Pure bred doesn’t mean well bred. Not arguing this anymore. Byeee.
Eh, I’d rather get a mixed breed dog from a rescue than a purebred dog from a rescue in most cases, because purebred dogs from good breeders rarely if ever end up in shelters. Good breeders do everything they can to ensure their puppies go to the right homes and that they come back to them if those homes don’t work for whatever reason. I’m not saying dogs from good breeders never disappear and wind up in rescues, it’s just much more likely that the purebred dogs in rescues come from puppy mills, indiscriminate and irresponsible or backyard breeders. In that case it is more likely the dog will develop health/behavioral issues because of the lack of care that went in to their breeding.
if you’re getting a purebred dog, finding a responsible, reputable breeder is the safest way to go. you can meet one or both of the puppy’s parents and see for yourself what kind of dog your puppy will likely grow up to be. you know the health of the parents and what health concerns the puppy is clear of because of the testing responsible breeders do before they breed. you know the working ability and the level of athleticism your puppy is likely to have. you know that your puppy had a good start in life and that it has a head start on being well socialized. you know that your puppy has had a chance to learn healthy, respecful play and bite inhibition by playing with it’s brothers and sisters until at least eight weeks of age. all these things set your dog up for success.
And while it’s true that good rescues take the time to evaluate their dogs and match them to good homes, it’s still difficult to predict how they will change outside of a shelter environment, which is why foster programs are so important. additionally, most rescues rely on (often innacurrate) phenotyping to determine what breeds a mixed breed dog is, and unless they test all their incoming dogs’ DNA they can’t really know exactly what type of dog a mutt is. there could be breeds in the dog’s genotype that don’t show up in their phenotype but crop up behaviorally. a dog could have all the outward appearance of a lab/husky, but if there’s border collie in there as well you could have a dog that displays herding behaviors you were unprepared to deal with. so even if a shelter thinks they know what a dog is, it really still is a mystery.
taking your time and doing your reseach is a vital part of getting any dog. impulse buys are one of the main reasons dogs end up in shelters. but it’s important to remember that there are definitely shelters that don’t go to the lengths they should to ensure their dogs get matched well. some even lie about their dogs to get them adopted out, so it’s important to vet shelters just like you would breeders.
I’ve worked in Doberman rescue for nearly ten years. I’ve fostered dozens, for a high volume breed rescue.
Would you venture to guess how many well-bred Dobermans we’ve gotten in?
…. two. One was immediately taken back by the breeder (and all incurred costs paid back), and the other remained with rescue because the breeder was deceased.
Well-bred dogs aren’t something you’re going to find in rescue very easily, if at all.
I agree 100%. I’m currently volunteering with a Corso rescue and I don’t think we’ve seen a single well bred dog come through.
A TON of those breed rescue dogs come from puppy mills.
When you pay ten grand for a “puppy mill rescue,” are you really making a dent in the overbreeding, or are you just putting money back in the pocket of the person whose business you claim to hate? Here’s a dirty little secret about some of those breed rescues:
they’re helping fund bad breeding.
Not all of them, but when the big dog auctioneers are saying that rescues are making up a quarter or a third of their business, that’s gotta be a red flag.
@mostlyvoidpartiallydogs viewpoint heavily relies on all rescue dogs being mutts, when just as many rescues are purebreds. Why aren’t those purebreds as good as one from a breeder? Why not take the time to look or be patient for the right thing to come up? Rescuing a dog isn’t just going to an establishment and picking out a “mystery mutt”. There is a long and detailed process to determine you get the right fit.
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