Small rant...

Liesje

There is nothing wrong with researching a breed and finding a reputable breeder.  Rescue vs. purebred dogs is not mutually exclusive, it's not one or the other.  When I got Nikon, if I'd not found the dog I was specifically looking for, I would still only have two dogs.  It was never between him or a shelter/rescue dog, as much as some people will insist.  You should not feel guilty about what you are doing or feel like you have to foster a dog or look at rescues first.

  ITA and it is the same with my dogs, it was never between getting them or getting a shelter dog. And with the rescue we do have, we were specifically looking for a rescue Cardi (hubby's choice). There is nothing wrong at all with wanting a well bred purebred dog from a knowledgeable breeder.

  It's never too early to start researching either. The more you learn, the more prepared you'll be when the time comes for your puppy and to choose a breeder. Talk to breeders, join a breed specific email list and go to local shows and watch. I have heard that European breeders are experimenting with breeding the heart issue out of Cavs using another breed. If that is successful and the resulting relatives at some point can be eligible for registration, there is a chance that the heart issue may be much more controlled in well bred lines by time you are ready for a puppy. This is a good resource for info about Cav health problems: http://www.cavalierhealth.org/

For me, it depends what breed of purebred I'm looking for.  There are some breeds that I might be interested in that I want to know they come from an excellent breeder.  As far as I'm concerned although my hearts goes out to those shelter dogs that are the breeds I'm into, I won't put myself in a situation of such huge liability again.  Maybe that's selfish but it's how I feel. 

Liesje

There is nothing wrong with researching a breed and finding a reputable breeder.  Rescue vs. purebred dogs is not mutually exclusive, it's not one or the other.  When I got Nikon, if I'd not found the dog I was specifically looking for, I would still only have two dogs.  It was never between him or a shelter/rescue dog, as much as some people will insist.  You should not feel guilty about what you are doing or feel like you have to foster a dog or look at rescues first.

Agreed. If Luke was not the right dog, shelter, from a breeder, rescue, whatever, I just wouldn't have gotten anything, and I would have kept looking. Several times when looking for a dog, we did walk out of  a number of shelters with no dog, because we just didn't see the right dog. I went to see another breeder before I saw Luke's breeder. I didn't like the breeder. It didn't matter how adorable those puppies were, and they were adorable. It wasn't right. If my situation will allow it, and the right dog for me is in a shelter somewhere, and I can get it, then that's the dog I'll get.

When I got him, I was looking for something specific. I wanted a small dog. I wanted a puppy so I could make sure the early socialization had been done. I'd like to do therapy dog visiting with him, which I really need to look into more. At the very least, I would like to, and do take him, to visit some clients. His breeder is active in this activity. Had she kept a dog, he was the one she was going to keep, and that's what he would have done. It's not often you're going to find a puppy who had his early socialization experiences with that possibility in mind, but he did. Had I been able to adopt a small breed puppy whose predominant breed or breeds are generally noted as good around kids, I probably would have at least considered it. 

 There is nothing wrong with buying from reputable breeders. Problem is, some people's idea of what a reputable breeder is and some other people's, can vary considerably. So first off, I'd do a lot of reading from various websites, to try and find out what a reputable breeder really is and why they would or wouldn't be considered as such.

http://www.cavalierhealth.org/syringomyelia.htm

I think someone else gave you a link to the cavalier health website. The link I've given is direct to a specific health problem they might have. Surprised no one has mentioned this. Basically their skulls can be too small for a portion of their brain.

Anyhow, good luck in your researching breeders.

 Thanks to everyone who has replied! And for the helpful info. :)

 I don't think there's anything wrong with getting a dog from a responsible breeder instead of getting one via rescue. Responsible breeders aren't the cause of the shelter/pet overpopulation and you aren't obligated to adopt a dog and there's no reason on earth that anyone should be guilted into adoption if they do not feel that's the right route to go. With a breed like CKCS's, I can understand why someone would rather go through a responsible breeder. Yeah, no one can guarantee a healthy dog but your chances of a healthier dog are in your favor by getting one from a breeder who knows the dogs background, utilizes health testing and knows exactly what's going on with the dogs.

Not only that, after dealing with some rescues, I can absolutely understand why folks would rather get a dog from a breeder as opposed to rescue. If anyone is interested in the craziness I dealt with, feel free to send me a PM.