Adopt or Shop, Responsibly

Breeders get a lot of flak from people who assume they contribute to the dog overpopulation problem. And I get it, there are a lot of dogs in the world who need a home. But people choose purebred dogs because they want the predictability - predictability of physical characteristics like size, predictability of temperament, and predictability of health. A dog of unknown origins may not be an option for their living circumstances.

Myth: Purebred puppies takes away homes from dogs that need to be adopted.

Generally, people select their desired breed first and then go searching for breeders. By that time, these people have already made a decision and they are unlikely to adopt an unknown dog from a shelter simply due to lack of information about that dog.

Myth: dog breeders contribute to the dog overpopulation problem.

A responsible breeder would not breed a dog unless they already have homes waiting for the puppies. Responsible breeders screen prospective puppy homes, maintain a waitlist for their puppies, and put spay/neuter clauses in their contracts. They will also take their dogs back for any reason to ensure that their dogs don’t end up in shelters. In actuality, it is irresponsible dog owners who do not spay/neuter their dogs and backyard breeders who contribute to the overpopulation problem.

Myth: Mixed-breed dogs are healthier than purebreds.

Health issues may arise unexpectedly in any breed, however, selecting a breeder who has screened the parents for potential genetic diseases mitigates some of that risk. Mixed-breed dogs are often not health-tested prior to breeding, which means dogs that are carriers for genetic diseases may inadvertently be paired with each other.

Myth: I should save/rescue a puppy from a puppy mill or backyard breeder.

Puppy mills and backyard breeders exist because people continue to buy from them. Even if you show up to buy a puppy and they are housed in deplorable conditions, you cannot "rescue" a puppy mill dog or a puppy from a backyard breeder - all that does is give incentive to the "breeder" to breed more. Please, do your research, seek out the best possible preservation breeder for your breed, or go to a shelter and rescue one.