The vast numbers of complaints I’ve had about this post intrigue me. I wonder how many people actually read the whole thing, and how many made up their minds about what I was going to say based on the title and just skipped the 500 words to fire off a comment.
So I’m adding some clarification upfront. I love dogs. I have a shelter dog whom I love dearly. I think people who are prepared to have a shelter dog should definitely get one. But I think the world needs to see shelters as more than just the puppy clearance rack. Because I know too many people who DON’T love dogs but get a shelter dog anyway. And they treat them cruelly. That’s my point.
And for all of you who assume I’m not a dog person, I suggest you read some of the entries archived here about Casey.
For years I’ve heard people begging and pleading for people to adopt shelter dogs and save them from certain death. I can’t even bear to recount the sad-eyed photos and adverts I’ve seen pleading on behalf of these woeful creatures. The mere thought of them makes me want to vomit from choked-on tears. I cannot bear it.
I’ve long been an advocate of people getting “wanted” dogs from a reputable breeder.
Now, more than ever, I am pleading with the general population to NOT ADOPT A SHELTER DOG.
We adopted a shelter dog three weeks ago. Gob (pronounced as the Biblical character of suffering) is the new light of my life. Every day he surprises me with a new quirk to his personality. His obvious sense of humour makes me laugh. His bottomless wellspring of affection melts my heart every time he springs into my lap for a round of wiggly cuddling and kissing.
But he has problems. He has abandonment issues, insecurities and an obvious lame back leg. Each little quirk is like a shadow of the horrors he lived in the the long hard months before being literally pulled off death row by Kimber’s Kritters. Being Gob’s parent takes a lot of work. It takes a person like me who is definitely a dog person, who relates to dogs the way others relate to children.
Today Gob ate something he shouldn’t have and while waiting for the vet’s office to open I perused the internet to see if this was common and if I should be worried. (Yes. No. And he’s okay.) But in the reading I saw several people bemoaning the horrible dogs they got from a shelter because they wanted a dog but didn’t want to spend a lot of money.
There’s apparently this misconception out there that a shelter dog is like the Wal-Mart version of the family puppy. You can’t afford the boutique thing? You think paying more than a thousand dollars for a dog is wrong? Well just get you down to the pound and pick out one of those cheap fellas! You can get yerself a fine dog for fifty bucks!
No. Just. No. It doesn’t work like that. It shouldn’t work like that.
Shelter dogs are expensive.
It may not cost a lot to acquire one, but it could well cost much more over the life span of the dog. There are veterinary expenses, training expenses and the inevitable cost of the things in your home the dog just might destroy before he gets housetrained, chew-trained and cured of anxiety.
If you adopt a shelter dog and it doesn’t work out, you may be killing it faster than it would have been killed without your ‘help’.
Thousands of shelter dogs are short-placed every year. That means that someone adopts them, takes them home for a few days and then realises they’ve bitten off way more than they can chew. So the dog is taken back to the shelter from whence it came. In many cases these dogs are then considered unplaceable and bumped up the kill list. It would have been kinder for the poor thing to have been left alone instead of being taken to a new “home” where the anxieties were ratcheted up.
So please. I beg you.
Unless you are very much aware of what you are getting into, don’t get a puppy from the pound. They deserve better. And from what I’ve read, in many of the cases of bad short placements, death would be better than the false reprieve these animals get from cheap, unprepared folks who want a family pet complete with shortcuts.
THANK YOU for this. I get so, so mad when I hear stories of people who have adopted a dog at the shelter (for just $75!) and then are upset that it isn’t housebroken, chews things, can’t be left alone, etc.
Last year my husband and I adopted another cat (who we thought was full-grown but turned out to be in the late stages of kittenhood), and while he is sweet, loving, funny, quirky and all-around my “little baby,” he is the most challenging cat I’ve ever owned (not counting the one we rescued off the street who we later found out was diabetic and are now treating with insulin twice a day).
He is the neediest cat we’ve ever encountered, and if he doesn’t get attention (whether that be getting petted or a certain type of ball thrown to chase) exactly when he wants it, he gets destructive. He also terrorizes one of our other cats who is too old to want to run around the house with him. We’re doing what we can to train him as he grows into an adult cat, but if you’ve never had cats let me tell you: They are not trainable like dogs.
Anyway, all this to say that there have been one or two times my husband has said he wishes we had never adopted him. But I disagree with him: Besides loving the cat immensely, difficulties and all, I’m afraid that if we hadn’t adopted him someone else not quite as patient and forgiving would have, and he might have ended up being kicked out on the street or sent to a kill shelter.
I have to say you are a bit odd.
Why? I mean, I am, but I’m curious why my comment makes you think that.
I dunno, Kat. During my childhood my family had three shelter dogs (not all at the same time), and while we had to housebreak one of them we didn’t with the other two. And while one of them died an unfortunate early death, that was breed-related, not shelter-related. I agree that no one who doesn’t know what’s involved in caring for a dog ought to adopt one from anywhere, but that’s hardly a shelter vs. breeder issue. I would hesitate to adopt a cat from a shelter, but that’s because of the prevalence of feline leukemia, and besides — who ever has to go looking for a cat? They’re everywhere.
I think the better advice may be this sentence:
“Unless you are very much aware of what you are getting into, don’t get a puppy
from the pound”From the pound or from a breeder, a puppy is a puppy (and the same holds true for adult dogs though they are often somewhat less problematic). Having a dog is alot of work, and you can pretty much guarantee that, if you get one, something will get chewed on, peed on, knocked over, eaten, or otherwise destroyed at some point (probably on more than one occasion). Especially in the beginning, you will get woken up for midnight and early morning trips outside. It’ll be a bit more complicated to plan family trips or even a long night out on the town.
That’s the price you pay for years of unconditional love, lots of laughter, and loyal companionship. From my perspective, it’s not a bad deal, but like most things, another’s priorities may differ. It’s important to research and decide if the costs are worth the payoffs.
Another thing that drives me nuts are people who get dogs because “every family is supposed to have a dog.” Get a dog because you WANT one. I hate seeing dogs live their lives tied up in the backyard or otherwise ignored because they were bought for no other reason than they completed their owner’s mental picture of what a family looks like.
Sorry to hear about Gob. You make a lot of good points about shelter dogs.
Completely agree. I most like to hear when people get shelter dogs, but that goes hand and hand with whether or not that person really knows what it takes to care for the dog. I have had, in my grown up life, 3 shelter dogs. One was the perfect picture of doggy wonderfulness… He was friendly with friend, barked at strangers, obediant to a tee, smart and tolerating. The other two, while completely loved and I would fight anyone that would try to harm my pups… they have issues.
The cattle dog – never properly socialized as a puppy (and though worked with since – this breed has a uphill battle). Even now that she has mellowed wonderfully, she is so anxious around new folks. To top it off she was labeled a fear biter (I have never seen it, though I have seen the potential). I have worked with her and she now can go to the vets office without losing 1/2 her coat. But new people and situations ramp up her anxiety level to the max. She loves and is loyal to me and a certain select few. I love her. She has been my friend and companion for 11-1/2 years now and I can’t imagine what I will do when she is gone.
The “mostly” Jack Russell Terrier… well that should say it all. But really it is not his behaviors – though he has a lot of energy. He LOVES people and is so excited to see new folks. BUT he is very sensitive to emotions. AND here is the kicker… he is a submissive urinator. Meaning the more emotionally charged the situation, the more likely a puddle with occur. That was why he was returned back to the shelter. I thank heavens for wood floors and I can report that I have worked with him that this problem is much more manageable – peeing on the floor only (except when my friend Jonelle comes over – apparently she gets him SO excited that he has peed ON her the last couple of visits). I love him. He is such spunk and a sneaky, problem solving personality. (And just FYI – NEVER spank a submissive urinator for urinating… you will only end up with more submissive behavior, i.e., pee pee).
Dogs are not easy. They are companions and just like any relationship, they need care. For those not ready to give it… DON’T GET A DOG FROM A SHELTER.
