To ask you to read this before buying a puppy?

[hibbledibble]

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/dec/01/rescue-me-why-britains-beautiful-lockdown-pets-are-being-abandoned

I warned of the dangers of the huge demand for puppies over the lockdowns, and many told me I was wrong.

Here it is from the horse's mouth: all those cute puppies are being abandoned now they are stubborn adolescents.

Rescues are currently brimming at the seams: if you are looking for a dog or other pet, please look there first (and don't limit yourself to a puppy)

I'm not sure why people think that buying a puppy guarantees no behavioural issues, or that all rescues dogs have insurmountable behavioural issues. Clearly, a lot of puppies bought in lockdown have now grown into dogs with problematic behaviour.

I also highly disagree with negative assertions about greyhounds. I have extensive experience of the breed and they are great dogs.

The thing is if more breeders were responsible and people were more realistic about the dog that suited them there would be barely any need for rescue in the first place. It really is a catch 22.

People buy unsuitable pets bred by backstreet breeders, bring them into homes that don’t meet their needs and wonder why they end up needing to rehome them.

If everyone went to ethical breeders who health tested and vetted owners thoroughly before allowing them to have a puppy and on the other side people actually sat and thought about the dog that suited them (or not got a dog at all in some cases!) then I bet less would end up being given up at all.
You can even see it here where people ask what dog breed would suit them on 30mins exercise and being left 3 days per week and people usually say something bizarre like a spaniel or poodle, both serious working dogs that need a job!

There are virtually no rescues in my breed, thank god. If all breeders took as much care and thought instead of churning out puppies to unsuitable people then eventually the need for rescue would be much much less.

Rescues have become way too soft on putting animals down who are badly socialised, potentially dangerous. These dogs won't fund homes, they need to be quietly and peacefully put down.

To pay the price of humans being irresponsible.

We need to stop anyone who fancies it, being able to breed, selling to anyone with the cash, which so often results in untrained, unsocialised dogs ending up in rescues in the first place. And these breeders often pass dogs with health issues to rescues too as well as their old breeding dogs when they’re no use to them anymore. 🤬

A rescue wouldn’t rehome to me.

@Avarua

Rescues have become way too soft on putting animals down who are badly socialised, potentially dangerous. These dogs won't fund homes, they need to be quietly and peacefully put down.

I partly agree with this, to be honest. There are worse fates for an animal than being calmly and quietly put to sleep.

Yes, it's not nice to think about but not all animals are suited to being house pets. It's not fair to keep them in rescue kennels/cages for the rest of their life, nor is it fair to keep trying to find them new homes, knowing deep down that it won't work out.

We got a puppy as wanted a specific breed/type and the rescues wouldn't rehome to us as our youngest was 1 !, I work from home everyday and the dog is well cared for but we didn't tick every box, none of my friends have been able able to adopt either !!! It's not as easy as everyone says it is to adopt a pet, we even got turned down for a hamster for the kids !

Fwiw the breed I want is quite rare now and there aren’t that many breeders and those that are certainly aren’t backyard - I’d be using the network my grandparents and parents built before me to get a dog.

My beautiful dog was PTS in the summer and I have since been trawling the local dog rescues...Some don't have any dogs at all and even the Dogs Trust aren't jam packed. There are a few but not loads at each centre. So where are the abandoned puppies because I really want one?

@GodIsAVegan

Then warn people off bad breeders. Don't tell people to adopt instead of buy like it's an equal choice between the two. Again this isn't directed at you personally but more of the narrative created by rescue centres

There’s lots of info out there warning people of irresponsible breeders. Theres laws to try and stop it. People are constantly campaigning to improve things and get better welfare laws. There’s just so many irresponsible breeders though and people want a dog so it’s really hard. Irresponsible breeders lie about how/where their dogs are kept and aren’t going to admit to bad practice. And lots of people get so caught up in the ‘I want a cute puppy’ thing, that they’re not thinking about the wider issues. That’s why the message from so many is ‘adopt don’t shop’.

