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 !!!

We have a dog. We got her as a pup from a reputable breeder. We did this because despite looking repeatedly in rescues there were none suitable for us. This was mainly because; we needed one of a handful of non shedding breeds, almost every rescue said you needed an older dog (for it to copy) or no children under 11. I dont feel bad about it.

However we want a second dog at some point and will definately get rescue I think. Hopefully as we already have a dog and kids be older it won't be so impossible.

Having a puppy is extreme hard work. We really wanted one so badly that we were happy to go through it. With 5 kids we are well used to no sleep etc. However I can see how some might struggle as it is 24/7 for a few months.

Perhaps you could've phrased it better OP but nevertheless I agree with your sentiments.
I've had various dogs over the past 45 years, usually two at a time, sometimes three, now one Cavalier. I always buy my puppies from registered breeders.
After two dogs died in quick succession a few years ago I applied to Tiny Tears Rescue to rehome a one year old dog. I was turned down after telling them I had an outdoor kennel in my garden. Apparently this is a bad thing as it meant I'd shut the dog out in the garden and someone would steal it and use it for animal baiting🙄

I am the unapologetic owner of a dog bought as a puppy. I waited 8 years for this dog and he was my retirement present to me. I did masses of research to find the right Kennel Club approved Breeder and waited for her to have another litter ready for sale.

4 years down the line I am not disappointed. He brings me a huge amount of fun and enjoyment, and we adore each other!

Puppies are hard work initially, and they certainy need lots of attention. I think it should be allegal for people who work full-time to own dogs - puppies or not. Dogs thrive on interaction with humans, not being left alone at home all day.

I have had 3 rescue lurchers. One died of cancer, still have the other two.
One we got when he was 11 months, so still a bit of chewing but nothing horrendous. Never chewed anything since. Totally gorgeous dogs. Terrible thiefs so never leave food out, wee buggers.
Our girl we have had for 2 years now and she is a delight. Very obedient, great with kids and came housetrained.
I just couldn't go through that whole puppy stage...

I waited a long time to get a dog 🐕. Well my daughters really. I thoroughly did my research and a toy poodle fitted our family the best. I had it all set up to buy a 5 month old that was being re himed. He had never been to a park, not had any socialisation but from pictures we fell in love with him. We had Lengthy conversations, finding out everything we could that would settle him into the family.We arranged for us all to travel to collect the dog on the Saturday, I called on the Thursday before to arrange times for Saturday. The cow said he’s gone to someone else. I was so angry we had been communicating for 2 weeks, I’d bought everything and she knew it was for my dd who was soo excited. I remember rather embarrassingly crying in the cafe when she told me.
The upshot was we ended up with buying a toy poodle puppy, looking back it was wonderful and very hard too to go through the puppy stage with him. I’ve waited all my life to have a dog and will probably only ever have one so it worked out better for us in the end.

We were turned down by our local rescues as we had cats and didn't want a staffie or greyhound as they have a strong prey drive.

Don't be put off by generalisations about different breeds. A good breed specific rescue organisation will cat test their dogs.

My two cats are currently snuggled up on my bed with my greyhound.

I think it should be allegal for people who work full-time to own dogs - puppies or not.

Even if the dog goes to daycare and is happy playing with other dogs? And what if circumstances change and people then have to find a job do they send them to a rescue instead or just let everyone starve? Dogs are expensive and having the financial means to take care of them especially with vet care (even with insurance) helps. Being in the same place as the dog is only just a small part of dog ownership.

I think it should be allegal for people who work full-time to own dogs - puppies or not

Even if the puppy/dog isn't left alone because it has suitable care organised for it? Or are you just making a sweeping statement?

I had a Springer Spaniel from a puppy who was bred as a working dog but it became apparent that life would not suit her so she was sold as a pet. She was gentle and was so easy to train and was very compliant, I think that was down to her breed and lineage. She had a wonderful temperament and as we had young children that was very important. She was a wonderful part of the family until her sadly premature death at 10 a couple of years ago.

On Monday I picked up a new member of the family from a rescue center. She is a 3 year old cross breed Shih Tzu/Terrier and has had a bad start at life. She had a multiple homes, a severe flea allergy and is very nervous of new people and will bark and growl at them. She will require a lot of love, patience and training. She has some guarding issues over her toys and separation anxiety, she would definitely not have been suitable if we still had young children. However even though we have only had her a short time we can see that when you gain her trust she is incredibly loving, the fun side of her character is beginning to emerge as she relaxes. I also have a new little shadow who faithfully follows me everywhere (even to the loo).

I can see both sides of the argument, personal circumstances can have an effect on decisions. Of course I hate the fact that puppy farms exist and that certain breeds become fashionable (such as french bulldogs) which results in poor quality over breeding and some people who want a dog just as an accessory. We felt that after buying a puppy that we wanted to pay it forward with our next dog and get a rescue as we were in a position to offer a loving home to a dog in need. I work from home, my DC's are grown up and I have more time on my hands than I did a few years ago as my partner now works away during mot of the week.

@wolfiefan, but most of the costs you're listing are only applicable once (ie, parent health checks, hip scores, puppy proofing the environment), they hardly factor into following litters. And practically every breeder thinks their dog has wonderful lines that need preserving, when in actual fact 99% of the time it doesn't matter, dogs are just being passed on as pets. But people that buy them like to think their dog is special/superior and will pay for that..

If you have six puppies at £1000 you would probably spend £800 on stud fees (that's a high estimate and many breeders may own the sire as well as the dam), £1000 on injections and chipping, another £500 for other vets fees and a few hundred registering them - you've still got a few thousand left.

