Does anyone else think it's not on...

oystercatcher

I always thought breeders charged so much to ensure commitment from owners . Surely if you've paid several hundred pounds for a dog you would have researched it and be committed and sure you want it ?? Reading some of the stories of dumped dogs I'm obviously wrong.
I have always opted to have dogs from puppies so as to train them into good habits. We had a pedigree Cavalier King Charles for 15 years and she was so well behaved she is now referred to as 'Saint Florrie' . I always put this down to my good training....

Now, we have two cross breeds we've had from puppies we got them from a friend of a friend who bred several litters at home and probably shouldn't have..... but they were there at the right time when we decided we wanted to add to the family.
'Beryl the Peril' is a bichon X terrier , very pretty , very intelligent, very sociable and extremely naughty , She will vanish for up to 45 minutes hunting rabbits and nothing will bring her back until she's ready. I've been told this is the terrier personality. I love her to bits will never part with her, a dog is for life etc etc, but will NEVER EVER get a terrier again !!

'Dennis the Menace' the other dog is a bichon X shih tzu. We got him because Beryl was so sociable and thought she'd love a companion. Well a friend of mine has described him as 'the nastiest bad tempered dog you've ever met' !! He's not that bad, but he hates large dogs and tends to growl at them which results in some dogs taking offence and attacking!!!! He's very obedient and faithful and stays as near to me as possible and is the equivalent of a living teddy bear for cuddles etc , whereas Beryl will only snuggle up when she chooses or it's very cold!
Now they've had similar training to 'Saint Florrie' so by my old theory they should have been perfect dogs ...I didn't allow for personality!!

In all this woffle I'm trying say that I think a pedigree dog would maybe be more predictable personality wise. Certainly my dogs personalities couldn't be detected when they were tiny puppies. I don't have enough experience to know how much personality can vary within a breed I'm sure there must be all sorts of extremes. Certainly with an older dog from rescue you may be able to tell more about their personality but if you don't know their history you you could end up with a problems perhaps .

Certainly next time I look for a new dog , which won't be for many years, barring disaster, I shall cautiously tour the local rescue kennels but most probably opt for a puppy CKC and hope for another saintly one.

It amazes me that people don't have commitment to their animals. I wouldn't turn out my dogs any more than I would my own children, with both children and animals you have to accept and learn to love their personalities . There's training involved and give and take. Sadly the dogs won't be there to support me in my old age

pink_piggy17

It would be brilliant if mandatory spay & neuter became law and those who wanted to breed their animals had to apply for an exemption/license.

As for the prices, I'd rather see a few breeders selling top-quality dogs for big money rather than backyard breeders and puppy farmers mass producing dogs and selling them cheap.

generally, there is no excuse not to get a rescue dog. the majority of them DON'T have "issues" as the majority of them have been dumped for stupid reasons such as new furniture has been bought, the wife is pregnant etc! and there is always plenty of puppies to choose from as well (sadly) which is basically adopting a blank canvas, if you adopt a puppy and it turns out to have "issues" then you've only got yourself to blame.

Misty_Blue

Mrs_P_Pincher wrote: »

Are we ever going to get the numbers of rescue dogs down while people continue to be prepared to pay this sort of sum?

The two are not really related, IMO. The main reason there are so many dogs in rescue is because too many people breed irresponsibly, either for profit or just because they're too dense to get their dog neutered/prevent it from breeding. While backyard breeders/puppy farmers keep churning out dogs, and while ignorant people breed them "because every animal should be allowed to have at least one litter," etc, etc, then the numbers in rescue will not go down. The other issue is the irresponsible buyers, who get a dog on a whim and the novelty soon wears off when they realise how much work is involved. If the Kennel Club restricted breeders properly, and a compulsory dog ownership scheme was introduced, we could combat a lot of this.

I have pedigree dogs, and on more than one occasion I've been told that a "real dog lover" would get a dog from a shelter. :rolleyes: This is just inverse snobbery, of course.

I really don't care if someone wants to pay £100,000 for a puppy so long as it's their own, fairly earned money and that puppy is from a reputable breeder who only breeds limited litters from health tested stock and for the sole reason of improving the breed.

Someone earlier mentioned the stupid prices of Labradoodles, now this I do agree with. If you want a crossbred dog then go to your local rescue and get one. If you're happy to spend several hundred pounds for a cross, then I'm sure they'd be glad of the donation. Don't give the money to all the breeders jumping on the back of the designer dog bandwagon.

moomin5

Jellicat wrote: »

Once my first pup gets a bit older I'd like to take on a rescue dog however...I'd love a greyhound but I dont think my small animals would feel quite the same way :rotfl: .

You can get greyhounds that are small animall friendly, quite a few people have greys & cats/rabbits/rats/birds etc living in harmony.

I wanted a greyhound for years as their breed qualities suited my lifestlye i.e don't need much exercise, easy to groom, gentle, laidback and not particulary active So i have pedigree dogs, but they only cost me £75 each as there retired racers. The re-homing centre has had people complain at paying the £75 for a vet checked, neutured, wormed/flead dog which comes with some food, collar & lead :rolleyes:. If £500 was the going rate then i may still of considered it as they are great dogs, but i'd of probably got a rescue instead as puppies seem a lot of work. Dogs do seem very adaptable and don't seem to be as badly affected as you'd think considering what awful situations some have come from .

