pound puppy vs AKC breeder

[Mrs. Readsalot]

We have been without a dog for the last year and a half. We lost our beloved Sheltie to the bad food from China situation and were heartbroken. I didn't even start thinking about another dog until 6 months ago. My doggie history is we had show dogs (Italian Greyhounds) when I was a kid. I had show Shelties for most of my 20's. We lost our last show dog where our son was 4. When our son turned 5 we bought our last Sheltie (pet quality) from a wonderful AKC breeder and exhibitor that I have known for years. I decided to go with a different breed this time - Pembroke Welsh Corgi. We have one of the best corgi people in the county living about 3 miles from us. She is elderly and actually had decided not to breed any more. After talking to me though she said she would breed her beautiful girl in December (I first talked to her in October) She was excited that I might be willing to continue her line for her. I really only called her about a pet but the thought of showing again is not out of the question. Well I spoke to her a few days ago and she gave me a strange reason for deciding not to breed her girl although she is in season. She said she will try to correct the problem and breed her in June. This would mean if she has a nice puppy we would not have a dog until next November. I have subscribed to a Corgi list and just found a very nice, young male Corgi that is up for adoption in our state. I have never adopted a dog before so this is new ground for me. I am seriously considering it thought as I just have a big emptiness in my life without a dog. I also like the idea of rescuing a dog. My only concern is what type of problem a rescue may have. Please tell me your great or not so great rescue stories to help me decide.

Thanks~~~Karen

mother to ds age 15

and mared to dh for 18 years

[Haiku]

We have 8 animals (not all dogs) adopted from shelters. They have all been good experiences and are valuable members of our family. I'll be honest and say that I don't agree with breeding, but beyond that, animals from shelters can make amazing companions. Two of our animals have required a lot of work to help them over issues of being abused and neglected, so I guess it depends on how much you are willing to put into the dog. Shelters do not place dogs that are dangerous, but you still may need to work with a dog to overcome separation issues or undesirable behavior.

 

My kids and I volunteer at the Humane Society and I am a huge advocate of giving homeless pets a second chance, so I would strongly encourage you to adopt from a shelter or rescue.

 

Tara

[dawn of ns]

Our dog, a Basset RottiLabandwhoknowswhatelse (and all that's just a best guess), was an informal rescue. From a pet email list rather then a shelter. She's big and ugly and goofy but incredibly loving and smart. Her only real fault is that she likes to um...get jiggy with our blankets when she's in heat and rips holes in them but we've remedied that by just keeping her out of the bedrooms and she'll be fixed in the new year. We're very happy with her.

 

I've never heard of anyone I know who wasn't happy with their shelter dog. Some may hae had some quirks but nothin a bit of trained couldn't handle and nothing they might not have had with a breeder dog anyway.

 

Just make sure you look at the rescue that has the dog. A good one will assess you and your family to ensure the dog is a good fit, will make demands of you (regular vet visits and spaying/neutering of the dog) and will demand that, if you have any problems or can't look after the dog, you return the dog to them rather then give it to someone else - Much like any good breeder in fact.

 

EDIT: Picture required. :D

Edited December 16, 2008 by dawn of ns

[OHGrandma]

We just got a Sheltie from Craigslist a month ago. His background seems a bit shady because the previous owner didn't have the papers from the breeder, and we still haven't seen them.

The story we got from the previous owner is they had the pup about a month, the pup was 4 months old, her daughter has lung problems that were aggravated by getting a dog, so the dog had to go. We spent about a half hour at their home letting our GS9 play with the dog. They had 4 girls, from around 5 to early teenage, so the dog had been around kids.

The dog appeared healthy with a nice personality. He was not aggressive, not timid, had an appropriate response to strangers in his house, and warmed up to us when his owners encouraged him. He was housebroke and would walk on a leash. I didn't ask if he was crate trained, but it turns out he is.

He's turned out to be a super dog! He seems a bit more possessive of our house & family than he was at his previous house, but he's been great when our granddaughters visit, our grandson lives with us. He's good with our other farm dogs. He'd like to play with the cats, they don't, but he's not intent on hurting them.

We had considered a Corgi after seeing them at some cattle shows(we raise cattle). I also looked at Corgi's through rescues but was concerned about the number that had surgery on their knees. Our Sheltie showed up at the right time on Craigslist, right price, and was the right dog.

Take your time with the rescue dog, see how he's adjusted to his home and see if your home will be similar. An advantage of rescues, most will take them back if it doesn't work out, but you may be out your money. An advantage of buying from a breeder would be a known background of the temperment and health of the parents. A reputable breeder will not breed bad genetics. If you have an interest in showing, then you'd want to get the best quality, registered animal you could. Our GS9 will show his Sheltie in 4H obedience, so papers are not important for us.

