Is it bad to want a pure breed friom a good breeder?

[ShilohsGirlJen]

I have noticed there has been a lot of pressure on this lately. I would like to adopt but know I could not walk through the rows. Also we love leonbergers. There have been a few in need of rescue but not at the right time.

I do not know how we change the issue. we cannot ban pet shops because then they will just do it out of their home or barn but I do not want to be made to look bad to own a pure bred dog.

What do you think?

[krb0471]

Are there a lot of Leos in rescue? I haven't seen any. I say get what you want- in the end it is you who has to deal with behavior/health issues so if the breeder is "good", go for it!
Personally, I know next time I will most likely have to get a puppy, I want a female, and am not sure I will take the risk of bringing an adult female into our pack unless she was super special. I don't think I could put my dog at risk and/or have to return an adult if it didn't work out.

[mezmerelda]

Speaking as someone who is getting a pure bred from a breeder on Friday, I think it's ok. It depends on what's important to you. I'm like Kendra, and don't want to bring an adult into my pack right now. I have a rather precarious balance w/two non-dominant dogs, and I think starting out with a puppy at this time is a good choice for us.

I do feel guilty about this periodically. I am not someone who can foster, and I haven't adopted before. I probably will someday, but now is not right for us. So I give money and assist with fundraising. That works for now.

[gotbigdogs]

Well, as a newbie breeder and someone involved in rescue...

I went into exhibiting dogs and getting involved in conformation and the whole world of the dog fancier because of the poor quality of dogs I was getting into rescue, 50% unadoptable because of aggression issues and others plagued by horrible health issues. People are going to buy puppies no matter what they might as well have someone reputable to go to. Ive turned away all but 2 dogs since december... that has been about 20.. because of bite histories. One 11 month dog had more than 11 instances since he was 6 months old. A lot of these dogs are from ONE breeder who no one can do anything about.

I also cannot stomache breeders who do not support rescue.. if you contribute the problem you sure as hell should help with it, however rescue is still a very, very dirty thing to most of those people. The saint world is in need of lots of help all the way around... *sigh*

[Hounds_N_Leo]

To address your question....no.

IMO, no one should apply pressure from ANY quarter on such a personal decision and yet so many, do. Everyone knows what is best for everyone else in the world LOL...

Honestly...do what makes you, and yours happy, donate to causes and issues you believe in as you can...there is no way to make everyone happy, no matter what you do.

[moondog]

I know how you feel. Baron is the first dog I've ever owned. I've thought about rescuing but I LOVE GSMD so much I can't imagine not having one and well Earl says one at a time. LOL. I guess I'll have to wait and see when that time comes. I like what Mez said, if you don't rescue, there are lots of other ways to contribute to rescue.

[Myzoocrew7]

Interestingly enough, the dogs I have bought from breeders have been the danes!! When I decided to get Kai, the "local" dane rescue would NOT even consider adopting a dog to me because I had a 10 year old daughter and I had dachshunds. So what did I do? Looked at ads for great danes. In hindsight, it wasn't the best way to go about getting a dane puppy. But I did what I could at the time to meet my needs. I have learned a lot over the years regarding reputable breeders. And there's a lot more to learn, I know. I had tons of guilt when I bought Willow and because of that guilt, I vowed that I would give my time to rescue and do what I could to help. In the end, you have to do what is right for you!

[Itsapyr]

I bought Abby from a breeder. I decided to rescue the others because there are so many pyrs in rescue and the majority of them really don't have heath issues or bite historys just bad previous owners. If there weren't, I would buy one again because they are the breed i love.

[ALDOGMOM]

Because of my work in rescue and in shelters - I personally could never go buy a dog from a breeder...But that is just me...

I always encourage people to at least consider a rescue dog...
But I don't think less of people who do their homework and find a reputable breeder (who cares about the breed - not the $$) to purchase a puppy from...

[Swissy Mom]

I think you should do what feels right to you given your situation. I have had shelter dogs, BYB dogs (in hindsight) and now Cash, who is from a reputable breeder. Right now the purebred puppy from a responsible breeder felt like the right choice for us.

