Breeder or animal shelter? What did you choose?

[elrohwen]

I won''t be able to get a dog for at least another year or two, but I''ve already given a lot of thought to where I''ll get my dog from. I really want a specific breed (Brittany) and I''d love to find a good breeder and get a puppy. For whatever reason, I really want the chance to raise and train a puppy. I''d also like to try obedience and in the AKC you need a registered dog (though I know there are some other registries that take mutts and have obedience shows).

However, I''ve worked for multiple animal shelters and I''m a huge supporter of them, so I feel really bad that I don''t want to get a shelter dog as my first dog. I''m just afraid of getting a dog with a personality I''m not expecting and having trouble with it. Working in the shelters I''ve seen wonderful dogs, but also dogs with behavior issues that don''t show up until after they go to a new home. I''ve had dogs my whole life, but I want to get my feet wet with an "easy" dog (I know not all well bred dogs are easy, but I think their personalities are more predictable because they''ve been raised with all the advantages). I''d love to get shelter dogs later in life though, when I''m more confident in my abilties to work with different dogs.

So my question is, what made you get your dog (or cat!) from a breeder or a shelter? Anyone get a dog from a purebred rescue? Share your stories! All points of view are welcome! (oh, and of course pictures of adorable dogs and cats are always appreciated

)

 

[purselover]

Growing up I was only allowed to have dogs from breeders, now I have a formerly stray cat. I came across her abandoned in a box in the woods, really skinny and crying. I had to keep her, I couldn''t stand not knowing what would happen in a shelter, and ever since I would never go back to a breeder.

 

[princesss]

I''m a huge fan of shelters and rescues. Both of my cats are shelter kitties, and it was so thrilling to bring them home to my nice cozy apartment and show them that they''ve got a cozy, comfy forever home. It was incredibly exciting.

I would encourage you to check out breed-specific rescues, they generally have puppies they need to place.

 

[AmberGretchen]

If your main concern is issues that may surface in a home, you might consider either a breed-specific or any other rescue organization that fosters its dogs. These dogs will have lived in a home environment for some amount of time and so the information you get on their behavior in a real home environment is much more complete than dogs that come straight out of a shelter environment.

Also, puppies can be hugely challenging - up every couple of hours to let puppy out around the clock, lots of messes in the house, destructive when bored, vulnerable to devastating puppy illnesses (parvo, distemper), etc...

I don''t say these things to discourage you from going to a reputable breeder if you ultimately decide that is the best course for you, simply to provide another set of facts/information to consider when making your decision.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 11/24/2008 8:25:45 PM
Author: AmberGretchen
If your main concern is issues that may surface in a home, you might consider either a breed-specific or any other rescue organization that fosters its dogs. These dogs will have lived in a home environment for some amount of time and so the information you get on their behavior in a real home environment is much more complete than dogs that come straight out of a shelter environment.


Also, puppies can be hugely challenging - up every couple of hours to let puppy out around the clock, lots of messes in the house, destructive when bored, vulnerable to devastating puppy illnesses (parvo, distemper), etc...


I don''t say these things to discourage you from going to a reputable breeder if you ultimately decide that is the best course for you, simply to provide another set of facts/information to consider when making your decision.

Ditto. Both our dogs came as pups (not super young but under a year) from a breed specific rescue group and I couldn''t recommend that route highly enough.

 

[iheartscience]

I'm a shelter-only person, myself. There are just too many babies out there who need homes! I would check breed-specific rescue groups. You may be able to find a puppy and give a rescue dog a good home! One of the many good things about the internet is access to so many animal rescue websites, sites like PetFinder.com, etc.

ETA that there are lots of Brittany Spaniels on PetFinder.com in my are and it looks like some are pretty young. I would definitely search there as well as Brittany rescue groups!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I have 2 cats, one is a pure breed that I really wanted and the other is from a lady that rescues them. I thought it was a nice compromise. I tried to find the pure breed I wanted though a rescuse orgnization and I couldn''t. They are just too popular I guess. My sister has a pure bread cat that she found at a shelter, she got lucky. There were about to kill him because they thought he was farrel, but he just freaked when he was in a cage. She actually got them to contact the person who droped him off and he took the cat back and gave it to her. He was fine when she took him home.