I think we all have a responsibility to make sure animals have good lives and if that means we don’t get to personally have a dog, because our circumstances make us unsuitable for rescue and breeding causes indirect suffering to other dogs, then we should accept that. But people won’t, because they put their own wants above anything else. I’m sympathetic because I really love dogs and I’d hate to not have my own but sometimes people need to accept that it’s not the right thing to do.

Your logic doesn't make sense. You've created a false dichotomy - rescue, or 'breeding that causes suffering'. And you say that anybody who doesn't adopt is selfish. However it's only irresponsible breeding that causes suffering. Not all breeding. If people thought about the wider issues then they would buy from a reputable breeder. Your issue is therefore people not thinking rather than irresponsible breeding. Furthermore rescues are NGO's and shouldn't have the powers to control access to dogs. What happens when there are no more rescue dogs? Would people who make the biggest donations to the charity get preference? What happens if people want a specific breed and there aren't any to be rescued? You'll just create a black market, that takes more effort to stamp out. Saying that 'it's too hard to police breeders therefore nobody should have dogs unless it's a rescue' is a cop out

Also. Just wrt adopt. I have a friend who is adopted and she posted on Facebook a thing about not saying adopt for a dog as it’s hurtful. So I have tried not to say that since.

@Goawayangryman

What *@lastqueenofscotland* says. Rescues aside from Romanian ones wouldn't accept us and yet we have given a lovely home to a pup who is well cared-for, safe, and happy. Meh.

My brother also rescued from Romania and has a lovely dog now. The dogs trust turned him down because he is not home full time! As others have said they are incredibly fussy and so they have lots of dogs without homes, stupid really.

We tried to rescue a dog after we lost our elderly lab earlier in the year. Nobody would touch us, even though I'm home all day and our garden is fenced and backs onto a dog walking field! Because we have a cat, and one of our children is young primary. The other 2 are teens. We even applied to battersea despite living in the south west. Never even got a response. We ended up with another working lab puppy from a local gamekeeper.

I hate to say it, but I have to agree. We have been trying off and on for 5yrs to adopt a rescue dog, I'm registered with all the local rescues & I regularly check their websites, but despite WFH, having a garden & my daughter being 12, we still get turned down!!

I feel loathed to get a puppy as I know there are so many dogs in rescue centres needing good homes, but its getting to the point now, where I just cant see us getting a dog any other way

I remember looking on our local dogs Trust and there being 10 dogs, any one of those would have had a wonderful, spoilt life with us. Yet some of them are still there, while we now have a 6 month old pup instead.

TractorAndHeadphones

I haven’t said all breeders are irresponsible, but a lot are. Pets4homes are full of them. Have you seen tiktok? listen to these people. Multiple litters, multiple dogs, sell to anyone as long as deposit is paid. We see them every week.

@Thwackit

I’m tired of the rescue v puppy preaching. Some people, including myself, meticulously research a breed to make sure that it is the right temperament, guarding instinct, trainability, friendliness, size, independence, energy levels, shedding, health etc etc etc etc levels before then carefully researching a breeder, making multiple visits, seeing health check certifications, waiting six months, visiting the puppies and then finally taking one home.

It is NOT as clear as buying a random dog from gumtree versus choosing a poor unloved rescue dog.

My job means other people’s children visit my home. I can’t just adopt a dog without a full knowledge of its history.

I tried to rescue six dogs and was turned down. Really getting irritated now by the sanctimonious posting about getting a rescue. A rescue with an unknown background or mixed non-pedigree traits is NOT for everyone.

Part of the issue is people going on looks and coming home with a springer or springer mix, for example that they have absolutely no idea how to occupy.

Rather than ‘adopt don’t shop’ sermons, how about ‘buy ONLY from a reputable breeder who will ask the right questions and check you’ve done your research and are the right fit.’ Not as catchy, I suppose.

Exactly! TBF most of the big rescues have info pages about buying from a breeder. It's just that - I don't know if it's just me, but there are loads of articles (like the Guardian one) and social media campaigns etc about the 'adopt don't shop'. There isn't as much push regarding reputable breeders. Of course responsible people will do their research and not just buy one off a Gumtree random but in the interests of education the general public...

