Quote:
Originally Posted by twistedmosaic
I want a doberman, and would never consider going to the pound for one. A well researched breeder has no negatives, and the history of her other dogs will tell you basically what you're in for. There is a breeder near me whose dogs have a 20+ year life span, there is one whose dogs are bred specifically for their mild temperment around small kids, there's another one who breeds larger than average protection dogs...going with a breeder with a history is the only way to be sure you get what you want. They are also all behavior tested as well as tested for the possible genetic disorders (although it would be very rare for them to have one, as their parents were tested as well).
If I just wanted to pick up a generic small or medium mutt, the pound would be fine.
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+1 I also would like a doberman and would not get one from a pound. It's true that you can get pure bred dogs at pounds but I would be wary of a breed like Dobermans if I didn't know the family history.
Ultimately, if you don't have a breed in mind, a pound would be a great choice (a good pound though). But, if you want a breed that's prone to health issues or temperament problems, you'd be better off with a good breeder.
I'm all for saving animals from pounds but there are some things you can't know with a pet from the pound. If you do get an animal from a pound, younger is better.
One other point is that my family bred dogs for a long time. We'd have pure bred and registered dogs from unrelated families and sell the puppies for a reasonable amount when they were old enough. We weren't a registered breeder but we loved all the dogs and puppies and we took great care of them. I would definitely get a puppy from a family doing something similar.