** Fun side note: I am getting married soon. My hubby to be is not anti-dog… he’s just never had a dog. This may be an interesting adjustment for all.
nm, I adopted two of my four cats from shelters. The first one was from a kill shelter 11 years ago; I wanted a kitten and figured going to a place where they would be put to sleep if not adopted was better than just waiting for one to show up. The second one was the difficult one I spoke of in my comment above. I found him in the shelter area at PetSmart while I was shopping for cat litter. I had no intention of adopting a cat but fell in love and took him home the next day.
I understand the idea that stray cats are all over the place, but I would not discourage someone from adopting a cat from a kill shelter (well, any shelter) for that reason. As long as, keeping within the vein of the original post and comment, they don’t think it’s going to shit rainbows and unicorns.
Megan, I’ve had two litters of kittens dropped under my tomatoes by roving neighborhood cats (actually the same cat twice, I think, judging by the coloring) in the past three years, so I am probably more aware of feline bounty being all over the place than most folks. Those without tomato basinettes can get a shelter cat with my good will, but I figure the chances of it dying from leukemia are higher that way.
You are an idiot. Pets stores and backyard breeders are the bad guys here. They are the reason idiot people turn dogs in to shelters. Better to get adopted than euthanized.
You are an idiot, better to get euthanized then end up with a person of the last name Cannizzaro. Obviously you’d have a dog tied up in the backyard protecting your broken down car and trash!
People are so ridiculous anyway and often. When Dobie and his brothers and sister were born and when they were old enough to go to new homes, I got a call from one of the homes asking me to come pick up the puppy and take him back.
Why? Because he was “chewing on things”. An 8 week old puppy, chewing on things. Imagine that.
I was somewhat thankful in the end because I was particularly fond of that one and he did end up going to what I expected was a very, very good home. But I was just burning up about that whole thing.
You are completely way off in this writing and you for sure know nothing about dogs other wise this would have never been written… First of all every dog is different and has been placed in a shelter for a different reason. Dogs are the most loving creatures on this earth and everything you have written has proved that you know nothing of what you are talking about. Nothing!!!
The best dogs come form the shelters. Yes they” MAY”! have issues but if you are patient and have a little knowledge about a dog then there is usually an easy solution to every problem… They are so very appreciative that you or someone who understands a dog has given them that home that they need and the love that they deserve… All of them have had their vetting done which include their worming and heartworm check. Their vaccinations and anything else that they may need medically and then they are spayed or neutered and usually micro chipped for future identification in case they get away from you. Some shelters are now working with the dogs on obedience to further the success rate in their new homes. ANd do you think that all of this should be free? It isn’t…. And the fees that they charge no matter what dog it is never actually covers what time and effort that has been in to those dogs while they stay at the shelter in hoping that when they are adopted out the don’t come back…
Permanence in a home is what everyone strives for if they love dogs. So the maximum of say $250.00 dollars is a very small amount to pay for a lifetime of love and giving from one of these special beings. And they are very special. The only reason you are having this kind of trouble with your dog is because you don’t know what you are doing and don’t have the sense to ask them at the shelter what they suggest you do to remedy the problem or problems. It is usually always the humans fault in situations like this not the dogs fault.
No! I don’t work at the shelter or any shelter for that matter…
But I DO love dogs and understand what they are up to and why.
All of my dogs have come from the shelter or have been found . ANd every single one of them is a different little being just like we people are all different
So do the dog and yourselves a favor and take the dog back to the shelter and tell them that it is you guys that are at fault and you don’t know what dogs are all about and then go out and buy some fish….
Very Sincerely!!!!
Barbara
To B.Cannizzaro. You are 100000% correct. If people would stop buying their puppies from pet shops or backyard breeders there may be a good chance that the mass production of these puppies would come to a close. I said maybe. But the puppy mills have got to be closed down regardless
These are torture camps for dogs and no dog should have to live a life of torture and pain no matter what . It is animal abuse and that is unacceptable in this day and age…
Neglect and abuse of a dog is an unforgivable act of violence on the part of the human. This is all I am going to say about puppy mills at this time because I could go on for hours about the abuse that goes on inside of these puppy mills…
Sincerely,
Barbara
Barbara:
I know a vast amount about dogs. I love dogs. I live my life with dogs.
I am NOT having any problems with my shelter dog.
I assume, however, you are having problems with your reading comprehension skills.
Kat, I think you’ve created a great essay for a critical reading test. People: she likes dogs. She understands dogs. She wants to see them well treated. Her gripe is not with the dogs, but with the ding-dongs who adopt them with the same forethought that they would use in ordering a drive-through hamburger.
Well said!
I get all my dogs from breeders and have often had to suffer through the “how could you not get a dog from the shelters. There are thousands that need homes” lecture.
No thanks. I want a clean slate to develop, thank you.
We got one female dalmation from a shelter to be a companion for the male dalmation we already had. She was batshit crazy. I don’t know what this dog went through, but she was nuts. She would wimper and whine for affection, and then when your face was in range, she’s try to rip it off. We tried giving her to other people, including an elderly man. They all returned her to us because of her psychosis. We finally had to return her to the shelter.
Hmmm, it might be the breed. I worked at a boarding kennel for 3 years and dalmations (although there are exceptions for every type of breed) do have some issues with nipping. But before you return your dog to the shelter I would try and see a trained professional or take a dog training class to help out. If you have ever seen Cesar Milan’s show it shows many truths that 99% of dogs can be rehabilitated and corrected in issues like that.
Exador I agree 100%
And Barbara, take your meds.
You know nothing about dogs and their behavior either.
This is a waste of time. There is no sense in trying to explain anything to a brick wall. Its too bad too.
I’m trying to figure out what exactly in Kat’s post you’re objecting to.
Is it your position that people should just randomly buy pets without considering the work/cost/commitment they are making by bringing a living creature into their home?
Don’t bother with Barbara – she’s obviously a troll who refuses to acknowledge the fact that she’s wrong and hasn’t even bothered to read this post beyond the title.
Don’t feed the trolls, just kick them off the internet. (:
Right, I think it’s not “don’t adopt a shelter dog.” It’s “don’t adopt or purchase a dog unless you are mentally and financially prepared for the commitment, and for the fact that incorporating another creature into your family takes work.” I think solving that problem involves better upfront education and screening of adoptees, even broader spay/neuter campaigns, as well as limiting unscrupulous breeders to reduce the downhill roll of bought dogs to shelter dogs.
My personal ethic is to never purchase an animal from a breeder. I come from a family that always had mutts, that always took in stray or adopted animals. All of the cats have been adopted formally or informally. My personal experience has never been one of wishing I had a clean slate to work with – but I think shelters should do a good job of managing expectations and screening. The first time I adopted a cat from a shelter, I remember going through a process about my lifestyle and how much time I’d be available at home and that kind of thing to help compare my expectations to the reality of the animal’s needs. That seems appropriate, to discuss with potential adopters what kind of work a given animal might need, and to discourage people from casually adopting.
100 percent agree with you. The amount of people who dont look at the facts about adopting vs. buying a dog is huge. I could multiple occasions where people went to a puppy mill or breeder and said they “adopted” their dog. I had to explain to them the difference between adopting and buying a dog. Education is key to help shelter dogs find homes and reduce the amout of useless spending to buy a specific breed of dog (i find it costs more for a purebreed dog from a breeder or store because of it not being vaccinnated, and health issues from inbreeding, behavior issues, not being spayed, ridiculous prices for a purebreed puppy etc.) Makes me said when people like some of the commenters on here are so misinformed about dogs in general.
The rescue org where we got Gob spent a long time interviewing us and required me to fill out a lengthly questionnaire. The contract itself for Gob was quite detailed and gives the Rescue org many opt ins for taking the dog back if we cannot fulfill our parenting obligation.
IMHO this is how it should always be with rescue adoption. The placements should be more carefully guided and thought-out. I was astonished to discover that many of the shelters around here just take a check and let the animals go without making many inquiries at all.
