rescue or breeder

[lilymanson]

I wonder what everyones views are on getting a dog from a rescue to buying one from a breeder. We have 3 dogs Sophie our old girl we got when she was a year old from a rescue shes a lab/retriever mix and has been the perfect dog although at 15 now the vet is saying we are going to have to think about letting her go then we have jasmine another rescue who we got at 8weeks although not from a rescue as we got her before all her brothers and sisters went into a rescue she is a lab mix and again been the perfect dog she is now 2and a half. Lily is 6months and we bought her from a breeder and i always feel like we done a selfish thing. We got her because i wanted a small dog and i've always wanted a Yorkie and here in Scotland the rescues never have Yorkies infact they rarely ever have small dogs. Now we are looking at getting another dog late next year and my dilema is this do i go the selfish route again and buy the type of dog i want (small) or go around the rescues and find one. I just struggled when i bought lily with the thought that i was paying out all this money for her knowing that there were dogs galore in rescues desperate for a new home and a family to love them.

look forward to hearing everyones views

yvonne
xx

[Ringo1]

I struggle with the same thing. I got Lucy from a breeder because I knew I wanted a specific breed, size and temprement. I don't think Ringo would have accepted an adult dog as well as a puppy.

You at least have done your part by rescuing two other dogs! Kudos to you.

[Deuce]

I think as long as you go the route of reputable breeder it isn't a bad thing. Sure there are a ton of dogs/cats in shelters that need us to adopt them but it is totally understandable that you would like to purchase a dog of your choice as well. I think giving a dog a loving home is a very selfless thing as is, so either way you are making at least one canine companion happy. I say adopt from a shelter if you don't have a specific preference on what your dog looks like or the size since you never really know what you're going to get, unless it's an adult. I look at it this way, rescue a pet and then buy one if you wish...I rescued a cat and bought a yorkie and I don't feel as though I've done anything selfish. Just avoid byb's and puppy mills....sorry if this doesn't make sense, running off 3 hours of sleep and getting towards the end of my work day thank goodness! I've been as grumpy as a 3 year old who hasn't had a nap and was just refused a cookie!

[Britster]

Don't feel guilty! I have the same thoughts sometimes when I'm researching breeders, etc for my next dog, and then I go back to looking at the shelter. As long as you're going to a reputable breeder, don't worry about it. They're not the ones that are adding to the overpopulation because any good reputable breeder will take their puppy back. It's the BYB's and puppy mills that are doing that. Rescue is an amazing thing but it's not for everyone. I have not written off rescue at all; I'm constantly searching on petfinder.com, etc.

[kdhawks]

My little guy is a rescue, and my second dog (which unfortunately won't be anytime soon!) will likely be a rescue as well. It can be hard to find a perfect fit in rescue, but to me, the payoff is amazing. However, if I absolutely could not I would also consider a puppy from a reputable breeder (never from a BYB, puppymill, pet store, etc).

[deonk1]

I have friends that still to this day (9 months later) hassel me for not getting a rescue. It really hurts me because I feel selfish, and mad that they are not recognizing the fact that I've rescued many horses over the past 10 years... There are many reasons I bought Harley...

First he was a gift from my boyfriend. He knew I wanted one, and could not afford the breeder fees. all I could handle were care costs. So my boyfriend had a bit of say in it, and he wanted a young dog (under a year old so we could train it)

Second I could not afford extra vet fees for a rescue. All rescues run the risk of severe special needs, I want to rescue, and will when I'm out of school.

Third, I called every shelter in Nova Scotia, They had nothing under 50lbs, let alone a Yorkie. And we live in an apartment, and all our friends have allergies, so hypo allergenic is a must.

Fourth, My stepfather who loves dogs, is a big man with a deep voice... Even Harley who has no reason to be scared, is scared of him... why would I subject a rescue to being petrified... of my giant teddy bear step dad.

Sorry for that rant, I've been hasseled a lot about that, and needed an opportunity to rant about it...

So in conclusion, if you truely want a Yorkie, and can't get one via rescue, a reputable breeder is a great place to go. You shouldn't feel bad, You've saved other dogs already, and I'm sure by the end of your lifetime you will save another one.

Good luck.

[Rachael1983]

I've always been a breeder type of girl because I know what I want specifically and always want a resource if I need it. Reputable breeders typically provide that. I have a young child and many rescues don't adopt to families with young kids.

One of my dogs was a retired show dog. Cheaper, already potty trained, well tempered, no health issues. This is a good route too if you're looking to rescue. Some breeders adopt this way as well.

[Rhetts_mama]

If you are set on it being a smaller dog and you are open to a rescue, would you consider a slightly older (a year or 2) pup? You would know the full grown size and still be taking in a dog who really needs a new home.

