SecretMethod70

Eventually I'd like to get a dog. In fact, I pretty much already know the answer to this question for myself, but I'm curious about what other people have to say.

See, I've heard bad things about breeders in general (no doubt a good one can be found with a little work), and when it comes down to it pure-breeding dogs just isn't that great for their gene pool anyway. On the other hand, pound dogs often come with unknown baggage and may have a less predictable temperament. Not to mention the issue of domesticated animal overpopulation.

So, what say you? Should people get dogs from pounds over breeders or do you not care?

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dlish

thats a tough one.

depends which ever one make you feel better that you've made the right choice.

i say go with whatever your gut feeling says. you cant be sure until you've done it. hindsight is a bitch (pun not intended, really!).

i went with my gut feeling once and go a cat from the RSPCA, but it was so attention deprived it wouldnt leave me alone at any time of the day, so yes getting them from the pound may come with baggage.

pot luck with the pound, but good luck!

if you do intend on getting a dog from the pound, i'd visit it over a week or so so that you can see what it's like at different times of the day.

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ratbastid

Pound. Definitely. A good healthy mutt.

Google "canine temperament test". There are several like eight-step tests you can do with dogs even as young as a few weeks to see if they're a match for what you want in a dog--energy, food-drive, prey-drive, human-centeredness, etc.

We met our pup Cooper when she was six months old. I wasn't really a dog person at the time, and wanted a dog that was chilled out and wasn't too much to handle. No Jack Russel or Border Collie behavior. Coop is as part-Chow part-several-other-things who is the very DEFINITION of "chilled out".

I don't think I'd go with a breeder for several reasons--the cost, the concern about genetic issues, the risk of supporting a puppy farm... When you get an animal, the fact is you DON'T really know what you're getting, no matter where it's coming from. But the genetic cross-section that you find at the pound is a better field from which to draw, if you follow me.

Daniel_

Pound.

Find out the back-story if you can.

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Glory's Sun

If you're going to get one from the pound, get it from a good pound. There are often pounds that aren't high kill and they will get the background information on the dog when it is brought in. A good pound will also have a room that you can socialize with the dog and see how it's temperament is. They should also have a temperament test on file.

I have two full blooded GSD's and they are wonderful. I've had a couple of rescue dogs before and found out the info and the temperament, but unfortunately, they had health problems. No dog is without health issues, pure bred or mutt, but if you find a reputable breeder, you can often see what's going on health wise in the bloodline.

I think most important in your decision should be the breed and what the breed is intended for. If you aren't going to walk the dog or you're not home much, then stay away from power breeds or high energy breeds. Be completely honest with yourself before you make a decision. Spur of the moment "AWW he's cute!" decisions can come back to bite you in the ass, literally.

lostgirl

The pound.

I would rather rescue a dog. Like others said, make sure you know it's temperament.

Martian

I am the lone voice of dissent. Contrary to popular opinion, you can know exactly what you're getting from a breeder. The trick is to know how to tell a good breeder from a bad one.

A good breeder will ask a lot of questions about your home life and your situation. A good breeder wants to make sure that his or her dogs are going to the right home. A good breeder will send you photos of the litter. A good breeder will advise you on common health problems with the breed, and will also be able to tell you all about the dog's pedigree. And a good breeder will never let a pup go earlier than eight weeks. A lot of them will not let a pup go before twelve.

With the right breeder, you have the advantage of knowing exactly what kind of dog you're getting. There's a random element to pound dogs that I'm personally not a fan of.

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JStrider

I got my puppy on craigslist. The people were going to give the litter to the pound if they didn't get them all adopted out.

If going with a breeder you need to make sure to find one that is good, and not just someone out to make a few bucks. Things like Xraying the parents before breeding to make sure they dont show signs of hip displaysia or other genetic tendancies that have shown up in some of the breeds. When getting a specific breed, your better able to predict what the adult dog will be like, size and temperment wise.

I tend to default to pound / rescue from craigslist before going to a breeder and spending loads of money on purebreed.

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Psycho Dad

I'd think it would depend on what you want the dog for. Many a good pet comes from the pound.