I thouroughly agree, but I also feel that people who work should not be lambasted from getting a shelter dog. If they are prepared to put up with the chewing, housebreaking acciidents and expenses, it is surely better than the alternative.
per se. Irritated, but not creeped out. What did creep me out was that some jerk posted the link to it in a couple of my http://filmvediziizle.net/category/aksiyon Harry Potter literary discussion
I have had a total of 3 cats and 3 dogs adopted from shelters over the years, and not ONE was anywhere near healthy. Every single one had worms, a few cases of upper resporatory, and urinary tract infections. These are animals that were supposedly checked by a vet prior to adoption. One of the puppies, from a rescue group camped out in a Petsmart, tested positive for the parvo virus less than 24 hours after bringing her home. The shelter took absolutley no responsiblilty. Another puppy from a different shelter (who had ringworm, coccidia, UTI, and upper resporatory) ended up having a congenital kidney defect. Although the shelter paperwork stresses to call them within the first week after your initial vet visit if any problems occur, they NEVER returned my phone calls. One of the cats had a chronic intestinal issue that caused her to vomit yellow bile on a daily basis, and one of the other cats died suddenly from a stroke at age 7.
The cost of adoption can be around $150, once you add in the initial vet care just to get the animal to a semi-normal state of health, you could of saved yourself the emotional drama and spent the same amount on a purebred animal from a REPUTABLE breeder, with a written contract and health guarantee.
I can’t fully agree with this, I adopted three cats from the shelter, they are all healthy and the best cats ever. So I’ve never had a bad experience. Then again I adopted from a good shelter that fully vets the animals and sends them home with one free vet visit, discounted pet insurance, a bag of food and a bunch of information on taking care of your animal.
To Barbara
First of all I apologize for my bad English because that is not my native language, I’ve been reading your posts and i have to ask how much dog “knowledge”do you have?? As a professional dog trainer and behaviorist for over 20 years of experience in military, police, and civil services i can tell you that you are wrong. I’ve been working voluntarily in a 3 different animal shelters for a past 10 years, and every day i have to deal with type of peoples like yourself who are on the mission of “saving the animals” , adding sometimes a few dogs to their homes just in order to save them and then end up with a pack of dogs who’s behavior is everything but desirable. Still those people are under the impression that their mission is to “save” .Just check the websites about dog adoption, they are full of misleading information like “save them and they will be grateful and show their love to you for the rest of the life…” yeah, that would be nice. The truth is as soon as you bring your dog home he will continue to behave in the way he only knows, even if that behavior was the reason why the dog ended up in the shelter in a first place. and the “cooking recipe” type of training that you are “advertising” (a little salt, little pepper and a lots and lots of love) just shows that you approach dogs through human way of thinking…”They are so very appreciative that you or someone who understands a dog has given them that home that they need and the love that they deserve… no hard feelings but this just shows that you have 0 (zero) knowledge about dogs. this one as well… “The only reason you are having this kind of trouble with your dog is because you don’t know what you are doing and don’t have the sense to ask them at the shelter what they suggest you do to remedy the problem or problems.”… would you like me to forward you all the clients who just discovered that their new adopted family member would like to tear into a stew size parts their neighbor’s dog , or their dogs tend to bite etc… what would your answer be? “give them a good obedience class and that should solve the problem” ? what about this one…So the maximum of say $250.00 dollars is a very small amount to pay for a lifetime of love and giving from one of these special beings… what did you say, how many dogs have you had in your life?? It is always the situation that people who had a number of dogs equal to number of fingers on their hand (sometimes even less than that) are the loudest one, always on the forums, and always creating websites based on their “experience”. i know that you haven’t had a chance (or didn’t want to ) work in a shelter, if you had chance to work there than you will realize that at least 80% of dogs end up there because they have some behavior issues that their owners couldn’t or didn’t want to deal with and they simple gave them away hoping that new owners will have a “better luck”.. they just “wash their hands” instead of dealing with the situation… if you really want to help anyone including dogs or dog owners, stop “preaching” that “love will cure everything” and “dogs are like humans” theories because they are wrong. stop looking animals like humans… they are a different specious with different needs. People who are unable to understand that are on the right way to start mentally abusing their pets.
And yes. There are many things that you should be aware when you are about to adopt a dog, there are many dogs unfortunately in a shelters with a serious behavior issues and shouldn’t be listed for adoption. those dogs always end up getting back and that is the end of the road for them. and what about the people and families who adopted a dog and have to bring it back because dog was unable to fit in the new environment? many of them decide that they will not get another dog into their life again. that is a sad story for both sides, for families and dogs who are waiting in the shelters to be rescued. The article is great and there should be more articles like this one in order to make people aware what to expect and look once they decide to adopt a dog.
This page saddens me, because it assumes that all shelters are the same. I volunteer with my local Humane Society, and we work with our county shelter to make sure that only the “adoptable” pets find homes. What that means is that only the animals that have a good demeanor and are in excellent health are spared and put up for adoption. They are fully tested medically, treated as needed, and transferred from the shelter into volunteer foster homes, so these animals are living in homes while up for adoption, where their behavior is known to be excellent. When there are not enough foster homes, then some of the animals have to remain at the shelter, but are still sponsored by the Humane Society.
I’m sorry to say that the rest of the animals at the shelter are humanely euthanized (sadly, not all shelters do this in a humane way). Please realize that ‘some’ shelters are very aware regarding which animals make the best pets and take action accordingly. So, the pets that are up for adoption are problem-free. What I find so disturbing about this piece of writing, as well as the argumentative posts that resulted, is that it will discourage the adoption of so many wonderful animals. Just because some of you have had bad experiences with obviously bad shelters that does not mean this is always the case. PLEASE do not discourage the adoption of shelter animals, particularly cats, who do not pose the danger that temperamental dogs do, and are homeless in much higher numbers. But I do think that caution is advised, and everyone needs to investigate the standards of shelter they are dealing with.
First off, I am one of the biggest advocates for adopting dogs from a shelter/ASPCA you will EVER meet. I think that adopting a dog, or cat for that matter, from a shelter is almost always not the cause of the animals’ behavioral issues. A dog from a breeder can have the same problems as a shelter dog. There are just so many more reasons to adopt from a shelter. Not only is it much more gratifying, but it is the moral choice. The reason I would adopt from a breeder is if I wanted a show dog, but I don’t, because I don’t show dogs. Also, shelter dogs are significantly cheaper than breeder dogs. I also find it extremely sad, worrisome, and horrible that some people adopt their pets from a breeder just for the social status. This goes on a lot where I live, and people just come up with many worthless excuses on why breeder dogs are so much better than shelter dogs, but none of that affects what I stand for. Growing up, I had both breeder and shelter dogs and cats. My stepfather only adopted dogs from breeders. My dad, on the other hand, was all for rescuing pets. So was my mother, but my stepdad only bought breeder dogs. I noticed that both types of dogs were very loving. The major difference was that the shelter animals I got seemed to be much more thankful. It’s hard to explain how an animal communicates to you that it’s thankful. But when it looks at you with its big, round eyes, you can just hear it saying “Thank you!” The breeder animals never seemed to love you this much. And if you’ve never experienced the love of a shelter dog because you’ve either been brainwashed in to breeder dogs or you are just “too good” to adopt from a shelter, you wouldn’t know this love. Not that you really wanted it anyway, since you adopt from breeders. Also, some people really want purebreds. And I understand that the ASPCA doesn’t have purebreds. Many times, they actually give the purebreds to purebred rescues because they want to keep the rarer dogs around to be adopted. And if you want a purebred, why not go to a purebred rescue. Not only is it cheaper and the better thing to do, they also usually have puppies! But if you do think it’s a lot cooler and better to adopt from a breeder, go ahead. Adopt a dog that won’t love you as much as a shelter dog. Think what you want: but I don’t look up to people that adopt from breeders at all. I don’t think that this gives them a higher social status at all, either. I think of people that rescue their dogs as more loving, kind, warmhearted people. And then there’s the people that think that shelter dogs get bad traits from their (not always!) feral/not-pet-material parents and are likely to attack. Yes, they do get some traits from their parents, but if dogs are worked with and socialized well, they can make great pets. And the dogs just won’t attack in the middle of the night for no reason. Even if they were abused. Shelters take extensive time making sure that each and every pet is suitable for adoption – breeders don’t. And even though you may think that since the parents are good, the puppies will be, that’s not always right. Puppies have their own personalities. They might inherit some traits from their parents, but not dog has all good traits. The puppies might inherit all good traits or all bad. Shelters take the time to figure this out, breeders don’t. No dog is al bad – but sometimes you just can’t get the dog to the point that it’s adoptable, and that’s when shelters step in and humanely euthanize the dog. Shelters will NEVER, and I mean NEVER put a dog up for adoption without doing a series of extensive and thorough tests. They figure out the perfect situation for the animal to live in. With or without small children? Should there be another animal to keep the dog company? Does there need to be a large backyard? Breeders almost never check to see that scenario the dog should live in. The ASPCA and other shelters and rescues are firm about it being wrong and extremely dangerous to let a cat outside unless it’s on a leash or in an enclosure. Breeders usually don’t care. If the person pays up, no matter how convincing they may seem, they care less about the animal’s well-being and more about their business, most of the time. Also, a large majority of breeders are BYB (Backyard Breeder) puppy mills. These dogs are just thrown together in inhuman situations so that they can produce massive amounts of offspring. Cats are sometimes left in a cage with little room until they die. The feline breeding process is painful and dangerous, and without careful planning, it can be very inhumane.
