Rescue or a specific breed?

[morechaimama]

DS9 and I are thinking of getting a dog - not just yet, we've got to move house first, but maybe next year.

He used to be terrified of them, for no particular reason, and he's much better now, but still a little wary, especially when they bark.

So how do we choose what type to get, especially as I've not had a dog before. A rescue would be lovely but as we're first time owners I'm concerned about the uncertainty of what we'd be getting, compared to a pure bred dog with known traits; or possibly that's not a useful way to think?

All advice gratefully received, we've had a difficult few years so I need to get this right, for us and, of course, for the dog.

TIA.

Thing is if you buy a pure breed puppy (you dont usually find pure breed adult dogs for sale privately) you may have an idea of temperament because of the breed but you actually won't know for sure until they grow up.

If you adopt a rescue from a reputable rescue (either pure breed or mongrel) you will have a good idea of temperament and be able to find one with the temperament you would like. Not all rescues are there because they are difficult or in some way damaged.

Puppies are fun, unpredictable, nippy and jump alot
To a child who has has a fear of dogs I would be careful about getting a pup that could set them back.

I would suggest looking at smaller local rescues that could show you a slightly older dog that would suit your family.
You may have a bit of a wait for the right one but worth it in the end.

Rescue all the way! We don’t need to be lining the pockets of greedy unscrupulous breeders. Most rescue dogs are assessed- personally I would go for a puppy rescue as they are less likely to have been shunted about and so are a blank canvas

The two aren't mutually exclusive - there are breed specific rescues who will be very knowledgeable about the plusses and minuses of their breed, who can support you both with finding the right dog, and also with whether the breed is a good match for you.

Once you have done your homework on a pure breed puppy I think they are just fine.

You'll have an understanding of their temperament, you can train the puppy from day one so know exactly what the dog has been exposed to.
Unwanted behaviour can be nipped in the butt before it becomes an issue.

I found with rescues, they can have issues that only come to light once settled in your home. I've had everything from escape artists to resource guarding. Nothing was disclosed at point of re homing.

However, puppies are like little toddlers wit a bity sharp end and a messy back end. They will take a lot of your time and energy... but if you commit to training for the first 18 months, you'll have a dog that has learnt everything you need it to do. Without having to iron out past mistakes from previous owners.

Thank you everybody, I am now much better informed about the options, some of which I hadn't realised existed!

I will come back with more questions once we're a bit further along 🐕

A ethically bred puppy probably. You have the idea of temperament and will be quite easy to predict. A rescue you could have no idea as they’re unpredictable.

Poodles are intelligent, loving and easy to train. She’s easily the best dog we’ve ever had.