I've got four dogs from breeders. Three of these breeders need to get into a business they can handle as they suck at breeding dogs. That isn't to say that there aren't good breeders out there. I just didn't have luck with three of them I bought from. The dogs were OK after shots, this, that and the other thing after vet bills.

The best of the dogs came from the best of the breeders (a nationally respected breeder of hunting dogs). This dog was to be put down as there was something that indicated he was not going to make it as a working hunting dog. As I'm not a hunter and just wanted to save the dog from death, this wasn't a problem. If I would have had to buy this dog, he would have been about $1300 and I just wouldn't have paid that for a pet when there are cheaper options.

My son has a dog rescued from a shelter. After paying for the fees to have her fixed and all her shots, he has a wonderful pet.

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Glory's Sun

Not the lone voice, I voted breeder

Like I said before, I've had rescue/pound dogs and I currently have two pure-bred GSD's. I have had much fewer problems with the pure-breds health wise and training wise (although the training is easy due to the breed) with the pure-bred's. I know a few reputable breeders and they will do like you said, ask alot of questions, make sure you understand what the breed is meant for and show you the full history on the bloodlines. I've never taken a pure-bred before 13 weeks and actually prefer to take them at 15-16 weeks so that they get the full socialization from the litter. A good breeder will in fact tell you do this.

Again, the most important decision in anything is picking the right breed for the household.

ratbastid

Well, fair enough. Cooper is a $2000 "free" dog who needed surgery because she had a knee issue that is common to smaller dogs. She's not huge, but much bigger than the toys that often get this knee problem, and on a dog her size, it's a REAL issue. So you're not home-free with a mutt.

What was really funny was, when I told people about it, several people asked, "Her back knees?" Back knees... I mean, c'mon, people. Her front knees are elbows.

Derwood

Here's my totally anecdotal reply:

I've owned two dogs. The first was a mutt from the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago. He was about 9 months old, mostly Lab, with some other stuff mixed in. We didn't learn his back story or anything and he was essentially free. We loved him, but he was far too energetic for our living conditions (apartment) and while he was great with my wife and I, he was terrible when people came over, and certain people set him off (which is no doubt related to abuse with his previous owner). After about 2 years, we took him back.

Our current dog was bought from a breeder. He was an AKC pure bred Yorkshire Terrier who was 6 weeks old. The breeder was extremely informative and made sure that we were comfortable with the decision before the purchase. We saw the mother and the other puppies in the litter and had our pick. Now, 6 years later, we've had zero problems with him on either a behavioral or health level, so it was $600 well spent.

Again, this is just my experience.

ngdawg

If the pound has a good rep, you probably won't have any issues.
Saying that, I had gotten our first dog from the local SPCA-3 weeks later she was dead. Seems they didn't quarantine her or innoculate her and she picked up distemper during her 3 days there.
Our second dog I found at a good dog store. Angie was half Spitz, half Shihtzhu (I called her our little shits/spits) and we got her at 3 months old. She was guaranteed to be healthy and completely innoculated. She lived to be almost 16.
Bottom line is, go with your brains and research, then go with your heart. The minute Angie put her head down on my lap in the "get acquainted" room and sighed, I knew she was going home with me.

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telekinetic

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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Vigilante

My wife's a vet. She does relief work at the pound across town.

I helped her catch/fix/release feral cats at two colleges we attended. I have had a wild cat hanging from my hand with its teeth embedded in my flesh. The purpose is to fix them, then release so they keep the population pressure on the other cats in the area, but without that unwanted side affect of making more.

My sister has 8 dogs, all saved. Most are street dogs.

We have 4 dogs, all saved. 2 from the pound, one from the boston terrier rescue group in dallas and one my sister's boyfriend found 14 years ago playing with a plastic bag in front of home depot. We also have 4 cats.

We do our part

If you want a specific breed, try looking for a rescue group in your area. We drove 4 hours to get out boston mix. We saw him on the web and we knew he was ours. Sure enough, our other 2 dogs agreed completely. We got the 4th one a couple of months ago. Those 2 are about the strangest dogs I have ever met. Hilarious senses of humor.