I seriously don’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to adopt from a breeder just because they’ve heard one or two cases of a shelter pet gone wrong. Who’s to say that a breeder dog won’t do the same. A lot of times, it’s the owner to blame. SO in the end, why not do a good thing. To be honest, I could never live with myself if I adopted a poorly bred dog rather than a dog who’s live could have been saved but wasn’t. So, do the right thing. Adopt a needy pet from a shelter rescue, or someone who can’t take care of it. And save a life.
I bet you dont even know the breed of your dogs:) last spca dog I owned was a train wreck who snapped at me when I walked infront of it. Doesnt sound very greatfull to me…bought a pure saint bernsrd, and hes been the best dog I have ever owned. And I bought him from a horrible back yard breeder. The way they cared for their dogs like family, and new all info on em, gosh talk about terrible people!;)
Nina,
You obviously resent and feel superior to anyone who adopts a pet from a breeder. Its very clear that you have not done your homework, other wise you would know that a REPUTABLE breeder will require not only that you are responsible but also willing to adopt the pet with the intention of caring for it for its entire life. Only a backyard breeder would give an animal to someone no questions asked. When I adopted my cat from a breeder last year, I was required to supply vet history of the other animals I own, as well as references. I also had to sign a contract that the kitten would be neutered when his weight was sufficient, and that I would never allow him out of the house. She refused to allow him to leave until he was at least 12 weeks old to insure proper socialization (shelters give kittens away at 6-8 weeks) She interviewed me on the phone and had some tough questions. I don’t know of any shelters that go farther than to require a contract stating you will call them if you are no longer able to keep the animal, in which case (I know this from experience) the shelter suddenly is “unable to help at that time”. I have approached dog breeders that refused to allow me to adopt a dog because I was renting a house at the time, and would only adopt puppies to home owners whose yards had passed a personal fence inspection. You cannot tell me that a shelter would even care where you lived, or what kind of environment you are bringing the animal to. They are overwhelmed with unwanted animals and will try to get rid of them any way they can, as quickly as they can. To say that a purebred animal cannot love as much is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Animals have no capacity to know whether or not they are purebred. Perhaps the purebred dogs you were around, were of a breed that is not affectionate in the first place. My purebred cat is absolutely the most loving and devoted cat I have ever owned. The second most affectionate would have been the cat I had as a child who happened to be the same breed. Shelter cats and dogs I have had, besides two, have all ranged anywhere from indifferent to downright mean. The cost of adoption fees to shelters plus subsequent vet bills to cover the illnesses that all shelter animals seem to come standard with (also known from experience), is equal to or even higher than what a purebred animal would cost. I have never bragged to anyone about my cat being bred vs. adopted. Looking at him, most people at first think he’s just a cat, only a few ask if he is a certain breed after studying him for a while. At that point I tell them what breed, but go no further that that unless they continue to ask. I wanted to insure that I got a healthy animal, that I would be sure would have a sweet demeanor and friendly attitude, that is why I went to a reputable breeder, NOT so I can have a status symbol. I will never again fall victim to the shelters attitude of “getting rid” of their animals ASAP.
Sorry, you had a bad experience with shelters and I’m glad you’re happy with your pets but, as for your view that ‘all shelters just want to get rid of animals as quickly as possible and don’t care if you have a problem’ I’m afraid you are ignorent. I have volunteered at 2 no-kill shelters here in IL and ALL of them not only vet potential adoptees thoroughly, including calling vets, landlords and references but also make the committment to take the animal back if, for ANY reason, the person no longer can or wants to care for the pet. And, yes, they actually do take them back, sometimes years later. Many ‘reputable’ breeders do not make that committment. I’m not saying you didn’t have bad experiences – I can only take you at your word – but so do many people who buy from breeders. As a child we adopted a German Shephard from a ‘reputable’ breeder and she turned out to have the dreaded hip dysplacia and ended up crippled by age 7 and also had fear-biting issues. My friend’s parents adopted a Rotteweiler from a very well known breeder about 2 years ago and yes, he was beautiful and was even shown, but turned out to have a heart problem. If you truly love animals you should educate yourself before spouting off your ridiculous views. Yes, there are shelter animals that have problems just as there are animals that have been adopted from breeders that have problems (in fact, certain health and behaviour issues actually arise from the very fact of an animal being purebred – google hybrid vigor if you don’t believe me.) I admit I think it’s a bit silly to adopt a pet from a breeder – it’s a cat or a dog for goodness sake not a Mercedes! – but to each his or her own. But do not try and ruin the chances of the many wonderful animals sitting in shelters – honestly, where does such hatred come from in a supposed animal lover? Since I grew up I have only adopted adult animals from the shelters where I volunteer (which gives me time to get to know them as well) and I couldn’t be happier with them! Please each learn what you are talking about or keep your ignorence to yourself!
I have a couple of issues with certain posts. Yes, i agree that if you abosolutely must have a specific breed than go to a reputable breeder who ensures a safe adoption process. What I don’t agree with is the belief, and many others, that most shelter animals are sickly and shelters just care about getting rid of them. I have volunteered with many shelters, known a few breeders, adopted my pets from shelters and rescue organizations and worked at a boarding kennel for 3 years that had mixed/ purebreed adopted dogs and bought dogs. Also their is a difference between adopting from a government run animal shelter/pound and a non-profit animal rescue group. RESCUE Groups in fact have very strict rules for adopting and will not adopt out unless they visit your home first, interview you, and request you to provide vet information, etc. Governement run shelters often are sadly not as strict but recieve little funding and are often overrun with animals. Although they do actively work with rescue groups and non-kill humane societies to give them to their groups where they can more effectively get adoptable dogs out so their is more room and time for other animals. They do require the animal to go to a vet and get vaccinated by LAW too before they give them to you. Breeder pups can have just as many health problems/ behavorial issues, if not more because of things like inbreeding, specific breed health issues, and some end up into the shelters and rescue groups because of it!!!! So the animals in shelters can also be purebreds from a breeder too. When I worked a kennel I saw no difference between purebreed and adopted dogs demeaners. Actually the mixed breeds did in fact seem to live longer and behave a lot more calmer than some of the purebreed dogs. Purebred rescues I think are a good option too for getting a specific breed you want. Anyway here are some points:
-Mixed breeds are in fact proven to live longer and with less health issues because they are not so predisposed to the health problems a purebred dog with little genetic variation can have. (i.e. german shepards w/ hip issues, cocker spaniels w/ eye problems)
- 25% of dogs and cats in shelters and rescues are in fact purebred dogs
-the billions of dollars that it costs taxpayers to pay to care for shelter dogs and pounds that could be reduced if people spayed/neutered ( sadly i dont realize the economic reasoning about mass producing breeder dogs when it just adds to the problem of overrun shelters and costs people more money)
-could you imagine the amount of money spent on breeder puppies that could go into rescueing animals or another good cause?! you could bring about a lot of change.
