Guilt
- Thread starter Linds
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No, I do not feel guilty. I specifically wanted a dog from a breeder because of health tests, meeting parents and siblings, seeing how she was born and raised. I wanted to have a better grasp of what I was getting into.
Would I ever get a rescue? Sure, if they would adopt to us without having a fence. I will never regret getting from this breeder though. I feel like I got so much more than just a dog. Between her, and Addie's school, I feel like I am meeting a whole bunch of awesome people.
Would I ever get a rescue? Sure, if they would adopt to us without having a fence. I will never regret getting from this breeder though. I feel like I got so much more than just a dog. Between her, and Addie's school, I feel like I am meeting a whole bunch of awesome people.
No. I don't feel any guilt or shame that 75% of my dogs are from breeders. I do my best to support rescues and love fostering. But, I have very specific wants in a dog that so far no rescue has met. I love building drive in puppies and really being there from the start. When I had Lucy I never understood why sport people weren't interested-- now I get it.
That being said, I can't say it won't ever happen that I end up with another rescue dog. Once I am done with school and we have a ranch I will definitely foster again.
That being said, I can't say it won't ever happen that I end up with another rescue dog. Once I am done with school and we have a ranch I will definitely foster again.
For those that got your dog from a breeder, did/do you feel any guilt about it?
No. I do however feel good/better about rescuing Hank. If that makes any sense. Hank is such a good dog all around and he was in a danger that the other two weren't in. So I'm glad he's not in that danger and I feel good about giving him a good home where he can (hopefully) shine.
Why or why not? Has it changed over time in any one direction?
I know I'm a good dog owner doing the best I can. And that's about all I can ask people to do.
I do think it's a very good thing to rescue though and plan to continue having some rescue dogs in the house. This has grown a lot in the last year to be honest. I will likely have both rescue and breeder dogs in the future. I live in an area where there's a lot of dogs needing homes and a decent number seem to be dogs I like.
Has that effected future dog getting plans?
Well there was a point in time where I thought I'd only have breeder dogs because I 'wanted something specific'. But I adore Hank and he's seriously a great dog. He's really taught me you can find a more particular thing in rescue if you look. I've also joined some heeler, border collie, and general sport/working dogs for adoption type facebook groups and every week there's new young dogs posted that look AWESOME.
So I've opened up a lot more to more rescues. I always wanted to get at least one from a shelter after working so long in a shelter. But I think I'd honestly be very happy with all/most my dogs from shelters and rescues provided I was particular (But I'd also be particular about breeders too).
I guess something I had kind of thought was breeder dogs were for people who care about what kind of dog they get and rescue dogs were for people who didn't care much and 'just wanted a pet'. But I don't think that's true anymore. It's a gamble getting a shelter dog but so is any dog. Especially watching the dogs Sara and other disc folk pull... it's amazing what some people throw away! My trainer's rescue dog (stray BC found wandering) is a kickass dog. One of my friends has two rescue BCs who just plain rock. Another friend has a craigslist BC. Seriously, most my favorite BCs are second hand dogs. Another agility friend has a shelter ACD who is just lovely. So I've realized rescues and sports can go together very well. They're not just dogs that 'dog people' wouldn't want like it sometimes seems online.
No. I do however feel good/better about rescuing Hank. If that makes any sense. Hank is such a good dog all around and he was in a danger that the other two weren't in. So I'm glad he's not in that danger and I feel good about giving him a good home where he can (hopefully) shine.
Why or why not? Has it changed over time in any one direction?
I know I'm a good dog owner doing the best I can. And that's about all I can ask people to do.
I do think it's a very good thing to rescue though and plan to continue having some rescue dogs in the house. This has grown a lot in the last year to be honest. I will likely have both rescue and breeder dogs in the future. I live in an area where there's a lot of dogs needing homes and a decent number seem to be dogs I like.
Has that effected future dog getting plans?
Well there was a point in time where I thought I'd only have breeder dogs because I 'wanted something specific'. But I adore Hank and he's seriously a great dog. He's really taught me you can find a more particular thing in rescue if you look. I've also joined some heeler, border collie, and general sport/working dogs for adoption type facebook groups and every week there's new young dogs posted that look AWESOME.
So I've opened up a lot more to more rescues. I always wanted to get at least one from a shelter after working so long in a shelter. But I think I'd honestly be very happy with all/most my dogs from shelters and rescues provided I was particular (But I'd also be particular about breeders too).
I guess something I had kind of thought was breeder dogs were for people who care about what kind of dog they get and rescue dogs were for people who didn't care much and 'just wanted a pet'. But I don't think that's true anymore. It's a gamble getting a shelter dog but so is any dog. Especially watching the dogs Sara and other disc folk pull... it's amazing what some people throw away! My trainer's rescue dog (stray BC found wandering) is a kickass dog. One of my friends has two rescue BCs who just plain rock. Another friend has a craigslist BC. Seriously, most my favorite BCs are second hand dogs. Another agility friend has a shelter ACD who is just lovely. So I've realized rescues and sports can go together very well. They're not just dogs that 'dog people' wouldn't want like it sometimes seems online.
