There are solid camps on either side of the Adopt Don’t Shop movement. Both have their facts and good points, and both have their myths. If you are considering bringing a dog into your home then take a few minutes to consider both sides of the issue.

The Ugly Truth About Marketing

First – you must realize that what you read on the internet is marketing. It is designed to sell puppies or rescues. When you contact a kennel, hobby breeder, or rescue you are a customer. Their best intentions must still be funded by income. That income is generated by putting dogs in homes.

The longer a dog is in a shelter, rescue, or home the more expensive and time consuming it becomes. When looking for a dog you need to do your research:

Does this kennel, rescue, or shelter have a good reputation? Do they have online reviews or a group of people who support them?  What type of people support them – responsible – emotional – weekend warriors?

Does the kennel, rescue, or shelter spend money educating themselves and offering the best health care to their dogs? Or, do they live by the motto ‘my good enough is good enough for you.’  It doesn’t matter where you find your next dog. Make sure that they ask a lot of questions about what you want, and most important – spend more time listening than talking.

Rescues and Dog Shelters

Myths about shelter dogs:

• They are in a shelter because something is wrong with them.
• You will never know their history
• They may have a disease
• They are not purebred
• They are too old.

Truth about Shelters

• No support after you take the dog home.
• No guarantee on health or temperament.
• No return.
• Very few can give behavior modification or training necessary to help dogs overcome trauma.
• They often guess the age. It is easier to sell a year old than a 3-year-old. And both dogs look and act similar – at first.  It is easier to sell a dog who is 5, than a dog who is 8-10, and both look similar.

The fact is, all of these have been true many times.  We’ve seen dogs who were sedated when they were in the shelter, and ‘fell apart’ when they were adopted. We’ve seen dogs adopted out with advanced cancer. We’ve seen dogs swapped between rescues when there is an incident.

The problem is when you discount the myths and hope that you are immune because ‘it won’t happen to me’.

The truth is there will be some sort of emotional trauma. The dog had a home. It loved its people. Then it was ripped away and doesn’t understand why.

The truth is that the dog did not have proper training, behavior/socialization, and care. This will have lasting effects.

Even if the dog was owned by a good owner before it was surrendered, you are picking up problems. There is also something else to consider. Good dogs – especially purebred – are easily sold through classifieds for hundreds of dollars. Why surrender a dog to a rescue if that dog can be sold and the ‘good’ owner can chose the dog’s next home?

Back Yard Breeders vs Kennels

If you decide that you have a specific type of dog in mind. You have children and want a ‘safe’ dog. You live in the country and want a dog that ‘will’ protect you. You have a purpose and reason beyond adding a loved companion to your home.

Back Yard Breeders

• Are cheaper Myth – Are often just as expensive
• Their dogs are not breeding quality – hereditary defects
• Parents are not tested for hereditary problems
• Received no socialization or mental stimulation so there will be behavior problems
• There is no temperament testing so you don’t know whether your dog will be high energy, nervous, or aggressive.
• No Papers is as Good as Papers
• No papers often = cross breeds that look like pure breeds
• No papers = no health guarantee.
• Often breed to pay the bills.

Registered Kennels

• • Papers doesn’t mean well-bred dogs. Insist on a contract
  • Well-bred dogs are not always more expensive than back yard bred. In every litter there are the ‘top dogs’ and the pets. Make it clear what you want before looking at the puppies.
  • Health Guarantees, Papers to prove the dog is pure, and socialization is implied.
  • Socialization and mental stimulation is only as good as the owner’s education. Ask what program they use to raise their puppy.
  • Good Breeders – Registered and Back Yard
  • Offer a health guarantee
  • Temperament Test the puppies – Volhart Test at 49 days
  • Socialize their puppies – Puppy Culture or Ian Dunbar Programs
  • Health test the parents of the puppies, and their grandparents.
  • Do dog shows and sports because they are in it for more than the money – for the love of dogs.
  • The breeder will support you for the life of the dog.
  • Solid return/money back guarantee.

Before taking offence to anything written here ask yourself what you do? This article wasn’t written so people can judge others, but to judge their own motives, perceptions, and objectives.

Once you have your dog we invite you to read other articles on our blog, and if you are in the London Ontario, Elgin, or Tillsonburg area drop in and visit us in Aylmer Ontario.

The post Adopt or Buy a New Dog – Your Choice appeared first on Sport Dog Training Center.

I was texting this morning with a couple who have adopted before, and chose to adopt again, but after seeing several dogs chose to buy a puppy.  Being ‘savvy’ to the adoption world they knew to be careful. They already learned to avoid buying based on emotions. That cute dog, or the adorable dog, can be a nightmare.

If our new neighbor loads the front yard with derelict cars, builds a 5’ BBQ in the back yard, and has 10 kids crawling out of various vehicles then you know your days of peace are over. The next 10 years will be negotiation, compromise, and trying to find peace.

