If someone decides to get a purebred dog...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a shelter dog and a shelter cat and I think it is not immoral for people to buy purebreds from a reputable breeder.

A potential pet owner has no moral obligation to save the life of a homeless pet. That moral duty fell squarely on the owner of the pet who either turned it over to the shelter or who failed to spay/neuter the parent of the unwanted pet.

A pet owner's only moral duty is to take care of the pet appropriately once s/he takes it in.

If a potential pet owner chooses to take in a shelter pet, that is a good thing, but not doing so is not immoral.

For example, do you judge people who don't own pets but who are in a position to do so negatively for not saving the life of a pet? Should my brother, whose dog died two years ago, who has a nice house with a fenced in backyard, time on his hands, and no issues that would prevent him from owning a pet, be considered a bad person because he has not adopted a shelter pet?

Has anyone even remotely suggested this? Why are you setting up straw men to battle?

NP here but the pp is not saying someone suggested it but is taking your argument to the next logical level. Why is it a potential pet owner's moral duty to take a shelter dog any more than it is any able person's moral duty to do so? In other words why should someone shopping for a pet have the moral duty to save a shelter pet and not the moral duty of a person who is currently not shopping for a pet? I get what she's saying.

Exactly, thank you. I suspect you have a strong liberal arts education...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or even a designer mutt, why is it anyone's place to tell them that they should have reescued a dog?
We got a special breed because my husband is disabled and we needed a calm dog, thus a special breed.
I have no reason to feel that I owe anyone an explanation.
Before, when I lived alne and single, I wanted a purebred guard dog that I had trained to guard. I got pure bred puppies and have no regrets.

I am fully aware that there are too many dogs and so on, but please people, every single time a person posts about a breed, someone (often the first post) is about rescue.

This is life and we all judge people on things. For example, you are bossing us around about what strangers can judge about! Ii personally wouldn't bother arguing with someone but, I find it funny you telling others to mind their own business when you aren't doing it yourself. Also this is a discussion board and if you don't like what you read, defend your position but, telling people they have no right to their opinion is a bit much.

Sometimes, people are just trying to have a conversation. If secure, you can tell them whatever you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Responsible breeders will take their dogs back for life and provide them a home if at any point the owner is not able to.

While it might be viewed as more "ethical" to rescue a dog, purchasing a dog from a responsible breeder does not contribute to over population.

Please explain.

Because the breeder takes responsibility for homing the dog for life.

Which affects the dog overpopulation in what way? It may give one dog (or however many dogs the breeder takes responsibility for) a guarantee of a home. It has absolutely no effect on the problem of pet overpopulation. The breeder is still producing dogs, when dogs need homes elsewhere.

Probably the better term is overpopulation of unwanted dogs.

Every single self-righteous shelterdog owner out there better for darn sure never have biological children of their own. there are thousands and thousands of children in need of good homes, right?[/quote]

I don't think you can compare adopting a baby/kid with a dog. People have children because it is a biological desire to replace yourself ( not everyone, I agree) but, it isn't the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It hits a nerve because loving dogs are put to sleep by the thousands every.single.day. Great dogs that are waiting in shelters, by no fault of their own (mutts and purebreds). We have a rescued Yorkie, with many health issues, and a large hound mix with no health problems. I could never adopt from a breeder, and most good people I know couldn't either, maybe you're all missing the empathetic gene. And perhaps very selfish.

Completely agree. I have three dogs, all from shelters. I would NEVER consider buying from a breeder. It’s completely selfish. You can get any type of dog from a shelter, you just have to be patient and may have to travel. if you buy from a breeder, you are allowing other dogs in shelters to be euthanized. Go ahead , flame away, but that is the reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the person who says she had to have a purebred to train to guard her. Sorry, that's utterly ridiculous. Any dog can be trained to guard. Hell, you don't even have to train them.

No. Neither of my goldens could ever have been trained to be a guard dog. In fact, the current one definitely considers me his guard human. Any sign of trouble, he is definitely taking off and letting me fend for myself. I had to break into our house once in the middle of the night (forgot my keys) and I stepped over his slumbering body.

Also, I have periodically looked at shelter dogs and every time I see a nice one, it is gone within a day or two. I definitely want more than a day to think about such an important decision! I don’t believe there are healthy, family-friendly non-geriatric dogs being put down around here. My siblings that live in other areas of the country have had somewhat more luck with adopting unwanted dogs.
I also take issue with the notion that buying a purebred means one less dog adopted from shelters. If the choice is a reactive dog or pit mix or no dog at all, I definitely pick no dog. There’s just no way I would adopt any put mix or a reactive dogs. Maybe that doesn’t make me the best person, but the truly had people are the ones that created these unwanted dogs.

[Anonymous]

My purebred dog is highly excitable

I foster rescued dogs and I paid $2k+ for my purebred dog from a very responsible breeder who lives with her dogs in her own home, has cameras 24/7 so we can see the pups, tests all her dogs for genetic mutations, and only breeds her dams twice in their life. We needed a hypoallergenic dog (which means LESS allergenic, instead of NOT allergenic), and none of the shelter mixes can guarantee breed origin. I know, since I volunteer there.

