Buying a dog versus adopting a dog.

i admit. i get jealous at some of the kickass designer dogs out there..there is a golden-doodle in my neighborhood i want to dog-nap. it is so well behaved, we mannered, super confident. not to mention, doenst shed.

it's kinda like buying a new truck. you get to pick the options, color..etc.

adopting has it's rewards. cheaper for one. an adopted dog can be awesome. you're doing a great deed, etc. BUT it's a wild card. not all dogs are surrendered because someone passed away, or they lost their home. some of given up because they are insane.

personally, i am 50/50 on my adoption successes. i once ended up with a shepherd mix that hated kids. i think she was tortured by kids or something..then my next door neighbor opened a day care!! my dog pulled a Cujo move and trapped a mom in her car. he purse was outside (w key, and phone) and my dog chased her inside her car with her kid..i am not joking. my neighbor saved me a lawsuit and got her and put her inside his home. she dove out a plate glass window to get out. total failure. my last adoption, i still tear up when i think about him..and he BIT ME FIVE TIMES!! but we came to an agreement, and we became BFFs..once he got used to our routine and developed some confidence. he was bounced from home to home..i get it. it sucked.

wife and i just adopted a dog. one-week in. so far, so good. no pee/poop in house yet. but not without problem. he is pink skinned and will need sunscreen outdoors. yup..and googles. yes, googles to prevent melanoma in his pink eyelids. haha.. he is still scared of me,but loves my wife. i think his last
(abusive?) owner was a man. good times!!

i keep telling myself..my next dog will be a golden-doodle. next time.

 

I have a purchased jack russel and a rescued pit and now bully/boxer. I think ill go for a rescue from now on. I love all 3 but rescue is a good thing. My current one has been with me for 2 months. she was left outside as teh bigger dogs were left inside. SHe was misstreated when they found out she was not pure. She had cigarette burn marks on her head. TOday shes a happy camper, jumps on me when im on the couch thinking she weights only 10 bs vs 50.

 

Im voting for adopt/rescue. Im biased since i used to rescue and foster.

 

My girlfriend ran Citie Pitties in NYC. I hate seeing dogs loose in the street when shes with me. i try to distract her or else shell have me stop

 

Got my American Bulldog at a rescue. He's been the best dog. Walks well on a leash. Loves everyone thinks he's a 5 lb lap dog despite being 80 lbs. just had his 2nd birthday not long ago. He was tied outside when they rescued him and his neck was cut open from being tied. They had to suture him up. We also have 2 chihuahuas and they can do anything they want to him. He will lay down and let them crawl all over him and tug on his ears and just licks them. He'll even let them share his food bowl. He will let you know right quick when someone that doesn't belong comes around though. He's never had an accident in the house and will let you know or wake you up if he needs to go out. Great dog. Wouldn't hesitate at all to get another rescue. Just depends really if you have the time to work with them. They benefit a lot from their owners treating them right and teaching them.

 

Pictures? He seems cool as heck!! Gotta see the goggles.

 

Looks like my Kimmy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYju6KpRv6M

 

This is Jack, my Schnoodle. He is both a designer breed and a rescue. The story is that he was found on the side of the road with another dog, thought to be of the same litter; also that the foster had 2 german shepards that would pester him.

As far as his manners go, he is almost the perfect dog. He is not scared of rain, thunder, fireworks, anything. He is hypoallergenic does not shed, and He loves pretty much anyone older than 12.He is very smart and listens all the time. He really is like the best dog, except for the bad....

the bad: he doesn't like most kids, nor most dogs larger than him. For dogs, she shows his teeth for a couple seconds then "attacks." I can usually predict it now and avoid the situations or hold back until he proves otherwise. As far as the kids go, idk what it is, I think it is more of him being nervous and attacking, because it seems to only happen around kids with energy. when they are calm, he is calm, the second they start jumping though....And last but not least, He is an allergy dog, so $$$$$$$$$$.

All things considered, I would still do it all again, because his temperament is just fantastic.

