dog adoption, important question?

Question

i would really want to adopt a dog, but my mom says that it is better to get a purebreed, because she says that the dog i may adopt may have traumatic problems which could affect us or our other dog.i guess shes right, but i would really want to give a homeless dog-well, a home. any help? thanx!

Answer 1

Rescues are filled to the brim with purebred dogs as well as mixed breed dogs.

It's really a myth that most of the dogs in rescue have been abused -- most have been neglected, turned in by their owners, or rescued from shelters where they would be put to sleep only for lack of space.

If you adopt a rescue dog that's been in foster care, the foster owners will have a very good idea of whether the dog has issues, if the dog would be a good match for you and your family, and should be able to answer all your questions.

Check out http://www.petfinder.com for adoptable purebred dogs and mixed breeds in your area.

Answer 2

A good dog is a good dog regardless of where you get it. The best way to tell if a dog is right for your family is to let it meet all the members of your family, including your present dog. Many homeless dogs are fine. Yes, some are just not a good fit for some households. I'd at least look at the dogs in your local shelter. Get to know what you can about any who interest you, then arange a whole family visit. As far as a purebred, much of kind of pet it will be is the quality of the breeder. Here is a site that will help find a responsible breeder, which is the only kind to buy from. http://www.qualitydogs.com/choosingbreeder.asp

Buying from a breeder that doesn't test their breeding dogs for genetic problems through OFA and CERF is asking for trouble. The breeder should always be willing to take back his/her own pups for any reason at any time. They should know the breed standard, and be breedig to better the breed.

You can get a good dog from either a reputable breeder, a responsible shelter, or a reputable rescue. Saving one would be best. But if Mom insists on buying from a breeder, ask her to make sure it is a reputable one.

Answer 3

Your mom's concerns are common, but there are some things she needs to know. Yes, a shelter dog may have "traumatic problems" that could be very challenging to overcome...but a purebred puppy from a breeder could have it's own set of problems from genetically inheireted diseases to genetically linked poor temperament to accidental traumatic experiences during a crucial time in the puppy's life resulting in a dog that is terrified of some common item like flip flops or men in hats. Most dogs in shelters/rescue have not had a traumatic past that causes problems. Most dogs are in shelters/rescues because their previous owners had problems. They bought a dog without thinking it through, and when they realized how much work the dog would be they decided to just get rid of it. Many dogs in shelter/rescue do need a little training, but a puppy from a breeder is going to require a LOT of training too, so that really shouldn't be a deterent.

If your mom really wants a purebred (some people just prefer purebreds, just like some people just prefer mixed breeds...nothing wrong with that) maybe you could compromise. There really isn't a single breed that is immune from the impulse and uninformed purchases that result in a dog loosing it's home...so even purebreds end up in shelters or rescues looking for a new home. Purebred rescues are dedicated to a specific breed and are usually very knowledgable about the breed they rescue. Unlike pounds and shelters, they often foster their dogs out and know what their dogs are like as far as temperament/personality. They usually do some amount of training/work with the dogs while they are looking for new families. A good rescue organization will not adopt out dogs with severe behavioral problems and will give you a heads-up on more minor problems.

Answer 4

Well, I am not sure what your mom means by traumatic problems. For the most part, dogs live in the moment. They don't dwell and say, wow, I lived in the shelter for 3 long months and I was so sad there. They live day to day.

A pure-bred dog, depending on the breeding, can have just as many problems as a shelter dog. If you buy from a breeder that did not screen for genetic problems or did not consider the temperments of the dogs that they mated, you could end up with a purebred mess (aka, puppmillers, BYBer, irresponsible breeders).

Why not visit both - a shelter and a breeder? Make sure - if you visit a breeder, that you get to at LEAST see the mother (oftentimes the studs may not be on site). If you adopt a puppy from the shelter, it's going to be too young to be "traumatized" as your mother puts it, no more so than a purebred dog and anything it might have encountered in its short life as well.

