Do you ever feel guilty?
 

I'm so excited to go get "Little Dude" in 3! short days. I'm as prepared as I can be; I wrapped up all his various accessories in a HUGE box for my girls to open once they meet their new puppy. Then it'll be off to Petsmart so they can choose some new toys/bowls/etc. Little Dude will be making his grand entrance in a sweet little Easter basket! I'm hoping my father-in-law will be able to capture the whole thing on video. :D

So why am I feeling a bit sad? Every time we drive out to the breeder's home (about an hour away), we have to pass the city's shelter. As I think about how much $$$ I have already spent on our Little Dude, I can't help but think how many of those sweet animals in there are just waiting for someone to love them... :(

No, I can not adopt a shelter dog right now. Trust me, getting this new puppy took over a year of convincing myself that now is a good time! LOL! My much loved cat was destined to be a shelter kitty- got him free from some people who had no idea who his parents were. (They had 3 different litters of just plain ol' domestic shorthairs in the backyard!) So I'm not anti-shelter at all. I just feel guilty spending so much money on Little Dude when a much-cheaper pup from the shelter would love our family just as much- maybe even more? :confused:

Any advice?
(I already donate $$ toward Homeless Animals)

Just know that you did adopt an almost-shelter kitty and that your Little Dude needs a home just a much! There will, unfortunately, always be shelter animals. Maybe you can think about adopting one when it is time to add another puppy to the family. Good Luck with your new love!!

You can't save every dog in the shelter, no matter what you do. It's sad, I know, but you already put time and effort into Little Dude. Be happy thinking about the smiles on your kids faces. Just remember if you ever go to add another one to your home, choose to rescue. :D

As long as you plan to neuter your pet & provide him with a lifelong home, I'd say you have the right to buy whatever kind of dog you want and spend as much as you can afford doing so. I personally don't feel any guilt or obligation to take some dog I wouldn't want, because other people are iresponsible.

Enjoy your lil dude! I'm sure your girls are gonna be so happy to see him. It's such a precious moment. Even today, I can picture the day my kids saw our first yorkie....and they were 5 & 3 at the time, and are now in college. The look of joy & amazement on their little faces at seeing new puppy for the first time, is one I'll never forget.

Thank you. This is exactly what I needed to hear! I am SOO looking forward to Little Dude's homecoming.

Looking forward to pics! I adopted a terrier mix from the spca almost 3 weeks ago, last night I was convinced I would take her back today. She bit a friend of mine from work that came over. Just when I think she is going to be fine, she shows bite aggression to another person or one of the dogs. I'm so confused about it all. Right now she is snuggling with the dogs...lol.

Please post the welcome home video when you get it. Would love to see!

Nope...I got my rescue dog first...then I said hmm I'm not into taking on another special needs dog...although I went to every pound, rescue around to find a Yorkie or schnauzer I'm only interested in a hypoallergenic dogs as dog dander drives my and my children's allergies crazy...anywho nope we ship in small dogs to our shelters when we have room for them...big need or want for them here and we're inundated with pits and kelpies usually...

So I we decided to get a mini schnauzer puppy as our edition, found one spent time with the breeder who had been refered by another breeder we trust...and got our pup...we coincidentally found a Parti Yorkie in teapot size around the same time...he needed to be re-homed...so I talked the boy into it and said hmmmmmm he needs a new home he's not a puppy we're taking in a dog who needs a home...well he ended up being a "rescue" in many senses of the word also...so

Nope I sure don't feel guilty...except that with my teapot Parti Yorkie I bought the dog and not the breeder and inadvertently supported a greeder....we live and learn...but we also have Elvis now so okay with it.

Elvis my purchased rescue whom is special needs with medical issues, my Scoobers my rescue pound adopted pup mill behavioral issues dog, and my Princess Monster who well she's a mini schnauzer-they're just special...LOL 1 out of 3 wasn't special needs or needing to be rescued...I may not sleep well but its not over feeling guilty in the dogs I have here...

Maybe in the future after you have this dog a few years, you would consider another, perhaps an older dog that needs a home (rescue) and a playmate for your current new edition Little Dude.

Bite aggression? Fear aggression or general aggression: territorial, food, toys, protecting family etc?

They would have a behaviorist there who would be willing to work with you on this since you got her from the SPCA...had to use a soft muzzle on Scoobers for fear aggression towards other dogs and really work with him when he got nippy with the kids...hang in there...the love they give back comes 10 fold...but getting there can be really hard. Working with them on their individual type or issue and understanding it can be key...especially with rescues working with a behaviorist more than a training is key.

Both of my furbabies are rescues but sometimes I do still feel guilty because I wish I could save every aninal in the world but like you I do other things to help out as much as I can. I have been a monthly contributor to the aspca for a few years now and I have volunteer at animal shelters in the past. I haven't done much volunteering lately but then again I go through spurts where I will volunteer then take a break.

I feel guilty sometimes.... I got Jackson from a BYB in Baltimore City. He came from the 'hood, LOL. Sometimes I can't believe I gave that woman $550 of my hard-earned money. I didn't know any better. I was 18 when I got him and just wanted a dog. I don't necessarily regret it, because Jackson is the most amazing dog I could ever have asked for. If I could turn back time, I'd def. do it all over again to get him. And as much as I want to rescue a dog, generally no rescues will approve of me simply because of my age (20). It's kind of unfair because, if I do say so myself, I think I'm an amazing dog mom. So even if I wanted to rescue, I probably couldn't. I have a slight feeling my next dog will be from a breeder.