If you want to do your part, rescue from the pound or a group. Breeders are not regulated and run their bitches into the ground, often inbreeding in the process. See what the parents look like and how they are kept. If you see cages, walk away.

On the inbreeding, ever see a crazed dog that just can't sit still and usually snaps into fight or flight at any sudden movement or what normally would be acceptable behavior such as tummy rubbing? That's inbreeding. Sure it can come from abuse too, but if you see it enough you can pick the inbred dog from a group of abused dogs. I've seen it so many times that I can most likely do that. Abused dogs will cower or be wary. Inbred dogs will ignore you then suddenly walk up and bite your hand or leg and run away. Of course this is not a hard rule. It's just been my experience.

If you see a litter, don't get the dominant one unless you like a challenge. By challenge, I mean biter or one you have to actively dominate, depending on breed. The smallest will be passive and/or skiddish. You can train out both sides to a certain extent, but some part of that behavior will remain. Just food for thought.

Save a dog. Don't pay 400 bucks for one when you can have your best friend in the world for 40.

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snowy

Like luciferase said, there are a lot of rescue groups out there, and some even cater to specific breeds, like rescued retired racing greyhounds.

The humane society in our community charges a variable adoption fee--$80-90 for cats, $125-$175 for dogs. This comes with the following:

* Free veterinary exam
* First vaccinations
* Leash and collar
* ID tag
* Microchip
* Deworming
* Cat carrier
* 30 days complimentary shelter care insurance
* Pet training information

To me, that's quite a deal, plus you get to give a loving home to an animal that really needs one. I'd look for a reputable shelter that offers a similar package. You should also go in with your homework done--what kind of breed are you looking for? Purebreds do show up in shelters, or you might find a mix with breeds whose personality traits you really like.

Our family dog, a lab-greyhound mix, is from a shelter. He was found romping along by himself at six weeks old. He'd only been in the shelter a couple of days. He was just the cutest thing, with these paws that seemed so much bigger than he was, and these silky floppy ears. He was very much a puppy--excitable, but eager to please. Adopting Jack is one of the best decisions my family ever made. He's 10 years old now and getting a bit crochety in some respects, but when you play fetch with him, you can still see the puppy he was.

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eribrav

I don't think that this is a fair generalization.
The smallest puppy in the litter can still have a dominant personality, and the big ones are often very docile, mellow animals.
Our dog (golden retriever) for example was second smallest in a litter of 7 but was clearly born with an alpha mentality. She was quite a handful as a pup but is a wonderful, well adjusted pack member now. An excellent addition to our family.
In addition if you're going to invest some time training the dog you would be better off with the dominant animal in general. The submissive dog is more prone to fear biting and may not be well motivated to train.

Vigilante

Well I go by what I've seen. Of course it will be different for a lot of people, some more than others. What's fair for you may not be the case for someone else, and likewise for me. Golden retrievers are a great breed. They rarely have bad apples, that I have seen.

We rescued a dominant pup and got a handful. She was lab, german sheperd and pitbull. She was dog and human aggressive, fought readily, killed readily, bit family members and tried to kill the housecats. I trained out family biting, but the rest remained. She was also inbred on the mom's side, that we know of.

She took great care of my wife though. For that she was a great dog.

If I were to pick out a pup now, I would go middle ground. They are not likely to be fear biters and they are used to being next in line. Less training and that makes me happy

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Glory's Sun

So basically the point is again, to find the right breed and if you go with a breeder make sure you go with a reputable one.

It's easy to tell if a "bitch has been run into the ground" by a quick look at the pedigree. The same can be said for inbreeding. You look at several generations of pedigree and it's easy to see if it's worth the money or not. The $3,500 I spent on one of my GSD's is more than well spent.

That being said, I'm not against rescuing dogs. There are plenty of well mannered dogs in a shelter that would love a home. I just want to make sure that people do understand that there are plenty of good breeders out there.

Borla

I agree, and agree that the key is a GOOD breeder.

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SecretMethod70

Very interesting responses. I've got a couple years at least before I seriously consider getting a dog, so I haven't yet looked into all the options specifically. I didn't consider that there are breed-specific rescue groups. That may be an interesting way to go.