 

[elrohwen]

Thanks for your responses! I do know all of the great things about shelter dogs (like I said, I've had close contact with more than one shelter) and I'm well versed with breed specific rescues. ETA: I also have puppy experience and I'm absolutely ready for the commitment (well, when I'm not traveling for work that is). I absolutely realize that it's a lot of work, but it's still something I want to go through at least once.

I guess I wasn't really asking for advice so much as stories about how and why you chose where your pet came from and the experiences you've had.

Thanks again! It's great to see so many shelter supporters.

 

[luvmyhalo]

We have 2 boxers. Our first one we got from a breeder and our 2nd we got from a Boxer Rescue shelter. After seeing how many beautiful, sweet dogs were at the shelter, I wouldn''t get another dog any other way. I wish I could have taken them all home, but I''m so glad we were able to save one doggie.

There are a lot of breed specific shelters across the country as well as the ASPCA. You may have answered this already, but what kind of dog are you looking to get?

 

[princesss]

Date: 11/24/2008 9:19:46 PM
Author: elrohwen

I guess I wasn''t really asking for advice so much as stories about how and why you chose where your pet came from and the experiences you''ve had.


Thanks again! It''s great to see so many shelter supporters.

Okay...my experiences. I went in to the shelter to get a dog. I had wanted a dog (but longed for a cat), and went to the shelter to see what dogs they had, and research the shelter a little. I wanted to see what kinds of animals they had, what kind of environment they were in, etc. I went and looked at the kittens, turned around, and there was my Lola. She was London then, and in the top cage in her row. I stayed with her for 45 minutes, left, went to my rental agent to get proof that I could have cats, I went to Petsmart so I wouldn''t have to leave right after I got her, and then went back to the shelter. I left with Lola 40 minutes later.

Since I got her, life has been wonderful. I have a little furry lovebug greeting me at the door every day, and a snuggle buddy at night. A few months ago I got her a little brother, who had actually been at the shelter when I got her. Poor boy was born in the shelter, so I''m the only real home he''s known. I love it. They''ve brought a ton of joy to my life. Plus...they were cheap. Haha.

Lola was $38 and Ezra was $80, and they were spayed and neutered and up to date on all of their shots. They were litter trained, and very well behaved (other than Ezra loving to sharpen his claws on my bed and coffee table). Obviously if you''re considering a breeder that''s not much of a concern, but you can take what you budgeted and immediately start a vet visit fund.

While I think you''ll bond wonderfully with any animal you get, I have found a special bond between me and my kitties that the people I know who didn''t rescue their cats don''t have. It means the world to me to have my two fuzzy heads running to greet me when I get home from work, and two warm bodies curled up on the bed with me at night.

 

[Kelli]

I am ALWAYS in favor of giving a shelter pet a loving home. People will always buy from breeders, but there are SO MANY animals out there in need of a home. Try the breed specific rescue organizeations.

 

[Kelli]

Oh sorry, just read your above post. Here is the story of how I got my pets. (from another pet thread.)

I have three dogs because when I find pets that need homes, I take them. My fiancee and I found an EXTREMELY skinny beagle once on the side of highway fifty and picked him up. We honestly figured we''d have to take him somewhere and get him put to sleep because of the condition he was in, but we couldn''t let him suffer anymore. He had two very deep puncture wounds on his neck and was bleeding pretty profusely, and he was eating clumps of dirt because he was so hungry. We got him some food and water and took him to an emergency vet, who said he was probably pretty old, but might be able to be helped. We named him "Fifty" since that''s where we found him and nursed him back to health for a few months. He gained some weight and cuddled with us every night and seemed to be a pretty happy dog. Then, he started bleeding pretty bad when he''d go to the bathroom and we found out he had cancer and a very bad case of heartworms. The vet said his heartworms were starting to kill him and that a heartworm death is extremely painful for dogs. Unfortunately, we has to put him to sleep, but we were very grateful for the few months we spent with him and were glad we could make his last few months more comfortable.

