(semi-copied from my LJ cause I did not feel like typing this all over again)
I have been wanting to get a puppy this spring. Although I am always constantly looking at shelters & petfinder & the such (just in case & for the heck of it &cause I care), But now I am really getting ready to add an addition to my family.
Keep in mind I am well aware of the over-population of animals, I am 28, have worked in a couple vets offices, one shelter & volunteer(ed) at many of sheters. I have assisted w/ obedience, agility classes & behavioral problems. I am also well aware how to find a very good breeder.
My brain & heart are a bit confused though. You see my whole life I have rescued animals (with the exception of (ferrets) Chaos whom my ex bought w/o me knowing, then Maniac & Spurr but they were "replacement" ferrets from Marshalls, then a couple rats most of the ones I bought came from breeders) ALL the other critters that have ever been in my life came from shelters, streets, bad homes, could no longer care for, etc... always a rescue of some sort.
I have always told myself that any animal I will ever own will be a rescue of some sort or another (with the exception of mainly rats cause they are *sometimes* a bit difficult to come by in my area from shelters & the such)
But you see I am search of a puppy (on & off for well over a year now). I have only been half searching as I *was* not in that much of a hurry.
Now that Nanook is getting older by the day I am more serious about my search.
I want a young pup, 8ish weeks ONLY because I have never ever had a puppy that I kept, all the pups in my life were just rescues that I nursed back to health or just fostered until a suitable home was avail. I've never raised a dog from puppy hood to adult hood & kept them.
AND I want a really healthy one (mainly bones & hips... mobility healthy), ONLY because all the dogs I ever had have had mobility problems.
AND I want a dog w/ excellent temperament ONLY because I want to start training for agility/skijoring/therapy/backpacking-hiking type activity right away. With the dogs I have owned all but one (Nanook) had some type of behavioral issue that took years to overcome (Raustyk is still not very good w/ some strangers & female dogs... 6 years later)
AND I want a very active dog, border collie, husky, aussie etc... med size. Not that a purebred has any importance to me at all, mainly just the activity level & size is what is important.
Trying to find all of those features from a shelter dog is slim. I KNOW that there is no guarantee from a breeder that the dog will be healthy, happy, friendly it's whole life, but the chances are greater from a reputable breeder.
My heart hurts when I think of contacting breeders about purchasing a pup, but yet at the same time my brain says that I have helped out plenty of animals & I deserve just one dog that is more suitable for me.
I know there are options (I have been trying to figure out what to do for years now), I have contacted shelters, & can make arrangements that if the pup is not healthy I can return him/her, but as far as hips go & many other health problems & not knowing any background, you really can't tell until they are 2 years of age, I can not return a dog, it is against my policy, even if I just had it for an hour, let alone 2 years.
I would like to get this figured out in my brain & heart now, in case I decide to get one from a breeder as I will want to find a reputable breeder check them out, they would have to check me out & then I would probably be on a waiting list anyways.
I know I will be rescuing more dogs in the future for companions, but I want a working dog this time around. And I know I will be rescuing older dogs in the future too but I really want a puppy.
Oh I just don't know what the right thing to do is. My heart tells me one thing (to adopt) while my brain tells me another (purchase a reputable puppy). I know they say to follow your heart, but if I do that then my heart my be broken in return due to the fact that if I rescue a dog there is a possibility I can't fully enjoy the activities we can encounter together while I am still young & able.
I guess I don't really know exactly what I am asking for here, just thought I'd share my thoughts with you's since I just don't feel as if I would be fully satisfied with either option.
If you have any suggestions, comments, stories etc... that are somehow related please fell free to share.
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