imput on reputable breeders.....

[aly]

Originally posted by wolf_Q
And there's plenty of dogs in rescues in shelters that are perfectly good dogs and have no problems at all. They may already be trained/housebroken too...many people give up dogs, and not just because the dog has a health or behavior issue. People give up dogs because they don't have time or they are moving and can't take the dog as well as a million other "reasons."

Admittedly I have never gotten a dog from a rescue, but I'm sure somebody that has worked with rescues has seen a lot more bad owners than bad dogs. What you just said just saddens me, it puts out a very bleak outlook for any rescue dog.

Thank you for saying all of that Amy. Because of my emotional involvement, I was having a hard time trying to come up with the right words to post, but you did a great job.

It really hurts me too to read such things that keep being said about rescue dogs. In fact, this is the second time in two days that I've been brought to tears because of the same comments on a couple threads. It hurts me so much because I know for a fact that it just simply isn't true. I have had more than enough experience in the rescue field to know that. I have over 20,000 hours of volunteer time at one shelter along with years of working as a volunteer and employee at other shelters and rescues.

There are some dogs with issues in shelters, just as there are dogs with issues at breeders. Not every dog from a shelter will have issues, just as not every dog from a breeder will be so wonderful and healthy. In my experience, mixed breeds are far more healthy than pure. If someone is so worried that their dog will be some awful behavioral case, then find a good shelter who you trust. Some shelters do more behavioral evaluations than others. A city shelter is required to take in every animal that comes to their doors, whereas a no-kill shelter is more selective with their intake process. Most of them will only take the most highly adoptable dogs so they can have a faster turnover and save even more dogs. A lot of no-kills don't want to have a behavioral issue on their hands because that means the dog will probably sit in that cage for months when they could have adopted out several dogs from that cage in the same amount of time. My shelter has an extensive temperament test, a strict plan of action from the high level volunteers to correct behavioral issues, and a follow-up routine. We do our very best to let people know EXACTLY what kind of dog they are adopting because we want people to be happy and love their dogs, and we don't want to see our precious dogs being returned because someone got what they weren't expecting. No, not every shelter is like that, but there are a lot. When adopting, sometimes it is important to find a shelter you can trust, just as when buying, it is important to find a breeder you can trust.

I don't think badly of any of you who bought your dogs from a breeder. It is not something that I will ever do, but it is not something I think you're a bad person for.

I personally have a lot of training experience so I like to take on the hard cases from the shelter that no one else wants. It tears my heart apart to think what would have happened to Lolly if I hadn't taken her. It literally almost makes me faint to imagine my life without either Reecie or Lolly in it. Not everyone is like me though, and that is fine. But you can still go to a shelter and walk out with a PERFECTLY normal dog. Just because the dog is in a shelter doesn't mean its a menace to society. Some people have the stupidest reasons for surrendering their animals. Lets see ... one lady dropped off her dog because his hair did not match her new couch and he kept shedding on it Another man dropped off his dog because his new girlfriend thought she was ugly Not to mention the insane amount of people who come in claiming they are moving tomorrow and just have to leave their animals behind. I always wonder what planet they are going to that doesn't allow animals Now are those dogs at fault? Are they bad? Nope. They were unlucky to belong to such irresponsible people.

My own shelter here has had everything from a purebred 8 week old Chinese Crested to a purebred Irish Wolfhound, and everything in between. If you are dedicated and have the heart, you will find exactly what you are looking for, and more, in shelters.

Shelter animals are not any less deserving than purebreds, just as orphaned human children are not any less deserving of love and a second chance at life.