I grew up on exclusively rescue or someone in the neighborhood's dog got pregnant dogs. I was pretty well indoctrinated in the "you have to rescue only and save lives--all breeders are evil!" Now that I grew up and developed some independent thought, I have zero qualms about going to a breeder for a dog.
This isn't to say I don't like/want rescue dogs. I do very much, the majority of dogs I've had have been rescues still and for our next dog (the SO's lab), we'll be looking at rescues first for a dog that fits us. But the majority of breeders really aren't contributing to shelter dogs (especially in my area), and it does make a HUGE difference when the dogs personality fits the household and if you're going for a puppy the only way to get the best chance of that is going to a breeder and even if you're not breeders usually really know their dogs personalities which doesn't always happen rescues. Plus you have inherited health problems that are easier to identify in a dog whose lines you can track.
I guess what I'm saying is that at the end of the day the dog and the owners need to both be happy with each other. However that is accomplished, I don't particularly care as long as it's accomplished.
This isn't to say I don't like/want rescue dogs. I do very much, the majority of dogs I've had have been rescues still and for our next dog (the SO's lab), we'll be looking at rescues first for a dog that fits us. But the majority of breeders really aren't contributing to shelter dogs (especially in my area), and it does make a HUGE difference when the dogs personality fits the household and if you're going for a puppy the only way to get the best chance of that is going to a breeder and even if you're not breeders usually really know their dogs personalities which doesn't always happen rescues. Plus you have inherited health problems that are easier to identify in a dog whose lines you can track.
I guess what I'm saying is that at the end of the day the dog and the owners need to both be happy with each other. However that is accomplished, I don't particularly care as long as it's accomplished.
For those that got your dog from a breeder, did/do you feel any guilt about it?
Nope. I get really annoyed when people say, "You paid HOW much for him?!" after they ask how much he cost to purchase. I get annoyed when people spout off "adopt, don't shop!" and "breeder's kill dogs!" But I have zero guilt having made the choice to purchase him. People just do NOT understand that a breeder isn't a breeder isn't a breeder. When they ask me how much he cost and I say $1000 and they freak out, I have to explain that his parents were hip, elbow, shoulder, EIC, DM, cardiac, and thyroid tested and cleared. He comes from a line of dogs that the breeder selected for character traits that I was looking for. I didn't just go and spend a grand on a dog that Joe Schmoe bred with his neighbor's dog because "he wanted puppies".
Why or why not? Has it changed over time in any one direction?
I wanted a certain breed with a certain temperament to fill a certain role, with the health status and temperament being known AND I wanted a puppy. I could not have found that in rescue unless I was willing to take a very large risk, and I wasn't willing to do that at that point in time in my life.
Has that effected future dog getting plans?
Not really. I'll probably always go through a breeder if I want a puppy. I'd consider an older pup (like Sherman was) from a shelter if I was able to handle/experience the pup first to decide if it would be a good fit, but a very young pup I'd get from a breeder. And depending on what my dog wants/lifestyle is at the time, I may really want a young pup vs and older pup.
Michael swears up and down he's never going to have another puppy ever again (and I tell him HE may not have a puppy, but I will haha), so we'll also be adopting adult dogs from shelters. And I have no issues with that at all! I'd so much rather adopt an adult dog than a baby pup. So much.
I'll always probably have a "breeder dog". I'll always have a "rescue dog". The two don't have to be at odds.
Nope. I get really annoyed when people say, "You paid HOW much for him?!" after they ask how much he cost to purchase. I get annoyed when people spout off "adopt, don't shop!" and "breeder's kill dogs!" But I have zero guilt having made the choice to purchase him. People just do NOT understand that a breeder isn't a breeder isn't a breeder. When they ask me how much he cost and I say $1000 and they freak out, I have to explain that his parents were hip, elbow, shoulder, EIC, DM, cardiac, and thyroid tested and cleared. He comes from a line of dogs that the breeder selected for character traits that I was looking for. I didn't just go and spend a grand on a dog that Joe Schmoe bred with his neighbor's dog because "he wanted puppies".
Why or why not? Has it changed over time in any one direction?
I wanted a certain breed with a certain temperament to fill a certain role, with the health status and temperament being known AND I wanted a puppy. I could not have found that in rescue unless I was willing to take a very large risk, and I wasn't willing to do that at that point in time in my life.
Has that effected future dog getting plans?
Not really. I'll probably always go through a breeder if I want a puppy. I'd consider an older pup (like Sherman was) from a shelter if I was able to handle/experience the pup first to decide if it would be a good fit, but a very young pup I'd get from a breeder. And depending on what my dog wants/lifestyle is at the time, I may really want a young pup vs and older pup.
Michael swears up and down he's never going to have another puppy ever again (and I tell him HE may not have a puppy, but I will haha), so we'll also be adopting adult dogs from shelters. And I have no issues with that at all! I'd so much rather adopt an adult dog than a baby pup. So much.