-A lot of dogs demeaners are based on that specific breed or personaility or history of that dog, not where it came from. Mean, unhealthy, disobedient dogs come from both breeders and shelters, its up to the owner to be responsible and deal with it.
-If YOU take the choice (moral one in my opinion) and do adopt and save a life it is your responsibility (like adopting a child) to deal w/ anything that comes with that animal. Do not just drop them on someone else and if you absolutely cannot keep the dog or cat, give it to a no-kill rescue group or humane society.
-A lot of wonderful dogs do come from shelters, in fact many dog trainers for movies get their dogs from shelters because of their great attitudes towards life and willingness to learn.
-Hate the widely-held belief that all dogs, i.e. pit bulls, are bad dogs, its the owner not the dog that creates bad dogs. Have seen many sweet as anything pitbulls and watched rehabilitated fighting pit bulls be adopted out to loving homes.
-Instead of the getting a puppy why not adopt an older dog who can come already trained and out of the puppy phase. I adopted my cocker spaniel from a pound when she was 10 and she has still been with me for 5 years with no health problems at all.
-Some humane societies and shelters offer training classes and behavioral counseling for pets in their care. Also, some pets have already been trained by their previous owners.
Bottom line is until you have all the facts and worked for a pound, volunteered with shelters, met trainers and breeders, adopted, known adopted and bred dogs, you cant make an informed and well thought out position on this issue.
I have been an animal owner and lover all my life. Grew up in a family of well loved and cared for pets of all sorts of types. After we moved into our home, we started thinking about a dog. We had 4 indoor, fixed cats. We have done a lot of dog sitting and have a good idea what a dog would mean in our lives. we are not rash people. We think things threw and try to be objective about our choices. We passed on several dogs offered to us, too large, over aggressive males, not tempermented for our house hold. That brings us to the dog we got from a rescue group last week. It came to them very ill with heartworms and has had a seasoned foster person take care of him while he got through the very tough treatment. Our first test was this past weekend. There has been countless chats with the rescue group concerning the dogs temperment with cats. We were constently reassured that the dog was cat friendly and all would be well. Our first night with the dog, he attached one of our cats and killed it.
I asked someone from the rescue group to come and get him. I can not blame the dog, and we took all do precausion. Kept the dog and cats seperated, kep the dog on a lead. But one of the cats got into our bedroom were we had shut the dog for the night. I have never gone through anything quite like this before in my life. And the total fear in the cats eyes when I was able to make the dog drop her was like nothing I have ever seen before.
As much as I want to be helpful the simple truth is I can no longer trust what the rescue tells me about a temperment for the dog. It has been a very bitter lesson to learn.
Out of our desire to help a dog that needs help, we have now lost a dear pet. Our total world has been shaky this past week. How can anyone be certain the information they get from a shelter or a rescue group is indeed the actual temperment of any dog received? I just do not know. WE crossed every T, dotted every I and thought we had covered all the basis. It is sad. This dog has gone back to the orginally care takers home, who has decided to keep him. With 2 small children under the age of 4, I hope this is not a foolish move for her. Just wanted to sahre another side of this shelter adoption issues.
Oh, Renee! How horrible! That’s just absolutely awful for you and your family. As a woman to whom her pets are children I can only imagine how you’ve grieved over the poor cat.
You are not the first person from whom I’ve heard such a story. You are the first person who has had a cat killed that I’ve heard, but far from the first to have been lied to about a rescue’s disposition and then injured by it. Since posting this I’ve gotten emails from people who have been bitten, had their children bitten and lost entire rooms’ worth of furniture to a dog the shelter SWORE was “good with kids” or “good with pets” or “a family dog”.
Our local pet store hosts adoption fairs every Sunday from 2-6pm. (That’s where we adopted Gobie last May.) For years they brought in a team from the animal shelter of a neighbouring county. All of a sudden they stopped showing up. Then an independent rescue group–Kimber’s Kritters–began handling the adoption fairs.
The story I’ve heard, which is part rumour and part verified fact, is that the County Pound which had been doing the adoption fair had lied so many times about a dog’s disposition that they ended up with so many returns either the pet store or the shelter itself realised it was a waste of time.
We went several times when the County Pound was doing the rescues. I saw them lie about breed provenance to people (saying a dog was a purebred when it was quite obviously not), I saw them repeatedly assure that an animal kept in a cage away from the other dogs in the X-Pen display was “good with pets.” (If it’s good with pets, why can’t it be with all those doggies in the play area now?) They lied to us about a dog which we had to give back when it attacked our other dogs.
So, yeah. You are far from alone. So many rescue groups are so eager to place that they will tell what to them are “white lies”, without thinking of the consequences.
Agreed!! But I think your title should be more to the idea of your writing, something like”Don’t bite off more than you can chew with the discount dog at the shelter” or something of that nature. I have a purebred dog from a breeder and I also foster dogs from a local rescue group, so I understand both aspects of it. I think if you are looking for a specific type of dog or want to adapt a dog to specific behaviours it is wise to go with a breeder (make sure they are a reputable breeder, not a pet store, or a puppy mill because many of those dogs have underlying issues as well) But if you are a true dog lover and would like an addition to your family and you would like to save the life or a dog that has been through a lot in its life then go with a shelter dog, but be aware that they come with a LOT or a little baggage and you just never know what you are going to get.
This should have been better thought out. You are missing a lot of the points on what shelters actually do to allow people to adopt from them. Anyone planning to adopt or buy a pet from anywhere or anyone should first consider what they can or can not handle in raising a pet. This should not be targeted only towards shelter animals but all in general. This issue is usually because of the owners themselves not being aware of what to expect.
I don’t even know where to begin with this. Horrifying, irresponsible, disgusting… I challenge you to volunteer at the pound – just one day a week for a month and get back to us. Watch as sweet, well behaved and even, dare I say, purebred dogs die over and over again. And what are you doing? Encouraging people to not save them.
FYI – my family has owned several dogs. All were rescues but some of these rescues came from so-called “respectable breeders”. I can assure you that they were not remotely the best behaved or easiest of the dogs and I laugh at the notion that dogs from a breeder means good behavior. My current dog is a rescued Great Pyrenees, and we routinely get questions on who trains her. Our truthful reply is that she was always exceptionally well behaved and she has never been to an obedience class in her life. But apparently, she should have died and we should have bought from some breeder looking to make a buck. Your advice is about as ridiculous as morons who say “if you live in an apartment you need to get a small dog.” Ordinarily, I don’t respond to nonsense on the internet but your ignorance may actually cost lives.
I’m so glad to have been the catalyst that caused you to bestir yourself to action. Now don’t you feel better for having dressed me down?
I stand by what I said. If my words “cost lives” I’d be quite surprised indeed.
One last point – with regards to your “clarification” I will note that a person who gets a shelter dog and treats them cruelly should not have gotten a breeder dog. Rather, that person should not own a dog at all and likely not have kids either. I can assure you that plenty of people buy breeder dogs and treat them cruelly as well.
I have a 6 month year old puppy AND kitten I adopted saved 4 months ago.
Did I know what I was in for? Not at all.
Do I regret it or think it’s a bad idea? NOT AT ALL.
I can agree with your post on how expensive it is, but thats what it’s like for all animals.
But spending money on an animal is ESSENTIAL, no matter how big or small.
)
(Just ask my friend who spends hundreds of dollars a month on his fish tank
Both my animals have veterinarian plans, and each animal goes in at least once a month.
I don’t think that has anything to do with shelter animals. The veterinarian care my puppy and kitten have are essential for even the pure breed animals out there.
I STRONGLY believe if you are to adopt an animal you MUST go to the shelter. There are too many dogs that are trapped in cages which could use ANY home, no matter how big or small.
I remember I went to the shelter looking for a cat and I saw all these small puppies barking and looking at me. After going up to all of them and saying hello I noticed a empty crate in the corner of the room.
I went to investigate and noticed the cage wasn’t empty at all. There was a small puppy in the back of the cage with it’s back pushed up against the wall. She had her tail behind her legs and gave out a soft growl.
