This girl came from a shelter (at age 2) and she is just as beautiful, intelligent, and trusting, as any dog I've had from a breeder. She has minor health issues and that's it.

In my limited experience, I haven't met a single rescued dog that didn't have some kind of issue that popped up unexpectedly several weeks after they came home.

 
All depends on the dog! With greyhound rescue the majority never have any problems or behavioral issues from the get go. These dogs are not accostomed to life in a home either so if any breed should be totally screwed up and be chalked full of issues it should be these guys!  As a volunteer in greyhound rescue I personally take only the ones with issues because I know that they are much harder to adopt and i want to give them a better chance of not bouncing back. I figure anyone can take the "easy ones" but the harder ones may spend the remainder of their life crated. That is just my personal choice to do so though and I don't think poorly of folks who want an "easy dog" at least they are being honest with what they want and what they can give to the relationship.  
 
I do see your point about shelter dogs having issues because there are a lot that are  returned because they were never properly trained or socialized.No training or socialization can = dogs with some issues. That said there are MANY that are returned because people either didn't truly understand the breed before getting the dog (how large they will be once full grown, their activity level. .  .) and also because of moving issues, job changes or other life changes and these returned dogs often have no issues.
 
I think it also depends on the area you live in and the type of shelter. Large all- breed shelters tend to have more dogs that have been "dumped" and not properly cared for. I think though that you might find a higher percentage of dogs without as many issues at breed specific rescues.That is not to say that the breed specific rescues don't get lots of screwed up pets, but they get the whole spectrum or returns.
 
I fully agree with Glenda's comment. .  .Fostering can make all the difference to the dogs success in a home too.Also, much better for placing with the right family
 
I have no problem with responsible breeders but I think that there is too much breeding going on within certain breeds and not enough public education on the breed or commitement on the part of the breeders to find the correct homes before collecting their money.  Just my [sm=2cents.gif] though!
 
 
 

ORIGINAL: jennie_c_d

I've been asked to take a pregnant doxie, but I know NOTHING about them so I'm not real sure I want to go there.

Doxies tend to have a rough time whelping, and often require c sections. It's the horrible shape of their bodies. I'd love to see a litter of Dachshund pups snuggled up against Thor, though[]

I believe that responsible breeders are necessary, if we want dogs bred for a purpose. If we want dogs with predictable sizes, appearances, and temperaments, we need good breeders.

That said, I dunno if I'll ever buy from a breeder. I'm looking into it, but I'm not sure I'll be able to do it.

I would always have that problem, too. I am not against breeding whatsoever because good breeders definitely improve the breed and counter what these idiots (lmao it wouldn't let me type in m*ron!) do, who think they KNOW how to breed.

But, I would also feel "weird," buying from a breeder (I did for one of our Shepherds), when there are so many dogs out there who need a home.

ORIGINAL: ShepherdLuvR

I think you are generalizing. Not every shelter is going to give someone a bad experience.

 
I understand that, but I was basing it on the shelter near me and my experiences. I wasn't saying all shelters, rescues, and such are horrible places.

I agree, jj's mom. My sister was kind of afraid of dogs until she got her little greyhound from a greyhound adoption group. She got it mostly for the benefit of her young daughter, who was begging her everyday for a dog, but whenever I talk to her now she gushes endlessly about how great this dog is and how perfectly she fits into her household. Mitzi shares her bed with a kitten and gets along great with the other 6 cats in the house.

So, yes, in some situations adoption is just perfect. Yes, there are a lot of great dogs out there that need a fair go. My hesitancy comes from experience. Of the dogs that came from shelters I know, just about all of them settled in and made great pets once a few little problems had been ironed out. The one we got, though... we loved her to bits and did a lot of work with her, but a number of months after we got her she abruptly decided the other dog had to go and made every effort to kill her. Part of it was our fault for thinking two female dogs around the same size would be fine together, but part of it was the fault of the idiot who brought her up in isolation so she never learnt bite inhibition with other dogs. It wasn't possible logistically or time-wise to sort the problem out simply because no one expected such a problem to arise. My mother went to visit her a number of times in the shelter before she came home and considered how she might react with our current dog and weighed up the time she needed to spend on her against the time she had to spend with her.

The point I'm trying to get across is that sometimes you just don't know with shelter dogs. You can think you've done everything right only to have it all turn you on your head 6 months later. I would hesitate sending a novice dog person into a shelter to look for a pet for that reason and that reason only. My mother was not a novice and still ended up with a problem she didn't have the resources to deal with. Sure, 98% of the time you mightn't have a problem in the world, but a bad experience with a shelter dog can be an enormous thing to overcome.

I also think there's too much breeding going on. But I'm probably going to have to drive several hours to get to my nearest akita breeder when the time comes! And who's to say I want a puppy from my nearest breeder. The next closest is about 5 hours away. I think the bottom line is that people need to do more serious thinking before they get any dog!

I

ORIGINAL: jjsmom06

In my limited experience, I haven't met a single rescued dog that didn't have some kind of issue that popped up unexpectedly several weeks after they came home.

All depends on the dog! With greyhound rescue the majority never have any problems or behavioral issues from the get go. These dogs are not accostomed to life in a home either so if any breed should be totally screwed up and be chalked full of issues it should be these guys!  As a volunteer in greyhound rescue I personally take only the ones with issues because I know that they are much harder to adopt and i want to give them a better chance of not bouncing back. I figure anyone can take the "easy ones" but the harder ones may spend the remainder of their life crated. That is just my personal choice to do so though and I don't think poorly of folks who want an "easy dog" at least they are being honest with what they want and what they can give to the relationship.  

I do see your point about shelter dogs having issues because there are a lot that are  returned because they were never properly trained or socialized.No training or socialization can = dogs with some issues. That said there are MANY that are returned because people either didn't truly understand the breed before getting the dog (how large they will be once full grown, their activity level. .  .) and also because of moving issues, job changes or other life changes and these returned dogs often have no issues.

I think it also depends on the area you live in and the type of shelter. Large all- breed shelters tend to have more dogs that have been "dumped" and not properly cared for. I think though that you might find a higher percentage of dogs without as many issues at breed specific rescues.That is not to say that the breed specific rescues don't get lots of screwed up pets, but they get the whole spectrum or returns.

I fully agree with Glenda's comment. .  .Fostering can make all the difference to the dogs success in a home too.Also, much better for placing with the right family

I have no problem with responsible breeders but I think that there is too much breeding going on within certain breeds and not enough public education on the breed or commitement on the part of the breeders to find the correct homes before collecting their money.  Just my [sm=2cents.gif] though!

 
I walk dogs at the local spca and my son was bitten by a shih tzu that they said was safe

Did your son provoke the dog?

This is tricky, because any dog can bite. The question becomes how hard? What did your son do?

And corvus, yeah. People should be thinking a lot more before getting a dog, and I wonder what the shelter system does for that.

No one has yet mentioned this, but if you want to rescue a dog, and want a trainable, sweet dog with few problems, if any, you can always pay a trainer to go with you to help you select one!  Or, you can pay for an hour of time to discuss the type of dog that might fit your lifestyle and what to ask/look for when you visit the shelter, or call the rescue group.  The problem is, few people ever visit a dog trainer until they already have the dog...
When I got Maska from the shelter, he knew nothing but his name and "sit" - and I changed his name.  But, because he was a generally stable dog with a good temperament, and I trained him as I would any dog right from our first moment together, he is now an awesome therapy dog that anyone would want.  People are amazed that he spent so long homeless.  But, he was overlooked many times by families who couldn't see past his size and the fact that he howled in his kennel.