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Originally Posted by megansmomma  After I posted I did just that and was a little shocked at what I found~  I knew that name looked familiar  |
Oh, that's something I never thought of to do... Naivety City, Population: Still Me
I will try to do that from now on.
Back to the topic at hand, I agree with the rescue part. I found quite a few "Shorkies" on my search for a "Morkie" at rescues/shelters. I don't know if anyone mentioned this or not (I forget it has been a long day), but beware of so called "rescues" on petfinder, while many of them are legit some are disguised mills/BYB. So make sure if you're thinking about a rescue do some background research to make sure they are a legit operation.
Also, there are breeders who treat their animals well, raise them right, and make sure they are healthy that do breed mixes. It is just much much rarer and you have to dig really really deep and assure that is the case. Also, they may be located forever away from you and you will have to make the sacrifice and go to them. Seriously, take your time and do a lot of digging. Do research on red flags and look them up in every capacity you are capable of. Ask a lot of questions, do a home visit, etc. Make sure you do your homework.
Mixed breeders, even ones that are actually good operations, are just not particularly looked upon fondly around purebred forums, which I understand. Unfortunately, there is no reputable forum for those seeking mixes to go and so they end up at purebred forums. Perhaps, some day when I have some time, and some web space, I'll create something like that. That way, we pesky mix seekers will have somewhere to go that won't bother people who dislike mix posts. I know that isn't everyone here, but there are some it probably really really offends and I'm sure no one is looking to offend anyone.
However, despite my advice on breeders...
your first choice should be a rescue! I tried for almost a year at rescues and I didn't have any luck. There are waiting lists and I was also told that people my age are looked over as homes (I was in the process of having my mother reapply for everything, but then I found my baby love. She comes home in November). Also, there are a lot of special needs dogs I couldn't handle or the rescues required home visits within a 2 hour drive, so I wasn't eligible because while I would drive 6 hours for the pup they wouldn't come to me. Rescues do have puppies though! It isn't all older dogs or teens. There was a litter of mixes at the rescue, but they were located too far away from me. So be patient and keep your options open and I'm sure things will work out. Just be sure you aren't lax in your research.