Rescue vs. buying from a breeder?

[Trip]

I have neither rescue nor breeder. I have a Craigslist puppy. I paid a small rehoming fee to a family that probably fed me a bunch of lies... My dog was most likely bred by a backyard breeder or at worst stolen, she had no papers or records. There are no guarantees she won't have major issues, was no backing out if her personality was poor. I wouldn't change a thing though. Beignet needed us as much as we needed her.

I don't recommend what I did to get my dog to anyone, but who knows where this dog would of been had we not stepped in.

Breeder / Rescue / Wherever, you will never know where you will find your new family member, just try and make sure whatever route you go that this will be the final stop for that fluffy ball of fun.

I never considered a breeder, but I completely understand the people that choose this route. I really wanted a bi blue, but ended up with a sable. I may eventually go breeder to get my bi blue.

Also be prepared to share every part of your life if you go rescue. We had to go through a lot to get approved by a rescue close to us before we ended up with our Craigslist puppy.

 

[peanut-butter]

I'm no stranger to pets with health issues; both of my senior cats have issues. One's a long-time diabetic, and the other has severe allergies, OCD and arthritis. This would be the first dog I've owned, though. My family had a dalmatian when I was a kid, until we had to euthanize him when he was 13 due to arthritis and tumors. So that's why I think I'd do better with an adult sheltie instead of a puppy, because I know that puppies are a ton of extra work.

It's great to have all this perspective on rescue vs breeders! I don't think I have a particular preference on gender, or even color - there are four or five different colors that I'd love to have; sable, bi-blue, bi-black, blue merle...The only thing I specifically want is a personality match, which I think I might have better luck with from a rescue dog, right?

 

[sable]

Seconded. Here's the website for the Northern California ASSA-member club. You can contact them for breeder referral or for the NorCal Sheltie rescue - so whichever way you choose to go, they can help.

I'll third that! ASSA helped me out with something, and gave me great info.
It took me five people at AKC to get the info I wanted. ASSA knows the reputations of breeders, and will lead you the right way. I love that puppy stage, too much fun.

I have a friend that adopted a sheltie and she was around 4, beautiful and sweet. That little girl is healthy and adjusted immediately. Fortunate!

Good luck and best wishes finding your special sheltie.

 

[Jaynie]

I got a purebred dog because I wanted to have some idea of what I was getting. By the same token, one buys from a breeder for the same reason. If you're the type that's not really good with dogs in general, I'd say go with a breeder. On the other hand, if you're sure you can deal with the uncertainty, and you like the prospect of giving some poor little beastie a chance for some happiness he might not otherwise know, get a rescue dog!

And that is going to be the best advice ever given on this subject! If you know you want to do performance or conformation, go with the breeder dog. If you dog's "job" is going to be a professional love sponge, the rescues are the way to go.

 

[lasheltie]

Dogs are like kids... some give you no issues & some have issues that you have to work through. That is true no matter where they come from. Good rescues & good breeders both screen their dogs & potential homes so that the right dog goes to the right family. It just depends on what you're equipped to handle. Most of the rescued shelties I have adopted out have had no issues at all. There were only 2 that did & I made sure the new owners were very aware & willing to deal with them. Anyone that adopts one of my shelties knows I will always take them back & they have a home with me forever unless the best new home comes around.

I suggest checking into rescues in your area & offering to foster first. Get your feet wet before you jump in. Be sure to investigate your rescue too- some are better than others even though their hearts are in the right place. A word of warning though, once you foster you will quickly lose your heart.

Good luck!

 

[celloyogi]

I'm no stranger to pets with health issues; both of my senior cats have issues. One's a long-time diabetic, and the other has severe allergies, OCD and arthritis. This would be the first dog I've owned, though. My family had a dalmatian when I was a kid, until we had to euthanize him when he was 13 due to arthritis and tumors. So that's why I think I'd do better with an adult sheltie instead of a puppy, because I know that puppies are a ton of extra work.

It's great to have all this perspective on rescue vs breeders! I don't think I have a particular preference on gender, or even color - there are four or five different colors that I'd love to have; sable, bi-blue, bi-black, blue merle...The only thing I specifically want is a personality match, which I think I might have better luck with from a rescue dog, right?

Puppies are a "ton of extra work"... well, that depends. They need to be house-trained, but some adult dogs need work on that, too. And puppies will need some sort of obedience training, but again, so will some adult dogs. Quite honestly I'd say that's a tough call because some puppies are so easily trained and others are not, and you won't know until you get the puppy. Puppies do tend to need more supervision, but you can read about the exploits of older shelties on these forums.

