Last week I wrote about 10 reasons to adopt a dog from a shelter. I realize that no matter how many homeless dogs there are, some people will always buy from a breeder. For this post, I talked with owners of purebred dogs in order to get their opinions on why they bought from breeders. Here are 10 reasons:
1. You know everything about the pup from day one.
A good breeder will tell you everything about the pup’s life up until that point. She will tell you how it was raised, if it had any health issues at birth, if it is a more dominant puppy, etc. Then, once you bring the puppy home, you have control over how the puppy will be raised from the start. You can continue training and socialization on your terms.
2. You can meet the pup’s parents.
The puppy’s parents will tell you a lot about how your puppy will turn out, as far as health, appearance and temperament. With a mixed-breed dog from a shelter, you do not have this option.
3. You know the pup hasn’t had a troubled life.
When adopting from a good breeder, there are no uncertainties about the pup’s past. You know your puppy hasn’t been abused or neglected, resulting in behavioral issues. There are no questions about how it was treated before. With a shelter dog, you often will have no idea about the dog’s past.
4. You are not encouraging irresponsibility.
Mixed-breed puppies are often the result of irresponsible owners who did not have their dogs spayed or neutered. Then they try to make money off of an accidental litter by selling the puppies to anyone. On the other hand, most breeders take pride in the dogs they are breeding. The will spend time researching the lineage of the parents and grandparents in order to produce the best puppies. They plan ahead so they can offer the mother dog and puppies the best care and find the best homes. They know they will not make a profit off the litter.
5. The breeder will have references.
At your request, a breeder will offer you references of dog owners who are happy with the dogs they purchased. This gives you another opportunity to ask any questions you have.
6. You can get another similar dog.
If you really like the dog, you know where it came from in order to get another dog just like it. If you have a mutt, you probably have no idea where it came from, let alone what breed it is.
7. There is endless information on your specific breed.
A breeder of Jack Russell terriers will tell you everything you want to know about Jack Russell terriers. There are also hundreds of others who own the breed and books written on the breed. Your resources are unlimited.
8. A breeder can recommend a good vet for your breed.
A breeder can give you recommendations on vets in your area. Especially if you have a rare breed, the breeder will know of vets who are knowledgeable on that specific kind of dog.
9. Mixed-breed dogs might develop new health issues.
Certain breeds are prone to certain health issues and sometimes this can be avoided by adopting a mixed-breed dog. Other times, a mixed-breed dog will just develop different health issues, or the health issues it inherited from its purebred parents of two different breeds. For example, a dachshund/pit bull mix might have back issues because of its long, stocky body.
10. A breeder will be available to you throughout your dog’s life.
Many breeders like to stay in touch with the owners they sell puppies to. This is good because you will always have someone to turn to if you have a question about your dog. The breeder has probably experienced similar issues at one time or another.
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I LOVE that you wrote about the other point of view. Even though I seem to leave lots of disagreeing comments I really enjoy your blog.
I LOVE our breeder. She is one of those GOOD breeders. It’s sad that there are also bad breeders. They give full breed dogs and breeders a bad name.
I think a good breeder allows the perspective ‘parent’ to see everything – where the dogs sleep, where the puppies are raised, etc. There should be total transparency. And I think good breeders also care about where their dogs are going to go. I insisted that our breeder meet all of our dogs before we got Trooper. And she came to our house to visit.
Great article!
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While this was informative, I’m saddened that you felt the need to “sell” the idea of buying a dog, when millions of great dogs are killed every year in our shelters. I understand that everyone has the right to buy from a breeder, but it doesn’t mean we need to actively encourage them to do so.
As a dog breeder, I was glad to see you taking a look at the other side. There are hundreds of thousands of “good” breeders in the US. We take excellent care of our dogs, provide them with the best health care, the best living arrangements and breed them to improve the breed and the health of the breed. It is sad that there are a FEW bad breeders who get so much publicity that it blackens the name of all of us. My life is pretty much devoted to animals. I breed them, I make a living grooming and caring for them and I have also adopted from the shelter. Comments like “My breeder is one of the good ones” saddens me because good breeders overwhelmingly out number the bad ones, the bad ones just get all the press.
