Navigating Dog Adoption or buying from a breeder: Expert Advice picking the right way and the right dog.
I’m Ryan owner of Canine United Dog training, and with many years of dog training experience. Here are some tips and pitfalls to watch out for when choosing your perfect Dog. If you need any help with this process, I offer a service for this click here for help
Understanding Your Options: Adoption vs. Buying
One of the first questions many Dogs owners face is whether to adopt a dog or buy one. Here’s a closer look at both options:
Adoption or Rehoming: This is a great option, there are so many abandoned dogs, dogs that had to be rehomed, dogs that have never had a home and been living on the street. And also, dogs from shelters that have a high kill policy. You can save a dog from a bad situation and a life. That is one of the most noble things you can do, there is nothing wrong with any of these dogs. My last dog I owned was a inbreed puppy mill dog that was neglected and they found floating down the river in Manitoba Canada She was the best dog I have owned, I was so happy with her. Most people think these dogs have lots of behavioural problems and are expensive. This has no bearing on a dog’s personality or behaviour. You can buy a $10,000 dog from a breeder and have tons of problems with health and behaviour. Most of these dogs are mixed breed dogs and that means less genetic predisposition behaviours and better health than purebreds. You can also get that expensive dog you have always wanted at a discount because rescues are always way cheaper than purebreds.
Not all rescues and rehoming societies are legit
Now, not all rescue societies or rehoming programs and owned and operated by people that want to help and love dogs. Lots of these are run and owned by people that just make money by sad stories and pictures. There is a lot of money in the dog world, and anything that is worth a lot of money you will have bad actors. Lots of these organizations are just here for profit or may have different view of what is right and wrong. Its fairly easy to have a society that is able to pick up free dogs from high kill shelter and then sell for a rehoming fee. People donating their time, vehicle and gas, to airline’s, rental vehicle companies etc. Watch out for these bad actors and you may to do some online digging to find out information about them. If they say they are a non-profit organization, check to see their non-profit number. Check to see if they are operating legally and have a licence, insurance etc. Check the BBB and do some online digging in previous post online and in old social media. You can always check those post from people that wanted and bought a dog and see how the process was for them.
Buying from a Breeder
This is usually where someone takes this route because they want a specific dog and age. The same rules apply as adopting organizations, we have to do some background checking on to see if they are legal and following the rules. Just because they are a breeder doesn’t mean they are having you and the dog’s best interest in mind and not just money. You can still get a dog from a breeder that will have lots of health and behaviour problems. Often, we just get to see the mom and puppies and not the dad, the dad is just brought in to mate. If the male dad is just brought in to mate, we have no idea on that dad’s genetic behaviour or personality and health. If someone is going to bring an unknown male dog in to just mate, we could have problems. See also if they have a licence, insurance and is it “certified” from the country that you live in. Just remember that that paper just list’s the legal biological parents and not a standard of being a better health or behaviour. Some breeders offer genetic testing to show no health problems, but that is expensive and will be passed down to you on the sale of that dog. Lots of breeders are selling dogs under the table and running it as a business with no legal paperwork or guarantee. If they do have a guarantee, good luck having it follow thru when its an illegal business. Look thru all their old posts online and socials and find people that were buying a dog. Check in with them and find out who the dad was and is it the same dad as your batch of puppies. Also find out the health and behaviour of their dogs and see how the process went. Breeders have more paperwork and contracts as well. Check out these well and read the fine print. One of the most misconceptions are you are not allowed to sell the dog, you have to spay or neuter, or not spay or neuter till a specific time. These NDA’s are not legal and you can do what ever you like with the dog you purchased. Its not a legal registered item like a vehicle and it is not a legal document that was in front of a judge or notary. It is just meant to scare you and no one can tell you what you can or cannot do with your property. Always check your local laws and bylaws of course.
Looking for a daycare that suits your intelligent dog? Check out our guide on how to choose the right dog daycare for tips to keep your pup happy and engaged.
General tips on both rescue organizations and breeders
- Always take the Dog to the vet and get a good check over, just like any other asset we want to double check.
- You should be able to visit the dog as much as you want to see how it is and how it behaves.
- Don’t fall for hurry up pressure tactics, this is always a sure sign of bad actors in any industry.
- Take the dog out and test it out in all sorts of environment and situations to see how it what happens.
- Always do online digging and find out past posts and messages.
- You can always check on the BBB for claims and past problems