I wanted to start a more general conversation, so I left my specific thoughts out of the original post. I'll share now:

Like I said, I've got a few years to consider still, but at this point I'm pretty intent on getting a Shiba Inu (and before you blame it on the Shiba Inu puppy-cam, I've wanted this breed since before they were popular or even known by most). My mom's cousin has two and I enjoy them every time we visit, not to mention they are intelligent!

A quick Google search already yielded some rescue groups, so I'll have to look into that once I get around to looking more seriously.
-----Added 3/1/2009 at 07 : 20 : 51-----
Seriously? The front legs aren't called arms...why call the front knees elbows?

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cadre

+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.

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greytone

I am glad to see that others have pointed out the third option of a breed rescue group. There really is not one right answer to your question. The right answer depends on your situation and that might change before you are ready to adopt. Just remember that stores that use puppy mills are always the wrong answer.

We had two pure bred beagles when I was growing up and they were fantastic pets/friends. There are legitimate reasons to desire a specific breed and a reputable breeder is the best way to find a puppy.

As an adult I live alone and work long hours. A puppy would be out of the question. A high energy breed like a retriever would really suffer while I am at work. My sister's golden tended to trigger my allergies. It became clear that I needed to rescue a short haired grown trained dog. That seemed unlikely, but then I learned about greyhound rescue. The last I looked into it, almost a third of racers are euthanized so rescue is the right word. Greys are sighthounds and therefore behave a little differently than other hounds. They hunt by sight and not smell. The breed has been around for thousands of years and they are bred well by people looking at behavior as well as speed (an uncontrollable dog will not win a race). They are raised in crates but are trained early on to interact with a number of people.

When greys first leave the track they are taken into the homes of people who volunteer to get then used to being pets. They evaluate the personality and tendencies of each dog and a good rescue group will work hard at making good matches. I have been blessed by my two greys they have been such good pets that I am sure that I will always have rescued greys in my home. They are like Lay's chips. No one can stop with just one.

Get a good book on choosing a breed. I read several and I was surprised by what I learned. I am sure that helped me avoid mistakes in adopting the wrong kind of dog. If a greyhound would not be right for you, there are lots of other rescue groups. I know people that have had great luck with golden rescues.

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snowy

I really appreciate this post, as I've always wanted to adopt a retired racing greyhound. Thanks for the insight. My dog is half greyhound, and it shows--he is a huge couch potato, but damn, can he run when he gets going! It sounds as if he's galloping. He also loves to lead us on merry chases--therefore he must always be on a leash.

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roachboy

it really depends on what you are looking for--on what you want. the positions have already been outlined---breeders are diverse, there are good and there are bad (and there are very bad) and generally it's not that difficult to work out which breeders fall into which categories--and if you can't figure it out up front, generally you'll know when you turn up. breeder is a very vague category--it lumps together puppy mills with very attentive and considerate operations. a blanket statement about such a vague category is worthless.

if you want a purebred dog--if you want to show--there's no alternative to a good, reputable, considerate breeder.

rescues are a very good alternative to a breeder--but again, it depends on what you want.

pounds or shelters are certainly a fine alternative, particularly if you just want a dog because, well, you want to have a furry pal. if you're not interested in showing, if you're not interested in what goes along with that, then it's an excellent alternative. the problem pounds present is self-evident if you've got a dog from one--you don't know the background--by which i mean not bloodline etc,---but simply what might have happened to the dog while it was with the previous owner. so you may find yourself with more than you bargained for.

at the same time, i got su tong the wonder husky from a pound and he is fantastic.
i consider myself lucky, however. i know lots of folk who have been less fortunate.

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ratbastid

Yeah, I know. We call them legs because they touch the floor and don't end in grasping appendages. But if you're an tetrapod (and you are, and so is my dog), your front limbs are more like arms, really.

inBOIL

We got my first dog from the local Humane Society. A short while later, she was dead from distemper. My parents, not wanting their children to lose another pet that way, opted to get our next dog from a reputable breeder. Overall, I think shelters are a little riskier as far as the dog's health and temperment, but you can mitigate those risks by doing your homework first.

