Reply to Poll: recent prices paid and which breed?

Forum Index » Pets

Reply to "Poll: recent prices paid and which breed?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I was in the market for a Havanese; great choice, OP.  Just fyi, I ended up using a Havanese Rescue group.

I do not agree about "the problem" of an adult rescue of having kids bond with a dog for only a few years.  A pet getting old and dying is a great training ground for dealing with adult aging and death, and our society offers very few opportunities.

Second, when one looks for a breed, one is trying to control to have the dog they want:  the low dander, the color, the size, the personality, the agression, the exercise need, how much they drool, bark, etc.

You are trying for that when selecting a puppy, but you are never sure of the what they will become.

But if you are looking at an adult dog, you ARE looking at what they are...there is no guesswork.  They are the size they are, the allergenic level that they are, the personality that they are.  So you've actually controlled for the situation that you want, whereas with a puppy, you are just *trying* to control for the situation you want.[/quote]

I disagree.

1. Dander is directly related to breed, so when getting a purebred, there is no difference between a puppy and an adult. When getting a mutt, you have to assume that the dog is as allergenic as the more allergenic of the breeds he is descended from.
2. Behavior is dependent on early training, so getting a healthy puppy from a litter which has been kept clean and in which the mother has stayed with her pups for at least 6 weeks is critically important if you want to train you dog to fit into your life. You cannot know the exact history and possible trauma of an adult dog, so you are taking a significant risk.
3. Health is largely dependent on the genetic health of the parents and grandparents. Only the best breeders test hips, eyes, and other areas known to be linked to genetic disease. Dogs also fall ill to non-heritable disease, obviously, but vet fees are so expensive that decreasing the risks of a heritable illness is critical in your enjoyment of your pet, and obviously your pet's quality of life. You will not know the genetic health of an adult dog in a shelter, so again, you are taking a significant risk.
[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics