shit dog blog

Eh, I’d rather get a mixed breed dog from a rescue than a purebred dog from a rescue in most cases, because purebred dogs from good breeders rarely if ever end up in shelters. Good breeders do everything they can to ensure their puppies go to the right homes and that they come back to them if those homes don’t work for whatever reason. I’m not saying dogs from good breeders never disappear and wind up in rescues, it’s just much more likely that the purebred dogs in rescues come from puppy mills, indiscriminate and irresponsible or backyard breeders. In that case it is more likely the dog will develop health/behavioral issues because of the lack of care that went in to their breeding.

if you’re getting a purebred dog, finding a responsible, reputable breeder is the safest way to go. you can meet one or both of the puppy’s parents and see for yourself what kind of dog your puppy will likely grow up to be. you know the health of the parents and what health concerns the puppy is clear of because of the testing responsible breeders do before they breed. you know the working ability and the level of athleticism your puppy is likely to have. you know that your puppy had a good start in life and that it has a head start on being well socialized. you know that your puppy has had a chance to learn healthy, respecful play and bite inhibition by playing with it’s brothers and sisters until at least eight weeks of age. all these things set your dog up for success. 

And while it’s true that good rescues take the time to evaluate their dogs and match them to good homes, it’s still difficult to predict how they will change outside of a shelter environment, which is why foster programs are so important. additionally, most rescues rely on (often innacurrate) phenotyping to determine what breeds a mixed breed dog is, and unless they test all their incoming dogs’ DNA they can’t really know exactly what type of dog a mutt is. there could be breeds in the dog’s genotype that don’t show up in their phenotype but crop up behaviorally. a dog could have all the outward appearance of a lab/husky, but if there’s border collie in there as well you could have a dog that displays herding behaviors you were unprepared to deal with. so even if a shelter thinks they know what a dog is, it really still is a mystery. 

taking your time and doing your reseach is a vital part of getting any dog. impulse buys are one of the main reasons dogs end up in shelters. but it’s important to remember that there are definitely shelters that don’t go to the lengths they should to ensure their dogs get matched well. some even lie about their dogs to get them adopted out, so it’s important to vet shelters just like you would breeders. 

I’ve worked in Doberman rescue for nearly ten years. I’ve fostered dozens, for a high volume breed rescue.

Would you venture to guess how many well-bred Dobermans we’ve gotten in?

…. two. One was immediately taken back by the breeder (and all incurred costs paid back), and the other remained with rescue because the breeder was deceased.

Well-bred dogs aren’t something you’re going to find in rescue very easily, if at all.

also it’s important because dogs aren’t one size fits all. different breeds are bred for different things and have different characteristics, temperaments, and drives. if all there were were mutts, it would be much harder for people to find the right dog for their lifestyle. that’s not to say that mixed breed dogs are worthless or don’t fit in, quite the contrary, they’re amazing and full of surprises and can do a lot of different things. but not everyone likes surprises, and not knowing exactly what a dog is can make it harder to find the right fit and it runs a higher risk of the dog being returned to the shelter because they aren’t working out. 

people have different needs and wants when it comes to dogs. someone who enjoys the handler-focused energy of a german shepherd and want to do things like obedience and agility would not be as happy with an independant minded livestock guardian breed. some people need hypoallergenic dogs, some people need high drive dogs, some people need mellow dogs, some people want dogs that bark less or like the water or have a low prey drive. 

established breeds are recognized because they breed true. within a breed you can predict the probable health issues and prepare for them just in case. you know what the dog will look like, how big it will get, what type of coat it will have. you can resonably predict the level of drive the dog has, what it’s temperament will be, and based on what it was bred for, what behaviors it will exhibit. 

getting a dog and hoping it will be a good fit for your lifestyle can work, and if you are willing to be flexible and be prepared for anything, then a mystery mutt can be a wonderful adventure. it certainly was for me. but the best way to keep dogs out of shelters and ensure that you get the dog that’s right for you is to make a list of what you want out of a dog and then look for the perfect fit. with the established breeds it’s easy to see what kind of dog your puppy will likely grow up to be, so it’s more likely that you’ll get the right dog the first time, provided you do your research. 

Thanks friend. I was too annoyed with everything to spend time on this answer tbh lol

Eh, I’d rather get a mixed breed dog from a rescue than a purebred dog from a rescue in most cases, because purebred dogs from good breeders rarely if ever end up in shelters. Good breeders do everything they can to ensure their puppies go to the right homes and that they come back to them if those homes don’t work for whatever reason. I’m not saying dogs from good breeders never disappear and wind up in rescues, it’s just much more likely that the purebred dogs in rescues come from puppy mills, indiscriminate and irresponsible or backyard breeders. In that case it is more likely the dog will develop health/behavioral issues because of the lack of care that went in to their breeding.

if you’re getting a purebred dog, finding a responsible, reputable breeder is the safest way to go. you can meet one or both of the puppy’s parents and see for yourself what kind of dog your puppy will likely grow up to be. you know the health of the parents and what health concerns the puppy is clear of because of the testing responsible breeders do before they breed. you know the working ability and the level of athleticism your puppy is likely to have. you know that your puppy had a good start in life and that it has a head start on being well socialized. you know that your puppy has had a chance to learn healthy, respecful play and bite inhibition by playing with it’s brothers and sisters until at least eight weeks of age. all these things set your dog up for success. 

And while it’s true that good rescues take the time to evaluate their dogs and match them to good homes, it’s still difficult to predict how they will change outside of a shelter environment, which is why foster programs are so important. additionally, most rescues rely on (often innacurrate) phenotyping to determine what breeds a mixed breed dog is, and unless they test all their incoming dogs’ DNA they can’t really know exactly what type of dog a mutt is. there could be breeds in the dog’s genotype that don’t show up in their phenotype but crop up behaviorally. a dog could have all the outward appearance of a lab/husky, but if there’s border collie in there as well you could have a dog that displays herding behaviors you were unprepared to deal with. so even if a shelter thinks they know what a dog is, it really still is a mystery. 

taking your time and doing your reseach is a vital part of getting any dog. impulse buys are one of the main reasons dogs end up in shelters. but it’s important to remember that there are definitely shelters that don’t go to the lengths they should to ensure their dogs get matched well. some even lie about their dogs to get them adopted out, so it’s important to vet shelters just like you would breeders.