As for a rescue being able to provide you with a better personality match, breeders and rescues both can work with you to match your family with the best dog, and responsible breeders and rescues will do everything possible to do so. With rescues, you can foster dogs until you find The Dog. With breeders, many occasionally have adults available, either retired from showing or that were being grown out for show and for whatever reason the breeder decided not to show (not behavior problems, just breed standard faults that would have no bearing whatsoever on the ability of the dog to become a beloved family pet). Most breeders that I know will gladly accept back any dog they sell if it turns out that dog is not working out in your home - they usually stipulate in the purchase contract that dogs must be returned to them.

Again, I have purebred dogs but have done a lot of rescue work, so support both sides. I would suggest you contact as many breeders as you can, visit those that have available dogs, and do the same with rescue groups. The end goal for you should be to find the best dog for your family, regardless of where that dog comes from. There is a reason breeders and rescues call the permanent home of a dog a "forever home".

 

[Diana]

If you don't want a puppy, I would suggest you go to a breeder and ask if they have any half-grown or grown dogs available. Many breeders do, if the dogs didn't work out for show for whatever reason, or if they no longer need them for their breeding program. And those dogs would have the health testing etc. that you want. Be sure to give your preferences as far as personality, lifestyle, etc. If that breeder doesn't have the right dog, it's likely she knows someone who does—breeders often keep in touch. Also, many breeders are involved in rescue and might be able to advise you on that.

Don't do rescue as an "easy" or "cheap" option. People don't always like to talk about this, but many rescue dogs come with issues that need to be worked through. It can end up being just as much or more work than puppies, particular if an owner isn't prepared. However, some rescue dogs are well-socialized and will make great pets without much work. You need a dog that fits your lifestyle, interests, and experience. If it is your passion then sure, do rescue—but don't do it just because it sounds good. Do it because it is the right choice for you and your family.

I would suggest looking into both options and seeing which one comes through first. It took us 9 months of research and waiting before we ended up with our Buffy. I do think it pays to be picky and really wait for the right dog.

Talk to people who have rescued and gotten dogs from breeders; there are pros to both ways. We actually found it difficult to find a rescue sheltie in our area because we don't have a yard (requirement) and not many were available at the time—so it wasn't really an option for us. My first dog as a child was a 3-year-old from a breeder named Abigail. At this point I would raise a dog from a puppy if at all possible because that has given us such a close relationship with our current dog, Buffy. But Abigail was a great dog for our family and I would certainly advise others to consider going to a breeder, even if they don't get a puppy.

 

[Tagg]

If you are willing to wait for the right rescue, then it might be a good way to go. Several dogs come into rescue because of things like marital breakups, owners illnesses, having to move and can't/won't take the dog. Many of these little rehome dogs are easy to live with and the foster parents will see if they have any training, will allow themselves to be groomed etc. You need to have a bit of doggy experience for the dogs that come in from mills or abuse situations. You will also likely have to work with a trainer - positive only please - and the costs of that will mount. Tinsel is not the poster child for why get from a rescue. His costs are nearly that of me buying a finished champion but the reward of seeing his life turn around are much greater. Having said that, his issues were great both physical and emotional and it has taken a lot of help from my husband, myself, my daughter, my trainers and my extensive dog world friends to meet his needs.
Would I adopt from a rescue again? Yes but not because I believe that in doing so I would save myself on the cost of a dog. My next rescue will probably be a geriatric.
As for buying from a breeder, of course that is another good way to go. Yes you have early puppy training and all the work that goes into it but you also get the opportunity to shape the dog's personality from a fairly blank canvas to what you want from a companion animal. Don't look at breeders from the point of view of what they accomplished in the ring, look at how their dogs are housed and raised, what the dogs are like to live with and if they seem healthy and well adjusted. Ask to see health records and documentation of health clearances. If they are obedience or confirmation champions, that's a really nice plus but it doesn't mean they are fabulous dogs to live with. My puppy people were lucky as our show dogs were house pets so they could see exactly what they were like in and out of the ring. They also saw the old timers wandering around the house, still groomed pretty and well loved as well as healthy. Do your homework for both situations and wait for just the right dog.

