Why are some people so judgemental about getting a puppy, I don’t want to regime someone else’s dog !

[LardLizard]

It’s not my responsibility to take on someone else’s dog they have dumped in an animal rescue place

From what I hear out of every 10 dogs that are rehomed 6 are returned .....

People don’t say when you have a baby
Oh why did you go and have a baby
You could have adopted one !!!

Well you sound lovely, some people like to provide a nice home for a rescue dog, me included.

Many reasons not to get a puppy:

No thought regards breed

Just wanted for cuteness or whatever is popular

Can't afford a puppy

Don't bother to train a puppy

Give up on puppy when they do not take on board the above

Don't forget all fully grown dogs started off as cute little puppies once upon a time

Some people do say that.

The thing is that buying a puppy creates a demand for puppies. Which means puppy farms and irresponsible breeders keep breeding.

And they still end up in rescues

Because people are allowed to have their own opinions on these things?

Personally I do have issue with people getting puppies, especially given how dodgy a lot of breeders are.

I think there should be much more regulation as to who can breed and sell puppies and yes I think people should be encouraged to rehome one of the many dogs in need instead.

Well probably because thousands of dogs each year are put to sleep due to not finding a suitable home, so instead of buying a new puppy why not give another one a chance at life. There are a lot of young dogs and puppies also in rescue looking for homes.

Tbh you don't sound like great dog owner material....

From what I hear out of every 10 dogs that are rehomed 6 are returned

Nearly every dog in a re-homing centre was probably once someone’s much wanted puppy.

Adopting a dog is a rigorous process, but still nowhere near as hard as it is to adopt a baby.

And obviously, less emotionally taxing too. At least it should be, otherwise you're doing it wrong.

I see where the OP is coming from. Training my rescue dogs was a tall order; training my puppies was relatively straightforward. And I really don’t want a dog that may have issues that raise the risk to my children. If I don’t have the capacity for a rescue dog (or the rescue turns me away) and I do have the capacity for a puppy, why shouldn’t I give a puppy a home?

I think there are equally sound reasons for not having a rescue dog (as someone who has a rescue dog) as there are for having a puppy.

I don't honestly mind as long as people have thought long and hard about their decision and go to a responsible breeder and then actually train and look after their pet properly.

I haven't got rescue cats. My colleague's cat had kittens and I just got them from her (for nothing). At the time the rescue places said my children were too little, anyway.

. And I really don’t want a dog that may have issues that raise the risk to my children

Surely a well matched adopted dog where the personality is known is a much lesser risk in that sense than a puppy which is an unknown entity!

They do actually sometimes say that it you’re struggling with infertility!

But in general yes, if I was a dog person I would not go to a rescue and sorry but I wouldn’t spend years attending crufts and the like either.

If you want a puppy because a specific breed of dog fits best with your lifestyle, then go for it.

Unfortunately most people just want a puppy over a shelter dog because they are cuter or more fashionable breeds. People judge it because breeding enables animal suffering through puppy farms and the desire for 'adorable' features such as squashy pug faces that leave the animals in pain for their whole lives.

Wow.

YOU sound so lovely OP!

Adopting a dog is a rigorous process, but still nowhere near as hard as it is to adopt a baby

I do agree, but a remember a thread not so long ago where the OPs partner had adopted her son, but had been refused adoption of a dog 😂

Don't get a dog you obviously aren't an animal lover

@Sirzy: if the rescue dog was that well behaved, it probably wouldn’t be in rescue. Not the dog’s fault, I agree, but someone missed the crucial window to train it. I don’t want my children to pay the price. And no, puppies behave like ... puppies ... and what they turn into depends on the effort you put in.

Please don't get a dog.

You don't sound like you should have a pet.

So someone wants a cute dog.

Aren’t some breeds bred to be physically appealing?

There are lots of puppies in rescue though - the rescue I foster with has got 22 at the moment, 12 of which were born in rescue.

As for returns, the reasons I have heard for dogs coming back to us include 'a dog doesn't suit our lifestyle' 'the cat didn't like it' 'it chewed the car' among many others. When people have donated £80 for a dog it seems they have far lower bars for taking them back than if they have paid £1k

They can’t have been that well matched them.

I don’t think I’d want to be matched tbh.

I like to choose my own.

A lot of people want puppies for the wrong reasons.