Anti-Breeder Attitudes?

Or that you don't love dogs. Yup. I hate dogs.

My in-laws just got a dog. My mother-in-law was absolutely 100% positive she wanted a 25 lb or below, low shedding, blonde, female pup around 6 months old.

She came home with an 8 week old male lab/beagle mix and absolutely loves him to death now, because what she really wanted was a dog (any dog), not a super specific set of criteria.

I think that is far more representative of 95% of dog owners in this country than anyone on this board!

Me too. I can wear it when I'm walking Scout and tell people about how umprepared her first two owners were. All they wanted was to save the pretty fluffy! Yeah that panned out well for 'em!

My best advice is to anyone, petfinder. com. Look until your heart goes gathump and you KNOW that it is the one. IT took me weeks before I found Victor. I had a chance for any puppy I wanted. A man that I was dating at the time would by me the puppy of my choice. I am so glad I didn't take him up on it. Every breed imaginable can be found there from baby to senior. IF you for sure you want a specific, and you want a baby, contact the rescues. IF your willing to wait, the right one will come. Your a thousand times better off than buying a pup who's parents are in hell and no one cares about the health or socialization of what your willing to spend your money on. In other words, don't feed the puppy miller. I personally have decided that if I live long enough to have another dog, much as I would want a puppy, i think I will go for the seniors.

I'm thinking I need a tshirt that says "I have a shelter mutt gambling problem" to wear while competing from now on.

And I'm changing Mira's name to "Rehab"

I agree with this. Not just show quality dogs though... Working dogs and sport dogs, too. (I'm sure you meant all of it.)

There are plenty of PETS dying in shelters. No reputable breeder should intentionally breed for the purpose of making more pets.

I'd be fine with a shirt with all of yoshis vet bills from bloat printed on it.

Seriously though, I turned down a couple real nice dogs before taking Scout. She sorta is what I wanted in the sense that she's a nice GSD, but omg has she driven home how important good foundation and genetics are!! I love her dearly, but hoo boy!

So I've put off getting a well bred dog since I took her in. Sure don't regret it since its made me a much better trainer than I would be otherwise, but I don't want to do it again either.

And before I got Scout I went to the shelter to look at a nice female Sibe/GSD mix. Did the pre-adoption interview and everything because I liked her so much. They were like you can't adopt her because you have cats, which you know is fine! But then they proceeded to pressure me to adopt SOMETHING, ANYTHING from them. Erm, guys I don't want just anything so no thanks!!!

There are some really insane requirements with rescues. Like the you must have a specific type of fencing if you want to adopt a husky crap. Erm guys my dogs get plenty of exercise and are never loose unsupervised even in fenced areas... so uh yeah.

I hate it when rescues require fencing or that all of your current animals must be S/N. They are really limiting the potential homes for their adoptable dogs.

One malamute rescue I went through required 5000sqf housing. Some rescues are definitely ridiculous.

Gavroche's money hole is also his pee hole.

My parents don't even have a house that big and they're pretty well off. Wtf.

I'm well aware of what the general pet-owning populace is like - I work with them all day, every day. And I assure you, most of them have very specific ideas of what they want in a dog even if it is "just" a couch warmer. Many people can and do find those dogs at a shelter, and many of them can and do find that their preferences weren't as strict as they thought, but many of them are very loyal to a particular type or breed and really just don't want anything else.

I've known several people who felt guilted into getting a shelter dog instead of the breed/type they truly wanted, and in the majority of cases it doesn't end well. YMMV, but that's been my experience.

Meh, I volunteer at my local shelter as an adoption coordinator, and the vast majority of people come in and pick out what they think is the cutest dog there. We don't have any sort of screening, you just come in, pick something, pay the adoption fee, sign a form stating you won't abuse it, and bring it home.

We have a low return rate, so it seems to work out okay.

This. Most people even already have a breed picked out, even if it isn't the right breed for them. I think that if someone has a pocket in their home for a dog, and they want a breeder dog, it's very unlikely that you would convince them to get a shelter dog and vice versa. The markets for breeder and shelter dogs are both very different.

:hail::hail::hail:

I have seen some very sad stories unfold this way and more than once, it ended with the dog's premature death and a lot of heartache for everyone.

To me, it's simple. People should be able to get the dog they want without being made to feel like they are wrong for their choice. If they want a puppy from a breeder, I'll recommend breeders I think would work for them or will try to suggest a resource for breeders producing what they are looking for. If people are wanting to rescue, I will suggest they check pet finder or CL or breed specific rescue depending on what they want. I will try to spread the word about dogs in need of homes that I know of. I will occasionally take in dogs who are out of options. When I place dogs, I will be totally honest with anyone interested about the dog...even if it means they won't want the dog. When people ask what dog I think will fit their lifestyle, I tell them. Sometimes the answer is a rescue dog or a mixed breed. Sometimes it is puppy or rehome from a breeder. On the rare occasions I've had litters, I have sent a number of people to rescue who I could have sold a puppy to. Good homes who after talking to them, seemed they'd be just as happy with a black hairy shelter dog as a Belgian (often their reason for wanting a Belgian was that their black hairy shelter dog who just passed away looked just like a Belgian). No reason for me to sell a puppy to someone who'd be just as happy with a dog from the shelter.

Really what it comes down to is long as people are happy with the dog they get, train/contain, treat the dog well and are committed to the dog the shelter population is not being added to no matter where the dog came from.

Awesome. lol

I find it funny that hardcore rescue people hate breeders and want them to die and think theyre horrible people, but as far as I know, no breeders give even a second thought to anyone who runs a rescue

What the hell!?!?!

I actually know several people, who are breeders....and head rescues. Such as Dr. Scott in Bullmastiff Rescue.

So, unlike die hard rescuers that only see one way....I find GOOD breeders can see both ways. Just like GOOD rescues can see both ways.