 

Great thread! And I totally feel the OP. I've had adopted dogs my whole life, as a kid we always had a dog because of someone moving away, or a random street dog following me home etc. The worst I ever had was a random follow me home one haha, and even at that he was just better off on a farm, his wondering instinct was way too strong and he was always trying to escape to go wondering around- lots of pound fees. The best dog I ever had had just one issue, she hated kids- she started out as my sister's dog but as my sister started to have kids she became my dog.

Now that I have my own place, one of the first things I did as a home owner was go to the pound, and I guess its really rare to have puppies there (they get adopted so fast), so for the first time ever in my life I had a dog since it was a pup (because adopting dogs, you usually always get a few years + old), so its been an experience. She is a good dog, but I feel you OP, every time I see a golden retriever or a great dane, I want one, but the good feelz hits strong knowing I'm taking a dog from the pound (one of our adopted dogs was a golden, amazing dog). A better person would have passed over the puppies and gone for one of the older dogs that was likely to not get a home. Personally I like the ones that are guarded and act like they will snap at me, I feel the worst for them as they likely had a horrible life and they have a wisdom- once you win them over they are the best- they will always have some issues but I don't have kids so that wouldn't be one of them- I've had a lot of adopted dogs haha.

 

Mine weren't really rescues, but a neighbor's dog had a litter of 8, and I ended up with 2. Part Jack Russel, Part Aussie Shepherd. Friendly, goofy, love pretty much everyone except for some other dogs. Some they get along with just fine, others not so much...

 

My rescue Tushea was a smelly dog and a little close to the senior side at 8
I thought she was so cute..
A few people adopted her and brought her back...This dog is smart and loves kids... She shakes her collar in the middle of the night if she needs to go out
She's not smelly anymore she just needs a grooming once a month and she does shed like crazy..All in all a great dog
I've had her for 4 yrs now and she loves camping

 

We have 3 dogs at the moment, 2 were intentional acquisitions the other was a surprise. They all have their own unique personalities and quirks, but all are, for the most part, well behaved. They are not without their issues of course, one was picked up as a stray and we got him at 6 months, so he was used to living on his own and can still be the most absurdly headstrong dog I have run across. One of our others doesn't like men in hats, but then again when we adopted her she was recovering from a stab wound to the abdomen so I suppose she's entitled to some apprehension. #3, the Yorkie, we found deep in the woods at 10 pm on a cold night with a double broken pelvis. She still gets nervous around strangers and men but has certainly come along way with her confidence since we first got her.

I can't imagine buying a dog. There are just too many out there in need of a good home for me to consider going the breeder route. Some breeds definitely "speak" to me more than others but there are, without fail, an overabundance of good doggies out there that just need a chance.

IMG_1899 by Tim Souza, on Flickr

20150822-DSC_0708 by Tim Souza, on Flickr

20160714-IMG_3655 by Tim Souza, on Flickr

 

I agree with this statement 100%

 

Save lives.

Adopt.

 

I like dogs. Adopted 2 bought 1. The two that I adopted were more neurotic than my bought dog, however my first 2 were heelers. My golden is absolutely perfect. I do think a lot of bonding happens @8-16 weeks. But there are a lot of perfect rescue puppers available.

I love my golden

 

I'm all for adopting but for me personally I will go to a reputable breeder.


I used to work with dogs for a living and golden doodles were the worst dogs I've ever worked with.

 

A friend of mine convinced me to adopt another dog last night. His owners had to let him go because they are adopting a child and there isn't enough space for him there. I had no idea what I signed up for when I met the dog. He is over 100lbs and full of energy. My current pup is 40lbs plus and full of energy. To my surprise they have mellowed themselves out and are currently laying side by side.

 

Adopt or rescue...too many great dogs out there, don't feed the puppy mills

Pictures won't upload...Chessie, Patches, Cupid, Tilly and now Belle have all been great, loving, well mannered family members.

 

I agree do NOT support puppy miles but there are tons of great breeders out there who are responsible

 

Yup, that's why I didn't say Breeders...just the Greeders