That weekend, we had plans to go away with my aunt and uncle to help watch their kids, and while we were gone my parents went to the shelter and adpoted us a puppy, because even before we found Fifty, we''d been begging them to let us get a dog. (We lived with them at that point.) The puppy they got us is Wally, you might have seem him sleeping on the table in another thread.

We had him for a few years when one of my dance students brought a puppy into the studio that she''d found in her yard. This new one was VERY young, trying to drink from my fingertips. Now, about four years later, we found a third dog. The introduction of the third one was not easy, but now they all get along just fine.

I know with certain kinds of dogs, it''s better to have more than just one so they don''t get lonely. For us, it just happened that way. Sorry for the big novel I wrote, I thought some of you might enjoy the story of our first dog Fifty. When we had him it was around Thanksgiving time, and I bought him a leash that said "I''m Thankful for my dog" that went with a collar that said "I''m thankful for my owner." It was perfect for us since we wanted a dog so bad, and this dog needed to be cared for so badly. We have his collar and leash hanging up in our room so we think about him all the time.

 

[trillionaire]

I got my dog from a breeder. She''s fantastic, and she has a website/forum for all of the people who own puppies from her. She offers a lot of support for her owners, as well as health guarantees for 5 years! She calls me when she is in town and we meet up with other owners, and it''s loads of fun, one big happy family!

I loved my breed of dog, which is why I went the breeder route. I also had a budget, a specific time frame (before I started school) and travel constraints, so the breeder worked out perfectly. I''m very happy with my decision, though my puppy cost me a LOT of money. But I was really proud of myself for saving up the money and making such a big-girl decision.

 

[brooklyngirl]

We got our Bender (beagle mix, looks like a foxhound

) from a no-kill shelter in NJ. We were looking for a beagle puppy, and wanted to get either a shelter dog, get a dog from someone who couldn''t care for him/her anymore.

We ended up finding our dog on PetFinder.com, and went to the shelter the next day to meet him. He was part of a litter of 5 puppies, and was the only one left. They brought him out to us, and left us in an empty room with him, and we just fell in love

. We took him hime that same day.

He was 4 months at the time, and not trained in any way. The first weeks were tough, because he would cry and howl at night, and didn''t want to be left alone (he would cry and howl, make a "mess" in his cage, and in general disturb the neighbors). We took him everywhere with us the first few months. Luckily it was summer so we made sure to go to restaurants with outside seating, and in general areas that allowed dogs. He got better eventually.

We still don''t let him roam the house when we''re out. We made a play area for him on our balcony, and most of the time leave him there. It''s actually really great, because the balcony is like a room that''s missing 1 wall, and there is a palm tree that grows right next to it, so it''s always cool there. If it''s cold we leave him in his crate for the day. We usually let him choose where he goes in the morning (crate or balcony).

Also, he is waay bigger than a beagle (70lbs). But we don''t care, and we

to death him anyway. He always has a way of putting a smile on my face, and making me feel better when I''ve had a bad week. I''m so glad we got him!

We plan to get a dachsund within the next year. I''m thinking we''ll get one from a rescue group.

 

[risingsun]

We researched what type of dog we thought would fit in well well with our temperaments and lifestyle. I fell in love with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed. I searched for an ethical breeder. When I found one, she didn't have a puppy, but recommended me to another breeder who did. The breeder had more questions for me than I had for her. She was very particular with whom she would place her puppies. That pleased me. I am very choosy about from whom I would purchase a puppy. My breeder is there for me with any questions or concerns that I might have. My dog is now 5 years old and that hasn't changed. I know that the sire and dam were health tested and the puppies were raised in a caring and clean environment. The puppies were loved and our boy came into our family as a loving companion. I have done obedience and agility with my dog in AKC events and I belong to the two cavalier associations. It was well worth it to me to have found my wonderful Charlie Brown this way. I certainly have nothing against adopting a shelter dog or going through a breed rescue group. Sometimes, however, a particular breed steals your heart. If that happens, do find an ethical breeder through the AKC parent association for that breed. You will not regret it.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

My first cat was adopted from the SPCA. My other 2 were abandoned and I brought brought them in from the street.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

We are involved in our local breed-specific rescue organization (we troll Craigslist, Pet Stores, Newspaper ads, take part in caravans to place dogs, etc.), but our dogs come from breeders. I am very specific about the lines of my dogs because I am a huge advocate of working dogs continuing the work for which they were bred. Even good breeders can be guilty of breeding lawn ornaments, haha. For me it''s not only important for the breeder to be active in the show ring, but to be equally active in water rescue, carting, therapy, etc. It''s important for me to support those breeders that I feel are going above and beyond for the breed.

