Should you adopt or get a dog from a breeder?
Should you adopt a dog from a local animal shelter or adopt a pet from a breeder or pet store? At the end of the day, you are rescuing a dog regardless of how you obtained them.
If you go through an animal shelter then you are saving them from being taken care of by the county and possibly being put down. We have saved several dogs from shelters in our life and have had very little issues.
Our one dog Babs, who we got down in Louisiana when we were living there, did have some health issues. She had kennel cough and she barely made it through the night… but she did. She made a full recovery and lived a long beautiful life. Beyond her, we have had no real issues going to our local animal shelters. We have some pretty well maintained ones here in central Ohio.
Should you adopt a dog from the pet store
Animal Shelters. We really like the idea of adopting from a shelter. These dogs are in need of a home and come in all sizes and ages. You can skip out all together on the costly and damaging months of puppyhood. A lot of dogs are fully grown and out of the exhausting puppy stage. This could be a great choice for you if you are not wanting to potty train a puppy.
Pet Stores. So you think getting a puppy from the pet store is the best decision? Maybe it and maybe it is not. You will be paying a higher price at a pet store as they are typically very expensive. Some people think dogs in a pet store are better then a dog at the shelter. That has not been true in our experience at all.
There are a lot of reports about how pet stores use puppy mills to get inventory in their stores. Puppy mills are absolutely horrible and should be avoided and shunned at every oppurtunity. We steer away from pet stores and prefer to adopt from a breeder or the humane society.
Should you adopt a dog from a breeder
Breeders. Most of our dogs have came from breeders. Breeders are normal people who breed their dogs and typically take better care of the puppies. Most breeders are dog lovers at heart and dealing with a fellow pooch lover is so much easier. These type of interactions seem to be more honest and upfront. You can see how the puppy has been living and typically you can see the mother and siblings. It’s nice to talk to like minded people who can tell you more about the dog you are interested in.
Conclusion
Dogs are wonderful and the method used to adopt one shouldn’t define how you raise and train them. Definitely be on the look out for any health issues when you get your new dog home. In our experience, we prefer going to breeders as opposed to going to the pet store. At the end of the day, how you raise your dog is going to determine how good of a dog they are. Giving a dog a good home is one of the best things you could ever do. Let us know your opinions and experiences!