I'm conflicted - dog related.

[dsmith]

We lost our beloved dog in March. He was the best dog we've ever had, and we are really feeling his loss - it's been harder than I ever imagined it could be. (I'm crying just writing this!) Before we got him I researched dogs for months before I settled on a puggle for our family, and I want another puggle when the time is right. In fact, I only ever want puggles from now on, although we will most likely add a larger dog to our family as well. It's too soon right now, but I do check petfinder for puggles regularly. The ones I'm seeing now are all seniors, and while I wish I could adopt every senior puggle available, I just can't emotionally. I want a puppy or very young dog, and the chances of finding a puggle puppy to adopt are slim to none. But I feel so conflicted paying for a dog, especially for a 'designer breed' when there are so many dogs in the shelters. And wanting a puppy when there are so many older dogs. I know we could walk in to any shelter and come home with a dog - that's just the way we are, but I will always want a puggle. 

[Pawz4me]

I say this as someone who works in rescue --

There's nothing wrong with getting the dog (or puppy) that's right for you. Rescuing is great. Getting a dog from a good breeder is okay, too.

The most important thing (IMHO) is making a lifelong commitment to responsibly care for that pet.

[Katy]

I know I'm going against the adopt don't shop ethic, but I think it's fine to buy from a responsible breeder too.  You want to make sure they live in the house with the family, that there are no more than 3 dogs in the home all the time, that the puppies are handled constantly and socialized, not growing up in a pen in the backyard with hundreds of other dogs who are bred until they die.

[*Jessica*]

I’m so sorry.  My parents lost their Miniature Schnauzer in early April and like you they are now in love with a specific breed and only want that breed in the future.  They couldn’t take the loneliness and already got a new puppy!  It’s hard knowing that there are so many shelter dogs out there, but sometimes a certain breed’s characteristics are right for a family.  Like Pawz4me, I think as long as you buy from a good breeder and make that lifelong commitment you do what is best for your family.  And sometimes a puppy makes sense because you can train them from the very beginning to tolerate whatever specific chaos you need them to be tolerant of. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

If puppies are hard to come by, perhaps if you put your name in now at breed specific rescues or responsible breeders, you might have one come up when you are more emotionally ready? 

[Carrie12345]

I’m a huge fan of rescuing pets. 6 times! There’s definitely still a place for choosing good breeders for various reasons. We haven’t decided if that’s how we’ll go for the next dog, but we’re thinking about it.

[stephanier.1765]

I want to be that person who adopts senior animals and gives them the best last few days/months/ years of their lives but it just hurts so much when you lose one. The death of my dog 2 years ago still brings me to tears so as much as I want to I just can't. I totally understand where you are coming from. You have to do what's best for you and your family. I'm so sorry for your loss. 😞

 

[Pawz4me]

I've had eight dogs in my adult life. Five rescues, three from good breeders. All were the right choice at the time. No regrets--or guilt--about how any of them were acquired.

(Also three rescue cats. Have to mention them, too. Just because.)

Edited May 13, 2021 by Pawz4me

[ktgrok]

30 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

If puppies are hard to come by, perhaps if you put your name in now at breed specific rescues or responsible breeders, you might have one come up when you are more emotionally ready? 

This is true - the younger, easier to adopt dogs often never make it to the website/petfinder/etc because they have a waiting list that get first dibs. 

[dsmith]

7 hours ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

If puppies are hard to come by, perhaps if you put your name in now at breed specific rescues or responsible breeders, you might have one come up when you are more emotionally ready? 

Thanks for the suggestion, I will definitely look into doing this. I don't see any local puggle rescues near me, but there are a few pug rescues. They do have the occasional puggle come through. 

[dsmith]

7 hours ago, stephanier.1765 said:

I want to be that person who adopts senior animals and gives them the best last few days/months/ years of their lives but it just hurts so much when you lose one. The death of my dog 2 years ago still brings me to tears so as much as I want to I just can't. I totally understand where you are coming from. You have to do what's best for you and your family. I'm so sorry for your loss. 😞

 

It really is so sad how many senior dogs are in the shelters. I think I could handle it emotionally if I had the money for vet care. We spent thousands when our dog got cancer, only to lose him to something completely unrelated, but I'm thankful for the extra months we had with him by treating him. We're not the type to put a dog down for expensive but treatable conditions, so we would go broke adopting senior dogs! 

[Jaybee]

While I have sympathy for the shelter dogs, the ones available around here are mostly breeds/mixes that we do not want, or have circumstances that we are not comfortable with. We wanted a dog that was easy to train due to our inexperience, as well as one that would be good with small children for when grandchildren or friends visit. So we went to a breeder with zero guilt. And we are very happy with ours. He is kind of like a cat-dog, in that he likes to snuggle and doesn't like a book or computer taking my attention away, lol. He will sprawl over it so I can't see or use it.

I know the emphasis on spay/neuter in these past few years has helped tremendously with overload of unwanted pets, it sometimes makes me sad. When I was growing up, it was always easy to get a good family mutt for no cost. Now, owning a dog is often a much more expensive endeavor, which limits people from having a pet. We had to wait several years. Please don't blast me.

[fraidycat]

11 hours ago, dsmith said:

It really is so sad how many senior dogs are in the shelters. I think I could handle it emotionally if I had the money for vet care. We spent thousands when our dog got cancer, only to lose him to something completely unrelated, but I'm thankful for the extra months we had with him by treating him. We're not the type to put a dog down for expensive but treatable conditions, so we would go broke adopting senior dogs! 

This is a retirement idea that has popped up in my mind several times. I would love to adopt and love on senior dogs and cats for as long as they are with us, but in order to do that, we'd have to beef up the retirement fund by a healthy margin for vet care expenses.

[mommyoffive]

I am all in the adopt don't shop camp.  All our dogs have been adopted.  We currently have 2 dogs one we adopted at 7 years old and the other we got last year and she was guessed to be 8 months old.  

But I also believe that you need to find the right dog and breed for you and your family.  Don't get a puppy when you don't have all the time to put into one and don't get a  high energy dog when you won't have the time to take lots of walks or runs.    Going to a breeder is appealing to get the right breed for you, to know it was raised well, and to know the parent's history.

[WildflowerMom]

We only got to the shelter.  no judgement on anyone, but I'll never use a breeder.   Just being honest.   

I've also thought about adopting the old dogs, but probably one at a time, because it can get expensive.  On the other hand, having an old dog a couple years versus having a dog for many years?  Either way you're paying a lot and either way you're going to be paying due to old age.  Of course, some dogs never have problems.  The one I grew up with didn't.  He had untreatable cancer that never actually spread or caused anything.   And then he got eye sight problems and was very old and feeble and started falling in the pool.  Thankfully my parents were home when it happened those few times and jumped in and got him.   After that, we (I) put him down because the fear of drowning was very real.  But anyway, I digress...  point is that not all dogs end up being costly towards the end.    

Now our 2?  I'm pretty sure they have assumed the role of King and Queen of some distant land and have appointed us, the peasants, their eternal caretakers to wait on them hand and foot.   And somehow they've used hypnosis to make sure we do this in a happy and joyful manner, while also opening our wallets to shell out a boatload of money for their needs and whims each month.   So, yeah, ymmv.  😒

[ktgrok]

1 hour ago, fraidycat said:

This is a retirement idea that has popped up in my mind several times. I would love to adopt and love on senior dogs and cats for as long as they are with us, but in order to do that, we'd have to beef up the retirement fund by a healthy margin for vet care expenses.

A lot of rescues have a senior dog program that is basically a permanent foster - the rescue pays for all medical bills in exchange for someone providing a home during the dog's senior years. They have different names for it, but all the breed rescues I know/worked with had something like this.