I'll always probably have a "breeder dog". I'll always have a "rescue dog". The two don't have to be at odds.
Nope. I've seen too many people get dogs who were really, really bad matches for them out of guilt who end up getting returned to rescue and who does that help? Not gonna play the guilt game, although having said that I will probably continue to get dogs from a variety of sources depending on what my needs/wants are at the time.
As I said in the other thread, the most important thing is that you get a dog that will stay with you for its whole life (barring catastrophic life changes). Dogs who stay with their owners don't go to shelters.
As I said in the other thread, the most important thing is that you get a dog that will stay with you for its whole life (barring catastrophic life changes). Dogs who stay with their owners don't go to shelters.
Have both rescues and breeder dogs. And no, I feel no guilt whatsoever. Though I will always consider a shelter dog, I find it's much harder to find a match through them. Do I feel I'm killing a dog by buying from a breeder instead...absolutely not. The ones killing them are overbreeding mills/bybs and the people dumping them there.
Not against rescues at all, I just won't be made to feel guilty if I get a purebred because I want a more predictable personality and temperament. I get both, but more selective with rescues simply because they are more of a grab bag [unless in a foster system where foster parent can really tell you how they are in a home environment].
Not against rescues at all, I just won't be made to feel guilty if I get a purebred because I want a more predictable personality and temperament. I get both, but more selective with rescues simply because they are more of a grab bag [unless in a foster system where foster parent can really tell you how they are in a home environment].
No, I don't feel any guilt. I like puppies, and I think I do well with puppies, and I'm not comfortable getting a totally unknown puppy from a rescue. I like the predictability that comes with purebreds. I also live in an area with basically zero stray dog population, and the dogs who are in rescues are not what I'm looking for (lots of pits, hounds, and huge lab mixes).
I wouldn't be opposed to an adult rescue, and I have seen some awesome sport dogs from rescue. But I also really like puppies so I don't know if that will end up happening.
I wouldn't be opposed to an adult rescue, and I have seen some awesome sport dogs from rescue. But I also really like puppies so I don't know if that will end up happening.
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For a long time, I've felt guilt about where my dogs came from. But I've kind of moved past it.
Both of my dogs are pet store puppies. My parents bought both of them when I was 15, but I still pretty active in the dog world and extremely anti-pet store. It wasn't my decision or purchase, but I did find out prior that they went to buy puppies and I did absolutely nothing to stop it, and felt horrible about it afterwards.
In my defense, I was really sick at the time and ended up being hospitalized for a month about three days later, and really didn't have the energy or motivation to debate about going to a breeder/rescue with them. And, I know if we didn't take Milo he almost 100% would have ended up being put down (or really injuring someone first and then being put down). The good news is the confirmed puppy Mill Milo came from was busted about three months later and the pet store went down with it.
I don't imagine I'll ever have a dog that I feel guilty about taking again, unless 1) my SO ends up wanting some ridiculous dog and I can't say no, which has almost happened before.
Both of my dogs are pet store puppies. My parents bought both of them when I was 15, but I still pretty active in the dog world and extremely anti-pet store. It wasn't my decision or purchase, but I did find out prior that they went to buy puppies and I did absolutely nothing to stop it, and felt horrible about it afterwards.
In my defense, I was really sick at the time and ended up being hospitalized for a month about three days later, and really didn't have the energy or motivation to debate about going to a breeder/rescue with them. And, I know if we didn't take Milo he almost 100% would have ended up being put down (or really injuring someone first and then being put down). The good news is the confirmed puppy Mill Milo came from was busted about three months later and the pet store went down with it.
I don't imagine I'll ever have a dog that I feel guilty about taking again, unless 1) my SO ends up wanting some ridiculous dog and I can't say no, which has almost happened before.
My first two dogs were adult rehomes. The next 4 all came from breeders. When the oldest two of those died I decided to go the rescue route for my next dog and look for a teenage pup. I found a really nice looking boy online and rang to talk about him. Got grilled for a bit then she asked about my current dogs. The conversation went bad when I said our 2.5 year old bitch was still entire. Apparently this made me a terrible, irresponsible person they would not consider adopting a dog to such a terrible person. So when Gael's breeder had a litter and asked me if I was interested in a pup I said yes. With no guilt.
they would not consider adopting a dog to such a terrible person. So when Gael's breeder had a litter and asked me if I was interested in a pup I said yes. With no guilt.Nope, no guilt here. I've had a good handful of rescued dogs and rehomed dogs, and while I loved those dogs, I've also had the experience of a fantastic breeder who produced a dog that fits seamlessly with my lifestyle. I have nothing against rescues, but I will continue to go the breeder route for all or most of my dogs. I hate when people attempt to try and make me feel guilty for buying a dog; especially for buying a dog out of province. In my opinion, my breeder does everything she possibly can right by her dogs and her owners, and there is nothing to feel guilty about. I love supporting good people and good, sound dogs. Finally having a dog with a sound temperament and the structure to do anything I ask of her is invaluable. I literally didn't even think it was possible to have a normal dog prior to Journey, sadly enough lol.