I do hope that in the future, though, I can have at least one rescue. I see many dogs get placed only to have to be rehomed later because the owner didn''t realize that taking a rescue would be so much work. There are many wonderful rescues out there, but there are also many who have anxiety/insecurity/behavioral issues and you have to be 100% committted to working through it.

 

[littlelysser]

We have two dogs - one is a muttski, from a local rescue and the other is a pure bred Ibizan Hound from a wonderful breeder.

Although I generally believe that rescuing from shelters is a great and worth-while thing, supporting a good breeder is a good thing as well. Our breeder is very interested in improving the breed and is very dedicated to her dogs! She is an AKC judge as well as a breeder. Further, there are some breeds that simply NEVER show up in rescue. For example, I can pretty much guarantee that you won't find an Ibizan Hound in any rescue anywhere...

However, I do believe in adopting a dog from a shelter as well, we got our second dog from a local rescue. Both are wonderful dogs.

ETA - We found our breeder by doing some research on Ibizan Hounds and her name frequently came up. We went and met with her, and her four Ibizans she owned at the time. We saw where the dogs lived, slept and how much a part of the family the dogs were. We spent some time with Izzie's mother, which absolutely convinced us she was was the breeder for us. Her dogs were so warm and friendly (which is a bit unusual for sight hounds). I will tell you that our Ibizan Hound was chosen for us, by the breeder, based on what she knew of our personalities and her pups from the litter. Izzie, the Ibizan (also my avatar), was SO BAD when he was a puppy. SO SO SO BAD! He didn't chew anything and he was housebroken in two days, but he was just a little SOB. Never listened, bit the heck out of us, etc. Luckily he turned into a fantastic dog, but YIKES was he a pain.

We got our rescue muttski from Petfinder. She was super cute and we fell in love. We got her at about 4 months old. She was very frightened and timid the first few days we had her. We call her an old soul, since she never really acted like a puppy, even when she was a puppy. She's super sweet, but we are having some pretty significant allergy issues with her. She can also be a bit snippy with other dogs, considering that she sees herself as the alpha of the world, and gets very upset when all other dogs fail to recognize it.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 11/24/2008 9:53:28 PM
Author: princesss

Date: 11/24/2008 9:19:46 PM

Author: elrohwen


I guess I wasn''t really asking for advice so much as stories about how and why you chose where your pet came from and the experiences you''ve had.



Thanks again! It''s great to see so many shelter supporters.

Okay...my experiences. I went in to the shelter to get a dog. I had wanted a dog (but longed for a cat), and went to the shelter to see what dogs they had, and research the shelter a little. I wanted to see what kinds of animals they had, what kind of environment they were in, etc. I went and looked at the kittens, turned around, and there was my Lola. She was London then, and in the top cage in her row. I stayed with her for 45 minutes, left, went to my rental agent to get proof that I could have cats, I went to Petsmart so I wouldn''t have to leave right after I got her, and then went back to the shelter. I left with Lola 40 minutes later.


Since I got her, life has been wonderful. I have a little furry lovebug greeting me at the door every day, and a snuggle buddy at night. A few months ago I got her a little brother, who had actually been at the shelter when I got her. Poor boy was born in the shelter, so I''m the only real home he''s known. I love it. They''ve brought a ton of joy to my life. Plus...they were cheap. Haha.

Lola was $38 and Ezra was $80, and they were spayed and neutered and up to date on all of their shots. They were litter trained, and very well behaved (other than Ezra loving to sharpen his claws on my bed and coffee table). Obviously if you''re considering a breeder that''s not much of a concern, but you can take what you budgeted and immediately start a vet visit fund.


