There is a huge issue with dog overpopulation in our country today. There are many different theories and beliefs as to why this is, and there are many popularized methods as to how to reduce the amount of unwanted pets.
Often, the focus is on rescue dogs versus dogs from breeders, a debate that has become very serious in the dog community. This debate is passionate on both sides, and causes a great deal of term oil, often between people who are all interested in the same goal; providing dogs with happy and healthy lives with loving families.
I don't believe that the issue is whether to buy or rescue, I think the issue lies in the public's view of dog ownership, specifically how to attain a pet dog.
This is where I believe ego comes in to the picture. Many people understand that it is a wonderful thing to rescue a dog, but for those who decide they want to get a puppy from a breeder, they often end up looking for all of the wrong things. In an age where anything can be ordered online, and aesthetics are at the forefront of importance for many people, we all want a house full of beautiful things that we can get at the click of a button, or at the very least, a short shopping spree. This mentality has caused what is probably the worst thing to happen in dog breeding. The internet is littered with websites that allow you to order an adorable puppy with flashy rare colors, just by transferring some money and filling in some information. Want a puppy now? There are several to choose from! Red Merle? Blue eyes? Got it! Craigslist has a listing for a litter of cute puppies in the area! But these buyers rarely ask about the puppy's health, or the health of the parents. What about temperament? When that adorable puppy comes home how likely is it that the owner will want to deal with the stresses of puppyhood, or worse yet, adolescence? Often people select the breed of dog they want based on looks, or brief personality descriptions, and do little further research into wether or not that breed is best suited to their lifestyle. What if the breed selected is intended to hunt small animals and the family has a cat? What if the breed is intended to be protective and the family has guests over all the time? Considering that they went the quick route to get the puppy in the first place, it is unlikely that there was much thought process about how to deal with these things, or prepare for them in the first place. Even worse, some people see their new puppy as an opportunity to make money in the future by breeding them and trying to make money off the pups (after all, they paid a pretty penny for their pup, didn't they?).
I'm not saying that everyone who orders a puppy via the Internet is a bad owner. Very often these people end up putting a lot of time and effort into their puppy and being wonderful owners, but considering the amount of dogs in shelters and rescues, clearly, some are not.
The issue that I see is that our society is so driven by ego that we often care more about looks and ease of accessibility than we do about doing our research and finding the right dog for our homes and a responsible breeder or rescue to attain that dog from.
On top of this already dangerous mix of issues, many people don't realize what a responsible breeder is. Just because a breeder has a website, or has had dogs for many years, doesn't mean that they are a responsible breeder. The easiest way to tell is that a responsible breeder won't just take your money and give you a pup, which of course immediately makes them inconvenient for the fast paced ease of buying that we are all used to. Good breeders want to know about the home that their puppies are going to. You may have to answer tons of questions, give references, explain plans for the pup, including training, or even have a home check (or show pictures or video if the breeder isn't local). These breeders health test their dogs, are generally active in some element of the dog world (dog shows, sports, or working activities that the breed is intended to do), and often have waiting lists for their pups. They are very selective about which dogs they choose to breed and why, and they don't breed very often. They will want to know all about the potential home, family, and plans that they have for the dog. They may even (heaven forbid), tell you that your family is not suited to the breed that they have and that you may have better success with a different kind of dog. These breeders will not let you breed their dogs in the future unless you have a serious interest and are willing to work with them, or another respected breeder as a mentor, and even then they may not agree. They have contracts that state these facts and many more. They are willing to take any puppy they produce back at any point in the dogs life if for some reason the home doesn't work out.
Think about it this way; if people ONLY purchased dogs from responsible breeders, we wouldn't have an overpopulation problem.
Don't let your ego decide the next 4 legged member of your family. Educate yourself and decide to buy responsibly, or rescue!
Education over Ego.
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