Why do people that bought and paid for their dog from a breeder encourage others to adopt from shelters?

Question

When they themselves would never even consider such a thing?! I find the hypocrisy stifling!

If you would be willing to adopt from the pound or animal shelter, then there is no need to get defensive, is there?

I don't feel that people who buy from breeders are bad at all, but here's a good question: Aren't they themselves contributing to the homeless pet population? I mean, the diehards will insist that we shouldn't buy from breeders at all and they should all quit breeding. I'm sorry if any of you feel that this was pointed directly at you.

I don't feel that people who buy from breeders are bad at all, but here's a good question: Aren't they themselves contributing to the homeless pet population? I mean, the diehards will insist that we shouldn't buy from breeders at all and they should all quit breeding. I'm sorry if any of you feel that this was pointed directly at you.

And oh by the way: A WHOLE LOTTA PEOPLE that get their dogs from breeders do so for no other reason than to have a cuddly family pet of a particular breed. Most are not spending hundreds or thousands of dollars so the dog can be shown or trained to work. I'm sorry if a lot of breeders think that, because it is clearly not the case! And, a lot of these champion pedigrees end up in shelters or worse!

My point in saying that people get dogs from breeders for the purpose of having pets only was to diffuse the breeders who claim that people are buying dogs for a specific purpose that a shelter dog could not provide.

Answer 1

I agree. If you buy from a reputable breeder - one who breeds their dogs to show. Then it's perfectly fine!
Mind you - when I say that they breed their dogs to show - I mean that they show the dogs THEMSELVES.
Anyone who advertises dogs from "show lines" and doesn't show themselves - is simply trying to make money off of breeding dogs.
Breeders who show have their dogs tested for every genetic problem you can imagine & they guarantee their dogs for LIFE & will take them back if you ever cannot keep them.
The puppies are less expensive than a pet store (which by the way are ALWAYS supplied by puppy mills.)
Anyway - I will get off my soap box now! But I do agree with you.

Answer 2

Heck I'm a breeder and I encourage folks to look into what is available in rescue if they just want a dog of a specific breed. As a breeder when I buy a dog I'm looking for specific things that go way beyond what breed it is, I'm looking at the health for several generations, I'm looking for a dog that has the potential of doing well in shows and/or trials, I'm looking for dogs from lines that complement my and will bring something positive to any future breedings I might do with the dog. In other words any dog I buy as to fulfill many jobs beyond just being a pet and companion.

On the other hand over the years all my cats whose only purpose is to be a house pet and not to compete in shows or trails have all come from the shelter or been strays with the except of a blue point Himi I got many years ago from a rescue groups.

Answer 3

...because not everyone is looking for a purebred dog. Some just want a companion.

...because not everyone wants to deal with a puppy.

Those are a couple of reasons. I wanted a good ranch dog, but not one I would feel compelled to show or work (and, me being me, that would be the case if I went to a breeder for a puppy). So I adopted a Cattle Dog mix from a shelter.

Yeah, so we do consider such things, on occasion. And as someone who has routinely taken Siberians out of shelters to rehome (i.e. purebred rescue), I have no problem with someone looking to pay $100 to adopt an adult dog, rather than paying me hundreds more for one of my puppies.

ADD:"I don't feel that people who buy from breeders are bad at all, but here's a good question: Aren't they themselves contributing to the homeless pet population?"

"They" as in the breeder, or the buyer?

If it's the latter, no, they aren't contributing to the population, as long as they don't dump the puppy they bought in a shelter, and take it back to the breeder if they can't keep it.

If it's the former, the answer is essentially the same -- no, as long as they ensure that the puppies go to people who will properly train, care for, and keep them, and as long as they are willing to take back a dog they've bred at any time.

ADD2:"And, a lot of these champion pedigrees end up in shelters or worse!"

Not if the breeder is responsible, screens their buyers properly, and requires that the dog be returned to them IN ANY CASE if the buyer can no longer keep it.

I'm not sure what point you were trying to make in your last edit. Yeah, I know that people buy from breeders to get pets. In fact, I count on it:
http://www.kaylenbergsiberians.com/Now.htm

What's your point?

Answer 4

i got mine from a breeder only because, there were none in the shelters near my home who got along with cats, and most had special needs, i knew i couldn't afford to keep up. Obviously i wouldn't want to get a dog, then not be able to afford its health problems. I looked at shelters, rescue groups for 3 ish years trying to find a Lhasa ( i live in an apartment so a larger dog wasn't an option). Then one Day i came across my little guys picture, and said no i want to adopt and put it off. Well i went to my vet and asked for a good Lhasa breeder ( i wasn't having any luck with rescues, there was 1 about an hour away but they wanted over 500 for the dog and sadly i didn't have that much, although my baby came close, she allowed to make payments, so i could afford to get it fixed and shots, and some toys(i already had food)) and low behold, it was the same one i had seen on the website :).

I wanted to rescue a dog.. I encourage others only because there are so many helpless pets out there, and i wish i could had rescued one. Although i wouldn't trade my baby for anything!!

Answer 5

I have 2 Beagles that I have adopted from a shelter and I have 1 pit bull that I have bought from a breeder. When asked where someone should get thier dog or puppy I do recommend the shelter first but then it depends on what breed they are lookng for b/c sometimes it is hard to find certain breeds at the shelter.

Answer 6

Um.. I suppose that really depends.. I've never seen anyone do that.

If someone buys from a breeder for the purpose of showing a dog.. it does not mean that they would never consider adopting from a shelter..

