Adopting vs. Buying

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Today I took Hannah food shopping with me, yes she is allowed with my disability. Of course once inside the store I always have 100 people wanting to pet her and play with my Walmart store greeter. They all say they want a dog just like Hannah, but I tell them your dog is what you train it to be. There was one couple who was so interested in her they wanted to know so much about doodles, so we were glad to tell them what we could, or experiences we have had so far. One of the main things I really try and stress to people when interested in a Doodle, is to adopt one instead of paying the high prices they can be charged if they really want one and can't afford the high prices. Don't think you can't own a doodle because of the cost, you can adopt. I am finding out there are some really great homes out there for rehome Doodles, and hope someday there won't be any to adopt.

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

You picked the wrong forum to put this discussion in...This forum is predominantly comprised of "breeders" who post litters....

[Adina P]

There are no litters posted in our forum section -- it is part of our community guidelines.

I don't see what breeder presence on DK has anything to do with Denise's post or whether people should or should not adopt vs. buy. Breeders are not against rescuing and they make up maybe 5% of our membership (fewer than that actually even post) so "predominantly comprised of 'breeders'" is not accurate.

Kudos to all who rescue and prefer to go that route. I fully support any member adopting from a shelter or rescue -- I also support anyone who wants to find a responsible breeder and does their research in that regard. It is a personal decision and one is not the right fit for all.

We welcome all doodle lovers here.

[ClarkP]

Adina modestly neglects to mention that Doodle Kisses does more than just give lip service to rescuing doodles... Doodle Kisses give money to rescue organizations. 25% of all money earned here goes to doodle rescue organizations. They need our support and we give it to them.

[Tamara & Giada]

WOW................see, I did not know this! Way to go Adina!!!

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Sorry didn't mean for this post to cause any problems, I thought it was for a general conversation and really just wondered if others experience the same when they are out with their doodles. Do they recommend rehomes or rescues to people who can't afford the higher priced Doodles. I'm not knocking or judging anyone who breeds their dogs either, I have bred other breeds in the past and know it takes a lot of research, care and time, along with lots of love and attention to have a great litter. When we were out yesterday and this young couple was talking about getting a dog like Hannah but couldn't afford to pay a higher price, just thought it was a great opportunity to remind them of Rescue or Shelter Dogs.

[Brenda Hetzel]

I haven't encountered this when we're out, but I do see it here on DK and when that happens I recommend rescue, adoption or even guardianship :)

[fergie11]

Denise - you did the right thing. When people ask me about Fergie and I proudly say she's a goldendoodle. Most people think it and some say it -- "Those are really expensive dogs!" Well, #1 expensive is all relative. Some people thing $300 is expensive for a dog and some thing $2500 is cheap. I also tell then the same thing you do. Since I love the "thrill of the hunt" I usually offer to find them a dog to rescue or a reputable "less-expensive" breeder. I've never had anyone take me up on that. With the luxury of the internet now there are a lot of ways to have a doodle even if you don't have a big budget. I'd really hate for anyone to miss out on one of theses wonderful dogs because they think "they're too expensive".

[Adina P]

Your post was/is fine. No worries Denise.
When people ask about Rosco I don't always call him a labradoodle...I usually say "he's half labrador and half poodle." Then if they have heard of labradoodles they will usually say "oh a labradoodle?" and I will confirm. Usually it's while he's at the library for his therapy job so I don't try to do any major doodle education unless someone has more questions or seems very interested in this mix. They may ask if he sheds and I vehemently say "YES" and then try to explain how many doodles still shed and why, etc. IF they mention they want one or are thinking about one I mention DK. There is just way too much info on what to look for in a breeder to talk about in person it's much easier to point them to articles on here. And locally rescue doodles are VERY uncommon. But if the circumstance was such that they really expressed interest in the doodle mix and mentioned cost as a limiting factor I'd definitely tell them about rescue options and where to find out more.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

You have the same conversations I do when asked. I make sure that I explain the F1, F2, etc when the shedding question comes up. I tell them about IDOG to rescue and rehome, DK to learn about Doodles - the good and the bad.