Edited December 16, 2008 by OHGrandma

[Highereducation]

Karen,

 

My family and I are dog crazy. I grew up with a min schauzer and then a wire-haired fox terrier - one from a breeder, one from a pet store. The pet store purchase was twenty-some years ago, before there was much publicity about the perils of buying from a shop. He was an excellent dog. Looking back, I see some possible overbreeding issues he had, but the joy he gave my family was immeasurable.

 

When my dh and I got married, we went to the local shelter and found a chihuahua/corgi mix. We were told he had kennel cough. Well, thousands of dollars later we knew he didn't have kennel cough, but a form of allergic bronchitis that required meds for the rest of his life. By that time we were so attached to him that returning him was out of the question. He made it seven years with us, and he was a great dog. We still miss him three years later.

 

After he passed away, we tried finding another dog through the local shelters. I wasn't happy with any of the experiences we had. Several times we were presented with potential adoptees that had obvious health problems (yes, our awareness was heightened after what we'd seen our other dog go through) only to be told the dog was in "perfect" health and had no behavioral issues (which is a ridiculous statement to make, since a new environment for any animal is always stressful and can bring up numerous issues). I didn't care for the "you'll live happily ever after" attitude, because regardless of where the dog comes from, dogs are work and they require time and effort, especially when the new owner has no way of knowing exactly what the dog's history is.

 

Anyway, ultimately we decided to buy a puppy from a breeder. It was important to us that dog bonded with our family at a young age. We got the Schipperke at 10 weeks and a year later we brought home a GSD puppy (15 weeks) that had been sadly neglected. He's been somewhat of an issue because of all that happened to him in the first few weeks of his life, but both dogs are in training classes and we're managing pretty well. My daughter has plans to show the Schipperke when she is 9, and we're hoping the GSD can pass Canine Good Citizen and become a therapy dog.

 

If I had to do it all again I would still go with the breeder. Our Bandit was a sweetheart, bless his soul, but my dh and I both had our hearts broken when we couldn't "fix" what was wrong with him.

[homeschool2boys]

I have a bunch of dogs, I am a big dog person and besides my husband and kids, my dogs are my life. Most of my dogs are rescues, most from puppy mills.

 

However, I will say I have had good and bad issues with rescues. I have one dog right now (a peke) that WILL bite anyone who comes into the house (strangers). I am still working with her but have to keep her in my room if anyone comes over. I have thought of giving her away but she would likely bite whoever came to get her. Since she is attached to me so I will just keep her and work on the biting. She had a really bad life. She was at a puppy mill and was in a tiny cage and had been there so long walking on that wire cage until her toes splayed out. She deserves a good life now.

 

One of them I had to give back to the shelter. One dog would get into fights and took a chunk out of my dh when he was trying to break it up. I hated to give him back but he was just too agressive and would eventually hurt someone badly, or another dog.

 

The good news is I have had really good luck with most other dogs I have adopted over the years. Some of them have trust/fear issues but most have been really good dogs. I think giving a dog another chance is really a good thing.

[Ellie]

If it's a *good* rescue, you should be able to get a decent history on the dog, so that you'll have a pretty good idea of any health or other problems.

 

We have rescued a greyhound and a French bulldog (quite opposite, aren't they?), and so far have been pleased. I'm less likely to go to a shelter because you just don't know what you're getting.:-/

[Firefly]

I had always owned shelter dogs before our current dog (an Aussie). I am not opposed to breeding but my philosophy has always been, there are so many dogs in need in shelters, why buy one? BUT, we did have a couple of bad experiences with shelter dogs and when our last dog passed away, it was really important for me to know exactly what we were getting in a new dog (because we had small children in the house). I wanted a puppy that could grow with the kids, that I would know pretty much what the full-grown size, temperament, energy level etc. Obviously there are no guarantees but with a good breeder you can be pretty sure of exactly what your getting -- and I did. Tess is an amazing and wonderful addition to the family. I don't plan on ever buying a dog again, for the reason I stated above; this was just a one-time deal.

 

I will echo the poster, though, who said that is important to find a good shelter that will work with you. We actually had ones that flat out lied to us (told us the dog was an older puppy when it was actually full grown-- it was our first dog and I was naive at the time!)

[Aggie]

We've bred mini-schnauzers for quite some time, but decided to stop a few years ago.

 

This past year, we wanted to get 7yods a bigger dog. After looking into different non-shedding breeds, we decided on a labradoodle. Trying to find one, however, was not easy. Then we found the state labradoodle rescue site. They had one that had just been picked up from a shelter. Dh drove 5hrs to pick him up.:001_smile:

 

Like another poster's dog, this one had some issues. But they were resolved easily, esp because we are home all day. He is the most wonderful dog! He's smart, easy to train, easy-going, loyal and lovable!

