Going from rescue route to breeder route

[Locke]

I'm having a bit of a moral dilemma about next dog.


I've been involved in rescue for the past few years, and am passionate about rescuing dogs. I know I can easily find my perfect next dog in rescue, and there are so many benefits to getting a rescue dog, and I really have NO reason NOT to get a rescue dog, other than I really want a specific breed puppy.

I have no plans for next dog other than being a non/low shedding active pet, so I am finding it hard to justify wanting this specific breed puppy when there are already so many amazing dogs needing homes out there. I feel like a traitor.

Has anyone else gone from rescue to breeder? Did you feel guilty at all? How did you get past it?

 

[straw]

Out of curiosity, what breed are you looking at? Is it one that comes along frequently in rescue? If not, I think that's enough to justify you... I mean, non-shedding and active is easy enough to come by, but if you're sold on a certain breed that's fair.

I have been involved in rescue for years as well, and Venice was adopted from a shelter, but I'm looking at breeders for my next dog. I'm looking at a breed that's super common in rescue but I'm justifying it by the fact that they're a breed often gotten for the wrong reasons, and people often miss the boat on house-training/socialization/upbringing and I just really want to start with drive-building foundations and do everything right from a young age. I already have one dog with fear issues and I'm not interested in going down that road again - and most adults in rescues are fearful to some degree, even if it's just hand-shyness or reactivity.

 

[BostonBanker]

Both of my current dogs, who are adored beyond all reason, are rescues; one of my closest friends own a wonderful rescue that I would support with my dying breath.

My next dog will almost certainly be from a breeder. The blend of what I want as far as breed, age, and temperament are traits that I feel more comfortable gambling on with a breeder. I have zero doubt I could find it in a rescue, but I'm hoping my odds are going to be better with a breeder - and I'm willing to gamble on it.

I have zero guilt. The breeders I would consider getting a dog from aren't causing homeless dogs, and I strongly believe that both good rescues AND good breeders are necessary in the world and deserve support and respect. I can continue to support rescues and rescue dogs and still get a dog from a breeder.

 

[Laurelin]

Well I went the opposite route. 2 breeder dogs and now a rescue. I fully intend to have both rescues/rehomes and breeder dogs in the future. It will just depend on what the timing is and what's available and what I want. Both good places to find good dogs.

 

[Linds]

I've had both and I have both. Well, they've been private rehomes, but semantics.

To be perfectly honest, I don't try and justify it. If I want a dog from a breeder I go to a breeder. I want the dog I want and there are many reasons to choose to go to a breeder. If what I is easier found through a rescue, or not breed specific I go that way. If a dog falls in my lap (Fergus & Kaylee) I go with it.

I really think justifying isn't the way to go. You'll just make yourself crazy and honestly you shouldn't have to. It's silly. Good breeders do a lot of good for their breeds and should be supported and you should be able to get the right dog for you regardless of where they are from.

And it's such a rabbit hole. "Well, I should rescue because I can probably find what I'm looking for." "Well, I can manage issues easier so I guess I should take this dog because most other people couldn't." "Well, I shouldn't get this one because this one would find a home really easily."

If you want to go the breeder route, find a breeder you like with a breeding you like, go for it. If you find a rescue that fits perfectly then go for it.

Pick the dog/breeder and don't worry about the rest (easier said than done, for you I know).

 

[Locke]

Thank you for your responses. Definitely helps put my guilt (slightly) at ease.

I've been researching Chinese Crested Powder Puffs for a while. I met and made friends with an oversized hairless at the dog park about 6 years ago, and from our first meeting, I knew I wanted a Crested some day.

However, I have a lot of reservations because on paper, the traits that I dislike seem more impactful (?) than the traits I do like, but the Crested I met, and some videos I've watched online have me loving everything else about them.

My main concerns are a tendency to be noisy, which is a huge issue for my partner, a tendency to be hard to housetrain, and a tendency towards separation anxiety. Secondary concern is fragility.

Otherwise, I love their cuddly, velcro, super happy, friendly temperaments. I love that they're incredibly smart and active. I love the grooming potential.

If I do not get a Crested puppy, I will rescue another poodle/doodle.

 

[Linds]

Get one.

Now.

Just do it.



PS: My breeder said her's are pretty quiet. I'm sure I'll fix that in Hiccup but she did say hers are not loud at all.

 

[SpaceMutt]

I'm glad your guilt is being helped, OP - I don't think there's anything to feel guilty for, personally.

I have a rescue dog. Love him to death and I wouldn't trade him for the world, and I still follow the rescue I got him from. But he's been a mess in some ways. I knew when I adopted him that it was a crapshoot, he was just a random puppy that I thought was cute on PetFinder. I also tried to adopt a young adult dog that was GREAT at the shelter, who turned out to basically give me heart palpitations at home. It wasn't anyone's fault at the rescue - they were a big shelter that doesn't have the time or resources to do extensive behavior evaluations beyond the basics. And it wasn't her fault, she was a crackerjack little dog. We just didn't mesh.

