AIBU to shop not adopt?

[BeSpoonyAquaHare]

My husband and I would like to have a dog. Initially we considered adopting - we’re both mindful of the large number of dogs needing homes and issues with puppy farming.

We have been looking for 8 months and haven’t found a suitable shelter dog. The overwhelming majority aren’t suitable for homes with other pets or children (we have a small child, cats, chickens, rabbits, Guinea fowl and Guinea pigs). Several are breeds or crossbreeds we aren’t considering because they aren’t suitable for our family. One shelter turned us down for any adoptions because there is one day of the week where we both work outside the home and our plan to use a dog daycare service on that day wasn’t acceptable.

We have now given up our quest for the unicorn rescue dog and are purchasing a Labrador puppy from a breeder. We know the breeder well due to a social connection. They own both the bitch and the dog, and we have met them both. This is the second litter from their bitch and they aren’t planning any more. The puppies have been through veterinary checks (including hip dysplasia etc) and have had their first jabs. We’re getting ours at 12 weeks.

And yet despite having done this in a pretty responsible way, the GRIEF we are getting from my husband’s sister for not adopting is unreal. She does have a rescue dog and tbh it’s a bloody nightmare and has to be muzzled when out and about because it’s so reactive. She has done wonders with it and I really admire her dedication but the dog is a walking PR crisis for adoptions. She has texted my husband multiple times and posted on Facebook about it. She also has her parents now sending us links to dogs on adoption sites to consider, like we didn’t spend months ourselves looking for a suitable one without success.

I totally understand the ideology of adopt don’t shop, but AIBU to think there’s actually nothing wrong with buying a healthy dog from a reputable breeder if adoption doesn’t fit your particular circumstances?

People are so judgy about dogs. Whether you bought a pup, got a rescue, what breed they are, how they are fed, your training method etc.etc.

I remember the days when you were offered a pup (a mongrel) from some bloke on a farm and you'd ask your Mum if you could have it. Then you'd have 15 happy years with it and it rarely had any health issues and it was never reactive or had separation anxiety. What the hell changed in those years? (And I'm saying that as someone who now owns a rescue pug with separation anxiety 😅)

People caring about the welfare of animals happened.

Breeding should be done to better the breed, to improve on whats there.

This means that a breeder should be showing their dogs to others to get an unbiased opinion on conformation and temperament and adherence to breed standard in some way - working competition or showing of some sort.

They should be seeking a stud dog that improves on their bitch in any area she is lacking.

The chances, out of all the available dogs in the country, that the one dog that is perfect for their bitch, is their own... are incredibly low.

So breeder owning both mum and Dad AND not taking part in any sort of showing/working where an outside evaluation is done... is a red flag. This says we're potentially more interested in producing puppies than of the quality of those puppies.

Owning both parents is not a 100% 'definitely awful" thing given all the right health testing etc is done... but there are a lot of labradors in the world and we don't really need more mediocre ones!

For example in some breeds, rarer breeds, you might import or buy in a dog from lines you reallllly want to include with your own, in order to be certain of being able to use that dog over your own bitch in the future.

This is a gamble because he may grow up not to suit, or your bitch may grow up not to suit him... but its one breeders of rarer breeds do often take.

Not working or showing is for me a much bigger red flag - if you're not out there looking at what dogs are around, getting other peoples expert opinions on your stock, how DO you really know its worth breeding from, if the only opinion on the matter is your own, it will be biased.

Puppies can't be checked for hip dysplasia as they haven't finished their development. Parents should have been given hip scores, the lower the better. All four hips of the parents of my young Labrador were in low single figures. Elbow dysplasia scores should all be zero. Then genetic testing for a whole suite of nasty inherited conditions.

I am on my fourth dog, they have all been bought as baby puppies from reputable breeders by personal recommendation.

Rescue is not best. The best is every single puppy going to its lifelong home from its natal home and staying there. Don't be made to feel ashamed by your decision. And I was a volunteer with a Labrador rescue organisation for some years.

@WiddlinDiddlin Its so refreshing to see someone talking complete sense on a thread about dogs.

I didn't think rescue centres considered people with young DC for a dog adoption.

I picked up both my puppies at 11.5 weeks and they have been fine. The extra time with the dam without litter mates was nice for them.

I’d always shop rather than adopt when it comes to a dog. A lot of damage can be done to a dog in a short span of time and frankly why would I take that risk when I have children or even for my own sake.

Especially wouldn’t have a rescue street dog that’s been flown in either.

Wouldn’t buy my children second hand shoes so certainly wouldn’t have a second hand dog with a unknown start to life that could turn at the drop of a penny 🤷🏻‍♀️ least if you’ve got a good bred pup from a good place if it ends up damaged that’s your fault not because it was beaten or neglected for months by its previous owner or whatever.

Completely untrue that rescue dogs will have guaranteed behavioural issues. Grew up with two dogs, one rescued after being appallingly treated as a puppy, and one pedigree from a breeder. The rescue dog was far more placid and gentle in temperament, especially with us kids. (The rescue dog was also immensely more greedy and single-minded in her pursuit of food... there was no room left over for any aggression.)

This thread has been so useful and informative, thank you. I’ll be sure to look carefully into the parents pedigrees, I see what people are saying about the possible implications of owning both.

Sounds like the right decision. We bought our rare breed from abroad but support rescue organisations and have had rescues in the past.

The rescues in my area make it impossible to get a dog.

We have one kid under 12. That’s a no
We have a dog and cat. Two nos.
We don’t have our 3/4 of an acre fenced. Another no.

That we’re a family who has someone home 24/7, keep our pets until they cross the Rainbow Bridge, and love them dearly doesn’t matter in the slightest.

So, reputable breeders it is.

I'm a cat person with 5 rescues, but I think you're doing the right thing. Taking on a pet has to work for the people as well as the pet, and you've found that buying from a reputable breeder is the way that works for you.

And yes, rescues are brilliant, but two of my five have health needs (CKD and wobbly cat respectively), one is an ex feral who needs careful handling, and one is needy and anxious. It's taken a lot of work. You're being sensible and responsible.

They will - only if the dog's history is known (usually if it's been surrendered by a family for reasons not connected to behaviour) or if it's a puppy.

They are understandably unwilling to rehome to families with primary aged children if the dog's provenance is unknown.