Breeder vs Shelter
Adopting a Shelter or Rescue Dog
Adopting a dog from a shelter can be extremely rewarding. There is a stigma that dogs up for adoption will have behavioral issues but often, many are there because their family situation led to them no longer being able to be cared for.
The Benefits:
You not only save the life of the dog you adopt, but you are also opening up a space and resources for the next dog that needs saving.
Save on your initial vet costs. Most dogs in a shelter have been medically checked and are often already spayed or neutered.
If adopting from a rescue group, they will be able to tell you all about the dog’s personality so there are no surprises when you bring the dog home.
Most adult dogs in a shelter already have some basics down, like housetraining.
When adopting from a rescue group, there is extra security in that they will often take a dog back if they end up not being a good fit.
When you have a dog with many breeds, there are less chances for inherited genetic issues.
The cost of adopting from a shelter is much lower than the cost of purchasing a puppy from a breeder.
The Challenges:
When you adopt a dog from a shelter, you may not know exactly how they will react in your home. See if the shelter will let you have a trial run!
When adopting from a shelter or rescue, you may not know exactly the breed makeup of the dog. However, there are often many purebred dogs also available!
Buying a Puppy from a Breeder
If you are looking to purchase a dog from a breeder, please make sure you do your research. While there are many wonderful breeders who work to better the breed they love, there are others who only are not ethical and only in it for the money.
The Benefits:
From the moment they are born, you will know everything about your puppy and their life!
Any ethical breeder will have their dogs genetically checked in order to make sure there are no inherited medical issues.
You will be able to nurture your new pup through all the most important development stages!
You know exactly what you are getting in terms of breed—make sure you find the right breed for your family.
The Challenges:
Raising a puppy is a lot of work! Make sure you are prepared for all the challenges that could come with a new pup!
Do you have the time and energy to train a new puppy? Training & socialization needs to start right away in order to have a well-rounded dog.
Be aware, purebred dogs can often have more genetic health problems.
The expense that comes with buying from a breeder is SO much more than adopting a shelter dog. You will also be responsible for almost all the veterinary expenses.