Breeder guilt

You’ve made the decision to get a new dog. Great. Now comes the hard part. Should you buy from a breeder — and risk pissing off your sanctimonious, animal-shelter-loving friends? Or should you rescue a dog — and possibly end up with a pet that doesn’t match your expectations?

Adoption advocates regard people who buy from breeders as heartless bastards who couldn’t care less that millions of dogs die in shelters every year. Fair enough. People who lean toward breeders, on the other hand, worry that a shelter dog is just too plain unpredictable. Of course, if you don’t do your research and fail to properly train your pet, you’re going to end up with an unpredictable pooch regardless of its provenance.

So what does the average person do in this situation? You enter the process with open eyes and a laundry list of questions.

If you must have a puppy from a breeder, make sure that breeder provides documentation of the litter’s lineage and health, including shots and screenings for problems the breed is known for. Most will take puppies back if problems arise, and some will take back adult dogs. Potential buyers should be encouraged to spend time with the puppy’s mother and should be allowed to see where the dogs live and what they eat. The breeder should also question potential families about their ability to provide the puppy with a good home.

Be wary of backyard breeders, or people trying to make quick cash by breeding their dogs. Puppies that come from such litters can be prone to health and temperament problems — which, in the end, makes them just as much of a gamble as a shelter dog (with the added possibility of inbreeding). Backyard breeders probably won’t ask questions about your ability to care for a new puppy, and some may drop off unwanted extra puppies at the pound.

If you decide to adopt from a shelter, you still need to do your research. A quality shelter spends time getting to know their dogs’ wants, needs and personalities, and can therefore provide good matches for your family. Many of these dogs are purebred and have excellent temperaments. Some may be in foster care rather than in the shelter itself. A family with small children may feel more comfortable knowing that Fido is patient and kind with the foster family’s 2-year-old than they would trying to assess that for themselves during a 30-minute shelter visit.

Armed with good intentions but little practical knowledge, some people scoop up the cutest or most pathetic-looking dog in a shelter, only to find out later that Fluffy can chew through drywall and requires two hours of running a day. Spend a lot of time with any dog you’re thinking of adopting, and see how it interacts with people and pets. Choose a dog with an energy level you can handle. Bringing current pets to meet a potential new dog is also a good idea.

If you really want a rescue dog but have your heart set on a certain breed you can’t find in a shelter, a breed-specific rescue organization is an excellent option. Groups of volunteers dedicated to a breed take in unwanted purebreds, correct any behavioral and physical problems, and foster the dogs until adoption. These foster families are excellent resources, and the networks are usually good at matching dogs to suitable families. You will be able to choose from a variety of ages and temperaments, and almost all rescues will work with you to transport a dog.

Whether you end up with a designer puppy or a lovable mutt, if you’ve picked a suitable dog for your lifestyle and are committed to its wellbeing, you can ignore your neighbor’s worry that your rescued Rottie will eat his pug. A dog just wants to have fun, and since you paid one way or the other for the privilege of its company, it’s now your job to throw the Frisbee. Again, and again, and again ...