[Tree House Academy]

We got my dog from a breeder. He is precious, with a good temperament around us - especially the kids and the torment they put him through. However, he gets staph infection at the drop of a hat, has terrible allergies, and, after about 2 years, he became so intolerant of other dogs that I can't even allow him around them. :( All this to say that getting a dog from a breeder does not ensure a thing. We paid $750 for him (Cocker Spaniel) and I can whole-heartedly say that if we ever get another dog, it will come from a rescue. I porobably would not get a dog from the "pound." I hate to say that as I know there are some good, sweet dogs there. What I will do in the future is buy from a breed specific rescue. I have worked some with the Cocker Spaniel rescues in my area and they do pull cockers from pounds and such. They take care of these animals, foster them out so that someone can get to know their "quirks" before you adopt them, take care of all medical issues - sometimes even medical issues (like cataracts in a young dog or heartworms) that well exceed the $250 (average) you pay to adopt the pet. If you want to adopt a homeless animal, but prefer a specific breed, then a rescue is totally the way to go.

 

Good luck with your search and I am so sorry about your pet that passed due to the food issues. We were all terrified of such a thing when the news hit. At the time, we were using Iams. We now use a human grade food called Flint River Ranch. We LOVE it here...and it has to be ordered online...they don't even stock it in stores because the makers want it to be fresh.

 

Unfortunately, I have to ETA:

 

I did have ONE experience with a local "pound." I went there to rescue a Cocker for a rescue group. The pound told me that she was about 3 years old and healthy as a horse. I got her to the groomer who took at least 75 ticks off her in the grooming process. When I got her to the vet, they informed me she was more like 8 years old. The pound told me they couldn' tell if she was spayed or not...SHE WAS BLEEDING! No, she wasn't spayed. She had been bred recently...at 8 years old! When the vet looked her over and ran bloodwork, this dog had heartworms, lyme disease, her uterus was infected and bleeding from repeated breedings, and the list goes on and on and on. I paid to have her put down right then and there. The pound was willing to adopt her out to some kid who fell in love with her! It was tragic and broke my heart into about a million pieces. Her name was Lily. :(

Edited December 16, 2008 by Tree House Academy

[hornblower]

My female is from the SPCA and I foster for several rescues. I would strongly suggest going the rescue route - but as has been said, make sure it's a good rescue. There are some which are nothing more than brokers for mills. There are breed specific rescues as well as non-breed specific ones.

 

Some rescues specialize in dogs with 'issues'. Some rescues have many dogs which are pretty much issue-free; "plug & play" is what I call them :001_smile:

 

I am not opposed to reputable, ethical breeders but there are very, very, very few of them around. Reckless breeders, otoh, abound, even among the AKC and CKC ranks. Lots of good info about ethical breeders here:

http://www.dogplay.com/Breeding/ethics.html

 

I think it is possible to get a great dog from a shelter or pound in certain parts of the country. I hear that in the southern US, dogs are pts so fast after coming in, that it's hard to do a proper temperament assessment.

 

If you do decide to go the pound route & have a dog in mind, I'd strongly suggest getting in touch with a trainer who does temperament testing & hiring them to come do a temperament assessment. Temperament assessment is a bit of an art form still but good people can pick up on things. I would not take the pound's assessment on its own, and even after all these years, I would not trust my own judgement. I like to have a 2nd pair of eyes to look at the dog & its interactions. It's not just a matter of how 'friendly' a dog is - there's a lot about the dog's overall confidence level, its 'drive', its intelligence etc which makes some dogs better matches for a certain family than others.

 

It's the same with puppies - if you do go the breeder route, I'd suggest having someone assess the pups & assist you in picking the right pup from the litter. The smart, confident, high drive ones are often the ones who get picked but they can grow up to be 'too much dog' for a pet, & need the kind of brain & body work that comes from training for agility, obedience, rallyO etc.....

 

Good luck!

 

ETA: Someone just sent me the link to this new ad from PETA (who are nutbars imo but do make a good ad now & then)

http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=12340

In the TV spot, right after a family buys a new dog, a breeder throws a body bag onto his desk and announces, "Here's the dog you just killed." He explains to the horrified family, "When you buy a dog from a breeder, you kill a dog at the shelter." The ad concludes with a sobering statistic: "Four million unadopted animals are killed in shelters every year. Adopt. Never Buy."

 

Edited December 16, 2008 by hornblower

[Unicorn.]

For me it's a simple answer. Save a dog (or cat) from death. It's not their fault that they are where they are, and if people would stop "breeding" dogs, just so they can have a purebred, then our shelters would be empty. Mutts are healthier (in general), lovable and cute. Get thee to a shelter!