The worker there asked if I wanted to pet the puppy and I said yes. Once the cage opened the puppy slowly crept forwards, and after a few minutes the puppy licked my face and then ran back into the corner of the cage.
That day I drove home with a kitten and a puppy. Both of them are incredibly happy, friendly and amazing.
I cannot tell how good I feel rescuing two animals who just needed to be cleaned up a bit and a nice warm place to sleep.
As for treating a dog cruelly, I cannot imaging a cruel person even going out of their way to adopt a dog at the shelter… That logic doesn’t make much sense to me.
Finally, some has the guts to say this! The fact of the matter is ALOT of planning and preperation needs to go into getting a new animal, ANY animal, especially dogs. I hate these stories of people with NO dog experience just pickup some cute or live able looking animal at the shelter and have no idea how to deal with it, as if they’re just going to wing
Finally, some has the guts to say this! The fact of the matter is ALOT of planning and preperation needs to go into getting a new animal, ANY animal, especially dogs. I hate these stories of people with NO dog experience just pickup some cute or live able looking animal at the shelter and have no idea how to deal with it, as if they’re just going to wing-it. All dogs need training from potty training a puppy to teaching an older dog to respect boundaries, when a new dog comes into your home you’re going to have to train it whether it’s an award winning obiendence show dog to a stray, you will have to train that dog the new rules of your house. We have an Australian Shepered who we let on the furniture becausewe have crappy furniture and he understands he can as long as no destruction happens, but some people don’t want their dog to do that at all. People need to realize that they are going to have to train this dog because shelters just don’t have the time to work with these animals to the extent that they deserve, in fact it’s harder training shelter dogs because they’re older and have usually picked up bad habits ( like most dogs do when they’re older), if a person actually has the ability, time and patience to work with that dog I’ve seen more shelter dogs who are the perfect family dogs because the appreciate it more! But again people who’ve never had a dog should NOT go to a shelter and pick out some random dog because they won’t be able to work with them (useless of course they’re willing to learn and attend classes with the dogs) but most people I’ve met just assume that it’ll all work out.
Another fault with shelter dogs is the lack of background or general history of the dog. It’s nice when shelters determine if a dog is good with kids (young or older), cats, other dogs, but most don’t! You could be bringing a dog into your young family that hates children and a bite can disfigure, severely injure, and even kill a young child! People don’t want to say this, but a dog’s or cat’s breed plays a HUGE part in how that dog acts! If you get a beagle they’re notoriously hard to train so you have to tailor your trainning program to fit in their needs, our dog is an Australian Shepered and while he isn’t as high-energy as most I can only work on one command at a time with him. I’ve also had to change my usual reward system with him, like most australian sheperds he’s more owner oriented than other dog oriented, it makes him happy to please me so instead of treats I reward with attention. Though with shelter dogs most of the time the only genetic history is listed as ‘mixed’… Mixed with what? A Rottweiler/Pitt is going to be trainned ALOT different than a Lab/St. Bernard mix!
I completely agree with the author one of the most rewarding things is giving a good dog a second chance at a loving forever home, but people also need to be aware of the risks involved and the extra time and sadly most people don’t… Even a good dog can go bad with an ignorant or just a generally ill-equipped owner and the swear campaigns against reputable breeders some really stop because people deserve choices whether it’s taking a risk with a shelter dog or taking a smaller risk with a breeder (which people should still do they’re research on BEFORE purchasing a dog from them, because some breeders are just bad news) they should be able to decide what’s best for they’re own family!
We just adopted an adult rescue Shih Tzu from an organization that saves would-be dogs from overcrowded high kill shelters in Bowling Green,Ky. I miss our beloved Pekingese so much that I wanted to love another dog the same way as her. But now I think it was a descision made because I pitied her more than I wanted her. Our previous pet was loved because she loved us back so much. The feelings were mutual and automatic. Now I want to help our new dog mostly because of how rough her past was and trying to make it better for her future. I wonder if her whole life ahead will be thought more out of pity love vs real , honest love? Is there a difference, I hope not. In certain cases, the idea of being shuffled off from rescue center to foster home to one adopted family’s routine, back to rescue center to another possible home’s different routine only lengthens the time the dog will ever find true happiness. Its possible some fears and anxiety will be there for life no matter how much time and money and good intentions are spent on re-training its new life. I don’t know? On paper it’s the best descision in the world, but in real life, I wonder how much stresses the dog actually go through before they find their true home. I think its awesome to see older pets getting adopted, but when a no kill policy for a half blind, 3 legged, partially deaf 14year old dog is used, I wonder what quality of life will the dog endure until it’s time is done just for the sake of keeping it going. This is our first recue dog and she’s been here 1 week today. Maybe as time goes by she will be the dog I hoped she would be. I will try my best, but I’m finding out its different than I dreamed. I thought I would never get another dog after our Pekingese, how could I ever replace my fur baby and the love of my life? She could not have been loved by me anymore than she was, and she will be buried with me when I go. But I did get another dog and now I have to adjust. With overcrowding at shelters now, I do not know how they deal with it on a daily basis. I did my part and I hope others will know its harder than I thought it might be. But I pray in the end it will be worth it.
FWIW, the first two weeks with my rescue Schipperke were the roughest. He was sweet as the dickens but obviously not used to our routine and to our older American Eskimo. He had been passed around from shelter to foster home to shelter to foster home (5 different places in 3 months) so he didn’t get that our place was “home” for _several months_. But eventually he did fit in and our family reshaped itself around him.
I find that it does take more time than with a puppy from a breeder who goes straight from the momma’s milk to adopted mama’s arms. But it eventually sorts itself out, if you have the time, patience and finances to deal with it.
We’ve had Gobie for 18 months now and all is as well as it can ever be with a schipperke
i adopted a nice common full blooded lab from a shelter who had a prefect personality i was told and so it seemed. till a month later he almost killed my 5 year old talking half her cheek off. no he wasn’t provoked your really have no idea what background your bringing into your family.
I completely disagree with you. Perfect little purebred dogs wind up in shelters ALL the time. It may be for reasons as simply as the dog strayed from home and was never claimed or the owner changed his mind. It does not mean the dog has a host of problems. That is myth that shelters work SO hard to change and you are perpetuating it. Yes, there are dogs who come to shelters and have problems. They might not be a good choice for a first time owner but neither is every dog from a breeder. I volunteer at a shelter 3 times a week. I see purebred dogs come in, designer dogs, crosses and mutts. I’d say 7 out of 10 dogs would be fine for adoption by a novice owner.
As far as health goes, check your facts before you adopt. Adopt from a shelter that has a vet on staff or a vet that visits weekly. Adopt from a shelter that vaccinates dogs up front and includes spay/neuter as part of the adoption process. Ask the pet’s medical history. A good shelter will be upfront and welcome your questions.
Your post really disappoints me but you have so little faith in people who chose to adopt dogs and the dogs themselves. Dogs are not like humans. They do not live in the past and they easily forgive. Death is not a better option. These dogs need a CHANCE at life before people like you write them off.
The whole point is that if you are cheap and only spend a few bucks you are more likely to kick them in the butt and say goodbye! If you buy them for thousands of dollars you probably are going to put some thought in it. Unlike how much thought you put into your post. Your faith in people really makes me disgusted. People do all kinds of evil things to each other! Would they really stop at hurting dogs? Come on. You think living is the best thing in the world, but it’s not. Sometimes putting an animal to sleep is better then letting them suffer. Also she did adopt a dog. So who the hell are you talking about when you said people like her write them off? FUCK YOU
It saddens me how selfish and ignorant human beings can be. Someone would actually write an article trying to keep people from adopting from a shelter while millions die every year. Some days I feel ashamed to even be a human.
Why would any DECENT human being want to contribute to their deaths by steering people AWAY from an animal shelter? Why would you want to contribute to puppy mills by doing this also? Why would you want to support these horrible back yard breeders as well? Animals are LIVING BEINGS and disgusting humans just keep creating them so they can make a few dollars while millions are being killed. Why would you support this?