I do and My convictions on that have changed and deepened since getting My yorkies from a breeder. When they are gone any other dogs I get will be from a shelter or rescue

My Yorkies are my first puppies from a breeder. All of my pets before were unwanted adults looking for homes. Before I brought home my Yorkies, I spent a few years looking at our local SPCA and online adoptions, as well as applying to a couple different breed rescues. A good match did not come along until after I had Max and Teddy. :( If only I had waited one more year. I love my boys though.

The important thing is that you are responsible in what breeder you choose and that you provide for your pup. Donations to groups that care for animals in need are very helpful too.

I don't think you have any reason to feel guilty. I know how you feel though. I grew up with shelter dogs, and I hate knowing that I'm paying so much for my Whitney and there are so many shelter dogs in need. One day, when my kids are older, I do plan to get back into adopting abandoned/needy dogs.

As a mom of small human children, I'm of the opinion that a shelter dog is not necessarily a good idea for my home. There is no telling what kind of background and baggage those poor babies come with, and I wouldn't want to risk taking on a dog that turns out to be aggresive, especially when someone else would be a better fit for them. There are plenty of people out there who would be a better fit for them than we would, and they deserve whats best...a big heart isn't always enough. :(

You saved for kitty, and you are doing what is in your power to help those shelter pups, which for now is donating money. Taking one in is not always the best way to help them. You are a very generous person who is still doing more for them than most others do, and you should feel good about that. Your new little bit needs a home just as well. ;)

Please don't feel guilty. You can help homeless dogs (and cats too) in other ways like making a financial donation if you can, going to their fundraisers, donating food, blankets, towels, etc. We can all help the animals in different ways. You have a good heart. Good luck with your new pup!!

I rescued quite a few dogs in the past - some very near death, and one day, no doubt, you will, too, from the sound of it. But once I got older, I began to want a Yorkshire Terrier so much, as that was a breed with just the size and temperament I had always longed for in my best friend. When the time came to begin looking for a Yorkie, I'll admit to feeling guilty for not getting another rescue. I still do at times but to finally have the one dog of your dreams that just fits you and your lifestyle in every way is such a special blessing. My Scotty was my first Yorkie and oh, he "fit the bill" in every single way. After Scotty's death came Jilly and now Tibbe. After I had healed more after losing little Jilly, I spent almost a year looking in our Animal Control shelter here in Mesquite and shelters in Dallas and DeSoto, and of the two Yorkies that were available the of all the times I looked, I was second or third on the list and lost them. The days following each of those losses were pretty bad as I had let my hopes get far too high each time as I waited for the day the dog would be released to the first signer to show up, which was a rescue service in both instances. Out of desperation, I finally called the breeder I got Jilly from and found out about a group of Yorkie's she had been asked to place in homes by another breeder who was having serious problems. One of the dogs was 9 mos. old Tibbe. Jilly's breeder said those dogs had been in pretty terrible conditions and consistently lived in crates which she had heard weren't heated or cooled. When I saw Tibbe racing wildly around in circles in the playpen at the breeders house, I lifted him up, looked in his little face and knew we were meant for each other. After almost 5 years without a Yorkie, it was soooo good to have another Yorkie in my home!!! Everything felt right in the world again. I am just a "Yorkie person" - can't really explain why I love this little breed so much. As I cannot manage a 2nd dog right now, I can still support shelters financially and back legislation that helps dogs, etc. And should the circumstances arise in the future where I can have a 2nd dog, I will start with my local shelters for another small dog but I think I will always have a Yorkie. My home is just not the same without a Yorkie!

So true!!! And I have 3 daughters; the worst thing in the world would be for them to fall in love with an animal and then have some kind of "issue" come up (aggression) that would make things nearly impossible for a happy outcome.

So you are all right- I shouldn't feel guilty. Concerned with the horribly large numbers of unwanted animals, yes. Proactive and contributive, yes. Guilty, NO! I'll just focus on loving the 2 critters I already have even more, and preparing our home for the new addition...

Thank you all for your kind words of reassurance!

She protects me. I stopped her from biting the other dogs trying to get into my lap, but the bite on my friend happened rather quickly. Now I know to put her away or put a muzzle on her if people come, till she learns better.

I can't take her back...if you could only see the look on her face when I pull in the driveway, or the sad one when I'm leaving...(The yorkies are too small to look out the window)

I can say though, that Yorkies must be hooked into our endorphins somehow. You must have one to be truly happy! It's very difficult to find one in a shelter around here, both of mine came from breeders, not shelters, & I don't feel guilty at all.

Yes sometimes I feel guilty- but I went to our local humane society- we have rescued three cats, two from them- they never have small dogs, around here it is mostly pit bulls honestly and that just wouldn't work with my lifestyle (renting, traveling, etc). I did look into various rescue organizations and was turned down by all of them (I was too young, in school still at that time, renting, the list went on). I do donate items when I can to the local humane society- I am very thankful for the two wonderful cats we got from them- one passed away at 18, the other just turned 19 and is still healthy as a horse.

The one thing I really feel guilty about is where my dogs came from- I wish I had done more research and got them from a better breeder- I knew some and thought I was doing what was best, but looking back it wasn't.