So, you’re thinking about getting a dog. You’ve considered the financial and time commitment and have decided that the benefits far outweigh these factors. Congratulations! Now to decide where to get your dog from: A breeder or a rescue? There are benefits to both routes, and these should be carefully considered before making a decision.
With a breeder, you are spending more money up front, but the trade-off is that the puppy will be fairly predictable in temperament, trainability, and size, among other factors. You also get your choice of breed with a breeder, where you often don’t with rescues. You can meet the puppy’s mother (and sometimes the father as well) to observe temperament. You will be able to see the conditions in which the puppy was raised and, with any good breeder, ensure that the upbringing has set the puppy up for success in life. This being said, like humans, each dog is bound to have their own personality; buying from a breeder increases the likelihood of certain traits, but does not guarantee them.
With a rescue, however, you have more options. You can choose the age of dog whom you wish to adopt, and most rescues have a variety of breeds (usually mixed breeds) and sizes to choose from. There is also a lesser up-front cost, the dogs will already have all of their puppy vaccinations, and most rescues spay/neuter the dogs prior to adopting them out, saving you that cost down the road. Adopting an adult dog (12-18 months or older) from a rescue means that you will be able to observe the dog’s general temperament before committing. Many rescues will even offer a “foster-to-adopt” program with some of their dogs that allows you to have the dog in your home for a few weeks before officially committing to the adoption. Rescuing an adult dog gives you an idea of the dog before you adopt him or her, and it gives a dog in need of a home a new life with a loving family - that’s something you can feel good about! It is often, however, a large time commitment. This dog has learned behaviours that you may not be so fond of, and typically has some emotional baggage. If time is not taken to rectify behaviours upon adoption of these dogs, unwanted behaviours can appear. Separation anxiety is a common problem with adult rescues, but can be largely avoided if the new owner is educated on the signs and symptoms, and addresses it right away. Adult dogs adopted from rescues can make amazing companions if the transition into your home is made with care and you’re willing to put in the effort. It’s also a very rewarding experience for the dog owners.
Getting a puppy from a rescue is a bit more of a gamble. Generally, the rescue has no idea who sired the pups and, while the mother is often a rescue as well, she is usually a mixed-breed and it cannot be determined with certainty her particular mix of breeds. This means that the puppy’s full-grown size will be a prediction only, based upon the size of the mother and the features of the pups. Depending on when the puppies were brought into the rescue, as well as the education of those running the rescue itself, they may or may not have had the appropriate human contact and developmental stimulation required to set them up for success in life. Crucial developmental stages happen in the first weeks of life that, if not properly addressed, can affect the puppy for the rest of its life. This isn’t to say that a puppy not handled correctly in its first weeks will make a terrible housepet, rather, one that has been handled by a trained professional in its first eight weeks has a higher likelihood of avoiding issues with things like anxiety, in particular.
Even with the best start to life, puppies can grow up to have issues - this applies whether they’re rescues or pure-bred dogs from the best breeder in the world. It is important to remember that each and every dog is different, and you cannot guarantee that a puppy will grow to have any particular set of traits.
If you have questions or would like a consultation on what route would be best for you and your family, we can help!