I have been a professional pet sitter for 16 years. I have taken care of thousands of dogs and I can say without a DOUBT that the most problematic dogs and cats are purebred from breeders and puppy mills. More health problems, more behavioral problems, etc. I have seen people spend $2500 on a dog and then spend another $5000 on training and the dog never improves. This can happen NO MATTER WHERE the dog comes from.
Please stop viewing animals as just being “property” that you purchase like stereo equipment or something. “The speakers rattled and the volume never worked right on this stereo, so don’t buy from Best Buy!!!” The same rattling stereo could have been purchased from another store, so blame the manufacturer, not the place where you purchased it. The stereo was created this way and it can’t help it. It was made by humans who did a poor job…..just like most “bad” dogs.
The reading comprehension skills–or lack thereof–boggles.
Pardon the brevity and the typos. This was sent from my iPhone.
I really wish we could put people like you to sleep. I really really do. I just hate you. I just wish you were dead. READ THE FUCKING ARTICLE
The ignorance of this blogger boggles.
UPDATE: It has been over 3 weeks now since our adopted 5 yr. old female rescue Shih Tzu came to her forever home here and I’m seeing her real personality come out, and I’m very happy with her progress. I don’t know how she ended up in rescue or what life she had before, but all I know is how happy I feel knowing she is safe and enjoying treats and long walks with me and barking at squirrels in our trees with her tail always wagging. She is becoming aquainted with our routines quite well and knows in what rooms are her dog beds or old pillow she knows is her’s to rest on. I had to put myself in her “paws” and see our house from her perspective, all new and different and be patient until she felt comfortable here. I feel she is peaceful here now and am very thankful to the rescue group who saved a life and gave us another furry family member to love and enjoy. There are still some minor issues like a slight fear of men and loud noises like trucks, but we are working on them daily and I can see more positive changes coming in the months ahead. She only ever wanted to be a happy dog, and I’m trying to make her life better than ever, which is making me happy too. So far it’s a win-win. Adopt today, be happy tomorrow (if not in a couple weeks anyway).
To Erin,
I agree with what you say except for the first three statements that are false. You probably saw them on HSUS web site or PeTA but they are false. Your first statement is incorrect and as a geneticist I know the research
“Mixed breeds are in fact proven to live longer and with less health issues because they are not so predisposed to the health problems a purebred dog with little genetic variation can have.”
Research shows every mixed bred dog has a much higher chance of getting a genetic disease since no one is controlling their breeding. The number of possible genetic issues for mixed breeds is 109 documented that are severe enough to cause health problems. The number of genetic issues among purebred dogs due to the diligence of responsible breeders is between 3 and 10 depending upon the breed. Considering that every living thing has 30 or more genetic errors that nature builds in this is indeed remarkable for the purebred dog. That is less than occurs in the human population and far less than a mixed breed. Now before you start to castigate me let me say it is a matter of chance for all dogs mixed breed or purebred as to what their parents hold just as it is for humans. But just like human beings who get tested and know what problems await their children responsible breeders test their stock and try to avoid the problem as much as is humanly possible with what is known about genetic issues today.
Statement 2 is incorrect. ” 25% of dogs and cats in shelters and rescues are in fact purebred dogs ” The latest report is that we have moved the number of adoptable shelter animals down to 2.7 million. There is no research to determine the number of purebreds in a shelter except that put out by PeTA or HSUS for propaganda purposes. Why, because shelter volunteers are notorious for not recognizing purebreds. That research is on record.
Statement 3 is misdirected.” -the billions of dollars that it costs taxpayers to pay to care for shelter dogs and pounds that could be reduced if people spayed/neutered ( sadly i dont realize the economic reasoning about mass producing breeder dogs when it just adds to the problem of overrun shelters and costs people more money)” Responsible breeders never allow their dogs to be put in a shelter. They require the dog to be returned and their contracts forbid such actions. It is the careless owner of mixedbreeds that allow them to run free creating more puppies. Right now the number of available pets shelter or purebred is down all across the country. Why, because the animal rights people do not want you to own a pet at all. They have enacted laws that demand mandatory spay and neuter which increases the problem. How research shows that people hide their pets to avoid paying for expensive surgery and if they get caught they just let the pet go thus increasing the number of pets in a shelter. Educating people to voluntary spay and neuter works only if you also have low cost or no cost spay and neuter clinics for the poor who are the ones who primarily allow their pets to roam free intact.
This mandatory idea spay and neuter everything in sight is why the problem shelter pets has not been solved everywhere. In those cities that enact voluntary spay and neuter and education you get compliance. When you offer services for licensing such as returning a lost pet home you get 100 percent compliance and these cities have less than 10-20 dogs in their shelters in a year.
I agree with your other statements, but please don’t keep spreading that the mixed breed dog is healthier. Why, because when people adopt they need to know the truth otherwise they will never adopt again. They should be fully informed and if we shelter and rescue people were as open about our shelter pets as responsible breeders are then 47% of all dogs adopted being returned would stop. If we are not honest about the faults that shelter dogs have then we set their adopting family up for failure and we lose out when this family goes to look for their next family pet.
I need to chime in. I am very very heartbroken,from the effects left from
the pound dog I got. I was greiving over a long life with a mixed dog,whom
was quite ill. I felt it may be healthy for me to “adopt” and chose a
dog,small with good personality. 2 1/2 yrs,neurted male. He came from
a home. WELL? 3 days later,I was doing my VET CHECK,remember i spent
3 yrs nursing my other old senior dog,so i was a good owner, THE DOG HAD
PARVO within 1 week,almost died,was underweight. he then TRIED TO RUN
pissed /crapped all over my house. he did not bond with me. I WENT TO HELL
and back being home 24 hrs to rehab him He did not like men, did not
walk leash,i trained every day,i did “the dog whisper” tech. ok…so i was very
kind,and carefully followed rules how to allow. 6 months into this,he got
SICK every 2 weeks, ( stomach ailment ) I was like?? wtf? i fed him
home=made food, he had HORRIBLE allergies, ( i gave him meds) so
here we go..I AM BACK TO NURSING what should be a 2 yr young dog
and TOTALLY STRESSED OUT…so handing him pepto,and diarrea meds
became a cycle monthly. My BF who noticed “why does he ALWAYS seem
to wanna run away…not at peace..always barking ( sep anxiety)
I did every f*** monther teresa thing ( remember i just grieved my other dog)
and HE went to a park,turn around, looked straight at me,ran up the hill
( i was calling him) ran headon into a slow moving ( 5 miles a hour) truck
$800.00 later I am in a ER ROOM with a dying dog.
THANKS A LOT…i am in total friggin overload in crisis trying not to
relive my last love….I GAVE LOVE,I POURED OVER MY CARE..AND
I TRAINED HIM EVERY DAY 24 HRS
I FEEL F**** OVER…I FEEL abused…to be honest.
SO YEAH be aware..your $75 dollar animal is not for the faint of
heart. YOUR ARTICLE IS AWESOME…I love myself…i felt loss of
the guilt…i stopped blaming myself..you gave me dignity and I RESPECT
you …for having the guts to tell the truth.
I haven’t read every single comment, but what I take from the poster of origin is that she is saying, if you can commit to a dog for life regardless of it’s issues, then don’t get a dog. I would agree with her.
I have found that the issue at hand is when the dog was first born, and it got it’s first home. All puppies are a clean slate, so to speak; however, breed and temperament do come into play and can ‘influence’ how a dog will turn out. IN other words, dogs with better/good temperament will fair better IF raised correctly. The problem is that many people do not consider temperament, nor do they know anything about the dogs’ temperament or how to evaluate the dog’s temperament.
Now, on the other hand, even a dog with good temperament will turn out bad if it isn’t raised properly. Too many people get puppies and don’t train them or commit to them. If a person ends up with a bad dog, it’s 99 percent of the time their own fault! Then what happens is that they no longer want the unmanageable dog and off to the shelter it goes, especially at the first sign of trouble. It’s a good thing people can’t drop their kids off like that after messing them up, or we’d have shelters full of children.