Spoldge45

Have they given you a reason?

@Dailywalk

Almost impossible to get a rescue dog if you have kids in my experience. Having said that it has been an eye opener to discover everything that is involved in training a pup and it’s not for everyone. I think many people have realised just how difficult it is especially if they got a dog during lockdown and now back to their normal routine.

Yep. If you have kids, or work more than one hour a week. Absolutely ridiculously hard to rescue a dog. We thought about getting a dog for three years. Dog sat for my sisters working cocker, decided it was the right thing for us. Could we give a home to a rescue dog. No way. I asked at dozens and they are all so strict it's no wonder they are overflowing. They really need to rethink. We ended up buying a pedigree working Lab and haven't looked back. I just wish we could've rehomed though. I would quite happily have rehomed a young mix breed. Was never about the breed. Picked what we have as that's what I grew up with. She's the best.

@GodIsAVegan

TractorAndHeadphones

I haven’t said all breeders are irresponsible, but a lot are. Pets4homes are full of them. Have you seen tiktok? listen to these people. Multiple litters, multiple dogs, sell to anyone as long as deposit is paid. We see them every week.

That is what you said.

" if we can't get to have a dog because our circumstances make us unsuitable for rescue and breeding causes indirect suffering to other dogs, then we should accept that"

Your only two options there are breeding and rescue and breeding = bad.
There may be many bad breeders but that's not the fault of the responsible ones. It's a bit like saying 'some people misuse knives, therefore we should ban all knives'

The dogs trust turned him down because he is not home full time! As others have said they are incredibly fussy and so they have lots of dogs without homes, stupid really.

I have a friend that has had 2 dogs from them in the last few years. They’re not at home full time. There will be another reason.

@x2boys

Rescues are brimming at the seems because they won't let anyone adopt their dogs Unless they deem to be absolutely perfect

Yes, I have tried and tried. Several people I know have too. Minimum requirements are 6 foot fences all round and a large garden. No other pets Lots of dog experience Experience with behavioural issues No dogs nearby or on the same walks No children visiting On and on. I know a lovely elderly lady who has been looking for a rescue dog for two years. She particularly wants a Staffie. She’s just bought a puppy in despair after being turned down multiple times for not having high fences.

@Thwackit exactly. I've bred for twenty years and am sick to the back teeth of it.

The problem is irresponsible breeders. Not puppies. I have had one dog returned to me in twenty years. Because the couple were killed in q car crash. She is lying by my fire to this day.

Reputable puppies do not go into rescues, they go back to the breeder!!!

I could ditch the accreditation, ditch following the rules and sell to complete idiots, but I don't. Because I bloody love my dogs and the people who have them and I could contact every one right now.

@GodIsAVegan

My fence is the legal max height and on occasion my sighthound will still get over it, so nothing to be done there. As for having young kids, they are taught respect for animals and have never, ever done anything even remotely troubling for my pup.

I didn’t mean literal cages, by
the way, it was a hyperbolic statement.

I get that rescues seek the best possible home, and that’s fantastic - as long as every dog suitable for re-homing gets re-homed. But if there are any languishing in ‘their own areas’ instead of a loving family home, then perhaps the system needs to be looked at.

I’m not going to apologise for buying a dog. I’m an experienced and capable animal owner, with resources and time to give a rescue a loving and stable home, but if I’m not given that chance, I’ll go elsewhere.

I also don’t pay any kind to your attempt to guilt trip me. I’m not buying from a puppy farm (and yes, I would know for sure) nor am I going for a designer breed; I prefer my mongrels scruffier.

We’ve been trying to adopt a dog for months and have got nowhere. On all the rescue lists near us. We own our house, no kids, garden, both work from home full time now. But we have no experience and live near a busy road (garden is completely in closed). Have been turned down for all dogs we’ve been interested in as they all need experienced owners.

TractorAndHeadphones

I’ve clearly said that some breeders are irresponsible and there are so many of them. Not that all breeders are irresponsible. If a rescue says you’re unsuitable and getting a puppy means using an irresponsible breeder....you shouldn’t get a dog.