Buy vs. Adopt

"Why Purchase A Puppy When There Are Unwanted Animals In Shelters."

Some in our modern society have attempted to convince the public that all breeders are greedy evil people that are exploiting animals for big profits.  The truth is that there are some out there that do just that but the good reputable breeders seldom profit from the sale of their puppies.  In most good breeding operations the breeder breeds for the satisfaction of a job well done and not because it is profitable.  In a reputable breeders program the proceeds from puppy sales are what pays for the food, housing and basic care of the breeders.  Any additional profits are usually put toward the costs of maintaining and improving the facilities, further testing of the breeders or obtaining new breeders.    

One can look to how popular the trend is to pay hundreds of dollars to animal shelters or rescue facilities for a dog that was surrendered or seized and most often has very little background information available.  I love to hear the stories of the wonderful dog that was found at the shelter and has become a loved and cherished family pet but sadly all to often this is not the case.  In fact over the years we have taken in and placed hundreds of dogs into new loving homes.  We will always accept back any dog we have sold and when we have room will often take in dogs of the breeds we work with that we did not sell.  We currently keep and care for one shelter dog that a family member "saved" from being put down.  Unfortunately, due to her behavior issues and strong hunting instincts she lives out her life in a kennel.  She can not be kept or interact with most of the other animals due to her dominant aggressive behavior issues.  If you desire to be a "savior" and save a dogs life by all means go to a shelter or rescue and adopt a dog, give it the love and care every creature deserves and I hope it works out well for you.   Just remember that a percentage of the shelter pets have been placed there for a reason, some have been neglected and abused and/or have serious issues to overcome.  Some are the result of poor or indiscriminate breeding practices and carry with them health or social issues that may never be overcome and may make them a difficult, expensive or sometimes even dangerous pet to have.  Some may in the right environment with the right training have the potential to become great dogs but unfortunately those right people are not always the people that adopt them and they may never reach their potential. 

  If you are looking for a well bred specific type of dog than we recommend avoiding the heartache sometimes associated with shelter dogs and encourage you to seek out a responsible breeder.  Do some research on the type of dog you think you might like and seek out an experienced reputable breeder of that breed or type of dog.