[CouversMom]

Originally Posted by Britster

I thought this could be an interesting topic.

Honestly, what would you prefer? To get a puppy around 12 weeks of age or rescue a dog? What are the pros/cons of each?

I know personally, I would love to rescue a dog. But I find it so difficult to get approved, they always seem to find something "wrong" whether it be not a fenced in yard or something else. I do understand why they're picky as these animals have been tossed around from home to home usually and they're just trying to find the best placement. Often times with a rescue, you will be taking on the dogs problems that past owners created or let go on. I must admit it - it scares me. What if I rescue a dog and he/she is too much to handle for me? I'm not one to just give up on a dog but it's something I worry about. Sometimes a dog will act one way in a shelter and get into your home and completely do a turnaround (good or bad). On the other hand, a lot of times getting a rescue is better because some may already be potty trained, they're already through that puppy/biting/chewing/peeing everywhere stage, etc. And you're saving a life! My pros for getting a new puppy however... I would like to raise my dog from the start so I can have control of how my puppy grows up and gets socialized, etc. It's fun to be able to watch a puppy grow and be like a mother from such a young age of a pup's life.

What do you think about this?

I too like the idea of a rescue, but with my social butterfly Couver, I would have trouble with the possibility of getting an unsocialized rescue. We go everywhere, and I want to know that my dog will be able to handle it. The feeling of saving a live is an amazing one... I rescued two cats from the shelter, but I also do not plan on taking them to the kitty park, where I will have to worry about agression or other unknown problems...

With a puppy, you have them from the beginning. While having them from the beginning does not necessarily guarantee you a perfect pup, you do have more time to mold them.

While I know many people on here disagree, I would have a really hard time getitng into a situation that I do not feel 100% confident about. I have seen puppies needing rescue though... so maybe that could be an option?