Where to get a dog

So you have decided to get a dog and you know what dog breed you’d like.  But where can you get a dog? Should you get a dog from an adoption center, dog shelter, dog breeder, pet shop, friend, rescue center or your next door neighbor? And what are the differences between these places? In this part of the How to Care for a Dog guide, you will learn about the most common places you might get your new dog from.

Where to get a dog? Rescue Center / Breed Rescue Pet Store / Dog Store Dog Breeder Dog Shelter / Adoption Center Friend / Neighbor

 

Rescue Center / Breed Rescue

Breed rescue groups are people that rescue one type of purebred dog.  Schnauzer Rescue, for example, is founded by a group of schnauzer-loving people.  The rescue center takes care of homeless schnauzers until someone adopts them.  The dogs will be neutered or spayed before handed to the new owners and the rescue center will charge a fee that helps pay for the medical care at the rescue center.  Almost all purebreds have their own rescue group.  If you are looking for purebreds, this is a good place for you to get a dog.  People at the rescue centers take good care of the homeless dogs and they receive appropriate medical attention before handed to the new families.

Pet Store / Dog Store

Reasons for getting a dog from a pet store are because it is easy, quick and hassle-free.  But the reasons for NOT getting a dog from a pet store far outweigh the advantages.  Sure, some pet stores may be different, but most pet stores are puppy mills that make dams produce litters after litters.  You have to remember puppies grow up to be like their parents and without being able to meet the sire or dam, you have no idea whether the puppy has behavioral problems or genetic issues that are common with purebreds.  Also, look at the horrible conditions puppies in pet stores are raised in.  The ones you see in the store at kept in 2 by 2 cages where the puppy ends up sleeping on its feaces half the time.  The ones you don’t see are kept in cramped, filthy pens where they are kept like any other store inventory.  By buying from pet stores, you are indirectly funding and encouraging this sort of unethical practice. 

Dog Breeder

Dog breeders are people that purposely make dogs reproduce (breed).  There are professional dog breeders and there are amateur breeders.  A professional dog breeder may be interested in improving a dog breed (e.g. by removing certain negative genetic traits) or his goal could be breeding the perfect award-winning dog.  On the other hand, amateur dog breeders are motivated mostly by profit and lack the skills and knowledge of the professional dog breeders.  To find responsible profession dog breeders, the best place to start is the American Kennel Club (AKC).  The AKC can give you names of professional dog breeders in your area for the type of dog you are looking for.    

Dog Shelter / Adoption Center

Dog shelters and adoption centers take in homeless dogs and care for them until they are reclaimed by their owners, adopted by new owners, or placed with another organization.  However, due to the overpopulation and limited space, dog shelters are forced to euthanize dogs that are not adopted within a period of time in order to provide room for other dogs.  By adopting a dog from a dog shelter, not only are you saving money but you are also saving a dog’s life.  Even though the shelter may not have the purebred you are looking for, keep an open mind about mixed-breeds which are generally healthier because of less genetic diseases.  A dog shelter is also an excellent place to get adult dogs that do not require training and have much less exercise demands than young puppies – making it a great option for elders looking to get a dog. 

1. When adopting a dog from a shelter, you want to find out how well the dog will fit into your family.  Ask plenty of questions about the dog’s personality and health.  Some questions you should ask include:
2. Why is the dog here? It may be a reason unrelated to the dog, or it may be due to behavior problems that the previous owners found hard to deal with.  Finding out why the dog was given up will give you insight to potential problems.
3. Does the dog have any medical issues?
4. Has the dog been trained? If you are unsure about training a dog on your own, you can adopt a fully-trained dog that has been housebroken and familiar with the basic commands like sit, lie down and stay.  
5. Has the dog been temperament tested? Most shelters perform temperament test on their dogs and will be able to tell you about the dog’s personality.  You can ask about how aggressive or independent the dog is and how well the dog gets along with people and other animals.

From a friend

From time to time, someone you know will have a litter of dogs and ask if you’d like to adopt one.  You may feel obligated to help your friend and that you are saving a dog that will otherwise end up at a shelter.  But have you seriously thought about if you are ready for a dog? It is not that adopting a dog from a friend is bad, but most people who do so end up getting a dog without thinking if they are ready for one and has little idea how to care for a dog.