Their reasoning, motivated by a lack of faith and respect in sport dog fanciers or their experience in their crop of dogs not being ideal for competitive sport dogs, was an interesting quandary of mine.
Off topic from the original thread: Yeah, I find it both simultaneously unfortunate but understandable. Unfortunate because they could probably make some great placements, understandable because IME the community surrounding these dogs doesn't promote keeping them unconditionally as pets. I don't mean that as a cut; I can understand having goals and responsibly selling/placing a dog that isn't going to meet them, but I can absolutely see a rescue not wanting to put a dog in that situation.
We have had passers-through and the odd visiting decoy to our club - someone will usually tell them B is from the pound, since it's viewed as an oddity, and I will almost always be told how lucky I was to get her so cheap, or be told that I could re-sell her. I can't tell if people think it's cute or stupid when I say she's my (spayed) house pet, first and foremost, and I decided to keep her before I had any real idea what her aptitude for work really was, lol. And beyond that, there
are some truly shady individuals and attitudes in the breed, sadly, and that warrants some suspicion. And of course, the rescue sees only the worst of it, you know?
Like I said, I can understand it both sides. I was in sport horses for years and had the horse we bought not turned out, we would have sold him. Even at 12 years old, I was ok with that. But I really do understand rescues being unwilling to place animals that often already had a hard lot in life into a situation where their home is conditional (more so than a pet, I suppose everybody has their deal-breakers).
I do kind of wish I didn't feel like working your dog was a little bit taboo with ABMC - nothing in the contract forbids it at all (except foster dogs which IMO is understandable) but I admit I do feel as though it might provoke judgement or concern. Not so much over the work itself; I do not get the impression anyone there feels that bitework is bad for dogs, but over the culture surrounding it. I would love to brag on my rescued dog on their FB page but I just don't feel comfortable, honestly, so I censor my posts to pet stuff, much though I would love to post, "Blossom did a long send on the jacket and she was GREAT!!!" lol. And I wonder how many out there working their rescued Mals feel the same due to this significant culture clash.
On topic:
What was your reasoning for buying vs rescuing?
Keeva is from a breeder, a friend of a friend. I never gave rescue serious consideration, if I'm totally honest. I wanted a small dog, genetically healthy, driven for sports, intact and registrable while intact. I did peruse petfinder and there were a couple of cute prospects but I really wasn't up for having an altered animal again and when I contacted places to see if I could test the dog's toy drive and such, they were weird about it.
Purebred dogs are a hobby for me honestly, while I firmly subscribe to the idea that a good dog is where you find it, I'm involved enough in the world of breeders and purebred dogs that it just makes sense for me. Rescue don't want to adopt to me either, because intact dogs and blah blah blah.
I guess purchasing a dog is my default mode and rescues either happen to me or I would have to have a reason to go looking for one.
Yep, Macky is from a local no-kill rescue and Blossom is from a county pound in Ohio. Macky was deliberate; I was 16 and convinced breeding and purchasing dogs was teh evil at the time. Blossom just happened to me; she really needed out of the pound, AMBC couldn't/wouldn't pull her for red tape reasons, so Aleron orchestrated a way to get her to me and she ended up staying. LOL
I believe any rescues in the future will likely be acquired thusly. Just seems to be the way of things for me.
Did you feel any guilt for purchasing?
Nope.