However the federal government should really crack down more on cruel puppy mill-type set-ups, and the slick websites that pretend they're not puppy mills.

[Anonymous]

The only times I get really judge-y about people buying dogs are designer mutts (hybrid genetics are not as predictable as the cutesy website wants you to think, and there are literally NO standards for the health/conformation of the dogs) and people who "don't have time" to adopt, as if the couple of weeks it might take to find an adoptable dog is the most time-consuming part of pet ownership.

Oh, and GSDs/Malinois. Soooooo many people buying them who have no business doing so. I predict they will overtake pit bull types in shelters soon.

[Anonymous]

Zombie thread folks. However, it is nice to recognize myself in one of the replies, 8 years later. Past me, you were right

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Responsible breeders will take their dogs back for life and provide them a home if at any point the owner is not able to.

While it might be viewed as more "ethical" to rescue a dog, purchasing a dog from a responsible breeder does not contribute to over population.

Please explain.

Because the breeder takes responsibility for homing the dog for life.

Which affects the dog overpopulation in what way? It may give one dog (or however many dogs the breeder takes responsibility for) a guarantee of a home. It has absolutely no effect on the problem of pet overpopulation. The breeder is still producing dogs, when dogs need homes elsewhere.

Probably the better term is overpopulation of unwanted dogs.

Every single self-righteous shelterdog owner out there better for darn sure never have biological children of their own. there are thousands and thousands of children in need of good homes, right?[/quote]

I don't think you can compare adopting a baby/kid with a dog. People have children because it is a biological desire to replace yourself ( not everyone, I agree) but, it isn't the same thing.

If people are shamed for not adopting (and saving) a dog’s life, there’s even more reason for them to adopt (and save) a child’s life. The reasons people have babies don’t matter—just like the reasons people want an 8-week-old puppy don’t matter.

It’s not comparing puppies to babies, it’s comparing saving lives. The lives of children are more important than the lives of dogs, right?

aDoPt dOn’T sHoP < Adopt don’t breed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It hits a nerve because loving dogs are put to sleep by the thousands every.single.day. Great dogs that are waiting in shelters, by no fault of their own (mutts and purebreds). We have a rescued Yorkie, with many health issues, and a large hound mix with no health problems. I could never adopt from a breeder, and most good people I know couldn't either, maybe you're all missing the empathetic gene. And perhaps very selfish.

Completely agree. I have three dogs, all from shelters. I would NEVER consider buying from a breeder. It’s completely selfish. You can get any type of dog from a shelter, you just have to be patient and may have to travel. if you buy from a breeder, you are allowing other dogs in shelters to be euthanized. Go ahead , flame away, but that is the reality.

You might not be able to see from the advantage of your high horse, but you are contributing to puppy mills.

Yes, it’s true. That’s who is supplying your precious shelter dogs.

[Anonymous]

It is a bit ironic when most of the people are not adopting their kids out of foster care before having them.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you, OP. We are not pet owners and were thinking about it for the future. I had been in contact with breeders and rescue orgs. The breeders were so much nicer, welcoming and open to answering questions. Obviously, they are trying to make a sale but at least they were pleasant to work with. By contrast, most rescue orgs wouldn't give me time of day and kept insisting that I needed different breeds than what I asked for, or a mix-breed dog. I definitely got the "high and mighty" vibe and it was off-setting enough to never want to deal with a rescue again. When and if we're ready, we'll go breeder 100%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a bit ironic when most of the people are not adopting their kids out of foster care before having them.

It’s hypocritical is what it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you, OP. We are not pet owners and were thinking about it for the future. I had been in contact with breeders and rescue orgs. The breeders were so much nicer, welcoming and open to answering questions. Obviously, they are trying to make a sale but at least they were pleasant to work with. By contrast, most rescue orgs wouldn't give me time of day and kept insisting that I needed different breeds than what I asked for, or a mix-breed dog. I definitely got the "high and mighty" vibe and it was off-setting enough to never want to deal with a rescue again. When and if we're ready, we'll go breeder 100%.

I no longer pay attention to those adopt don’t shop idiots.

Buying from responsible breeders is perfectly fine….desirable even.

There’s no backdoor rotation of dogs from puppy mills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only times I get really judge-y about people buying dogs are designer mutts (hybrid genetics are not as predictable as the cutesy website wants you to think, and there are literally NO standards for the health/conformation of the dogs) and people who "don't have time" to adopt, as if the couple of weeks it might take to find an adoptable dog is the most time-consuming part of pet ownership.

Oh, and GSDs/Malinois. Soooooo many people buying them who have no business doing so. I predict they will overtake pit bull types in shelters soon.

At our shelter there are two gorgeous purebred GSDs who look like perfection and are calm and just look out while sitting versus the dogs around them barking/jumping. I find that strange since I hear GSDs can be very crazy.