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grumpyolddude

We've had seven dogs over the years, obtained six different ways: inherited a purebred collie... excellent animal; street rescued a mutt... disaster, psychotic alpha; purchased a Kuvasz from a breeder... mixed results, dysplasia; street rescued a miniature spaniel... cute, lovable dog; adopted a beagle/terrier mix... yappy, but the family loves her; and rescued Great Dane... beautiful, lovable dog, and attention hog, but that's the breed.

Our conclusion is that we would always go the rescue route. Great Dane Rescue is a fantastic organization that tracks the dog's history, researches the prospective adopters, and follows up to help both dog and new master adjust to the situation. A year and a half later, we're still in contact with GDR and in love with our Dane.

If and when we look for another dog, it will most likely be through a greyhound rescue group.

Great dogs can come from any source, though. Do a ton of research, resist the "aw... he/she's soooooo cute!" factor, and don't settle for less than what you absolutely want.

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stonefaceddog

I've adopted two boxers from a boxer rescue and I can't say enough about rescue dogs. The group I got my dogs from were great-they matched me with dogs that fit my lifestyle and household. The rescue group members have been helpful with training my dogs and they have been available to dog sit when I have to go out of town. I would recommend that anyone looking at getting a new dog look into a rescue dog. If the rescue is doing their job right they ensure that you get a dog that is a good fit for your specific situation. I knew about my dogs likes and dislikes before I ever brought them home. Many of the rescue dogs are older and they are not as active-the only downside is they aren't with you as long. My first boxer was 7 when I got her and I had her for 2 1/2 years before she died. My second boxer was 10 months old when I got him and I've had him for 2 years. He was born deaf and it has been very rewarding working with him. We communicate through sign language and it is not as big of a burden as I thought it would be.

mixedmedia

I have breed preferences, but can't bring myself to shop for a dog based on them.

We are currently looking for a dog for our family and he/she will be a rescued dog that will be of the ideal size and temperament for our household.

I hope we find our new friend soon.

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Bacchanal

My girlfriend found our German Shepherd from a couple who just had too many puppies to handle. We were looking at the humane society, but she had her heart set on a German Shepherd and they didn't have any, so when she found some at a decent price, I bought him for her.

Best decision I could have made.

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flstf

"Blueberry"
blueberry low low low res (3).jpg

This is a picture of our dog we got from the county pound. She was about 11 months old when this picture was taken and is now about 4 years old. She is a Retreiver/Chow mix. We are very happy with her and have had no health problems. The pound said they found her abandoned on a country road when she was about 10 months old. Now she spends her days chasing deer, playing fetch and playing with a neighbor's dog.

If you decide to get a pound dog be prepared to have to make a tough choice. We would like to have taken more of them. It is sad to see all the dogs abandoned and they all seem so glad to have someone pay attention to them. It would be nice if more people would adopt them before they are disposed of.

mixedmedia

It's very difficult to go to the pounds to look at dogs and we have been to many. Particularly to see (and I don't know if this is a regional thing) to see all the pit bull mixes that you know will never find a home. Yet they press up against the chain link desperate for love and attention just like all the other dogs.

I agree, it is a sad thing to endeavor to find a dog the humane society route.

__________________
Most people go through life dreading they'll have a traumatic experience. Freaks were born with their trauma. They've already passed their test in life. They're aristocrats. - Diane Arbus
PESSIMISM, n. A philosophy forced upon the convictions of the observer by the disheartening prevalence of the optimist with his scarecrow hope and his unsightly smile. - Ambrose Bierce

ItWasMe

Do what's right for you. Decide on a preferred breed or two after doing your research. We had just gotten the internet 9 1/2 years ago. Your research on breeds/breeders/etc will probably be easier than it was for us. If you use a breeder, see if you can find one who has copies of pedigrees of the pup's parents and grandparents, as well as copies of health clearances for parents and grandparents. If you are looking at puppies, see if you can find one among the mix who will not bite your hand when you put it into his mouth.