[ShilohsGirlJen]

Are there a lot of Leos in rescue? I haven't seen any. I say get what you want- in the end it is you who has to deal with behavior/health issues so if the breeder is "good", go for it!
Personally, I know next time I will most likely have to get a puppy, I want a female, and am not sure I will take the risk of bringing an adult female into our pack unless she was super special. I don't think I could put my dog at risk and/or have to return an adult if it didn't work out.

Leos in need has more and more. Also there are more and more showing up on pet finder.

[ShilohsGirlJen]

One of the greatest issues for us was with Freedom. We never knew how she would deal with a dog(adult) coming into the home. i think now she could do it but not until about a year ago.. The dog atack she went through left major scars on her personality.

[Itsapyr]

I would never have brought an adult dog in with Abby. That would have been a disaster...I was scared to bring in a puppy too but she did so great with Jasper. I think you know your dogs and what will work. Unfortunately there is no shortage of pyr puppies in rescue.

[ToBScholarly]

Well, I would like to pretend that we are all heroic and own our Saints because we believe in rescue. Which is true NOW.
However, when we got our first, it was simply because we were cheap and getting one from a rescue cost a lot less than a breeder. Not to mention a puppy is too much work for me. That whole potty training, teething thing? I don't think i could do it.
Everyone has their reasons for getting a certain dog from a certain place. Whether it be because you are comfortable with a certain breed or because you feel you can make a difference by adopting from a shelter, you have to be accountable to yourself for your actions. No one else.

[Marissa]

Everyone's given good answer, you must research and do what is best for your family when adding a new addition. If a new puppy just won't work out and an adult dog will, perhaps rescue or an animal shelter are the first places to look. If you're wanting a particular trait in a dog that is usually accomplished by breeding for it, a reputable breeder is the way to go.

My 2 are from BYB's unfortunately and my next dog is coming from a reputable breeder. But I help with rescue any way I can until the time is right to adopt a shelter dog of my own, because for me, I feel an obligation to do so.

[Terry]

There is no right or wrong answer. It is what feels right. I have always rescued mutts, but have always wanted a mastiff. I tried the rescue route, but because my fence wasn't 6 ft high, they wouldn't consider me. hmmmm Daisy can't even jump over the design on the carpet.
Anyway, I went to a reputable breeder. researched breeders for a long time (still ended up with a dog with hip dysplagia). I will rescue again, but that is years down the road.

[IlliniJeeperGal]

Every situation is different. Ryan and I tried two other dogs before Toby. One was a rescue that bit me and the other was from the shelter and ended up having territory issues. As much as we wanted to keep him, the liability of him with kids in the neighborhood was too great. We wanted a safe choice and for us, that meant starting with a puppy from a reputable breeder. We still support the shelters in our area and hope that others have better luck with rescue than we did. In the future perhaps we'll try again, but at this stage in our lives (especially with the little kids in the 'hood and hypothetical children coming our way) we needed a stable dog.

[Hounds_N_Leo]

I am sorta looking at a Pug right now and tho I do NOT want a puppy I plan to wait on a reputable breeder to have something older because:

a) I love the look of a well bred, in standard (mostly) dog...regardless of breed.
b) I need to know what is behind a dog I get, health and genetics wise, temperament, etc.

With a breed as prone to issues as Pugs are I just cannot do otherwise...for my situation, and my needs and hopes, the reputable breeder route is what I prefer and will do. However long it takes, and regardless of what others outside our family might say or think.

[Ang]

There is nothing wrong with going to a breeder for a purebred dog. Nee was a rescue/breeder situation, he came from a BYBer who had bought her stud dog from an "actual" breeder, and when she couldn't sell the puppies, and the "actual" breeder came to take her dog back (Since he was on a S/N), the BYBer unloaded all the puppies on her. Now I love Nee to death, he is my baby, but he has some temperament issues with other dogs, and I've found out through the grapevine that many of his littermates do as well, and even other dogs from this "actual" breeder's lines. My next Dane will be from a breeder who is producing dogs with a rock solid temperament.

That being said, I always want a rescue dog, and my plan is to always have at least one in the house.

[NickandNora'smom]

I can't add much to what everyone else has said, but to say that I agree that you have to do what's best for you. I only feel comfortable with adoption and rescue, but that's me and my situation. That also doesn't mean that I don't look at Moni's pure Aussies, for example, and think "I want one!!" Plus, my mutts are the result of irresponsible breeders, so in the end, they can from bybs via a rescue organization, so what are you gonna do?