I can see the advantage of having a pedigree as you have a better idea of its breed qualites than a mix, but i think you have to be very careful of where you buy from due to many unscrupulous breeders/poor quality pups that will most likely have temprement or health problems and cost £'s in vets bills so would be better off with a mix. I don't think mixed breeds are a poor relation many people cross breed horses to get the right type for their purpose, which is like how pedigree dog breeds came about.

I think many people just buy whats cute, friends have or in fashion at the time and don't properly research the breeds traits (or dogs in general) so later discover its too much work and it ends up in a rescue :mad: .

foreign_correspondent

I like a mongrel myself - the mixed genes mean 'hybrid vigour' which means they tend to suffer less congenital defects and health problems.

rnr1975

I can't believe how many people out there agree with paying for a pup! I am astounded.

My husband and I wanted a pet to complete the family and went to a rescue, the plan was always to take in an unloved. We had enough love and commitment to help a damaged pooch that needed a second chance. I dread to think what would have happened to him if it weren't for people with our mindset. He is hard work, but a lot of you guys have children too, are you telling me bringing up them is a piece of cake?

Most dog behaviour can be trained, with love, patience and a good trainer to help. I would much rather spend my £1000 on treats and training and really feel I have made a difference.

My baby boy is beautiful and one day he will be even better behaved than he is today.

I would choose rescue again in a heartbeat.

MrsE_2

Jellicat wrote: »

As far as I see it, if you want to pay a grand for a pet dog that will do exactly the same as a mongrel from the RSPCA, that's your choice. I am dying to own a purebred Arabian horse so I cant really talk. I have vowed to buy no more reptiles from breeders and take on some rescues, but at the end of the day if you are a good person you will love your pet no matter where it comes from. People are ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS going to want to buy cute puppies/kittens/small fluffers from breeders and pet shops and nothing is going to change that, unless we have a radical change in thinking about animals being friends and not commodities...I mean when people do things like this... http://www.maggieslaw.co.uk/ to animals and each other, no less, we cant expect miracles when it comes to abandoned and needy dogs. The fact that owners are at risk of having horses, parrots and pedigree dogs and cats stolen proves that animals are like property or objects to a lot of people.

Personally, when I want a dog, I'll probably buy a puppy, and it will likely be either a boxer or a border collie or a Finnish Lapphund (or all of them knowing me :rolleyes:). As far as I see it is my money and I can do as I choose with it, I dont see anything intrinsically immoral in buying a pedigree pup if thats what you want...after all I usually rehome small animals rather than buying from pet shops. Once my first pup gets a bit older I'd like to take on a rescue dog however...I'd love a greyhound but I dont think my small animals would feel quite the same way :rotfl: .

Just read your link, truly horriffic:mad:

I think animal cruelty should be treated very seriously.

I think the type of person who commits such a crime is likely to be a cruel twisted excuse who would probably commit other crimes of cruelty against children & other vunerable adults too.

MrsE_2

I think its entirly up to the person buying it, how much they are prepared to pay.

I have a persian cat.

I bought a persian because I wanted a cat that would be happy living indoors as we lived in London at the time.

Sometimes people want a pet that has no baggage or history, & when you buy a pedigree you have a better chance of getting the temperament & size & needs you require.

I now living in a village, but I wouldn't have any other cat except a persian, as they are amazing cats.

However Ted doesn't like animals/pets, any. So I won't be getting any more cats.

foreign_correspondent

MrsE wrote: »

I think its entirly up to the person buying it, how much they are prepared to pay. whilst I agree, I do hope peorple research carefully, so many people breed animals badly, and so many people buy with little thought. So many of these pedigree dogs end up in rescue at about 6 months old when they become challenging and less cute.

I have a persian cat.

I bought a persian because I wanted a cat that would be happy living indoors as we lived in London at the time.

Sometimes people want a pet that has no baggage or history,
There are loads of pups and kittens in rescues, these have no history, and as for baggage, lots of lovely dogs end up in rescue because families have split, owners have died, or landlords that do not allow pets - these have no negative baggage, but they may have an excellent history, and be housetrained, proved with children, other animals etc. You never have that knowledge with a young pup. & when you buy a pedigree you have a better chance of getting the temperament & size & needs you require.
I got an adult dog, so i could see exaclty what size, temprement etc. was getting. She is a rescue dog and is about the most chilled out dog in the world, noting much phases her, and I cant find anything she has an issue with!

I now living in a village, but I wouldn't have any other cat except a persian, as they are amazing cats.

However Ted doesn't like animals/pets, any. So I won't be getting any more cats.

Can you not talk him round? I would hate to not be able to have a dog

moomin5

I'm not sure if pedigree dogs or rescue dogs are the issue, if people were responsible in breeding healthy, well tempered dogs and being responsible owners that make sure a dog/breed will suit their lifestyle and are commited to training and welfare of that dog.

Maybe in that ideal world the numbers that end up in rescues would be much smaller and be given up due to circumstances out of the owners control rather than because they bought on a whim or it has issues now after not being trained/socialised properly.

I don't think people shouldn't get a pedigree if they want one but should be aware that unless they do there homework then its highly likely they won't end up with that "better" dog they expected to get. Many pedigree dogs are suseptible to terrible health problems i.e. british bulldogs have awful health and sell for lots of £s. I'm lucky that having a greyhound which is bred for performance not looks means that it doesn't have many breed related health issues, although there are people that will breed anything in the hope of a winner.

Foreign correspondent is right that many dogs that are in rescue do not have issues or lack history and not all are mongrels. I think some people are a bit snobby and want to boast about there pedigree/designer pup and some people buy puppies because rescues would be unlikely to home a dog with them.