Adopt or Buy?
My take on whether potential pet owners should adopt a dog or buy one from a reputable breeder.
I know you have all heard the saying, “ADOPT DON’T SHOP”. However, I believe that people have the right to buy a dog if they want to. I also believe that reputable breeders are taking care of the future generations of purebreds by making temperment and overall health a priority. Dogs kept in a traditional shelter or in-home fosters will also make a huge difference in how a dog will develop mentally over time. Hopefully one day dog adoption will be a little more structured towards making better pairings so there will be less surrenders and accidents.
There are a lot of benefits of buying a dog from a reputable breeder. It really boils down to what your intentions are for getting the dog. If you are a first time owner, want to participate in dog shows/ sporting competitions or need medical or emotional assistance, buying a dog would be more ideal. Most times, these breeders will have many years of experience with their litters and are experts in the breed itself. That is important because they are more aware of what type of environmet would be right for their puppies. If you are wanting to compete, you would be buying a dog best suited for that sport/event. However, you get what you pay for, so usually these dogs can be really expensive. One alternative can be finding a rescue who only takes in a specific breed, but also be aware that they can have some behavioral issues to overcome. Make sure you do a lot of research and don’t rush the process!
Don’t get me wrong though! I do think adopting is really great as well, but a family would need to be more aware and realisitic of what they can take on with the amount of free time that they have daily. In a traditional shelter, the dogs usual develop a lot of anxiety and can get very sad the longer they have to stay there. Thus, the dog’s true personality may not come out until they are used to their new home. A dog can take about 3-6 months to fully acclimate to their new home. So if you adopt a dog, be patient and prioritize making a consistent schedule for your dog. The more predictable their day is, the more comfortable they will be. One of my biggest pet peeves are when people try to take on a big dog or a deeply traumatized dog, but don’t do their due diligence to train them. By doing this, you’re not only stressing yourself out, but also failing the dog that you committed to caring for.
A dog that stays in a foster home usually has better habits than getting one from a traditional shelter. Depending on the foster family, the dog can also come to you house trained, good at walking and knows some basic commands. Not all foster dogs will be like this, but you can defintely find one that doesn’t have as much behavioral issues. The dog will still need some time to adjust to their new home, so don’t assume that they will be the same as they were at the fosters once they get to your house. You still need to get to know each other and bond!
All in all, caring for a dog, whether you adopt or buy takes a lot of work. It truly is like raising a child. But the results of all that effort are priceless! If you ever consider adopting or buying, but aren’t sure what kind of dog would be right for you, I offer a doggie finder service that helps with exactly that! My turnaround time is about 2 weeks to find some options for you and I help up until you receive the dog. I hope to help a lot of people find their perfect match! Good luck and take care everyone. (:
