Choosing a rescue over a puppy.....

[FestiveSpirit]

And the counter arguement

It would appear from the other thread that people have a huge amount of misconceptions about rescue dogs, and how they might behave/what histories they have/how it will be different if they know their puppy from birth

As I said in the other thread, I have had 5 rescues so far and have also had a lurcher puppy who we had from 9 weeks old - and the lurcher was the biggest difficulty out of any of them

My ex-husband and I both worked, although ex did shifts so the puppy was never left alone for any significant periods of time, but the puppy was the most destructive little s*d I have ever come across

He chewed all our kitchen units, the back door,and even a hole in the kitchen wall..

By contrast NONE of my rescues have ever been destructive when left, 4/5 have been clean in the house from the start, they have been loving, rewarding and affectionate, and have not shown any behaviour that any decent dog owner could not easily handle.

I personally feel that I cannot justify buying a puppy when there are so many dogs needing homes - I do not have a problem in healthy dogs being PTS personally (which will horrify a lot of people I know) but I just find it heartbreaking when they are kept in kennels for year after year because "we never put a healthy dog down"

That is no life for some poor animal which at one point was someone's pet, living in their house, probably enjoying a wonderful life until the owners got fed up of it.... or traded it in for a cute fluffy puppy

Incidentally none of my dogs have been used to young children either, as I do not have any and nor do any of my friends, but 4/5 have been exceptional with my niece and nephew when they met them

PS - I must dob her in, Flick is the 5th one in every case

 

[MurphysMinder]

Just wanted to say I agree with you about the "never put a healthy dog down" school of thought. Sometimes there are features in our local paper on real oldies whose owners have died and the dogs have been put into rescue kennels. Lets face it their chances of being rehomed aren't good, the poor dogs must wonder what has happened to them, far kinder imo to pts.

 

[dingle12]

I have always gone for a rescue dog and before we got gizmo we viewed a few dogs however none were right for us. Gizmos mum and dad is my bosses dogs and my hubby lost his last dog that he loved so much

he has always liked the parents of gizmo so that is why we went for a puppy but i did have guilt knowing there were so many dogs sat in kennels

then i thought at least i know gizmo will never be in them and he has a home for life.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I fall in the middle here as none of our recent dogs have been neither puppies (as in baby puppies), or rescues! The last baby puppy we bought was in the mid 1980s.

I also agree with the 'never put a healthy dog down' thing - there are a few I have seen that were physically healthy, but mentally, I wouldn't have sent them home with anyone

However I also feel sorry for other people who have been turned down by over-stringent rescue specifications - a dog, especially an older dog wrenched from a home life, is much better in a home where the owners work than in a kennel situation - the stress some dogs suffer when in kennels - self mutilation, OCD etc, can be horrific.

Likewise our dogs have always lived outside, which would discount us from a lot of rescues, too.

ETA - none of our recent dogs have had separation anxiety, none have messed in the house and none have been destructive. As our dogs are outside dogs, they also realise that coming into the house is a 'treat' and seem to be more respectful that way.
One or two have had problems stemming from a lack of socialisation but that has been rectified.
Also - bearing this in mind, any mistakes made by owners in young puppyhood can become imprinted, unlike with older dogs, and can be much, much harder to reverse.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I suppose what I find horrific is that people are turned down by a rescue kennel (because they work full time etc) but then find a breeder who is prepared to sell them an 8 week old puppy

I strongly believe that it is not acceptable for a puppy of that age to be left whilst owners work full time - an adult dog is a completely different ball game - and abhor breeders who are prepared to sell to these owners

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

As I type this I have two rescue labradors snoring loudly in front of the fire!!

My sister and I got our labs from the The Labrador Rescue Trust - they are a lot more realisitic about the sort of homes the dogs are going to - both were about a year/18 months old so were house trained and both had some basic training as well. Would definatley get one from there again - they try to rehome from home to home and avoid kennels if possible.

On the other hand right now I would like to get nearer my fire AND hear the TV over their snoring......clearly to much to ask......

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Another thought whilst I am on my soapbox here

If an owner decides they want a particular breed, because they like the appearance/characteristics/personality type/coat type of that breed, that that is fine with me - after all, I wouldnt have anything but a greyhound now, they are perfect for me personally

But why oh why are people not prepared to contact the rescue organisations associated with breed clubs etc to get a rescue dog of the breed they so desire

Or why not ring around a few rescue kennels and see if they have one? Depending on the breed, they quite possibly will have

I am appalled for example that you get CKCS into rescue kennels - my mum has just taken back a 9yo CKCS which she bred, as the owner has sadly passed away

ALL breeders should be prepared to do this IMHO

 

[CorvusCorax]

[ QUOTE ]
I suppose what I find horrific is that people are turned down by a rescue kennel (because they work full time etc) but then find a breeder who is prepared to sell them an 8 week old puppy

[/ QUOTE ]

Therein lies the problem, as some other people have pointed out, aren't *some* rescues fuelling the puppy market?

 

[FestiveSpirit]

That is a valid point CC, but the responsibility lies with the BREEDER of the pups to make sure they go to decent homes not any rescue organisation

 

[CorvusCorax]

Or the 'I want a dog and I want it now' attitude - if someone is not prepared to wait and wants to go straight out and buy a puppy because they Want One Now, there will be people there prepared to breed and sell to them. It's a bit of a vicious cycle.

 

[MurphysMinder]

When I was breeding I would never sell a puppy to people who were out at work all day, and got quite a lot of abuse from some would be purchasers. They just would not see that apart from it not being fair on the pup to leave it for so long, house training would be damn near impossible!
I have actually had a rescue once, or rather ex did, a manic collie who had 3 homes by the time he was 10 months old. He came via a foster carer from NCDL, who didn't do any sort of home check.

I don't know what sort of start the poor dog had had in life, but I couldn't trust him with the children, and when ex left, kindly leaving me the dog, I rehomed him to a friends parents who were retired farmers with land, and no visiting children. Technically he should have gone back to NCDL but he would probably have stayed in their kennels for the rest of his life

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I can't find the pic which GRWE used to use - it was of George, a rescued greyhound who was a starvation case, you could see every bone

This one of Talisker when we first got him says it all to me - I personally could never choose a puppy when I knew there were dogs like this needing homes

Perhaps I am just too soft though

 

[soloabe]

Agree with everything said.

Also i can't stand the people who say "we did look round the center but didn't find anything"
No you did one quick sweep of 1 center and decided you would prefer the cute backyard breed puppy.

Why can't people wait a few months and tour a number of centers i can almost guarantee they will find something!

Ah i despair at the ignorance of some people!

 

[Bossdog]

Got to agree with some rescues being over stringent, I have two children (4 years and 18 months) who both happily reside with the gsd, the lab and two cats, we all cohabit beautifully.... mostly because the dogs AND the children have been trained!! Each knows the limits with the other (although obvs I would never leave them alone together, can't trust any of them 100%). And yet, browsing rescue sites today, I don't think I saw a single rescue prepared to rehome to children under 5, which is such a shame as I am a big fan of rehoming oldies (Meg was 11 when we got her). So yes, I do think rescues contribute to the puppy trade.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

My mum still will not sell to someone who works full time MM - and still gets a lot of disgruntled people because of that

She also will not sell to anyone whose first question is "how much are they"

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Or rather SOME rescue organisations do - personally I have found GRWE are brilliant at matching the 'right' dog to your circumstances, and my old YO had the same service from NCDL.

In her case the dog had to be chicken, duck, cat, horse, and baby proof - they found her one

With GRWE you specify your circumstances - must be cat friendly must be good with children, and they find a dog to match your needs

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

I agree with what you have all said

(should also say I am on second large glass of wine so it could all go downhill....

)

When I was looking for a large shouty dog I phone the local Rescue - still waiting for them to return my call, didn't bother with the RSPCA as I know they wouldn't consider me suitable and the The Labrador Rescue Trust. The LRT called me back within 24 hours - on the Monday - and I was home checked and the Max-i-moo was delivered on the Friday mornng!!

The thing that pissed me off the most was that I had done housework and they didn't even look in the house!!

Just sat in the garden declared it Labrador heaven and started listing dogs for me - there were 4 already waiting as well as the Moo!! They were however realistic about the fact I had a cat, St Sweep, live on a farm, have horses, chickens, sheep etc etc and go out to work so leave them in a half acre garden (with secure fencing and access to the utility room with boiler and beds) all of which is frowned on by the other rescues.

Would post piccies of my dogs in an unsuitable home but they are fast asleep in front of the wood burner.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Your mum sounds a lot like me ! If people asked me the price first I would tell them I didn't think they were suitable for one of my pups, I am sure I sounded an awful snob

 

[Spudlet]

Dogs Trust matched me and Henry up PDQ, I've got no complaints. I had a long chat with one of the people at the centre about what kind of dog would suit me/my life then they steered me in his direction.

I was worried about getting a rescue but I would not hesitate to have another now

 

[galaxy]

I think someone made a valid point about rescue centres alienating themselves.

The man who owns the livery yard I'm at decided to get another dog when his last one was getting elderly. He went to all the local centres and was told he couldn't have a dog because his 32 acre farm was not surrounded by a 6ft high fence!!! Natural fencing hedge or post and rail) did not count.

He didn't want a puppy though, so sent to pets at home and looked on the notice board and bought an adult dog that belonged to someone who was relocating abroard.

That dog has an excellent life. Shame rescue centres can be so short sighted.

I have just bought a puppy from a reputable breeder. We did throughly consider a rescue, but decided at this moment we wanted a puppy.

I think people should take time to consider all the options, but I don't think there is a right or a wrong.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I agree with you Galazxy23 I dont think there is a right or wrong, it is down to personal choice at the end of the day

I was just trying to explain the truth about the misconceptions people appear to have about rescues, which they sometimes use to justify their reason for having a puppy not a rescue

Why not just say 'I chose to have a puppy - perhaps not everyones choice, but it was mine on this occasion'

 

[soloabe]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with you Galazxy23 I dont think there is a right or wrong, it is down to personal choice at the end of the day

I was just trying to explain the truth about the misconceptions people appear to have about rescues, which they sometimes use to justify their reason for having a puppy not a rescue

Why not just say 'I chose to have a puppy - perhaps not everyones choice, but it was mine on this occasion'

[/ QUOTE ]

But i think people chose a puppy from a breeder sometimes whilst being blind to all the dogs in rescue centers.

Why couldn't they wait a few months until a suitable puppy comes up in a rescue center?

Because they must have one NOW!

I think its criminal to buy from breeder when there are so many dogs in centers and many of them puppies.

 

[Clodagh]

We bought our most recent dog as a puppy but apart from her all the others have been rescues/rehomes. Sash the neurotic lurcher and Poppy the ever yapping Border are the two that are still with us now. (As in haven't died of old age!)
I looked for a lurcher for ages as I couldn't find a rescue that would let me have one with our garden only having a 4 foot wall and at the time my youngest was 2. Found a small place where the dog wardens put dogs and they let me have Sash, shes a star and goodness it was horrible having a puppy when Brandy arrived last January, all the peeing and chewing!

 

[Patches]

[ QUOTE ]
I suppose what I find horrific is that people are turned down by a rescue kennel (because they work full time etc) but then find a breeder who is prepared to sell them an 8 week old puppy

I strongly believe that it is not acceptable for a puppy of that age to be left whilst owners work full time - an adult dog is a completely different ball game - and abhor breeders who are prepared to sell to these owners

[/ QUOTE ]

But that's an irresponsible breeder. I know who we had our puppy from would not have sold a pup to someone who worked full time. She was adamant about that, and I feel quite rightly so.

I truly believe that Harvey will be my last puppy. Assuming he has a long and healthy life, I assume I'd be too old to want to take on a puppy after he's gone. I would probably look for a dog under the age of four/five from a rescue then. My children would be all but left home and I'd feel happier about rehabilitating a dog that may or may not come with baggage.

Right now, I decided I wanted a pup. I've only owned one dog before Harvey. We weren't allowed animals as children.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Thats exactly the point I was making Patches - hence me saying that I abhor those sort of breeders

 

[Patches]

[ QUOTE ]



[/ QUOTE ]

But i think people chose a puppy from a breeder sometimes whilst being blind to all the dogs in rescue centers.

Why couldn't they wait a few months until a suitable puppy comes up in a rescue center?

Because they must have one NOW!

I think its criminal to buy from breeder when there are so many dogs in centers and many of them puppies.

[/ QUOTE ]

Criminal to buy a dog from a breeder? That's a bit melodramatic. There may be plenty of dogs in rescues, and I hope one day to be able to rescue such a dog myself, but right now I wanted to experience life with another dog from birth to old age. As someone else said, it is a personal choice. Just like some of us would choose to buy a young horse to bring on as a challenge to enjoy/bond with, I see raising my pup in the same way. A commitment, challenge and rewarding.

Yes, I could have all of that with a rescue, but I knew exactly what I wanted (ie colour specific too) and I got on a reserve list for such a pup. Had the bitch not had any male blue roans, I wouldn't have just had something else from the litter, simply because I wanted a dog "now".

I didn't choose to have one "now". My pup wasn't even born when my name was put down for him. I waited, happily and excited, for 8 weeks for him to be able to come and live with us. It was not a spur of the moment, rash decision at all and I certainly don't think it should be criminal to buy a puppy from a reputable breeder at all.

Maybe there should be laws passed that only elite showing dogs should be left entire, and a national spaying/neutering program should be enforced for "pet" animals to help ward off the "accidental" backyard breeding.

 

[cbmcts]

I spent over a year looking for a rescue rottie before I gave up and started looking for a breeder.

Admittedly I did have a long list of "requirements" for want of a better word but I was more than happy to take on an untrained young hooligan - the type of large dog that is difficult to rehome, according to all the rescues - but more than one rescue really messed me about.

Yes, I wanted a male rather than female (already got 2 bitches so didn't want to risk a third), under 2 years old (many large dogs end up in rescue when they're going through the Kevin months and boy, do Rotties have Kevin moments

) because of my older dogs and the need to train the dog around livestock,cats, poultry etc. That was all I asked but you would have thought I was asking the earth but apparently, I was being too fussy - I thought that all I was doing was trying to avoid a failed rescue. I was offered a 10 year old dog with horrific legs and more than one bitch - this was from breed rescues. The "national" charities wouldn't even consider me because I work full time but my dogs come to work with me but their rotties aren't allowed do that because "they might bite someone" Whaaaaaat??

What really, really, really annoyed me was that I used to foster and assess young dogs for a breed rescue some years ago and I'm not good enough to adopt now!

 

[prosefullstop]

I don't hold it against anyone who buys a pup rather than rescuing--I did so myself, with Stella--but I often point potential puppy owners in the direction of our (excellent) local, no-kill rescue. Without fail they have a litter of Shepherd/Lab/Pix mix pups in their care, and many small pedigree dogs under a year old. If we didn't have the good fortune of adopting Prince in January, this place would be my first port of call for a dog, as they do stringent temperament tests etc.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I don't like it when a rescue sounds as if it is convinced that every dog must be savable. I have read on foreign rescue sites about dogs for whom they have a list of requirements on their new potential owner/home, that really makes me wonder if it is in the dogs best interest to wait for that one special person to ever turn up.



I am glad Gazehound, (formerly known as Splotchy and before that _Acolyte_, (BobblyHat?), Bobblestock, Acolyte_, Vashti, Acolyte, PreNovice Eventer and IntroEventer) that it has worked out so well for you with your rescues and maybe I shouldn't mention that the owner of the puppy I sold last year, after a few weeks phoned and during our conversation said "I didn't knew it could be this easy with a puppy, he is so much easier than my rescue that I got x years ago!"



I am sure there is sensible dogs (or would be sensible dogs in the right home) in rescues, that can make their new owner very happy but as with all dog buying, it matters who you get it from. Sensible rescues does their best to make sure you don't leave them with an unsuitable dog. And the same should a sensible breeder...

 

[itsme123]

I wanted a CKCS but the breed rescue people were ever so funny. Didnt like the fact we had cats, or live near a main road (that was before I'd got to the children!). They then explained that they don't like to use kennels (which i understand) so sometimes it entails very cloak and dagger ,meeting at service stations etc, which to me didnt seem right, as i wanted to meet the dog first, for them to know the dog and for them to know if the dog would be happy with us? not just going on what previous owner had said.

Second time round, the rescue centres said no as i have 5yo and 9yo children.

My old ESS died earlier in the year, and was a rescue dog. The home had rehomed him when we were all out all day... but had no small children. We had him when he was 4 and he died aged 18. He was one pampered pooch who even had his own bedroom. He loved being home all day, mooching about, would be let out at lunchtime, have a run, go back to bed... sometimes you'd come in and he'd be sat waiting for the telly to come on.

I do think rescue centres are their own worst enemies sometimes, they've got to be realistic and understand that often those at home all day have children, and that some parents can teach their children not to maul a dog. as i said last night, if you look on freeads you can ge puppies free or for as little as £50. It's shocking