But when we rescue a dog we have an unrealistic expectation that we can ‘change’ the dog. It may be reactive, but it just needs love. It may have bitten, but it only needs someone to trust. It may have chewed out of its crate and ate the garbage, but it only needs training.

You need to realize that red flags do not change. That is why the old owners surrendered the dog.  We always want to think that the last owners were evil, negligent, or ‘not dog people.’ In many cases they are loving dog owners who either didn’t know how to raise a dog properly, or they were frustrated and felt they were out of options.

The myth that the old owner went into a home, or lost their job, makes it easier to accept human behavior. It also makes it easier to encourage people to give dogs a second chance.

The problem is, Red Flags don’t change. Your new neighbors are not going to stop having a yard full of partiers every weekend, or clean up their yard. And a dog with emotional and psychological health problems is not going to ‘heal’ because you take it to reactive dog class.

Adopt a Dog – Temperament Assessment

The first step is to investigate rescues and only work with the good ones.

Question #1: What temperament tests do you give the dogs? There are 4 standards SAFTER, BARC, C-BARQ, and MACHII.  These temperament tests (except MACHII) are subject to interpretation and limited by the amount of Applied Behavior Education the facilitator has.

Most rescues are owned by people with good hearts, and have owned a lot of dogs, but are not qualified to treat and/or place dogs with neurological disorders, chemical imbalances, emotional trauma, long term abuse trauma, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Interview your rescue and make sure that they are educated and experienced.

Adopting a Dog – Records and History

Reputable rescues keep good journals and canine history. They don’t take a dog from a local person without collecting adequate history. Do they have the dog’s health records? Can you visit the vet and discuss previous issues?

Many people rescue dogs only to learn they have health issues like Cancer. I’ve found some rescues that will not adopt dogs who are sick. But, I’ve met many people who have adopted dogs with problems.  Recently I worked with a dog that had a brain tumor causing it to be unpredictable and aggressive. But, the dog was only aggressive ‘sometimes’. Unfortunately, it was impossible to predict when the dog would become aggressive.

Ask the rescue to view the vet records

Adopting a Dog – Assessment Period

How long has the rescue kept a dog before they adopted it out?  Any rescue that adopts a dog out in less than 2 weeks has no time to do a real assessment on the dog. The dog is still in the ‘uncertain’ or ‘cautious’ stage. It is unlikely that the dog will ‘react’ in the first 2 weeks. If it does, then the dog is highly predictable.

A dog will typically not react for 3 months, or 6 months. It seems that these two periods are ‘trigger’ points for emotional trauma. If the dog reacts before that time, then there is a serious red flag. I would suggest that there is a medical, or a neurological problem.

To properly assess a dog, you need to know how it lived from 0-12 weeks. This is when a dog’s brain develops. The more it develops, the smarter and more balanced it is. If a dog was raised in a kennel where the owner socialized and gave it mental stimulation then the puppy will have the ability to heal. If the puppy was raised in a back yard, in isolation, with no socialization then the puppy will not have the ability to heal. You cannot make a dog’s brain fully develop after 13 weeks. The door has closed.

Adopting a Dog – Interview

The interview between you and the rescue should take into account more than whether you have a fenced in yard, or how long you work. Are they asking questions about your personality, your experience with dogs, your canine behavior education? Are they asking how much time you spend outdoors doing things?

More important, are they trying to learn whether you are looking for a dog to fill a spot in your life, and fill an emotional void. Or, do you have the time and resources to help a dog who has suffered.

Adopting a Dog – Realistic Expectations

You want a dog, and if you are being honest and responsible you are finding it a difficult task. You will look at many dogs before you finally chose one. You may even decide to wait until you can afford one from a kennel (if you are paying more than $1000 you can afford one from a registered kennel).

If you have children you don’t want a dog that can harm them. A dog lives 10-15 years. If you plan to have children, then you don’t want a dog that can harm them.

If you want your dog to go for walks then you don’t want a dog that can drag you down the road, or can harm a child, or another dog, if it becomes aggressive.

If you take pride in your home you don’t want a dog that can shed, or that cannot be put in a secured area, like a play pen.

If you live on a farm you don’t want a dog that can run away, or wants to hunt and chase animals.

Final Thoughts – ‘Adopt don’t Shop’

I am not against rescuing a dog. Don’t misinterpret this article. I am all for rescuing the ‘right’ dog for your lifestyle. Work with the people who are working towards your best interest. And, give a dog a second chance who will benefit and thrive with the environment you are able to provide.

Why buy a puppy when there are dogs who need homes? The answer is simple, because you are bringing a potentially dangerous animal into your home. There are long term consequences to you, and other people in your neighborhood. There may even be problems with your home insurance, and legal problems associated with adopting a rescue. All of these must be considered before you bring a dog into your home.

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