So I am getting a breeder puppy this time around and I don't feel badly about it. I have supported rescues in various ways (taking a foster dog through her basic training right now actually), so it's not that the cause isn't dear to me. I will probably have other rescue dogs but for right now, I'm content saying that I want what I want, and what I want is predictable. I want to have met the puppy's mother, father, aunts, uncles, siblings. At the time I got Astro, I was in the mindset to handle anything - no children, no spouse, no other pets - but now I have more requirements.

But I mean heck, I could probably find some sight hound cross through a rescue that meets my needs. But I think a puppy will integrate better and yeah, I want the breeder experience, I want the health testing and the carefully studied lines. It's a bit selfish but I don't think a little bit of selfishness is inherently bad. I know my breeder isn't contributing to dogs being dumped at shelters, she produces solid dogs, and I think that's worth contributing to as well

 

[Locke]

Selfish! Yes, that's exactly how I'm feeling. You're right. Just because you purchase a dog from a breeder doesn't mean you don't care about rescue.


Linds, Hiccup needs a voice if he wants to fit in with the Koolies!

Second dog is still a long way out. About 3 years time. I figure it will take me at least that long to convince my partner that a second dog is doable and enjoyable.

 

[Applebear]

Well I went the opposite route. 2 breeder dogs and now a rescue. I fully intend to have both rescues/rehomes and breeder dogs in the future. It will just depend on what the timing is and what's available and what I want. Both good places to find good dogs.

This is pretty much me, though I always intend to have at least one Chow...but it's all up in the air for others.

 

[Julee]

http://chazhound.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258860

 

[Locke]

I see we think alike Julee! Thanks for posting that thread.

 

[Stingr69]

My first dog was a rescue pound pup. A small pointer mix. He was a pretty good dog but had some emotional issues that we coped with, but never fully left behind. We gave him the best home we could provide.

For a number of personal reasons, we needed less "doubt" on the next dog. We were looking for something specific. We went with a pure bred dog from a breeder to aim for more predictable results. Just a requirement at the time.

Maybe another rescue after the Paps are all gone.

 

[milos_mommy]

I work extensively in rescue and believe the majority of my dogs will typically be rescues, with the possibility of a few breeder dogs eventually.

I would feel guilty going to breeder, generally, because I can find what I want in rescue. And honestly, I see people go to excellent breeders a lot (even on Chaz) and their dogs still end up with anomaly health problems....for things like hip dysplasia sure it's safer, but mostly I think your dog is just as likely to develop a random, horrifying disease from a health testing breeder as from a rescue. Just not breed specific stuff if you rescue purebred.

I don't have a ton of interest in young puppies, I'm willing to deal with less than stellar behavior, and I'm not looking for a high level competition or working dog. In the future, I'll likely get an adult breeder dog for the purpose of a service dog, if I go through with that, I may get a breeder puppy if I want to do PP Sports or compete more intensely (although for sports I see A LOT of dogs in rescue that could excel, you just need to have some connections and be patient.

If I wanted something specific in a dog and it wasn't coming through rescue, I'd probably look into breeder pups while meanwhile keeping my eye out in rescue. But I'm pretty flexible and easygoing, so I'll usually find a dog in rescue I want.

I'd feel guilty going to a breeder unless it was for a good reason.

 

[Laurelin]

Lol apparently in that thread I was going to get a breeder dog. Whoops

 

[BostonBanker]

Lol apparently in that thread I was going to get a breeder dog. Whoops

That's okay, there's a million threads saying I'd go rescue. We can cancel each other out. Although who knows if I'll flip again before it is actually time for a dog.

 

[Shai]

Both of my current dogs, who are adored beyond all reason, are rescues; one of my closest friends own a wonderful rescue that I would support with my dying breath.

My next dog will almost certainly be from a breeder. The blend of what I want as far as breed, age, and temperament are traits that I feel more comfortable gambling on with a breeder. I have zero doubt I could find it in a rescue, but I'm hoping my odds are going to be better with a breeder - and I'm willing to gamble on it.

I have zero guilt. The breeders I would consider getting a dog from aren't causing homeless dogs, and I strongly believe that both good rescues AND good breeders are necessary in the world and deserve support and respect. I can continue to support rescues and rescue dogs and still get a dog from a breeder.

^This, except past tense instead of future tense as I have already gone to a breeder for dogs 3 and 4.

No. Regrets.

Lost a few "friends" over it but hey, obviously they weren't friends in the first place if that's all it took.

 

[Laurelin]

That's okay, there's a million threads saying I'd go rescue. We can cancel each other out. Although who knows if I'll flip again before it is actually time for a dog.

I am still flipping back and forth about my next one! I'm pretty ridiculously happy with my rescue dog to be honest. We'll see.

 

[Southpaw]

If I have any guilt at all about where my dogs came from (and I really don't), then I'd be most guilty about Cajun - Craigslist rehome, but we paid enough that I feel bad we didn't go through a breeder.

Happy was a rescue, and even considering how unadoptable she was, I didn't like, feel better or all warm and fuzzy because of it. My future dogs are still coming from breeders. They're all just different ways to acquire a dog, I don't feel bad about where I go so long as it's not some shady operation.

 

[StillandSilent]

Oh look, I thought I was going to a breeder. And I thought I was only going to have 2 dogs.