How do you justify buying from a breeder instead of rescuing a mutt?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is interesting, I must say, that so many of the pro-designer dogs on this thread are outing themselves as Republican and even Trump supporters . . . I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

what? ok, this thread has gone truly bizarre. why does everything go political. and your conclusions are so wrong! it's like you're stirring up crap for no good reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
1. We needed one of a very limited list of specific breeds known for being less allergenic (less dander). None of them could be found at local shelters or rescues.

2. Temperament is largely inherited, and we wanted to be sure of getting a sociable, friendly dog. One of the many duties of a good breeder is make the lineage characteristics known to prospective buyers. Our dog's parents and grandparents are all very social, and so is he and his littermates.


You appear to be confused about the differences between puppy mills, backyard breeders and reputable breeders. The first is by definition unethical. The second may not place the dogs' interest first, either through ignorance, lack of means, or cruelty. The third should be the only genetically and ethically sound solution to pet ownership.

Reputable breeders are passionate about their work and it usually costs them much more than any income from dog sales or stud fees. Call it an expensive second job, if you will. They attach great importance to weeding out genetically-inherited diseases that have developed through the decades by poor breeding programs, by testing every single dog they own and entering all results - both good and bad - in the national dog health database (CHIC). They do not breed unhealthy carriers.

Our breeder set a camera 24/7 in the whelping pen she had constructed in her bedroom, so that we could check on the puppies and dam at any moment, right from birth.

We saw the breeder handle the puppies every single day, as she should, to habituate them to human handling. I can clean my dog's ears, clip his nails, take away embedded thorns in his pads, clean very sensitive areas, take away his food, clean his teeth, place medication down his throat, and he will not flinch. That is a result of proper handling.

The breeder exposed them to all kinds of city and farm noises, so they wouldn't be jumpy creatures.
She leash-trained and started to potty-train them before we picked up our puppy at 9 weeks.

We visited her home, and the dogs were well cared for. Good breeders care for a small number of dogs, which live inside the home and not in a kennel. They do not breed mothers often. Our breeder manages a birth once every two years and allows two pregnancies per dam.

There is some wishful thinking in your post but I think most people can agree there are some responsible breeders.

But I also think it is indisputable that hundreds of thousands of perfectly good dogs are euthanized every year in this country.

And that rational people ignore the silly person(s) who keep posting that if you adopt a shelter dog it is going to turn out to be a pit bull and kill your family in the middle of the night.

So how do you justify contributing to the avoidable murder of dogs?

How is getting a dog from a breeder contributing to murder? If I didn’t get a dog from a breeder, I just wouldn’t have a dog at all.

Because if you didn't get a dog at all, you'd help put breeders out of business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is interesting, I must say, that so many of the pro-designer dogs on this thread are outing themselves as Republican and even Trump supporters . . . I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

what? ok, this thread has gone truly bizarre. why does everything go political. and your conclusions are so wrong! it's like you're stirring up crap for no good reason.

the new generation of always being offended

[Anonymous]

In my county, rescues are all pit and/or boxer mixes. I don't want a pit or boxer so why should I feel obligated to rescue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my county, rescues are all pit and/or boxer mixes. I don't want a pit or boxer so why should I feel obligated to rescue?

Really - I find that hard to believe. Any well run shelter will keep up to date posts of their available dogs - so tell us what county you live in because this will be an easy one to prove or disprove.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like I paid my dues growing up, during which time my family rescued a total of six dogs from the shelter. Most were great, but two had to be euthanized after developing rage syndrome and viciously biting in totally unprovoked situations.

We took a break from dogs for a while as adults, and when we finally decided to get one, we wanted sweet and predictable and, since the standards of dog care have risen so much and dogs are expected to be indoors all the time now, non-shedding. So we bought what we wanted.

You “paid your dues” because your parents had rescues? That doesn’t make any sense. And standards of care have risen meaning you keep them inside? Dogs have been inside for years. SMDH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my county, rescues are all pit and/or boxer mixes. I don't want a pit or boxer so why should I feel obligated to rescue?

Who says you can only rescue from inside your county?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
1. We needed one of a very limited list of specific breeds known for being less allergenic (less dander). None of them could be found at local shelters or rescues.

2. Temperament is largely inherited, and we wanted to be sure of getting a sociable, friendly dog. One of the many duties of a good breeder is make the lineage characteristics known to prospective buyers. Our dog's parents and grandparents are all very social, and so is he and his littermates.


