Shelter vs Breeder for a puppy?

[Johns_Gal]

I will never again get a puppy unless I have met/ have very reliable advisement as to the temperaments of both parents.

Dogs are a good bit nature over nurture. Having gotten the bad end of "nature" once, I will never risk it again.

Also I like beagles a great deal. But they must be carefully bred and selected, or else.

A bad breeder would not be an option. I have also seen rescues psh totally inappropriate, dangerous dogs at people. Eyes open, no matter which way you go, and never be swayed by "cute", or the kids pleading, etc.

[CelticJourney]

We bought a purebred German Shepherd puppy because we had a very specific need for our dog. We needed a dog that was intensely loyal, obedient, and with a shepherding/protective instinct.

I'm going to jump off of this for my answer because it shows how complex the answer to this question can be. The only dog we have ever purchased from a breeder was our German Shepard who became dh's police dog. BUT we imported him from Holland because the tendency of many American shepard breeders is to breed for appearence and not for working traits. Aiko was the pup of a mother who attainted a level 4 obedience/training score and a father with a level 5. And he didn't look like a typical shepard - he had longer hair and looked a bit 'wolfish'...which was kinda cool because it upset all the right people

So I would say that before you buy from breeder, not only know their reputation, but also find out what their breeding goals are and make sure they match your expectations.

Our latest addition was a shelter dog and my only true regret is that she really should be serving as a search and rescue dog somewhere - she has ALL the talent for the work. Some of getting her was 'luck' but we've also developed a good eye for dog traits after all this time.

[rcsmom]

Originally Posted by CelticJourney

So I would say that before you buy from breeder, not only know their reputation, but also find out what their breeding goals are and make sure they match your expectations.

a breeder whose goals are a show dog will have different criteria than one breeding for a family pet

[light of mine]

Ohhh I Havanese, so cute. IMO, both shelter dogs and well-breed puppies can be wonderful pets, for my family though, at this stage with little kids running around, I really prefer to get a young puppy through a good breeder. It takes out a lot of variables for me.

[HadassahSukkot]

There are really so.many.factors. that go into whether you should choose shelter or breeder.

I tried shelter. Ours are no kill. No one would let us adopt because of our children's ages, even with the most "bomb proof" animal because of their ages and that I'd likely tire of trying to train a dog. I was looking at dogs coming in from Spain that were being saved from the kill shelters. It is *expensive* to adopt here. As much as getting a dog from a breeder. Mainly because you're looking at vaxes, medication to prevent certain diseases or illnesses, spay/neuter and travel expenses.

After trying for three different dogs that would have been perfect fits (and breed specific), I decided to look for a breeder. I could meet the parents, learn about siblings and previous litters and meet the pup in person. We ended up with a breeder this time. Were we in the US; we likely would have done an adoption via a breed rescue.

I wasn't looking for a show dog, but for a companion for me and the boys. We found her.


Havanese are so cute!! I look forward to hearing about your little fur baby.

[Mother Duck]

I went with the shelter option. I guess it depends what you want to do with your dog. If it is for a family pet a shelter is a good option. If you are wanting to show it a breeder would be your better option. We have always gotten puppies from backyard breeders but my older two daughters have said their next dog will be a shelter dog

[SouthPaw]

I would not get a shelter puppy for a home with kids. I would want to meet the parents of the puppy .

I would adopt an older dog that had been fostered

---------- Post added at 09:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:37 AM ----------

shelter dogs are dicey and can lead to a lot of heartbreak.

[Soliloquy]

The breeder we chose breeds working dogs and family dogs. She works with a local trainer who trains service & police dogs, too. We felt very safe with her recommendation on which puppy would suit our family.

[Honeybee2three]

I agree with checking local rescue groups. Typically they foster the puppies of specific breeds and get an idea of temperament. Good luck your puppy is out there!

[JJsMom]

A sensitive update:

Our puppy was stillborn. I'm so broken hearted. she had two puppies and they both died. It brought up a lot of grief and feelings of loss for me, which surprised me. I really had my heart set on my little puppy. Now I don't know what we will do. I found a reputable breeder but I'm betting they are way out of our price range. I'm really sad. And I'm sad for the owner of the mama. She had a stillbirth a few years ago so this was very very hard for her.

[HadassahSukkot]

Oh no. I am so so sorry mama.

[Amber]

[Soliloquy]