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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Shaming people has been a very effective way to get people to quit smoking. If we can shame people into not buying dogs from breeders or stores, then I'm all for it.[/quote]

This whole attitude is just wrong-headed.  First, shaming was completely ineffective in getting people to quit smoking.  Laws banning smoking in public places and workplaces were effective.  Laws raising taxes were effective.  So, if you want to pass laws banning dogs from being sold in stores, do it.  (Some jurisdictions have.)  If you want to pass laws requiring all breeders to get a license to sell animals in a given state with criminal punishments for buyers in addition to sellers, do it.  Those would be effective at getting people to stop buying dogs from puppy mills.  Second, breeders are not the same as stores.  There are many legitimate reasons why people seek out specific breeds even if you don't want a show dog.  Allergies are the biggest and I'd say temperament and suitability to family lifestyle are the other.  If I know I am not going to be jogging with my dog or available to play for hours on end or able to tolerate a lot of barking, I will seek out a reputable seller of a breed which is a good fit for our family and lifestyle.

To sum up, these sorts of self-righteous statements are why people think those who go on about "rescues" are self-righteous.[/quote]

I agree with the second PP. There is NO shame in buying from a reputable breeder if you want a specific breed (whether for show, for allergies, or whatever reason matters to the person seeking out the dog). Puppy mills, yes. That is an entirely different situation.  I wish there was more oversight and regulation of puppy mills. You can't compare that to real legitimate breeders. I have a dog from a breeder for my own reasons. Perhaps I could have found a dog that met my specific needs from a shelter. Or I could have been stuck in over my head with a dog that didn't turn out to be compatible or have issues beyond what I could handle. 10 years later, my dog is literally my best friend. It worked out for me, personally, to get this dog from a breeder. There is no shame in that. But kudos to people that can chose a rescue and have it work out for them.  [/quote]

I think there is shame in buying a dog from a breeder.  Sure, it's not as bad as buying from a store that gets dogs from a puppy mill.   People can find dogs from shelters that meet their needs, but they give up or they refuse to compromise (as in, they want a puppy).  And puppies bought from breeders can also turn in to problem dogs or be incompatible.  It happens all of the time.

Breeders are part of the problem, overpopulation of dogs, and the people who buy from breeders only encourage the problem.

But people don't want to admit that.  I'd have more respect for someone who admitted, "yeah, I went to a breeder b/c that was easier."  But I can't stand the people who give the BS excuses.  [/quote]

Going to a good breeder isn't easier.  They screen and have wait lists.  We have had wonderful dogs from breeders.   People meet the parent [sometimes dad too] while pregnant or before.  See the pups at about 4 weeks.  You don't choose-the breeder does.  I've had breeders refuse to sell me a dog based on age of children.  I got a shelter dog decades ago.  He was great.  I went to the pound and picked him.

At a rescue event at a pet smart I spied a dog I would have taken home-turned out it was a black lab and the owners tshirt just resembled the rescue group's at a distance.   It seems many at shelters are pitbull blends or chihuahua.   This young guy looks good:
http://lostdogrescue.org/dogs/56090/buddy-the-aussie

[/quote]

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