As to the millions of homeless pets, I would ask that you read this article in USA today http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2003-01-30-dogs-usat_x.htm
If there are so many “good” breeders out there, well how come they do not help pure breed rescue more? We call Boxer breeders to help us as we can’t save all the boxers in the shelters and no one call us back! Other pure breed rescues say the same thing. Families come to us as their breeder will not take the dog back once it is SOLD! Not their problem anymore!! So the animal is dumped in a shelter where the poor shelter workers who care for that animal have to then kill it because too many are coming in! I do not see breeders being a part of the solution to pet overpopulation, I just see them being on the defensive all the time trying to prove how responsible they are.. Talk is cheap let’s see you all do something to help animals.
I’ve never heard of a reputable breeder not willing to take back a dog they had sold. This article must be understood talking about good breeders. Any other breeders, whether or not they classify themselves as ‘good’, should not be allowed to breed their dogs.
As Emmy said, a breeder is not reputable unless he or she is willing to take the dogs back – at any age.
There are so many wonderful dogs in shelters, yet you have to sell the idea of buying a dog from a breeder. There are many wonderful breeders, but there are more wonderful dogs in shelters.
how about purebred breeding programs killing puppies not up to par, inbreeding causing insufferable genetic problems and the underlying fact that they are bred for looks, not personality.
A mutt dog typically exhibits hybrid vigor.
All your points are valid but overlook the bad reasons.
hi
please don’t think too badly of folk who buy pure breeds.sometimes there are good reasons for this.i have pyrenean mountain dogs and i chose to buy a pure because i love big dogs but at the time of our first puppy also had 5 children who were still very young.as pyreneans and other mastiff type looking dogs are very powerful animals which could easily hurt a small child i wanted to make sure i had a puppy of whose background i could be certain.now my kids are mostly grown and even my youngest is eleven i have myrtle 1.year old and huggy which is out of rescue.he had a lot of problems to start with including serious food agression but has over time become a lovely dog to live with.i agree that far too many dogs are put down mixed and pure bred.i so wish that there was more understanding between the two factions as in the end the dogs would benefit regardless of origin.
peace
It is simply sad that people feel that have to have something “new” and “expensive” and “untainted”…all in the name of love and helping animals? I don’t think so…there is a large, large margin of people who breed animals for profit and profit alone. It is disturbing that rescuing needy creatures is looked down upon by many breeders and those who purchase animals to support the breeding industry – I can compare few experiences in my lifetime that can compete w/the joy, safety and fulfillment having resuced pets has brought to me. Millions and millions of animals are put to sleep each year because no one wants them. Some portion of people who may rescue instead choose to buy… I personally will never understand why – but, I blame some of it partly on the government and some of it on individual organizations who are too choosy about who they allow to adopt a rescue! I say if someone wants to adopt an animal from a shelter or rescue organization: LET THE PERSON ADOPT! Maybe then they won’t buy from a breeder. Breeders care little about the huge quantity of animals put to sleep each year – OR THEY WOULDN’T BE BREEDING ANIMALS FOR A LIVING… I could do that too you know, I would be good at it, I have a passion for caring about animals – but I don’t believe in it. Not good Karma.
Cindy…your reference is just one article, so don’t don your Saint regalia just yet. I found many, many online articles stating the exact opposite of yours.
Here’s one for you.
http://www.animalrightsflorida.org/CompanionAnimals.html
Here’s a highlight:
Did you know?
Every day 10,000 humans are born in the US. And every day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all of the dogs and cats. As a result, millions of healthy, loving cats, dogs, kittens and puppies face early deaths as a form of animal control. Others are left to fend for themselves against traffic, the elements, other animals, and cruel humans.
I think there is a difference between “good” and “bad” breeders as Cindy S says – and Lindsay’s reasons for choosing to get a dog from a breeder are all valid.
I don’t think it’s fair to taint all breeders as unscrupulous and profit-driven, and there are valid reasons to choose a purebred from a breeder over a mixed breed from a shelter.
I am lucky that I have a relatively rare breed dog who don’t usually end up in rescue, thanks in large part to very careful and scrupulous breeders who 1) don’t overbreed and 2) carefully screen prospective owners so that the first home the pup goes to is also its furever home — despite these being a “challenging” breed to have and manage.
There were other more “popular” and “common” breed dogs we considered, but chose our breed because we felt comfortable in knowing that the community is a small one and while people in the community may have their differences, they are primarily dedicated to keeping the breed healthy and strong and free of temperament and health problems.
I personally cannot think of one single reason valid reason as to why it it better to choose a purebred from a breeder over a mixed breed from a shelter.
I care about animals…that’s why I can’t think of a valid reason. SORRY!
One can always foster rescues until they find a “purebred” that will rival what heaven holds.