 

[Jaynie]

Most certainly, you need to be an experienced SHELTIE owner if you want to bring an abused or puppy mill survivor into your home. I've owned dogs all my life, and had I not had the experience raising my first Sheltie puppy, Bela would have been a very unlucky dog. Love cannot cure all the problems associated with an abused or puppy mill Sheltie, because if it did, Bela would be the most perfect Sheltie girl on the planet.

I had trained my backyard breeder puppy to be a top-class obedience dog (mucho Delaney points in his first trial season out). But I had never had any training experience with problem dogs. (Though I, like a previous poster, am in the category of world's worst potty trainer.) But because of my first puppy boy, my learning curve was pretty fast.

I suppose the choice between breeder/rescue/newspaper dog is really one of case-by-case circumstances. I'm a big believer in you gotta go with your gut. Example: the reason I chose the BYB puppy that I did? He was cheeky enough to poop right on his mom's sleeping muzzle. (I just love troublemakers!)

 

[OntarioSheltie]

I think I'd prefer adopting a dog from rescue to buying a puppy from a breeder for a number of reasons. Rescue is cheaper (my local rescue charges about $350-$450 to adopt, vs the $900 average I've seen from poking around on local AKC breeders' websites. I think I'd rather start out with an adult than a puppy, so there'd be less housebreaking, training, etc to do, and of course I love the idea of giving a dog a home who might otherwise be stuck in a shelter for a long time.

Puppies are a "ton of extra work"... well, that depends. They need to be house-trained, but some adult dogs need work on that, too.

If you are willing to wait for the right rescue, then it might be a good way to go. Several dogs come into rescue because of things like marital breakups, owners illnesses, having to move and can't/won't take the dog. Many of these little rehome dogs are easy to live with and the foster parents will see if they have any training, will allow themselves to be groomed etc. You need to have a bit of doggy experience for the dogs that come in from mills or abuse situations. You will also likely have to work with a trainer - positive only please - and the costs of that will mount. Tinsel is not the poster child for why get from a rescue. His costs are nearly that of me buying a finished champion but the reward of seeing his life turn around are much greater. Having said that, his issues were great both physical and emotional and it has taken a lot of help from my husband, myself, my daughter, my trainers and my extensive dog world friends to meet his needs.
Would I adopt from a rescue again? Yes but not because I believe that in doing so I would save myself on the cost of a dog. My next rescue will probably be a geriatric.
As for buying from a breeder, of course that is another good way to go. Yes you have early puppy training and all the work that goes into it but you also get the opportunity to shape the dog's personality from a fairly blank canvas to what you want from a companion animal. Don't look at breeders from the point of view of what they accomplished in the ring, look at how their dogs are housed and raised, what the dogs are like to live with and if they seem healthy and well adjusted. Ask to see health records and documentation of health clearances. If they are obedience or confirmation champions, that's a really nice plus but it doesn't mean they are fabulous dogs to live with. My puppy people were lucky as our show dogs were house pets so they could see exactly what they were like in and out of the ring. They also saw the old timers wandering around the house, still groomed pretty and well loved as well as healthy. Do your homework for both situations and wait for just the right dog.

Getting an adult rescue dog does not always mean less work and less money, keep that in mind. If you do decide to go with a rescue and you don't want to spend a lot of time/money, I'd be very mindful to find out about the dog's back ground first.

I adopted a sheltie from a rescue group and got a LOT more than I bargained for. I had asked for a stable dog without a lot of issues (one of my shelties is disabled), but that I could teach some basic obedience. What I got was a dog with severe emotional scars and anxiety.

I've spent far more time and money on my rescue dog than I have on my two shelties that came from breeders. Money aside, the hardest part by far was the stress he added not only to my husband's and my life, but also my other shelties. My one other sheltie had what amounted to an emotional break down because she became so distressed by Toby's anxiety attacks and night terrors.

After a lot of blood, sweat and tears on my part, Toby is doing MUCH better now after a lot of reassurance, positive training and eventually anxiety medication (which he'll probably have to take for the rest of his life, another significant expense).

I love Toby to death, he's become a member of our family that we couldn't do without, but my experience with him will make me think twice before I consider another rescue. I feel terrible for putting my husband and fur kids in the spot that I did by taking in Toby. It was almost a full year of complete hell. I don't think house training and doing basic obedience with a litter of 10 puppies would have been half as stressful.

I often compare Toby to an autistic child, he's wonderful but has difficulty processing and dealing with everyday sights and sounds. Maybe this makes my situation with Toby unique, I don't know. What I do know is that its very important to put a lot of thought into what the dog's back ground is before adopting to avoid a situation like mine.