What is so very wrong with pride?
There is nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments. It when you take those accomplishments and act as if your some kind of special snow flake because of the dog you own is where the problem is at. Back then in Chaz, there was a member (she no longer post here) who felt herself and her working dogs were better than the people and pets here to the point where she even said that working dogs were the "REAL" dogs, and pets dogs were just ornaments.
We're all different and that is why so many different types of dogs exist.
I know my limits and I would promptly find a home for a dog not suited here in an effort to benefit them, I know that I'm not designed to make every type of dog the happiest it can be and not every type of dog is designed for my lifestyle. I don't honestly think people are doing dogs any favors saying they don't feel the need to research breed/type needs and select 15 yr long companions based on such needs and desires.
Keep in mind that I made sure to say "if I decide to keep it." If a dog of a breed that I rather not handle ends up on my doorstep, I'm not just going to keep it outside and hope someone else gets it. I'm going to bring it inside and adapt to its needs while it here, and I might decide to keep it if I fell in love. For example, there was a Min Pin who I found running around in the streets so I took it home with me. Now, Min Pins were dogs I decided long ago I would rather not deal with. They were barkers, very small, and one person type dogs. The time I had the dog while I was looking for the owner, I feel in love. The dog would bark before meal ties, bark when we were about to take a walk, and bark at the door, and to my surprise found it very enduring rather than the annoyed feeling that I expected it. The small size that I thought I didn't want, actually found it easier to adjust to sitautions with a dog that size. I love how the dg just becae attach to me and not anyone else in the household. We found the dog's owner but gosh darn I miss that little dog.
This isn't about not researching a dog before you get one. No one here said anything about getting a breed without research. Of course there are dogs who better suit your needs and like I said in the past post, there are dogs who I kow I can handle but dont want to handle, and there are few dogs I just can't handle at all. If a caucasian ovcharka (thank god this is unlikely) ended up on my doorstep, no matter how much I like it, I'm going to find it another home. Not only do I think I couldn't handle such a huge dog with large guardian instinct, I would never live in a place suitable for it.
I think, unfortunately, you are in the minority there. Hence the huge population of dogs in the shelter- a lot of people don't adapt to the needs of dogs they choose to bring into their homes.
Luce was a huge eye-opener for me when I brought her home. I got way more dog than I was expecting. It is who I am to adapt, to grow, to learn how to meet her needs. But most of the casual dog owners I know? Wouldn't have.
I don't think I'm the minority of dog owners. See, there are people who are dog owners, and there are people who were never meant to be dog owners. The peope who weren't meant to be dog owners didn't find that out until they have a pup and find out they have no will to take care of it. An example of that is one of my neighbors who brought a little dog. After awhile, she didn't want to deal with his needs at all. I took care of the dog many times, and that dog was the most easiest dog I've ever own. The dog would only have accidents in the house if he wasn't walk, it wasn't crazy active, it just needed a good walk, the dog was quiet in the house, had no aggressive issues and wasn't fearful, and he was pretty smart. Yet she found it difficult. I don't consier her a dog owner just because she own a dog. She did not deserve the title. Thankfully, she gave it to a humane society.
Real dog owners, those who love the responsibilities of taking care of a dog, ARE very adaptable. A dog, no matter where you get that dog from, is never perfect. In some cases, events can cause an otherwise easy dog to become difficult. For example, a golden retriever who loved every dog he meets, suddent becomes dog reactive and dog aggressive after an attack. Most dog owners, for the love of that dog, would deal with those issues and try to fix it or tame it down. Yes, there are times when some issues are too much and the dog is rehome. Still, most dog owners would be able to adapt to fit a dog's needs.