[Marcy, Girls and Ruby]

This was exactly the discussion I was going to start! And it is not intended to judge breeders or rescuers, it is to help me make an informed decision and be comfortable with that decision. I am about to put a deposit on a labradoodle puppy to be born in Aug. It will be my second, I have a 4 yr. old goldendoodle. Prior to her, I have always had "mutts" and my sisters are heavily involved in a Boxer Rescue group. I have probably looked at hundreds of dogs on petfinder and even visited a some. The problem (?) is....I am in love with Doodles! As, I'm sure you all can relate. I have come to terms with the expense of a puppy, but has anyone had some feelings of guilt over choosing to buy and not rescue? I am hoping for some encouragement. I hope breeders do not take offense to this question...in my research for a puppy, I see all the dedication, hard work, love and devotion to these dogs that you have. And a true testament to these dogs and their breeders are the very few numbers of them needing rescue. I know in my heart that I need to get the puppy and I'm sure once I'm holding that little bundle of fluff, these feelings will melt away. Anyone felt this way too?

[Adina P]

When I bought Rosco, my husband (then boyfriend) had already rescued a doodle (due to my obsessive-compulsive checking of petfinder and poomixrescue.com) so there was no guilt. But even without that I really wouldn't have felt guilty. Granted I was still new to the world of doodles and didn't have a clear understanding of rescue needs, but Rosco was going to be my first dog. I knew exactly what I wanted and it was the absolute best choice for me. I wanted to start fresh with a pup and learn everything from scratch with a dog that had a known background. In the 3 years I've had Rosco...only once was there ever a doodle in our shelter--a doodle who I probably wouldn't have ever chosen based on temperament or appearance.

I would definitely rescue a doodle in the future...but I would also probably get one from a reputable breeder. It would depend on my life situation at the time and what was available. I also absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE raising pups. I can deal with the potty training, crazy exhuberance, nipping...I've seen the worst of nipping and would do it again in a heartbeat when I get a dog again in the future. I love the challenge so what will likely happen will be that I'd rescue one and buy a second. But who knows...?

So do keep your eyes out for excellent rescue opportunities...but don't feel guilty for buying. Every person's needs and wants are different. There are lots of human orphans in the world...should those who have biological kids feel guilty for not adopting instead?

There are other ways to help if you want to ... you can foster in the future or volunteer for rescue groups or your local shelter in other capacities (transport, checking out potential adoptive families, etc).

In the future when my life and home is ready...I would love to foster pregnant dams and the resulting puppies. Oh just thinking about it makes me smile!

[ClarkP]

Well, as long as Adina admits that I am morally superior for having a rescue... I'm fine with that. ;-)

Joking aside, there should be no guilt either way (unless you are buying from a bad breeder, puppy mill, etc - Don't do that. Do your homework). Yes, I feel good that I helped a dog in need and now she's just an amazing dog for us. I'd recommend that path to everyone that can do it. But not everyone can. They might not have the skill to deal with issues that rescues possibly bring with them. The "unknown" genetics and behavioral characteristics just doesn't work for some people.

And lets face it, the huge majority of dogs are surrendered because of behavioral issues. Yes, these issues were caused by the environment the previous owner had them in. And yes, they can be trained so that these issues go away or are minimized. But that doesn't change the fact that you are getting a dog that currently has bad habits. Even if those bad habits were caused by an incompetent or neglectful previous owner, they are still habits the dog has that you will have to deal with.

Puppies from breeders might not be any easier though. It's just a different set of issues. Puppies WILL reduce their owners to frustrated tears on occasion.

When I got our rescue Thule, she chewed like crazy! Not really a big issue because I can crate her, right? Well, crate training an 11 month old dog is quite different than crate training a puppy. Thule screamed bloody murder when she was in her crate, and it never stopped. And yes, I crate trained her the right way, but it was a challenge. She was used to being a wild and free counter surfing, chewing monster. It took a lot of effort to make her understand that wasn't going to fly in her new home. I lost some books and shoes and headphones and sandals in the process. Bad Clark!

I recommend trying to find a rescue if you can. If not, enjoy the fantastic dog that you get! Wherever they are from, train them so they are good citizens of your home and neighbourhood. That will be doing a service to everyone.

-Clark
PS. I just went and looked to see where Thule was... she's sleeping in her crate. See? It's a NICE place! :-)