[lilymanson]

yes we are not overly fussy on the age of our next dog so we are keeping our eyes open for what might come along Maybe we will buy again and maybe it will be another rescue both have pros and cons i suppose i just always like knowing ive given a dog a second chance

yvonne
xx

[Mitzis Mom]

I understand your dilemma and I'm also happy that there are no Yorkies or small dogs in need of a second chance in England. Here unfortunately there are so many that I sometimes ask myself how such an expensive dog can be just thrown away??? (besides the emotional and moral issues of course!)
We have 3 rescues and 2 breeder bought Yorkies. One of the rescues, Maggie, is a special needs girl and costs us tons of money but she repays every cent with her love and devotion. One of our breeder bought girls (Mikki) suffers from seizures and is special needs too so I couldn't generally say that rescues are expensive in medical upkeep and breeder bought puppies are not. Oh... BTW... the breeder is very reputable and we just got another puppy from her, Mylo... (which is special too b/c he's going to be a giant Yorkie...LOL!)

[Rhetts_mama]

Originally Posted by deonk1

I have friends that still to this day (9 months later) hassel me for not getting a rescue. It really hurts me because I feel selfish, and mad that they are not recognizing the fact that I've rescued many horses over the past 10 years... There are many reasons I bought Harley...

First he was a gift from my boyfriend. He knew I wanted one, and could not afford the breeder fees. all I could handle were care costs. So my boyfriend had a bit of say in it, and he wanted a young dog (under a year old so we could train it)

Second I could not afford extra vet fees for a rescue. All rescues run the risk of severe special needs, I want to rescue, and will when I'm out of school.

Third, I called every shelter in Nova Scotia, They had nothing under 50lbs, let alone a Yorkie. And we live in an apartment, and all our friends have allergies, so hypo allergenic is a must.

Fourth, My stepfather who loves dogs, is a big man with a deep voice... Even Harley who has no reason to be scared, is scared of him... why would I subject a rescue to being petrified... of my giant teddy bear step dad.

Sorry for that rant, I've been hasseled a lot about that, and needed an opportunity to rant about it...

So in conclusion, if you truely want a Yorkie, and can't get one via rescue, a reputable breeder is a great place to go. You shouldn't feel bad, You've saved other dogs already, and I'm sure by the end of your lifetime you will save another one.

Good luck.

You've got your reasons for going with a breeder instead of a rescue, but for anyone else reading this who might be interested:

Some dogs are placed in rescues because of medical issues. But many more are placed there because owners have either gotten tired of being a dog owner, had behavioral issues, or because they couldn't afford the upkeep of a dog. I've yet to have one of my rescue dogs run up more in vet bills than any of my others. Getting from a breeder isn't a guarantee of good health.

Younger dogs, and even puppies, are available with reputable rescues here in the U.S.. My latest came to me at just 8 weeks. Oliver was 3 months and Emmalee was 10 weeks. It may take a little more time to find one, but it can be done.

Are some rescues more skittish? I'm sure they are, as some may have come from horrific conditions. But temperament can be as much of an issue with a breeder dog, too. (ask me about my purebred golden from a breeder who had such anxiety issues that he tried to burrow through the subfloor of my bathroom!)

Bottom line, there are no guarantees in life, either with yourself of your pet. Whether you decide to go with a (good) breeder or a rescue is a matter of personal choice and conscience.

[kdhawks]

Originally Posted by Rhetts_mama

You've got your reasons for going with a breeder instead of a rescue, but for anyone else reading this who might be interested:

Some dogs are placed in rescues because of medical issues. But many more are placed there because owners have either gotten tired of being a dog owner, had behavioral issues, or because they couldn't afford the upkeep of a dog. I've yet to have one of my rescue dogs run up more in vet bills than any of my others. Getting from a breeder isn't a guarantee of good health.

Younger dogs, and even puppies, are available with reputable rescues here in the U.S.. My latest came to me at just 8 weeks. Oliver was 3 months and Emmalee was 10 weeks. It may take a little more time to find one, but it can be done.

Are some rescues more skittish? I'm sure they are, as some may have come from horrific conditions. But temperament can be as much of an issue with a breeder dog, too. (ask me about my purebred golden from a breeder who had such anxiety issues that he tried to burrow through the subfloor of my bathroom!)

Bottom line, there are no guarantees in life, either with yourself of your pet. Whether you decide to go with a (good) breeder or a rescue is a matter of personal choice and conscience.

I loved this post. There are definitely advantages in going to a reputable breeder, but also advantages to a reputable rescue. My Levi is a rescue - and he is loving, active, brave, well-socialized, and thankfully healthy at two years old. The only issue when I got him? He wasn't 100% potty trained - but he's there now. The original owner's reason for surrendering him? They didn't pay enough attention to him. There are dogs in rescue who don't come with tons of medical and social issues.

Levi and I definitely clicked, but had I not been able to find a rescue who was such a perfect fit for me, I would have considered a reputable breeder.