We'll have to agree to differ. I will never, ever buy a dog. It helps that I'm not particularly a puppy fan. They're adorable on birthday cards and lovely for a cuddle, but they grow out of that stage so quickly anyway and soon become the bouncy young dogs that I tend to adopt. Two of my rescue labs have wonderful breeding and health scores, just like people who buy pups quite as their reason for buying a dog, yet they've both ended up given away. It baffles me that someone paid so much for them then gave up a year later. It goes back to the statement that many dogs are in rescue due to the owner- however well bred a lab is, it's still a heavy, powerful thing to have hurtling around the house if it's not exercised and trained enough.

Good luck Sunbursts, if it's any motivation, two of my current dogs had been abused and came with hang ups and a fear of men. It really didn't take long at all for the trust to return (most dogs are pretty amazing how they will trust again). I'd say within a couple of months they were fine. It probably helped that we have an existing dog that is very confident (almost too!) and they take the lead from him.

For all I bought a puppy (the last being £800) I also hate the puppy stage, the worst part by a mile

Maybe I am unlucky and maybe it’s the breed but out of my rescue dogs I have had one with severe epilepsy (died aged 4), one with severe hip problems who has cost about £6k in treatment, one with severe behavioural issues and the final one with a congenital problem that literally dropped dead. All preventable with health screening pre breeding.

Maybe the focus should not be on cleaning up the mess created by backyard breeding but stopping it in the first place. God knows how though

It’s a one off cost only if you only test once and breed lots from the same bitch. My dog’s dam had one litter and only one. If the sire were to be used again they would certainly need retesting. Liver shunt test and microchip and other vets fees are per pup.
I know good wolfhound breeders say don’t even consider it unless you have £10000 to pay for any emergencies that arise. (C section or positive liver shunt test etc) My dog is from good show lines but I’m more bothered by health and temperament.
The issue is people buying and not knowing what they’re taking on or being prepared to put work into the pup.
You don’t have to buy a pup. But don’t condemn those of us who have given it proper thought, researched what we are taking on and decided to do that.

If you have six puppies at £1000 you would probably spend £800 on stud fees (that's a high estimate and many breeders may own the sire as well as the dam), £1000 on injections and chipping, another £500 for other vets fees and a few hundred registering them - you've still got a few thousand left.

You forgot the feeding, that's an extra £500.- + and all the hours a breeder spends looking after the mum and the puppies. It is a 24/7 job. You also have to factor in all the cleaning ... washing bedding every day & cleaning floors several times a day with special cleaning products. (Like with babies hygiene is paramount!)
It's not easy money... raising a litter is bloody hard work. (Or a labour of love!)
Why else do you think puppy framing is rife?

I can't help it Wolfie because I'm so involved with rescue dogs. It breaks my heart that people leave them rotting and actually spend a fortune on a dog.

And of course it's per pup to make Crichton and inject, my figure was for six pups. Surely a sensible breeder would either have insurance or a fund for emergencies- like any other dog owner??

It’s not really as simple as telling people they should just adopt a shelter dog though. There are a lot of factors. The dog may have behavioural/health problems, there may only be a breed that doesn’t fit your lifestyle available, the dog may have sensitivities that need someone who has some extra training knowledge, it may not be used to living in a home environment. Not everyone wants to take on a project when they decide to have a dog.

Also there’s the fact that it can be incredibly difficult to get a shelter to rehome to you. I have rehomed dogs in the past and all has been well but for some reason my husband and I are now unsuitable? I study full time and work part time but my husband works at night so there’s almost always someone home and my sister dog-sits when required but apparently this isn’t a good enough arrangement for a rescue dog? I don’t know. I wish rescues would review their screening process to make it more on a case by case basis rather than seemingly a tick box system that they refuse to sway from. It’s frustrating. I understand they want the very best for the dogs but I provide a lovely life for the animals I have and just want to help another poor soul.

I wish there were more sensible breeders. And sensible dog owners who really think it through. It’s not something to be taken on lightly at all.
All my cats have been rescued and both my son and I volunteer for a local shelter. I can promise you that I would give up my pets only over my cold dead body. I love my cats and my dog. They are members of the family and I will be here for them until their last breath.

Still not sure why people buying a puppy for life are vilified for not rescuing when it's important to match the dogs breed to your lifestyle rather than getting a dog simply because it's been abandoned by its previous owner.

What annoys me most is the throwaway comments I see on MN about 'just get rid of the dog' at any issue someone posts about. Whilst there may be a small number of people that have a valid reason for rehoming including illness and death of owner it seems that a lot of people view dog ownership as something that you can dip into and out off with ease.

I know someone that rescued an old dog that was simply discarded by their previous owners as he was too old and they didn't want him back as they had a new puppy. That makes me so cross. Whilst my dog is still young I just can't imagine discarding him because he got old after all the loyalty they give you

shearwater couldn't agree more. Hopefully the human race will kill itself off sooner rather than later and then the planet may recover from the devastation we have wreaked upon it.

Animals are the most desperate and tragic casualties of our cruelty and stupidity, dogs included.

The only way I can see it stopping is if all sales were done through the vets so at least there would be some control over who has them and where they come from.

Vets really can’t determine whether each and every puppy that is sold is from a reputable source. Wish I knew what the answer was though.
For me it was buyer beware. I spent a long time getting to know people in the breed and finding out about breeders. I went into it thinking most breeders were dodgy and it was up to me to do my due diligence.
Too many people are selfish and impatient and don’t want to think about anything other than getting the cute puppy they want when they want it.

Don’t get a dog. I would like to bet someone else would be rejoining it in the not so distant future.

rehoming