Answer 5

I commend you for wanting to adopt a homeless pet! I recently adopted a 3 1/2 yr old male Pom who was rescued in Nov of last year but not up for adoption until February because he had stage 4 heart worms. The rescue group had him medically treated, he was given all his shots etc so by the time I was able to bring him home ~ he was in 100% good health and has been since that day forward.

Most rescue groups/shelters do not release sick, ailing, or injured animal ~ thats where alot of adoption fee's come in. Depending on the age, need, medical condition etc of the animal when taken in will affect the fee at time of adoption, and before the animal is adopted out there is usually a biography listed so you have some kind of idea what the animal is like.

Also, if you adopt and the animal does not work out most rescue groups insist that the animal be returned to them...

My adoption fee for my Pom was $350.00 because treatment for heartworms is and can be very expensive. But my little guy (Valentino) is worth every cent.....

Answer 6

I don't understand the logic in thinking a pure bred dog will have less traumatic problems than any other dog being adopted out of a shelter? I commend you for going to a shelter, I wish I had. Mom, Dad , You , and most importantly your other dog, need to go to the shelter together and see which one ( regardless of breed ) is the right fit for all of you. I'm willing to bet that when that special dog crosses your path that day, YOU WILL KNOW IT !

Answer 7

Frist off it's really good that you wanna adopt. Also lots of shelters have purebreds, there are aslo puerbred rescues. MY neighbor got a shelter dog and he's an excellent dog. The shelters have really good dogs. I think they also do behavior tests to make sure the dor is adoptable. Oh and take your other dog with you to pick a dog so you can make sure they get along. Good luck.

Answer 8

I have had very bad luck trying to adopt i was attacked by one, My daughter was attacked
I had one that was said t be a great family dog, and get along with dogs and cats
well it went after me,my daughter, my dog and my cat. i tried for a week but finally returned the dog
I know have a very loving Standard Poodle that has been raised the way i wanted. You do realize a lot of purebred wnd up in the shelter so if you know you will give a dog a good home then you may be saving a dog in teh long run.

Answer 9

Judge was a shelter dog, and he's the sweetest dog ever. Often you can get perfectly fine dogs from the shelter, Judge is just agressive toward other dogs, but a lot still aren't even after all that shelter time... A lot of purebreds have genetic problems that could result in high vet fees later on. Good for you for considering adoption!

Answer 10

Rescueing a dog can be very rewarding. Some rescues can have unforseen problems. Most private rescues work with foster homes where the pets are part of the family already and many behaviour problems have been worked out.

Gettning a dog from a shelter can be trickier as the dogs spend much of their time in cages, not we socialized and may have problems adjusting. Many shelters have counselers to assist in acclumating the dog to its new environment.

Our rescue not only fosters all our animals, but we also allow for a sleep over or an amount of time for the animal to spend in a potential adopters home to see how the family and the dog responds. This allows them time to see if they bond with the dog and behaviors they may have to work on with the dog.

Getting a mix breed dog has its advantages over pure bred and visa versa. Both can be obtained through rescue as there are many pure-breed rescues out there (see petfinder.com).

Pure breed dogs are prone to certain medical problems due to genetic amplification of certain genes. You can prepare (financially and emotionally) to deal with these problems (i.e. dachshunds are prone to ruptured discs and require surgery costing about $2000-$3000 and requires physical therapy to recover).

Mix breed dogs tend sometimes to be healthier because they lack the amlification of these genes. However, with mix breeds, you never know what you are going to get. They are a product of natural seleection and survival of the fittest.

I always say, Opt to Adopt. It is a very rewarding experience whereas getting a puppy from a breeder can be tedious, especially when the puppy becomes sick or develops medical problems due to its breed.

In rescueing a dog, you know you are giving one a chance at a new life and decreasing the number of animals being euthanized due to lack of owners and homes. In getting a pure breed dog you promote the backyard breeders who are only out to make a buck, not save a life.