Not a rescue puppy....

[Kyoko]

I am a volunteer dog walker at the local animal shelter. Yesterday was our really big to do black and white event as a fund raiser. People were bidding thousands of dollars on Pittsburgh Penguines' autographed jerseys, hocky stick, plus all kinds of fancy food, band, and all of that.
While voluntering at the event, the conversation went to how many and what kind of dogs we had.
One of the peer volunteer said to me " I didn't know that you had a puppy. Where did you get your puppy?" I didn't know what to say. I did tell them that Charlie was from the breeder and reason why I went that route. I still got chewed up... and was told " I hope you didn't go to PetLand for the hybred! " I do care for the animals at the shelter, and I do my best to provide what I can for them. I try teaching the leash walking, I bath, brush and trim them, walk them hours in the middle of the winter with snow piling up on my head, whatever I can to make them more adoptable, I do. I thought I made a good decision that rescue is not going to work - at least for right now because of the personality of my old Chow Chow and the fact he is not neutered ( due to my ignorance in earlier time and too old to go through now) plus I went through some fear phase of thoughts that he is not going to make it through the winter, and felt as needing a second dog in preparation to ease the event if occur as soon as possible.....

Sorry, It may sounds like I am trying to justify my decision. But I always feel guilty that my puppy is not a rescue.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Kyoko, you shouldn't feel guilty. Lots of people who are involved in rescue have dogs from breeders. One of the IDOG RRR coordinators has a doodle from a breeder. (She also has three rescues, lol.)
People have to do what is right for their situations at the time. Maybe your next dog will be a rescue. Maybe you will help in one of the most important ways a person can, by fostering a homeless doodle. Doing volunteer work for the shelters, donating time, supplies & money, are all essential to saving lives.
The important thing is to be involved and to learn. Now you know the importance of spaying & neutering. We have friends here who didn't know about pet stores and puppy mills; now they do, and they are helping to educate others. When we know better, we do better. It is only the stupid people who don't want to know or learn, and who contribute to the problem instead of helping, who should feel guilty.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

I agree with Karen, Kyoko. We cannot change the past, we can only learn from it. What you know now will determine the future, hopefully. Some of the people at that even probably do not walk dogs or even volunteer at the shelter. They just dish out the cash and justify their lives some way. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

I fed Alpo to my dogs for years. I switched to Iams and Eukanuba, thinking I was doing a good thing. Then my dog died from what I was feeding her. Quilt? Sure, but I educated myself and now I know better and my dogs eat better then I do. I try to educate others. I adopted a puppymill dog and now I am a Rescuer. All because of Magic. The point is, we learn and do better the next time. Are my dogs going to live forever, no, but I hope they now have a better chance at long live then Magic did.

You got your dog from a breeder because of justified reasons. I had a Samoyed years ago who lived to 16 and was not spayed. I didn't know. Now, I do. Hopefully, your next dog will be a rescue. But you are the only one who can make that decision depending on your circumstances. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for your decisions.

[Kyoko]

Thanks... It makes me feel better.
Getting a dog from a breeder was something I never thought I would do.
Taking a dog to the opbedience class was something I thought I never do.
My old Chow knowing how to sit, down, give paws were good enough for me. When he ran out of the door, we just chased him. He pulled and pulled us when we walked, until he got too old to pull us anymore. He is grouchy and hate little kids( except mine) and little dogs like jack russel, tried to go at them several times. He ate "Beneful" for as along as I can remember.
I love this grouchy old soul so much, I can not bear the thoughts that he may not have a lot left. If he was not so grouchy, we probably could have adopted a rescue. But I needed a second dog, because I love him grouchy or not.
Charlie is attending second obedient class, learning how to be the best she can be, and now is spayed.
In a future, I will be in a situation that I will be able to bring in a rescue, or foster, and contribute more in the effort....

By the way, I got the e~mail today from the shelter. They raised $115,000! Wow.....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Bless you for all you do for the homeless dogs. Your reasons for not bringing a rescue dog into your home at the time make perfect sense. It would not have been fair to the dog.

[Jeannine]

Dear Kyoko,

You did what you though was right for you and your older dog. I have a dog who come from a breeder and I never though of going to a rescue before getting involve in the DRRC. Ignorance, yes but not stupidity. Now I know and I rescued my little new one.
One day, maybe if it is the right decision at that time, you will have the privilege to rescue a doodle but you don't need to get a rescue dog to be a rescuer, you already are.

[Kyoko]

Thank you. :-)

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

K, a Doodle Rescuer ensures dogs live a better life than they would in a shelter or anywhere else. You are a Doodle Rescuer and belong with us! It doesn't matter where your dog came from...it's what you do to help others. You do that!

[Kyoko]

I feel much better now. Thank you all...
I did not go walk the dogs for past two days. I just took my 15 year old son there and dropped him off, so he can walk the dogs. ( He has been volunteering there as well )
Today he said one of the woman who critisized me asked him where I was.
I will go tomorrow, because I am not there for the people there, but for the dogs there, right?

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

Exactly!

[Jeannine]

Good thinking!

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

Kyoko -

We all do the best we can at any given time. All of my dogs are from 2 breeders, and honestly I do not know a real lot about the breeers - I was to stupid to know!!!! Mariner is the closest I have to a rescue. He is a sibling to my oldest and while with the breeder had an accident (fractured skull) causing blindness and seizures. He has regained "functional" eyesight but still suffers from seizures (and other minor neurological problems).

My point is that had we not gotten his brother from the breeder we would not have known about Mariner and drawn to adopt him. He could have been euthanized as no one else wanted him. Sometimes, things done in the past help yu create a better future.

You are helping create a better future - both through what you do and how you have passed these feelings to your son.

[Lynne Fowler-Oodles of Doodles]

That's a really good point, Andy. Before my Doodles, I had always gone to a Std Poodle breeder (or shelter many years ago). Anyway, my DH has allergies so the poodle was the choice. My last poodle, Magic was born without a tail and when I went to pick a puppy, she was all alone and separated from my choice dogs. I asked the woman why she was separated and she said, "Oh, you don't want that one, she was born without a tail so cannot have papers." Thar's the one I took. What would have happened to her if I hadn't, I can only imagine. But she was the best dog, even without papers. But it was because I was at the breeders that I saw and got her.