So, now we have this messed up dog in the shelter, and someone adopts it who is not willing to commit to it. One should be prepared to expect that a shelter dog is likely to have problems. It doesn’t mean all of them will. Unfortunately, the shelter will adopt out to anyone, or at least the majority of them will. So, now we have the same problem all over again! Irresponsible people who are not willing to commit getting a dog. There are far too many people like that.
I have found that the majority of shelter animals, that I have dealt with, were more likely to have problems if they were owner surrenders, as most people will take the time to find a home for their pet and not give it to a shelter. Or they will locate a rescue. But they would NEVER give the dog up to a shelter!
A good rescue evaluates a shelter dog first, then it is placed into a foster home. An application, home check and vet check are required for adoption, and then applicant is vigorously screened. Not just anyone can adopt the dog. Some will apply for a certain dog and although they have been approved, if the ‘good’ rescue does not feel that the dog is a good match for them, they will not adopt that particular dog out to them. They will ask them to look at the other dogs that they feel are more suited for that person. Not ALL rescues are GOOD rescues!
I have had my share of problem dogs that I got from people who did not raise them right and were not committed to them. Once I took them, they were my dog no matter what! After having taken in many of these dogs, I decided to try a puppy. After raising a puppy, I found it to be SO much easier, because I didn’t have to try and undo the mess that someone else made of the dog. It was less work for me to do it all, than to spend years working on the behavioral problems of the other dogs. I did successfully break the other dogs, but it took years to do it. I don’t regret taking in those other animals but now I prefer to just get a puppy, since I find it to be less work.
I now work with a very reputable nationwide rescue in providing a foster home to the shelter dogs and owner surrenders. And a few days ago, I went on my own and did a shelter rescue. So far, this dog has turned out to be a gem. She was a stray (one of my requirements). She is 1-2 years old and was already spayed. She has had training! She was someone’s pet and well cared for. I have no idea why she wasn’t claimed.
So, if one is not going to commit, don’t get ANY animal. In addition, to not expect a ‘used’ animal to be problem free.
It is true that shelters are pretty much the walmart of dogs. I adopted a pitbull from a shelter, and they lied about absolutly everything! When we returned him, we saw his description, and it was opposite of what we told them! He was extremely restless, and they said that he knows when its naptime and isnt very active. Shelters lie about the history of the dog, and I have decided to only buy purebread pups. I, happen to want to know the breed, health history, and temperment history of my dog.
There are many comments from animal lovers that addressed Katherine’s comment. I do believe her intentions were good and her comments were not meant to hurtful. It read to me as if she was trying to create an awareness before adopting a pet.
I have worked with dogs for twenty years, I have seen a lot. I study canine psychology, anatomy and physiology. I am also internationally certified in Canine Massage Therapy. But that does not make me an expert in the field of adopting shelter animals.
The one thing that I have learned over the years of being involved with animals is, many people bring animals into their lives for the wrong reasons, or at the wrong time. Owning a pet is a big responsibility to everyone in the household and especially to the person who made that decision. It is expensive to own a pet.
Yes you can find a wonderful pet at a shelter or rescue group. The problem I see with shelters/rescue groups they take on more animals then they can truly handle. AND thank god for some of them. Shelter/rescue can be an animals last chance. The goal is to find forever homes. The staff normally does not know much or anything about the animals they take onboard, therefore YOU do not know what type of behavior your dog comes with. This process can become costly to the shelters if the animal is returned. Some are returned due to behavior issues or the adopter honestly made a bad decision to adopt.
I will not say first time pet owners should start out with puppies, then you know what you’re getting–not true. Your pure breed or mix breed pup may come with some heredity (deadly) health issues unbeknownst to you. But if you are not wiling to raise a puppy, adopting a young adult dog or an older dog may result in an unhappy experience. Please do not blame the dog–blame the human for what dog has become. Again, Katherine makes a good point!
People who want to bring pets into their lives need to make sure they are ready and willing to give an animal everything it will need. Unwanted behavior can be costly and frustrating. If you adopt a dog with behavior issues seek out help (professional trainers, and I do not mean Pet Smart). Dogs can move on and start a new beginning with the right person. Give hope, not , UP.
Having an animal in your life is a wonderful experience. We need to open our mind before allowing our hearts to cloud judgement when looking for a dog/cat.
I have a wonderful Doberman that I am in awe with. He is extremely well behaved. I knew what kind of behavior I wanted in my dog and I have worked hard to get. He is a little over three and I still continue to work with him. I have learned so much from my dog by watching what the last three years of training has done for him. It is worth it!
I think Katherine’s heart was in the right place.
I believed I rescued a dog through an animal group however I was quite the naive consumer and was easily duped. Red flag #1: no history was offered and even though I asked repeatedly why this cute 6 month old Bichonpoo was there, my questions were evaded. But he was so cute I went with it. They chargedt me $375 to adopt! Thats not a “Walmart” dog everyone seems to be referring too as a quick and cheap adoption. Still, I wanted him. Flag#2 he wouldn’t look at me, respond or walk around with me, he just laid there cowering. I felt sorry for him so still adopted him. Red flag #3 once I got him home he tried to bite me when I tried to pet him. Not once but all the time. I could not pet nor hold him without him snarling or snapping at me. He had no bite inhibition. He had no idea what grass was or the concept of being walked on a leash and he walked funny, as though he had been locked up all the time (but remember I was told he was fostered in a loving home). He was smart and quickly picked up on the housebreaking lessons.
Still, he constantly nipped at me, grabbing me from behind or biting at my thighs, grabbed my forearm like an attack dog too. He roamed the house restlessly like a lion and never slept unless forced into nap time in his crate. I took him for lessons at Petsmart and he learned to sit, lay down and come. His behavior issues remained and he needed to compulsively new everything and anything, including himself despite the array of bones, kongs, ropes, frozen things etc at his disposal.
He was unpredictable and had to be watched at all times so I had to keep him on a tie with me or he would rip up carpet, pull down drapes, even tried to bite at the cable box. I took him into the bathroom with me while doing make up and he tried to rip the towels off the rack, pull down the shower curtain and attack the bath rug. Nothing calmed him. I even got him an anti-anxiety wrap.
I tried everything for him to calm down and act “normal.” I even took off a week and devoted every hour to him, walking, training, taking him on rides, to the dog park, nothing tired him and nothing calmed him. He still bit at me and even ripped through the forarm of my leather coats.
Adding up the adoption fee, the vet fees, lessons and destruction, this dog cost me quite a lot. I know have a little PTSD from his constantly trying to bite my arms, legs and face off. This dog was exhausting, mentally and financially. Finally, I had to accept after 5 months that I was giving more than I was getting back. I loved that dog and took time to find a new home for him with a family with 3 other dogs and a fenced in back yard. They think he needed a pack to help him socialize and learn boundaries, plus the back yard to run off all his energy. I hope so.
My story is buyer beware. I think this “rescue” group was a front for an animal broker. They were shady about his history and the cost was very high to adopt. Oh I failed to mention that when I went to register his microchip, his number was already active by a dog from the midwest! But wait, I adopted him in NJ and this chip had not been activated I was told. Hmmm, in hindsight, sounds a bit fishy. After all said and done, I think my dog was a puppy mill survivor with full blown behavioral and temperment issues, possibly from his environment but most likely a combination of that and inbreeding. I will not get a rescue or shelter dog again. I will either get a puppy I can raise myself from a reputable breeder like my last wonderful dog or from someone I know and trust who can no longer care for their pet. This was an expensive and very hurtful lesson and I am still without a pet.
By the way, just because you don’t buy from a pet store or breeder doesn’t mean the puppy mills won’t survive. If all the rescue groups scoop up the pets the puppy mills will continue to re-fill up the cages. And, then the puppy mill pets are still passed on to us indirectly. Its a viscious cycle.
Dogs should cost as much as a home and be treated better then your children. After all your children can leave home, but the dog is a living creature that is being owned by a human. If we saw dogs as precious as gold we’d never abuse them, sell them to just anyone with money, or leave them at shelters. All these things that animal lovers say just sound so hypocritical to me. If you really loved animals you wouldn’t own them at all. You don’t own things you love. So screw that. I get what you are saying and you are right.