What we did:
We researched breeds (temperments, energy, health problems) and decided on a preferred breed or breed mix. The pound said those dogs go to rescues as soon as they get them; we would not find them there. Rescues weren't easy for us to find at the time, then had long waiting lists, and they mostly seemed to have elderly dogs with health problems such as cancer, half blind, etc. We looked at breeders and 'adopted' our dog from a breeder who provided not only our dog's pedigree, but also that of his parents. We could see no recent inbreeding, and the parents/grandparents were not from areas near each other. We received copies of heart/hip/etc health problem clearances from two generations beyond our pup. We also met and played with the parents. Most of the puppies wanted to chew on us, some hard, some lightly. The calm friendly fellow who followed me around, and who kept spitting out my hand when I tried to see if he would chew on me, went home with us. He is the best dog we've had.

er, sorry for the novel.

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SecretMethod70

I'd never think of testing to see if the dog will bite me...and the idea kind of disturbs me, tempting fate like that :P...but that's really interesting!

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Glory's Sun

There are quite a few things you can do with a pup to see how's it's temperament will be. Granted, they should be tested anyway, but each dog performs differently with different people/owners. Getting the dog hyper and then sticking your hand out will let you know how dominant or bite prone he can be but it's not fool proof.

One thing I've always done is picked a pup up by it's belly and watched how it reacted. If it just layed limp then it was submissive, if it squirmed and barked and tried to bite, then it was overly alpha, try to find a good mix. Granted, you can't really do this with a dog that is older as they are a bit heavy but it's pretty easy to tell if a dog is alpha or not.

Even if a dog is alpha, exercise and training will create a harmony.

Just don't become a lazy owner who only showers attention on a dog. All dogs need some structure.

genuinegirly

Ok - so, there are benefits to both scenarios.

Having known a couple of breeders, I've seen it done right: Socialized, happy puppies one litter at a time that get to spend time with their mother until they're adopted. These breeders are more common than one might think. It's an essential supplimental income for many families. Adopting an animal from this sort of a breeder is an excellent option.

This said, my family has only ever adopted critters from rescue organizations or animal shelters. We have always walked in and grown incredibly attached to one or another of the little guys. I imgine that if we ever didn't feel that attachment and still wanted a pet, we'd go for a breeder.

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"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

ItWasMe

The puppy was for our then-9 year old. We also had a small baby at the time, so when most puppies wanted to gnaw on me I decided to stick my hand into the mouth of the one that did not. Repeatedly, he spit out my fingers/hand. The baby was my main reason for testing whether or not he would nip at me like the others did. But I think if we every got another, he/she would have to pass that test.

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"Ok, no more truth-or-dare until somebody returns my underwear" ~ George Lopez

I bake cookies just so I can lick the bowl. ~ ItWasMe

Ayashe

I grew up around dogs. I have personally known several dog breeders as friends as well. I have personally made a choice to always adopt. My dog in childhood was an absolutely lovable mutt who could never be replaced. A true member of my family who was found at .. of all places .. the back of a restaurant/bar.

As an adult I had the fondest of memories of my childhood pet. I also knew that the Humane Societies (particularly the no-kill ones) were overburdened with the unwanted. I never had aspirations to show a dog or to run one in dog trials or the like where having a pedigreed dog would be necessary. Why would I choose to make a decision to purchase an expensive breed when truly it was not a working dog, it was meant as a family pet? With that in mind my next two dogs were also adopted. One from an unwanted litter of a friend, another from the humane society. To be honest, I never had any real desire towards one breed or another so a mutt was the best option for me.

I guess I would weigh in what it is you want from your dog and take it from there. Is there a strong desire for one breed over another or is it just a personality that you are looking for? Are you a dog lover who would like to become a breeder at some point? Another consideration is that some dog breeders will require you as a part of your purchase for you to agree to allow them to show the dog at their request if they feel it has some potential or even allow studding of your dog. Be sure to read the purchase contracts well if you do choose to purchase from a breeder.

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I am only a little spoon in a huge world of soup.

Telluride

I'd go to a no-kill shelter. If I knew that unadopted animals were going to be killed, there's no way I could walk out of there with less than 50 dogs. And I just don't have the room for that many pets.

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"I am certain that nothing has done so much to destroy the safeguards of individual freedom as the striving after this mirage of social justice." - Friedrich Hayek