Hi Melissa. I appreciate your points and dedication to adopting and rescuing homeless animals. I feel the same way, and all my animals came from rescue groups or owners who didn’t want them.
But no matter what, there will always be people who buy purebred dogs from breeders for the reasons I listed above. Many of these people are my friends and family and they have and always will buy purebred dogs. They are responsible dog owners who love and care for their pets and make sure to buy from breeders who care about the breed. Their reasons, like Biggie’s, are valid.
I would like to challenge anyone choosing to purchase an animal from a petstore or breeder to first go to an animal shelter and open your two eyes and look around you at all of those hundreds of poor, possibly abused, frightened and rejected animals in cages w/eyeballs missing, ribs showing, sickness, fleas/ticks and fear in their eyes and then turn around on your heel and walk out so that you can go buy one from a person who has apparently never accepted my challenge either…
Melissa,
I have a pure breed dog but I spent years, and I mean years, walking around the humane society and rescues looking for a dog. I even adopted one but only to find out it wasnt a great match.
My breeder only has a litter every two years, she is extremely selective and she also rescues dogs. She breeds siberian huskies and ALL of her dogs have been rescue dogs with an exception to her puppies and her very first dog who has passed. Some of her males have missing ears because they were once fighting dogs or had bad frost bite. All of her dogs are trained as sled dogs to be run in races all around the world. They are all top obedience dogs with good dog citizenship standing. After finding her, I realized how positive buying a dog from her can be. She uses the money to rescue more siberians, have them nutured/spayed, and either keep them or adopt them. She also only has one breeding male and female, all the other dogs she owns are fixed.
Your comment is ignorant and disprespectful to breeders who DO care about the rescue dogs and who also want to better the genetic lines of a pure breed dog.
She took unwanted dogs and turned them and their puppies into championship show dogs in Canada. She is truely doing the dog communty a favor.
Thank you Nemo. Excellent points. Although I always want to adopt from a shelter or rescue group, I understand the desire to adopt a purebred puppy from a respectable breeder. I imagine I will do so at some point in my life. Thanks for sharing your side. The breeder you talk about sounds like quite the dog lover.
Of the 4+ million dogs killed each year due to the irresponsible breeders
20-30% are purebreeds
Yes, it is nice to buy a dog from a shelter, and I am in no way saying that all shelter dogs are bad, but if you have a family or want to start one, it’s better to get a puppy from a GOOD breeder. You know the puppy will be able to grow with your family, rather than a dog that is already grown and needs to be worked into your family. If you do have an established family, a pound dog might be right for you. Also, if we stop giving GOOD breeders the means to keep breeding, then they might lose the money needed to continue. This will greatly decrease the number of dogs bred for health and temperament. The quality of dogs in the world will go down.
Thanks for your comment, Emmy. I do disagree, though. There is something very valuable about rescuing a dog and teaching your child all about what it means to save an animal and give it a second chance. The problem is, people don’t take the time to find the RIGHT shelter dog. They end up choosing a dog based on size or looks and not temperament, personality, amount of training it’s had, etc.
Going out and buying a puppy from a breeder, even a “good” breeder does not guarantee that puppy will turn out to be a good dog. That all depends on the exercise, training and love the dog is given over time, in addition to its genetics. I know plenty of dogs that are physically healthy and beautiful, but they are very messed up mentally because their owners never exercise, train or spend time with them.
I also disagree on your points about buying from good breeders so they can continue breeding. All of the good breeders I know do not breed dogs to make a profit. Most of them actually spend more than they make.
I recommend going to a reputable breeder if you are dead set on a certain breed. But, you may want to search your local rescues for that particular type of dog first. To each her own, though. I can’t say that I will never buy a dog from a breeder.
Thank you so much for writing this. I’m writing a huge right vs. right dilemma paper and it’s about adopting from shelters vs. buying from breeeders. I personally, bought my puppy from a breeder. I did check out shelters first but I had breed restrictions for my apartment. It was on of the best decisions I’ve ever made, she is a min pin and the cutest thing! I’m an army wife and while my solider is away she is all I have and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you for not being closed minded about breeding. I know you are not “selling” the idea of buying from a breeder just showing the other option because as you said whether or not you bash it or praise it people will still continue to purchase from breeders.
Thanks for visiting my blog. Here’s a more recent post I wrote about the topic. I’d love to hear your feedback.
http://www.thatmutt.com/2011/06/27/reasons-to-buy-a-dog-vs-rescue-a-dog/