While I think you''ll bond wonderfully with any animal you get, I have found a special bond between me and my kitties that the people I know who didn''t rescue their cats don''t have. It means the world to me to have my two fuzzy heads running to greet me when I get home from work, and two warm bodies curled up on the bed with me at night.

OK, not to threadjack, but Princess - reading this made me tear up a little bit. As a shelter volunteer, this is so touching - you so perfectly capture the profound joy that rescued animals can bring to peoples'' lives. I think you should share this story, and pictures of your babies, with the shelter where you got them and perhaps also the HSUS - I''m sure they''d appreciate hearing from someone so eloquent

 

[bee*]

My mother got our dogs from a breeder-we have Amber (my baby, golden retriever), Achilla (Afghan hound) and Arwen (standard poodle). My mother is a competitive groomer and uses the other two babies in competitions and so they have to be pure bred. Retrievers are my favourite breed so I will always go with this breed, be it from a breeder or from a shelter. We''ve had many rescue dogs through the years also, including the most beautiful springer cross that we had for twelve years. She was a dote!

 

[Loves Vintage]

I have 3 cats and 3 dogs, all of which were adopted. I adopted my oldest cat from a local humane society. He was 8 at the time and a total love bug stuck in a bottom corner cage for over a month. We've been together for 10 years.

I adopted my other two cats from a woman in Brooklyn who posted an ad on Craigslist a few summers ago. She was moving to CA and could not take them with her. She had posted on CL a few times prior, but in her last post, she was looking for a recommendation for a vet that would put her cats to sleep because she did not want to bring them to the shelter, which was overfull for her cats to sit in cage for a week and then be put to sleep. It was such a sad story. I spoke with her on the phone and told her that I'd find a rescue group in CT that would take them, drive down there and bring them to a rescue group. No rescue group could take them, so I took them myself. They are a complete joy to have with us.

I adopted my two greyhounds from a greyhound rescue group. I had adopted a greyhound previously, who had been re-homed twice before and who was the absolute sweetest love-dove of a dog you could imagine. She was the love of my life. Both of my greyhounds came straight from the track. I fostered the second, and was not supposed to keep him, but of course I fell in love with him, so he stayed too! Fostering-with-intent (through a rescue group) can be a great way to see if a pet will be a good fit for you.

Finally, we adopted our beagle mix a few months ago from a high kill shelter in Georgia. She is a very goofy and loving girl.

Over the years, I've also adopted three cats from humane societies and a balinese cat from a rescue group four hours away in PA (he was my first adoptee that I found on the internet). I've also taken in strays over the years. When I was a little girl, I used to feed the neighborhood strays (which always originated from the same two houses, grrr) and got my mother to spay/neuter them. One year, we took in three kittens and their momma. They were very special to us.

I don't think I would ever buy a pet from a breeder. There are 304,663 pets listed for adoption on petfinder alone. Although from reading above, NEL's post in particular, I can better understand why someone would want to get their dog directly from a breeder.

 

[iwannaprettyone]

Shelter...


www.petfinder.com

 

[PrincessDijon]

I got my kitty from the ASPCA... I am always a fan of giving shelter pets a home!

 

[Aloros]

We got our puppy off of craigslist. She was being fostered by a nice family who''d rescued her from a foreclosed home. We know she''s 1/2 chihuahua, and pretty sure that she''s 1/2 jack russell terrier, but don''t really know.

We adore her. She can be a total terror sometimes, but she brings a lot of joy to our family

 

[dragonfly411]

I must admit, that my Sasha came from a breeder. It was mainly the right thing at the right time. I had just lost a pup to parvo, and we saw the add and I wanted a small puppy and there she was.
Most of my pets growing up came from the shelter, or from accidental breedings I.E. free puppies. I''m a firm believer in shelters, as well as being someone who has a problem with picking up strays. Our pitt bull was a stray and she is an angel. I think it''s a matter of finding your perfect match.

 

[Linda W]

I have to admit our Lhasa Apso Mazie, came from a breeder. Our other 3 Lhasas, who have passed away, also came from a breeder.

 

[littlelysser]

Linda and Dragonfly - Don''t apologize or feel bad for adopting from a breeder. No need to admit anything!