 

My apologies to the breeder's on this board. I know my comments will offend, but it really makes me sad to see animals put to sleep for no reason other than they exist.

[OHGrandma]

For me it's a simple answer. Save a dog (or cat) from death. It's not their fault that they are where they are, and if people would stop "breeding" dogs, just so they can have a purebred, then our shelters would be empty. Mutts are healthier (in general), lovable and cute. Get thee to a shelter!

 

My apologies to the breeder's on this board. I know my comments will offend, but it really makes me sad to see animals put to sleep for no reason other than they exist.

 

Simple solution to that...there are starving people in China who would gladly eat our excess dogs that we 'put to sleep'. There would be fewer abandoned pets, and fewer starving people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you thought you might offend people....

[Nakia]

For me it's a simple answer. Save a dog (or cat) from death. It's not their fault that they are where they are, and if people would stop "breeding" dogs, just so they can have a purebred, then our shelters would be empty. Mutts are healthier (in general), lovable and cute. Get thee to a shelter!

 

My apologies to the breeder's on this board. I know my comments will offend, but it really makes me sad to see animals put to sleep for no reason other than they exist.

 

 

I 100% agree with you. We love pound puppies!

[Kris]

My only concern is what type of problem a rescue may have. Please tell me your great or not so great rescue stories to help me decide.

 

"Just the Facts" Part -- The Old Man in our house was a "pound puppy" -- and I have to use the term loosely because he was already old when we got him and, frankly, I'm surprised he's still here. With the exception of the German Shepherd who adopted us last spring, he is the best dog we've ever had. We had *no* problems with his behavior or his manners and I couldn't believe they gave him up. He was found wandering around town, they contacted the owner, and she signed off on him!

 

The "Heartwarming Story" Part -- Our guineas laid some eggs, but because I had been told they were horrid mothers, I gave the eggs to our little banties to hatch -- which they did. But as soon as they hatched, the guinea kidnapped them. Of course, the first week, we had an awful thunderstorm one night and when I went out to check on the chicks, they were nowhere to be found, but mom was safe and sound in her nest. I told our Old Man "we have to find those babies!" And he DID! All five of them -- he went from one to the other until we had rounded them all up. Even though they were all over the place, I think it took him about ten minutes to find them all. It was raining hard enough, they would have drowned on the ground -- and I don't know how he could have heard them *or* me. It was a scary night to be out. But it was just like something from a Lassie movie and I will never, ever forget it. [ETA: He is terrified of loud noises -- thunder, guns, fireworks -- all the more amazing that he stayed out there with me to find those babies.]

 

And the German Shepherd has been a great dog, too -- but I wish she would quit bringing her "toys" in the house. Last night, she dropped the head of a freshly killed rabbit on the dining room floor! I don't know if I'll be able to eat in that room again! But, in her defense, she was very sweet about it! :lol:

Edited December 16, 2008 by Kris

[SonshineLearner]

I read tons about rescuing, because I really wanted a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, or a Lagotto. I decided that I didn't want to pay $600+ for the Wheaten Terrier, for a rescue, when I could get a "new" one for $1500 from someone who was breeding her show dog a couple of times...and I could get one from her.

But, on a kinda dare from my husband, I started watching petfinder.com . I found our perfect black dog...to go with our black cat....in Nov 2007. I drove 4 hours to get there and they told me he was food aggressive...and I had a 4 yr old. I have NO idea where they got that from as my four year old could take a raw bone with meat still on it...and Brownie wouldn't bite him.

I read alot about crating and tethering dogs to you for the first few weeks. This is what I did with my dog, I tethered him to me for 2 weeks, except when he was in his crate. I also kept him on the leash outside and walked him about 3 hours a day. (We had no fence at the time and I wanted him to be tired!) I lost a lot of weight.... That was a good thing.

The other thing I did was get involved, after about 1 week, in a serious dog training class. Mine was taught by a husband/ wife team that have taught classes for police dogs and such. (I wouldn't choose PetSmart or something like that) We used a pinch collar, and don't have to be "popping" it alot...for him to get the idea. After the first week of being dragged by my dog....and every bone in my body hurting....him walking politely by the end of the first night, was a welcomed change.

I really believe that getting him into training right away and tethered the rest of the time was a HUGE seller. (or in the crate.)

And, I know that many disagree, but just to throw this out there...I do raw food for him... and for arthritis and other bone problems....this can really be a good thing! (And for dogs that you typically see that get overweight easily. Overweight dogs tend to have more issues with joints....) Just a thought.

I love the Leerburg.com site. You might enjoy it, too!

Carrie:-)

Edited December 16, 2008 by NayfiesMama
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