I have one dog from a breeder (we went to the shelters, but none of them had a schnauzer at the time.. and that was what my mother wanted), one from the pound (who had been returned several times.. they called US and asked us to take him or he would be put down as we were known to be a "schnauzer" family.. someone there must have known my mother) and one who was just about to be sent to a rescue.. (the woman found him as a stray.. got him treated for heartworm, got him neutered, did a bit of training with him.. and then listed him through a shelter. I had to be approved by the shelter before they even told me about him and the "price" for the dog was a donation to the shelter)

Not everyone who goes to a breeder would refuse to adopt from a shelter.. that is a HUGE generalization. Both methods have their merits. For general house pets I do encourage shelters..


OH.. and for the record.. our "breeder" dog was from a great breeder.. We were able to visit her home, meet both the "parents" .. She had shown her own dogs, we were able to see not only all the papers (and got the AKC registry for ours), but references. The puppies live as part of their family.. they socialize them, train them.. and any that aren't sold for whatever reason stay with them. We were told to call them if we ever had a problem.. She did not advertise, we knew someone who knew her... and she didn't have litters every year.. That was that b*tches only litter.. the dogs weren't breeding machines.

(and even she had a shelter dog in her home as well)

Answer 7

Devil's Advocate: Because I know that not everyone can afford to pay the $1800++ I've paid for my working dogs. Because I know not everyone requires what I do from my dogs.

For what its worth... I simply encourage people to buy the dog that best fits their family... whether it is from a responsible breeder or the shelter.

(FWIW.. if you PAY anything to get the dog you are BUYING it... federal law requires DONATIONS to be "suggestions" not mandatory. Any mandatory exchange of money for a product is a purchase).

I bought or bailed out a number of dogs from shelters. Sometimes for direct rehoming. Sometimes to train and then place in a particular home.

Edit: In BOTH my breeds there is a shortage of well-bred pups available. There IS NOT a shortage of backyard bred dogs of either of my breeds.

Responsible breeders have mandatory rehoming policies... and their dogs do not end up in shelters. All MY pups are microchipped in my name before they go to their new home, new owners can add their name but cannot subtract my information.

In over 20 years in purebred Samoyed rescue, over 100 dogs I've personally pulled from shelters and triple that many I've dealt with in the rescue *I* have not EVER found a dog that was from a quality breeding plan (we can tell the difference)... all were backyard bred dogs (spindly legged, long nosed, big earred, droopy coat)

Answer 8

I have 6 dogs all are rescued or from a shelter, the last one was bought from a breeder for a lot of money but the original owner didn't want to keep him before he was a year old. I have previously bought several dogs from breeders because I have shown dogs for over 30 years and a mixed breed or even shelter rescue who is purebred can not be shown in anything but obedience.And a neutered dog can not be shown in the breed ring. I have multi titled many dogs in breed, obedience and Schutzhund but never bred any of my well bred health checked dogs because I never wanted to have to rescue their progeny. All were neutered when I was done showing them. Since I wanted a well bred, healthy and good looking dog to show I have chosen my dogs from specific bloodlines. I have also done rescue for the last 29 years for many breeds. Now I have 6 purebreds 2 of which I am showing, my field bred Lab, from a shelter, who can be AKC ILPed and had his T.T. and my last dog, my Dobe who has his CGC and came with papers. My 4 MinPins are all obed trained pets and 1 was from a shelter and the other 3 from a MinPin Rescue group. I tell people to rescue a dog from a purebred rescue group or shelter if they want a housepet and not a dog to show. My g/f has bought Dachshunds from a breeder to show in breed and obed. and also never bred them but also rescued several strays and tells people to rescue from shelters.

Answer 9

okay let us take this case by case

case 1- grown adult who breeds and shows dogs and is looking for a new dog, prospect show and stud dog as she doesnt want her lines to be to close. she calls up a breeder whom shes meet at some shows, a reputal one, and put her name on a waiting list for POL male pup. the pup comes, she pays what she needs to pay, need it bee $200 or $2000. its her new show dog after all. this is Airabella Von haus ____. aka belle.-

case 2- you have a family who wants a nice pet for thier 2 young kids. they dont show, do agility or anything, but they will love the dog like no other. breed doesnt matter, size does, say they want a medium dog. instead of paying a few hundreds from a reputal breeder[or BYB , a term they are unfamilar with] they go to the pound.they see an adorable medium size dog, unsure of breed, a spainiel mix they presume, they spend some time with thte dog, its a year old, and its lovly and good with kids. they adopt it- this is scruffy

no why would the family in case two need to buy from a breeder?or a BYB at that?

Answer 10

I see what you are saying....I am always amused by that too...perhaps they feel that if they spread the word they can make up for the fact that they did not follow their own advice...do as I say, do as I do. and for the guy who thinks you get only a dirty mutt from a shelter...think again. First of all, even if you do adopt a "dirty mutt," it comes altered and UTD on vaccines, making it well worth the $50 bucks you pay for that dog. Trust me, I found one of my dogs on the street and I always joke he was the most expensive free dog ever! Secondly, me other rescued dog is a purebred standard poodle that people constantly ask if he is a show dog...so nice try, buddy, there are a bunch of purebred dogs in rescue...last I heard about 1/3 of shelter dogs are purebred. Anytime I visit the shelters to pull dogs for my own rescue, I see plenty of beautiful purebreds....dobies, dalmatians, shih tzus, malteses, labs, great danes, pitbulls (of course), boston terriers, etc! The only reason I would buy from a breeder is because I would want to show my animal. I do not begrudge people who buy from breeders, if they do their research and pick a responsible breeder who breeds very infrequently, rarely advertises and breeds to better health and temperament....most people don't get their dogs from breeders like this, unfortunately. I always push people to give rescue dogs a chance because there are so many stigmas attached to rescuing. However, I practice what I preach...my dogs are both rescues. I suppose when all is said and done, a good word in for rescue, even coming from someone who bought from a breeder is better than no word at all~!~