should i buy my puppy from a breeder or get one from a animal rescue?

Question

im getting a puppy soon but i havent decided where to get one. i was thinking of rescueing one because they need a home but im worried if my puppy will be sick in some way or have a bad temper from lack of human contact or past experiences with people. dog breeders will have puppies that were raised with a family and well taking care of but those puppies will always find a home no matter what. i cant decide what to do

Answer 1

Lots of dogs from animal rescue shelters were mistreated and thus can be unpredictable. Do you have children around where a dog might think they kids are trying to hurt it rather then play with him/her? If so you should probably get a puppy from a breeder. Also is it real important that you have an akc registered breed of dog? You will most likely not get that from a pup at an animal rescue.

Don't get me wrong i love dogs from animal rescue shelters, but be forewarned of what you are getting yourself into. They were more then likely abused dogs and may act unpredictably

Answer 2

I have always rescued dogs. Until now. I just got a puppy. I have guilt. There are so many dogs out there who need homes. But after all my rescues I reluctantly decided I deserved a puppy. Just once. So let me tell you how it's going, and how I now feel about it all.
First of all, this whole puppy business is a LOT of WORK! Holey Mother of all that is holy. On the upside, I get to know her as a cute puppy and I get al the baby pictures. We are also very good trainers and there is a pay off when you can start training when they're just a few weeks old.
Now I have always rescued dogs that were about a year old. And yes, they were a little abused and needed a little reprogramming. But they were potty trained. And let me tell you. Deprogramming and potty training are about equal in the work department. Then there's all the chewing of valuable things. The right puppy can go through an entire living room furniture set like a woodchipper while you're at 7-11.
Bottom line? I HIGHLY suggest rescuing a year old dog. Really. Get a puppy when you simply MUST have a puppy, for whatever reason. Like me. I just never had one. It was time.
It's been a great and adorable experience, but I will never do it again. No regrets, I had to have a puppy at least once in my life, but from now on I will go back to rescueing perfectly wonderful, sweet, lonely, loveable, house broken dogs from the gas chamber.

Answer 3

Adopting from a rescue shelter is a good idea. Call and have a chat to them, they should be able to advise you on temperament before you adopt. Puppies are less likely to come with the problems that you speak of as they have had less time exposed to bad situations (if exposed at all). Puppies from rescue shelters are vet checked before being adopted out and should be healthy.

That said there is nothing wrong with getting your pup from a breeder, as long as the breeder genuinely cares for the breed, is registered and doesnt mind answering all of your questions. They will also offer post sale advice and assistance and good breeders will often take the pup back if at some stage down the track you circumstances change and you could no longer keep them. The purchase price will be much higher than for a shelter dog, but a good breeder will sell you a healthy, well socialised pup.

Answer 4

Getting a new puppy is always exciting! However choosing where to buy it from can be difficult, especially since you don't know how it was bred and if the breeder is reputable. With animal shelters, most dogs wind up in there because of behavioural issues and owners who can no longer take care of them. Other dogs have been taken from their owners because of severe abuse, which makes it harder to be adopted because it will fear you and may attack you. For this reason, many people are wary of buying a dog from the animal shelter in fear it may be harmful and/or disobedient, therefore making an unpleasant housepet. In addition, most dogs from the animal shelter have been dropped in there by their owners so finding a puppy in there is pretty rare since most people think puppies are so cute and adorable and they would never give them up. If it were my choice, buying a PUPPY from the animal shelter would not be ideal but if there were some available and healthy, then i would definitely get one. Some reasons people don't want their puppies is because of medical problems as they came from backyard, irresponsible breeders who want nothing more than seeing their wallets full of cash. If i were to want a DOG, then i would no doubt buy it from the shelter, since there are plenty, great dogs who need nothing more than a loving home.
When buying from a breeder, make sure they are reputable, by checking if they are on the internet and has been widely commented as an excellant breeder as well as their qualifications and certficates.

Keep in mind though, buying a dog from anywhere requires training, perserverance and an open heart.

Answer 5

Rescue.
Dogs up for adoption at a shelter are not all sick and mean.
Many of them are happy healthy dogs.
They end up in the shelter because the owner didn't have time for them, the money for them, enough room, the landlord made them get rid of it, they got bored with the dog, the owner died, they didn't research the breed, too many pets, etc.
Most shelter dogs have had a lot of human contact and have lived with families.

If you go with a breeder, most breeders are out just to make money. They don't bother to check the temperament of the parents and screen for health problems that are common in that breed. You will end up paying a fortune for the dog in the first place, and then even more with vet bills because the dog was poorly bred.

On average, 1 out of 4 shelter dogs is purebred.
You can find popular mixes (designer dogs) that people pay thousands of dollars for at the shelter as well.

Adopting costs usually between $100-200 and includes vaccinations and a microchip most of the time.

You can also look into rescue groups devoted to particular breeds in your area.

Answer 6

HI Jess,
I have been a breeder for over 40 years, and so you may think my answer is to choose a breeder. However it depends on what you want for a dog. If you want a pedigree dog, that you know exactly what you hope to end up with, then I would choose a good reputable breeder, who health tests all their dogs. If you just want a pet, then go and visit the animal rescue. My next dog when I have no more of my own breed, will be a greyhound from the adoption rescue, or a dog from animal rescue. as I think they deserve a second chance in life
Even if you get a puppy from a breeder, you don't know if its going to turn out perfect.
Who knows you may end up with one from both
Good luck

Answer 7

Jess,
Most breeders are simply what is sometimes referred to as a puppy mill. Yes, there are exceptions but those are the breeders who have famous lines which cost you an arm and a leg and have no warrantees. Do your homework and find a reputable rescue you know will hand you a healthy dog. Also, please rescue a big puppy. Everyone wants babies and so many adolescents are euthanized. Here at Mikes Dog House, all our rescues are housebroken and have been socialized and are played with everyday. You get to talk with the former owner, too. Have a look at www.mikesdoghouse.org

Answer 8

A rescue will have their puppies vaccinated, microchipped, & spayed & nuetered if old enough. They also do temperment testing, they will try to find you a dog/puppy that will suit you. You would also be saving a dogs life. A breeder can also be a great option, if you do breed research & check their references. Breeders also vaccinate, microchip & give a health guarantee on their puppies ( the responsible ones do ). If your considering a " designer dog" , go to a shelter to get one only crappy breeders raise them (please don't give them money for raising mutts). A purebred is more predictable, when it comes to temperment & size. You can also find purebreds at a shelter. One more thing you can get a sick dog almost anywhere, use your best judgement on this one.

Answer 9

Rescue. Seriously: rescue rescue rescue.

When you adopt a rescue dog you are LITERALLY saving a life.

Also, you will have less worry about sickness and genetic deficiencies with rescue "mutts" because they have a more diversified genetic background and so are less prone to "purebred" problems like hip displaysia, eye and respiratory problems, and other temperament problems that result from over-breeding.

I've always had rescue dogs, and they've always been VERY healthy and lived to 16 years or beyond.

A few people suggested Petfinder, and that is a GREAT place to start. There are also TONS of rescue orgs if you want a particular breed, and also a billion shelters who need homes for wonderful dogs and puppies.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 10

definatly from a breeder. but not any old breeder, you should do some research and find a reputable breeder.

these breeders breed only the top qualty dogs and look for perfect health, temperment and appearence.
a dog is for life and you should get the best possible one. please do not get a dog from a rescue centre and later realise he is not the one for you and send him back. this is the worst possible situation you can put the pup in.

go find a good breeder.