"rescue" dog

[Anonymous]

I have a rescue dog and I mention it because he has a few behaviors (extreme submission and nervous around strangers) that indicate to an experienced dog person he has been abused. I don't want people to think I abuse him! He is a darling and great with kids but I shudder to think about his first two years of life.

[Anonymous]

I say it because I want people to know that it is possible to get a good, well behaved, easily trained dog from rescue. Too many people think rescue dogs have issues, so I like to be an ambassador.

Don't get me wrong, I put a lot of time into training her, but none of it was hard. She was 3 years old and her only crime was being high energy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Yes, my friend's husband is a vociferous advocate of adopting from shelters.

He got a shelter dog and it has been nothing but trouble, since it requires much more exercise than he is prepared to give. It also has untrainable hang-ups about cars, other dogs, wildlife, mail carriers, visitors, etc... And it weighs 90 lbs and has a LOUD bark.

There are breeders and then there are breeders. If you go that route, pay more upfront for someone who has painstakingly tried to breed out genetic disorders. That's really what's important.

Those aren't "untrainable hang ups". It's reactivity; I deal with it every day as a dog trainer (Equal number in rescue/breeder dogs!) Counter conditioning and management can help create a liveable dog with a little consistency.

And I'm confused on why being 90 lbs and having a loud bark are because it's a rescue. Any large breed dog, regardless of the source, will fit those criteria. Someone who pays $1500 for a Bernese mountain dog surely wants a large, loud dog.

[Anonymous]

Ours is a rescue dog and is aggressive towards strangers, other dogs, looks gorgeous but has a very angry temper.
I mention it because it makes me feel like I am not such a bad owner, just ended up with a basket case.

And strangers should not pet my dog if I say so

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, it gets annoying. Right now I have a dog from rescue and I never describe her as a "rescue dog." People sometimes ask about her history, but it's pretty obvious because she's a mutt. I've also owned puppies from responsible breeders before and I will again some day. Sometimes people meet my dog and go on about how great it is that I "rescued" a dog, which I think is just silly. My dog is awesome and I'm lucky to have her regardless of how I got her.

The only time I think it's relevant is when you're talking about behavioral issues, because dogs that go through rescues may have issues that are different from puppies from good breeders. That's the only time when I bring up my dog's status as a "rescue dog" because I had to modify my training methods to account for some of her history.

Also, while I'm being grumpy and ranting, I think there are absolutely horrible rescue organizations out there that are basically just fronts for puppy mills and irresponsible breeders, and the idea that somebody should feel morally superior for getting a dog from one of these is laughable.

Can you be more specific?

I have worked in rescue organizations, including puppy mill busts for 20+ years and I have never heard of such a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes, my friend's husband is a vociferous advocate of adopting from shelters.

He got a shelter dog and it has been nothing but trouble, since it requires much more exercise than he is prepared to give. It also has untrainable hang-ups about cars, other dogs, wildlife, mail carriers, visitors, etc... And it weighs 90 lbs and has a LOUD bark.

There are breeders and then there are breeders. If you go that route, pay more upfront for someone who has painstakingly tried to breed out genetic disorders. That's really what's important.

Those aren't "untrainable hang ups". It's reactivity; I deal with it every day as a dog trainer (Equal number in rescue/breeder dogs!) Counter conditioning and management can help create a liveable dog with a little consistency.

And I'm confused on why being 90 lbs and having a loud bark are because it's a rescue. Any large breed dog, regardless of the source, will fit those criteria. Someone who pays $1500 for a Bernese mountain dog surely wants a large, loud dog.

Pp you responded to and I agree with all that you say. I'm frustrated that my friends haven't worked with someone like you and have just decided that their dog is crazy - sometimes they're proud of it! Also, the shelter assured them their mixed-breed would never grow beyond 60lbs. So now they have a huge dog to contend with and its bark shakes their tiny house. The reality is that many dogs from shelters and rescues have been traumatized in some way, and many owners are not equipped to manage such animals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

Not really. I myself volunteer at shelters but got my own dog from a breeder. The fact that a person previously failed the rescue
Dog somehow does not lie on my shoulders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

So you shouldn't have kids but adopt them as well?
You should never buy anything new but go to second-hand shops?
You should finish everything on your plate because of starving people?

I mean, you can go very far with such reasoning!!! Very far in the wrong direction

I mean to buy a healthy puppy from a very reputable breeder who specialized in preventing genetic disorders and I won't feel an ounce of guilt about it.
You stick to your rescues and shelters if you want

[Anonymous]

I only mention it to some people. She has some fears and other issues we are dealing with. Sometimes I will mention that she is a rescue and there are some things we will never know about her. Usually to someone who comes up and sticks their hand in her face. Or asks where we got her. As far as age we have the vet's best guess.

Other than that she is just our dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

Not really. I myself volunteer at shelters but got my own dog from a breeder. The fact that a person previously failed the rescue
Dog somehow does not lie on my shoulders.

It lies on all our shoulders. The way we treat animals says a lot about us as human beings. Buying dogs from a breeder while another dog dies in a shelter is just wrong. Ignorance is not an excuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

So you shouldn't have kids but adopt them as well?
You should never buy anything new but go to second-hand shops?
You should finish everything on your plate because of starving people?

I mean, you can go very far with such reasoning!!! Very far in the wrong direction

I mean to buy a healthy puppy from a very reputable breeder who specialized in preventing genetic disorders and I won't feel an ounce of guilt about it.
You stick to your rescues and shelters if you want

FWIW I did adopt my kid, I did adopt my 3 dogs ( total, not all at the same time) and I do shop at thrift stores. I also choose not to eat factory farmed meat. This is because I have a conscience. There is a bigger world out there than just me and my family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

Not really. I myself volunteer at shelters but got my own dog from a breeder. The fact that a person previously failed the rescue
Dog somehow does not lie on my shoulders.

Not sure what failing a rescue dog has to do with it. If you buy a dog and therefore don't adopt one, then a homeless dog loses its life. That is just a fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

So you shouldn't have kids but adopt them as well?
You should never buy anything new but go to second-hand shops?
You should finish everything on your plate because of starving people?

I mean, you can go very far with such reasoning!!! Very far in the wrong direction

I mean to buy a healthy puppy from a very reputable breeder who specialized in preventing genetic disorders and I won't feel an ounce of guilt about it.
You stick to your rescues and shelters if you want

Children are not being euthanized because you have kids.

I do shop at thrift and consignment shops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a purebred dog who was, in fact, a shelter dog. I don't announce she's a rescue but I don't believe in breeding to increase the dog population when so many animals are homeless. Sorry.

+1

For every dog purchased from a breeder, a rescue dog who needs a home dies.

It is unethical to purchase dogs from breeders. IMO. I think less of people who do it.

Not really. I myself volunteer at shelters but got my own dog from a breeder. The fact that a person previously failed the rescue
Dog somehow does not lie on my shoulders.

It lies on all our shoulders. The way we treat animals says a lot about us as human beings. Buying dogs from a breeder while another dog dies in a shelter is just wrong. Ignorance is not an excuse.

+1