So Where Do I Find My Dog?
Alternatives to pet stores can be found through shelters, rescue groups, and breeders. But not all rescue groups or breeders are created equal.
Shelters contain dogs who may be euthanized and need a new home desperately. There are no-kill shelters (where no dogs are put down), but often these shelters are no-kill simply because they are able to avoid taking in dogs who may be difficult to place. A shelter which is not able to pick and choose which dog they allow in, may have to resort to euthanization to make space for incoming dogs. Some of these dogs are strays, but many are given up by other families. These dogs may have been raised in a family environment, and may even be housetrained already. Other dogs will require special training and attention, if they were abused by previous owners or people. Dogs in shelters need rescuing the most, but their backgrounds tend to be more of a question mark.
Typically, dogs in shelters are housed in crates/kennels in a main area, with volunteers or staff who periodically clean out their kennels, feed the dogs, and take dogs on walks.
Rescue groups are also a good source of dogs, particularly if you are looking for a certain breed. There are groups that specialize in certain breeds and others that accept all dogs. Most rescue groups do not have a location for you to visit, and place their dogs awaiting adoption with foster homes. Again, some dogs are strays and others are pampered pets who had to be given up by their original owners. Fostering gives the dogs time to adapt to home life, but depending on how many animals are already in the home, the dogs probably still won’t get enough of the individual attention they need.
A good rescue group is one that cares about the dog’s lifetime. It isn’t enough that you pass muster during adoption, but you should also be required to sign a contract that states you will return the dog to the group if at any time you are no longer able (or want to) keep the dog. A good group will also not place any dog who is unspayed or unneutered, in order to prevent careless breeding of more dogs. In some rare cases, certain dogs may not be able to be spayed or neutered due to health issues, and if you are adopting a dog like this, a good rescue group should be interviewing you even more intensely than for a spayed/neutered dog.
Many rescues say they fully vet-check each dog, carefully screen potential homes, and evaluate dogs for temperament, but from my experience volunteering with various rescue groups, I have found that a vet check is only done if something looks wrong with the dog, and temperament evaluation depends solely on the opinion of the foster family, who may be experienced or completely inexperienced with dogs. You should ask to see spay or neuter certificates, medical bills and records for the dog you want to adopt, and spend some time visiting the dog before you decide to adopt.
Both shelters and rescue groups occasionally, though rarely, have puppies available. If you have your heart set on a puppy, though, your best bet is a good breeder.
There are good breeders, bad breeders, and puppy millers, who are beyond bad. Good breeders do not make money by breeding and selling puppies. They expend a great deal of time and money in ensuring the health of the parent dogs and puppies, including regular vet care and good quality food. They screen their buyers carefully. No good breeder would sell one of their dogs to an unknown person, like a pet shop does. Good breeders limit the number of dogs they keep and breed, and restrict the years that a dog is being bred. And the dogs who remain with the breeder should be just as happy, well-socialized, and in as good health as the dogs that are for sale.
Good breeders remain committed to the dogs they breed. Like a good rescue group, they will be concerned with what happens with their dog after adoption. If a genetic problem shows up, they will want to know about it, because then they have to reexamine their breeding lines. They do not breed a dog by simply putting a male and a female dog together and letting nature take its course. Every litter should be carefully planned. Most good breeders don’t advertise in the newspaper, because word-of-mouth gets them so many potential buyers that they maintain waiting lists.
Some things you need to look at, when selecting a breeder:
- Check the condition of the breeder’s home and whether s/he invites you inside. You should be given an opportunity to see where the puppies stay, and where the adults live. Is the area clean, free of feces/urine, and dog-proof (i.e., no chocolate lying on the floor, no little toys or bits that could be swallowed by dogs)?
- Does the breeder own the mother and father? Do they have papers? If s/he doesn’t own the dad, where did s/he find him? Was it just some neighbor’s dog, or did s/he search for him?
- How many other dogs/puppies/breeds does the breeder have? A good breeder, even one that does not work outside of breeding, will not be able to give individual attention to many dogs at once. A breeder who offers multiple breeds at once is questionable. Additionally, find out how many litters a year does the breeder have. For health reasons, a mother dog should not be bred every time she is in season, and 1 – 2 total litters a year may be all that a good breeder can keep up with, in terms of pre- and post-natal care.
- What is the condition of the parent dogs? Where are they kept? Are they socialized? How does the breeder keep them apart when s/he doesn’t want a litter? Or do litters appear whenever they happen? How are their toenails, personality, coat? Are they too thin or too fat, and covered with fleas or ticks? You want parent dogs that are well-behaved, clean, and have a good temperament, just like you want your own dogs to be.
- What has she been feeding the pups? (I don’t know if you’re looking for any specific type of answer here, but you can just ask to see what she says about it, because from the way she answers, you can see how much thought she has put into this whole puppy-raising thing.)
- How much do the parents weigh? This will influence how large the puppies are full-grown, although it is definitely possible to have a smaller than average or larger than average chi from average weight parents.
- Where do the pups stay? Have they been with their mom the whole time? How much time does the breeder spend with the puppies? A puppy that grows up with its mother and siblings is going to be more socialized, and will have learned how to keep from biting too hard. A puppy that is regularly exposed to humans, and not kept in the basement without any company, is going to be a lot easier to integrate into your home and with your family.
- How do the puppies behave? All puppies should be naturally curious, inquisitive, and eager to play. A shy, timid, or aggressive puppy will only get worse as it ages. A puppy should not be afraid of you, or try to run away when you pet it.
- What does the breeder ask you? Does she make you sign a contract specifying that the dog must be returned to her if you change your mind? You want a breeder who is very interested in how YOU raise your current dog, and how you will raise her pup. A breeder who has no interest in your life or what you do with the pup, has no interest in raising a happy, healthy puppy.
If you feel uncomfortable with anything you see or hear, DO NOT buy the puppy. It is very hard to resist “rescuing” a pup, but it won’t teach the breeder to stop breeding if s/he can still find buyers. Also, regardless of how much you want to “rescue” the pup, think about yourself–you want a dog that will be eager to make friends with your current pets, and one that can bond to your whole family and will be happy and healthy.
I bought Paco and Pedro from a backyard breeder who asked me lots of questions and screened me, and seemed knowledgeable about the breed. The puppies were happy and appeared well-taken care of. I looked at both parents. The mother was uninterested in me, and the father was scared. HOWEVER…I had never had dogs before. So I didn’t know what normal behavior for dogs was.
So it wasn’t until I came back after having had Paco and Pedro for a month, and saw the dad dog again, that I was horrified at the conditions. The mother dog had been sold to “some kid,” the dad dog was kept in the basement (which I never saw), and he was hardly ever allowed to come out of there. He wasn’t housetrained, and his nails were too long. He was trembling and very afraid because he hardly ever saw his people or anyone else.
Pedro died at age 2 from a disease that has genetic causes, and when I called the breeder, she didn’t care. Her husband just said she had no other dogs available–like I was calling for a replacement.
You don’t want a puppy from someone like that.