All of you have very valid points and I do very much advocate adoptions from shelters .I have rescued so many dogs in Fact Lady is the latest in a LONG line . What I got upset about was being called stupid becouse I took so long to find Merlin and bought him from a breeder. I waited and looked at shelters and different breeders you have NO idea how it killed me to leave each place knowing some of those dogs would end up in bad places, but I have a super high standard if I'm going to spend my money.Merlins human mom was a very nice and smart lady. 1 litter every 2-3 years and a list of buyers(both parents have earned lots of awards both in ring and in the feild) she uses the same male and he is the only female he breeds to. that is just one thing I was inpressed with. as I said before she went beyond my standard (hard to beleive my hubby thought we'd never get a dog) . But Merlin was the perfect little boy for us.