Reputable breeders are very important for improving and furthering the breed!

 

[elrohwen]

I just want to thank everyone again for your wonderful stories. So many are so beautiful and it warms my heart that so many people support animal shelters and rescues. The shelter near my home in CT that I have volunteered at is absolutely wonderful and does great things for its dogs (and cats I''m sure! I''m too allergic to check out that side of the shelter for very long). My favorite thing about the way the shelter is run is that they are very very careful about fitting the right dog with the right family. All family members, including dogs and cats, must meet with the dog at least once under supervision and the adopters references are checked. I will definitely adopt from shelters or breed rescues at some point in my life and I hope to be able to adopt from this wonderful local shelter. (LovesVintage, you''re from CT as well? Which shelter did you visit?)

It''s also great to hear from those of you who got a dog from a breeder. NEL, I was particularly hoping you would post as I know how involved you are with Byron and Newfs in general. I completely agree with wanting to get dogs that were bred to do what they''ve always done. I want a hunting breed and will buy from a hunting line (though Brittanys have by far the most dual championship dogs, so it''s relatively easy to find a dog bred for both beauty and hunting ability). I don''t actually hunt, but I love being in the woods and want a dog who can do obedience and field sports (besides loving their personality).

I think there''s a place for dogs from breeders and from shelters and it has always interested me how people choose which path to take.

A question for the cat lovers: As a non-cat person, it seems to me that the vast majority of cats come from shelters or are strays; is this true? Why don''t more people get cats from breeders? I would assume it''s because cats don''t do things like hunt, water rescue, etc so it''s not important to get one with particular traits like it is for dogs. I''m just curious

 

[gwendolyn]

Date: 11/25/2008 1:41:05 PM
Author: elrohwen
A question for the cat lovers: As a non-cat person, it seems to me that the vast majority of cats come from shelters or are strays; is this true? Why don't more people get cats from breeders? I would assume it's because cats don't do things like hunt, water rescue, etc so it's not important to get one with particular traits like it is for dogs. I'm just curious

I haven't had my own cats yet because I've lived in rented rooms in houses/small apartments and have moved to another country recently, but growing up most of our cats were Siamese, purchased from a breeder. My parents had two cats they rescued and both had major issues most likely due to abuse from their former homes. The rescue cats were randomly violent and would bite and scratch anything that moved, including my baby brother's face. He ended up ok, but the cat very nearly clawed his eyes while my mom was holding him. That was when my parents decided that they didn't want to risk the unknown of having a rescue cat. My mother has always loved the talkative, attentive personalities of Siamese cats and did lots of research and met the cats a number of times before deciding which kittens we'd take home.

When it is my turn to get some feline family members, I hope to compromise and find a breed-specific rescue option so I can rescue some Siamese babies, since I'm crazy about them now too.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 11/25/2008 1:57:19 PM
Author: gwendolyn

Date: 11/25/2008 1:41:05 PM
Author: elrohwen
A question for the cat lovers: As a non-cat person, it seems to me that the vast majority of cats come from shelters or are strays; is this true? Why don''t more people get cats from breeders? I would assume it''s because cats don''t do things like hunt, water rescue, etc so it''s not important to get one with particular traits like it is for dogs. I''m just curious

I haven''t had my own cats yet because I''ve lived in rented rooms in houses/small apartments and have moved to another country recently, but growing up most of our cats were Siamese, purchased from a breeder. My parents had two cats they rescued and both had major issues most likely due to abuse from their former homes. The rescue cats were randomly violent and would bite and scratch anything that moved, including my baby brother''s face. He ended up ok, but the cat very nearly clawed his eyes while my mom was holding him. That was when my parents decided that they didn''t want to risk the unknown of having a rescue cat. My mother has always loved the talkative, attentive personalities of Siamese cats and did lots of research and met the cats a number of times before deciding which kittens we''d take home.

When it is my turn to get some feline family members, I hope to compromise and find a breed-specific rescue option so I can rescue some Siamese babies, since I''m crazy about them now too.

Gwen, are cats from a breeder as expensive as dogs from a breeder?

I love Siamese too! They''re beautiful. I got to cat-sit for a pair once and they were so sweet.