You appear to be confused about the differences between puppy mills, backyard breeders and reputable breeders. The first is by definition unethical. The second may not place the dogs' interest first, either through ignorance, lack of means, or cruelty. The third should be the only genetically and ethically sound solution to pet ownership.

Reputable breeders are passionate about their work and it usually costs them much more than any income from dog sales or stud fees. Call it an expensive second job, if you will. They attach great importance to weeding out genetically-inherited diseases that have developed through the decades by poor breeding programs, by testing every single dog they own and entering all results - both good and bad - in the national dog health database (CHIC). They do not breed unhealthy carriers.

Our breeder set a camera 24/7 in the whelping pen she had constructed in her bedroom, so that we could check on the puppies and dam at any moment, right from birth.

We saw the breeder handle the puppies every single day, as she should, to habituate them to human handling. I can clean my dog's ears, clip his nails, take away embedded thorns in his pads, clean very sensitive areas, take away his food, clean his teeth, place medication down his throat, and he will not flinch. That is a result of proper handling.

The breeder exposed them to all kinds of city and farm noises, so they wouldn't be jumpy creatures.
She leash-trained and started to potty-train them before we picked up our puppy at 9 weeks.

We visited her home, and the dogs were well cared for. Good breeders care for a small number of dogs, which live inside the home and not in a kennel. They do not breed mothers often. Our breeder manages a birth once every two years and allows two pregnancies per dam.

There is some wishful thinking in your post but I think most people can agree there are some responsible breeders.

But I also think it is indisputable that hundreds of thousands of perfectly good dogs are euthanized every year in this country.

And that rational people ignore the silly person(s) who keep posting that if you adopt a shelter dog it is going to turn out to be a pit bull and kill your family in the middle of the night.

So how do you justify contributing to the avoidable murder of dogs?

How is getting a dog from a breeder contributing to murder? If I didn’t get a dog from a breeder, I just wouldn’t have a dog at all.

Because if you didn't get a dog at all, you'd help put breeders out of business.

But the breeder I get my dog from...her dogs do not go to shelters. So even if she went out of business, that would have absolutely no effect on shelter dogs.

[Anonymous]

I had a rescue dog before children. I'm at the VERY beginning of a search for a family dog (three little kids and an older kid). I've surprised by thinking more about pure bread dogs because we have allergy issues, young kids and (even apart from the allergy issues), live in an apartment so small and not as barking is better, and the hair from my rescue dog was such a deterrent to ever having a dog again period I'd want minimal shedding.

I may be looking for a unicorn.

That said, the cons/advantages of a rescue dog (helping to save a dog; cost) are obvious, and it SEEMS like a pure breed dog advantages are also obvious (more predictability; con=cost; con= opportunity cost).

Is that about right? I'm very willing to be educated!

[Anonymous]

How Trump has been brought into a discussion about dogs is a mystery to me. But seeing as how he has, do you think Trump will ban Chihuahua's from the United States as they're a Mexican breed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my county, rescues are all pit and/or boxer mixes. I don't want a pit or boxer so why should I feel obligated to rescue?

Really - I find that hard to believe. Any well run shelter will keep up to date posts of their available dogs - so tell us what county you live in because this will be an easy one to prove or disprove.

I live in Pima County. Of course, "all" is hyperbole. But at least 90% are - and the others are in high demand, so going in on a Sunday morning is likely not going to get the one you pick for me on the internet. But thanks for playing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The anger of pro-shelter people is unreal. You really don't want to understand, and are unwilling to accept any consideration that people have valid reasons for making different choices.

Valid reasons? Try selfish reasons.

The breeder dogs are just as alive and in need of homes as the shelter dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my county, rescues are all pit and/or boxer mixes. I don't want a pit or boxer so why should I feel obligated to rescue?

That’s a bullshit excuse. There are literally hundreds of rescue organizations. The shelter may have many pit mixes, but have you heard of petfinder?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy the purebred dogs I like. I could not care less whether you or anybody else looks down your righteously indignant snotty nose at me. And I sleep just fine.

Build the wall! Build the wall!

No difference between the two. You're the dog equivalent of a Trump supporter. You care only about yourself.

Actually I am a quite liberal Democrat. You, though, you’re a smug jackass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The anger of pro-shelter people is unreal. You really don't want to understand, and are unwilling to accept any consideration that people have valid reasons for making different choices.

Valid reasons? Try selfish reasons.

The breeder dogs are just as alive and in need of homes as the shelter dogs.

You really don’t get it.