Adopting a shelter dog vs purchasing from a breeder

[Debbieg]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

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The real problem is not breeders, but people who don't spay/neuter their dogs. It is the unexpected litter which causes dogs to end up in shelters. Responsible breeders will not breed more dogs than they can sell.

I disagree with this. My dog is intact and will remain so, unless a health reason requires neutering. He will not be bred. The real problem is irresponsibilty of those who can't keep dogs from unwanted breeding.

[martemchik]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

We need to do more to encourage people to spay/neuter.

You will enjoy this forum...

I'll admit that I've received the "you bought from a breeder" look many a time from people at a dog park or at another dog event. But it doesn't' bother me, especially when people are gawking at how much better trained my 2 year old is than their 9 year old.

To each their own...many people just have pets. Others have goals in mind and their dogs are more like hobbies or even "tools." Luckily the more I hang out at AKC events and my club no one cares where you got your dog from...just that you're doing something productive with your dog.

The whole thing about importing dogs from other countries...its the same argument against purchasing dogs from breeders, "for every dog purchased, a shelter dog dies, for every dog imported and adopted, an American dog dies." In the end...a dog ends up dying.

I'm all for no-kill shelters and rescues and all that stuff. But its a horrible circle. How many times have we heard of a rescue denying a family of a dog, the family goes to a breeder and gets a dog or worse they go to craigslist to get a dog since they can't afford $1000+ for a dog. But to guilt people over their decision to not adopt is crazy, or throw those numbers out there is crazy. I think to completely stop the number of dogs that get euthanized every year, each American would have to adopt 2 or 3...and the cats would be even crazier.

So yes...spaying/neutering is the first answer. But there is no reason to guilt anyone over their decision.

[Zookeep]

Originally Posted by DunRingill

The body parts aren't the problem.....I have quite a few groom customers with intact dogs that have never had a litter.

Monster Mike is still intact, he has not and will never sire a litter.

Yes, you are right. It is irresponsible owners, and backyard breeders. Our GSD was rescued from a BYB who bred too many, and couldn't sell her. She was rescued by our local GSD rescue, and we adopted her.

[martemchik]

I think what many of us forget is that we're not your average American pet owner. You can call it responsibility all you want...but its easier to just push spaying/neutering than to teach people how to be responsible. Because the fact of the matter is that most people aren't as responsible as the ones that sit on a dog forum day in and day out learning more about dogs.

The sad fact is that someone can not neuter and go 5, 6, 7 years without producing a litter. And then they meet someone who offers them $1000+ to stud their dog. Money is tight, or they just want a new iPad or big screen tv. And why not...what's so bad about 10 purebred (hopefully) puppies that come from my beautiful, smart, well trained GSD. So then there are 10 more puppies...and then 10 more...and then 10 more.

By the way...my boy isn't neutered, and won't be either...and I get plenty of weird looks for that decision as well from the regular pet owner crowd.

[Zookeep]

Originally Posted by Debbieg

I disagree with this. My dog is intact and will remain so, unless a health reason requires neutering. He will not be bred. The real problem is irresponsibilty of those who can't keep dogs from unwanted breeding.

Yes, you are correct. I didn't mean to imply that anyone who doesn't spay/neuter is part of the problem. The problem is caused by people who don't spay/neuter and don't care whether or not their dog breeds.

[Whiteshepherds]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

The article also implies that shelters are doing something wrong by taking in dogs from other countries. Don't dogs from other countries deserve a chance at a good home in the U.S.?

This is what the author was talking about. (making people feel guilty)
If I say yes, save all the dogs from all over the world I'm a good guy, if I say no, I'm heartless.

[Konotashi]

My mom constantly harasses me about getting Ozzy neutered. I do plan on getting a female GSD in the future, so he WILL be sterilized, but I won't neuter him. (Vasectomy).
I personally feel like it's healthier for females to be spayed once they're between 18-24 months old, so that's what I'll do. It's not a spay/neuter issue. It's a responsibility issue. Ozzy's two and hasn't sired a litter. Given, he is ONLY two, but that's a lot longer than I know some people could keep an intact male away from a bitch in heat.

I already have my breeder picked out, and I don't feel guilty at all. The only thing that sucks is that I can't talk to my mom about it because she thinks ALL breeders are the devil.

Honestly, I don't see it as a BYB issue. I see it as an owner issue. Irresponsible owners don't research the breeds they're interested in, nor breeders, and they go out and buy the youngest, cutest, cheapest puppy they can find. Then when the dog gets out of the cute puppy stage, the irresponsible owners realize that a dog actually takes work, or the breed they chose is a bad match for their family, and they dump it off at the nearest shelter and trade it in for the next young, cute, cheap puppy.

If there weren't people to support BYBs, they wouldn't exist.

There are people who will only buy from breeders, people who will only adopt from shelters, and those who don't care, as long as they find a dog that fits their lifestyle.

As far as importing shelter dogs from other countries - I disagree with it. I mean, if someone wants to personally import a shelter dog at their own expense, then good for them. But there are plenty of homeless dogs in shelters here in America.
That's not to say I'm against sending shelter dogs from cram-packed shelters to another one a few states away that has room. I just don't agree with bringing in foreign dogs to the US when our own dogs are being put to death here at home.

[Blanketback]

Interesting read. I don't feel guiltly, because I resent the implication that if I hadn't bought from a breeder, I would have adopted my dog. Who says I would have? That's a pretty big assumption. I've had wonderful GSDs in my life that came to me as adults, but that's not the point. I really don't like other people pushing their agenda on me, and I particularly dislike it when they cloud the issue.

[shepherdmom]

Originally Posted by Zookeep

I don't mind my tax dollars or donation dollars going to save foreign dogs. I guess I can see how others might not agree.

I hope so because I don't agree. I don't understand why in the world other countries irresponsible pet owners should be our problem. We need to take care of our own issues first. As freestep said there are shelters in Central CA that are so overcroweded that good dogs get put down daily. Our local rescue transports them up here to Nevada, when we can to save as many as possible. My Tasha came from somewhere in California. When there are no dogs in this country that are being PTS because there is no funding available then we can worry about other places.

In other countries, people don't have the money to spay/neuter their dogs. For the most part, in the U.S., we do. There is no excuse for someone allowing an unexpected litter in this country.

I don't know where you live but I am right here in the U.S. in an area many are losing their homes and struggling to feed their kids much less their animals. Spay/neuter is low priority for many families. You might argue they shouldn't have animals but they do. So lets deal with the reality of life in the US rather than the lofty ideals of what some people think we should be.

When I go to the shelter to adopt a dog (5 of our 7 came from shelters), I don't care where it came from, only that it will get along with our other dogs and cats (also from the shelter).

I have a mix of shelter dogs, rescue dogs and dogs from a breeder. I currently have one of each but I am happy to say all of them are 100% made in the USA.

As for disease, I am pretty sure our shelter quarantines and vaccinates the new dogs.

I'm not so sure. You sound young and idealistic. I otoh am old and jaded. I don't trust anyone.

[Syaoransbear]

I don't really think breeders are the main problem, I think it's bad owners who abandon their pets in shelters for any little reason the moment owning that animal becomes inconvenient. Shelters aren't overrun by 8 week old puppies, they are crowded by adults, seniors, and adolescents.

A girl I used to work with at petsmart once gave me grief for getting a purebred dog from a breeder. She shut her trap after I asked her how her 1 year old mop dog was doing that she gave up to the SPCA.