# Getting a dog: Pound puppy or purebred? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599 "2005-08-25T18:33:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/41 "2005-08-27T13:38:51Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Rescue all the way. > > Your friend may be the exception, and may have simon-pure intentions, but _generally speaking_ people who _get money for purebred dogs_ will always recommend them. Personally the only other people I meet who recommend “purebred” as more desirable are what I’d consider to be snobs, or at least “name brand” people. > > Let me share our “disappointing” pound rescue experience. > > My brother was the first of our family to win parental consent to get a dog. We were in third grade. The pound was our first and only thought; rescue seemed like the right thing to do if we could find a dog we wanted. > > My Dad’s main objective was to guide my brother to a shorthaired dog; a small one, if possible, that would make less of a mess and fit our small yard better. > > Love obeys no rules. > > Of course my brother fell in love with a big, longhaired German Shepherd/something mix. This dog was an adult, large and awkward-looking. Nor did she seem to want to come home with us. > > In fact, she was severely messed up. She’d been mistreated; whenever any one of us raised a hand above waist level, she threw herself down and cowered. She had to be carried to the car; I remember her body was so rigid with terror that we held her front and back hips and carried her like cordwood. > > In this day and age, she would have been ruled unadoptable and destroyed. But this was decades ago, and the pound was probably glad to find a home for such a sad case. > > She was completely beaten down and made no visible effort to win our – or anyone’s – affection. My father, noting with dread the long, fine undercoat hairs the dog shed in clouds, tried cautiously to talk my brother out of choosing her, but he persisted in this mad course with single-mindedness. This dog, and no other, would be the dog. > > At home, the dog, now named Princess, crawled into a basement corner and lay fearfully shaking. We had no experience with how to socialize a mistreated dog. > > And it was here, under the least promising starting conditions, that things began to turn around for Princess. I have no other way to describe it except to suppose that the true quality of the dog began to shine through all the bad that had gone before. > > I cannot convey on a message board the amazing qualities of this dog. She became brave and confident. She was ever gentle with children. She raised two abandoned kittens, allowing them to playfully bite and claw her ears…when the pain got to her, she would ever-so-gently open her mouth and close it around a kitten’s head and just hold the cat still for a second. All these years later I can still see the enormously indignant kittens glaring back at her with wet matted fur. 🙂 She never hurt them, and when they grew up she defended them against neighborhood dogs and cats. > > She must have been part Lab; her love of water was so total that she’d drag us straight to even the shallowest mudpuddle and then just stand there with wet feet, wagging her tail gently. > > This dog raised us three human kids too. She was a role-model for love; always attentive, always tender. Patient when waiting, forgiving when we roughhoused. Maybe she knew we’d saved her. I do know she lived every moment of her life for us after that car ride. > > Princess had foibles of her own. She didn’t understand the TV; she’d lie in front of it and simply BASK in all the attention of the whole family gazing raptly at her. > > One time I got a pet rabbit. We did not have a cage for the rabbit yet, so we put her into a downstairs office and closed the door. Somehow Princess got into the room, and the rabbit died, maybe from sheer fear; there wasn’t a mark on her, and she was not a hunting animal. Instead, she licked the poor bunny all over, either before or after the rabbit’s death, and when we came home, Princess crawled up to us miserably begging forgiveness, and led us to the body. She knew she’d done something wrong. We never did have any trouble with other rabbits in the future though; she never again got near one. > > Princess lived a long happy life. We’ve had many dogs since, and still she stands out in my memory as the finest dog I’ve ever known. > > I have no doubt that unexpected surprises can turn up in a rescued animal. Unexpected does not always mean bad. 🙂 > > Best of luck to you in finding a Princess of your own. > > Sailboat That was a beautiful story about Princess , but I do NOT agree with your sentiments on purebreds in the least. If you buy from a reputable breeder, they are not interested in just making a few bucks. Much time , effort, money , and most of all , **LOVE** goes into raising a litter of puppies. I have purebreds. I have had Gordon Setters since 1982 , and will have them for the rest of my life. I don’t give a rat’s ass what the rest of the world thinks of my dogs, quite frankly. I fell in love initially with the way the breed looked , but as I got to know each Gordon , it was the wonderful disposition that worked its way permantly into my heart. I personally have owned 6 Gordies over the years, but have gotten to know literally HUNDREDS of them through friends and at dog shows. In all that time, I have known _1_ that showed any sign of bad temperament, and he was humanely euthanized when he attacked first another dog in the ring then turned on his owner. The reason the temperaments are so good in the breed is because the breeders CARE about what they are producing, plain and simple. Puppy millers and back yard breeders are another issue entirely, you don’t **EVEN** want to get me started on that topic. But good breeders produce good puppies. Period. I stand by what I said in my first post. Rescue can be a good thing , and you can end up with a wonderful dog, but you also run the risk of getting a fruitcake. It is like playing Russian Roulette. You have no idea what you are going to end up with when all is said and done. Having lived 3 years with a neurotic , nasty tempered terrorist of a pound dog , I will gladly pay the extra money to get a sweet , well socialized puppy that will grow into a dog I can love , enjoy and be proud of. Responsible breeders ROCK ! ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/42 "2005-08-27T16:17:57Z")
I’ve always been a pound/stray animal kind of girl. If I were to get another mutt right now, I’d go to the pound. Our current dog ran up and latched her puppy mouth onto A’s dog’s collar and followed her home, which is how we get most of our animals. However, our future plans are for a pug and a rottweiler at some point. In both cases, we are going to a responsible breeder. Go with a pound puppy. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/43 "2005-08-27T16:42:12Z")
My ethical problem with breeders is not how they treat their animals; I’m well aware that responsible breeders do right by their animals. My problem is that so many of the pure breeds should not exist at all. In my opinion, any dog breed that is bred for extreme physical characteristics for our pleasure and not the increased health of the animal is not a viable phenotype, and should not be perpetuated, no matter how cute their stunted, twisted little legs, or droopy, sad, disease-prone eyes are. I am also well aware that this opinion is not shared by many people. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/44 "2005-08-27T17:18:11Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > My ethical problem with breeders is not how they treat their animals; I’m well aware that responsible breeders do right by their animals. My problem is that so many of the pure breeds should not exist at all. In my opinion, any dog breed that is bred for extreme physical characteristics for our pleasure and not the increased health of the animal is not a viable phenotype, and should not be perpetuated, no matter how cute their stunted, twisted little legs, or droopy, sad, disease-prone eyes are. I am also well aware that this opinion is not shared by many people. I agree with you for the most part , Featherlou. I am a firm believer in form=function. Both of my chosen breeds are very much natural, and the Gordon Setter Club of America encourages breeders and owners to encourage the breed’s natural hunting ability. (Let me add here that I do _not_ hunt, but my Gordons spend their field time working with a good friend of mine, he has Kharma out hunting right now as a matter of fact 😃 ) I honestly feel sorry for breeds that have been bred innto a travisty of what dogs were intended to be. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, so if I talk about a breed that you just LOVE , please remember it is **ONLY MY OPINION**. Take Bulldogs for example. Their appearance originally had a function , with the barbaric sport of bull baiting. That massive jaw was designed to clamp onto the bull’s nose and not let go . But the breed has been exaggerated to the point it is almost impossible for a bitch to deliver a litter without a C-section , and that is just **WRONG**. They have so many respritory problens due to their smooshed face they cannot survive temperature extremes. Cocker Spaniels were at one time true sporting dogs , used to spring and fetch gamebirds. Today’s Cockers would be lucky to be able to fetch a freakin’ sparrow , their mouths are so tiny. And don’t even get me started on that excessive , cotton-y coat There are many of us that don’t thing they belong in the Sporting group any longer , and would be better placed in the Non-Sporting. Pekingese? I don’t even know where to start. Same birthing problems as the Bulldogs, same breathing problems , but add to that the deformed gait that has been bred into them. Still , I know these breeds have their supporters , and as I always say , if everyone liked the same breed of dog , it would be a helluva boring dog show. I still prefer the safety net of buying from a reputable breeder, knowing that they CARE about the puppies they produce , and that the puppies have had the best possible start in life , with good vet care, socialization, and well-thought out planning for temperament and health. I can be fairly well assured that if I want a calm mellow dog , by buying from a breeder I trust I won’t end up with a half-crazed hellion. That’s all I’m sayin’. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/45 "2005-08-27T17:37:22Z")
> [@PapSett](#): > > I agree with you for the most part , Featherlou. I am a firm believer in form=function. Both of my chosen breeds are very much natural, and the Gordon Setter Club of America encourages breeders and owners to encourage the breed’s natural hunting ability. (Let me add here that I do _not_ hunt, but my Gordons spend their field time working with a good friend of mine, he has Kharma out hunting right now as a matter of fact 😃 ) I honestly feel sorry for breeds that have been bred innto a travisty of what dogs were intended to be. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, so if I talk about a breed that you just LOVE , please remember it is **ONLY MY OPINION**. > > Take Bulldogs for example. Their appearance originally had a function , with the barbaric sport of bull baiting. That massive jaw was designed to clamp onto the bull’s nose and not let go . But the breed has been exaggerated to the point it is almost impossible for a bitch to deliver a litter without a C-section , and that is just **WRONG**. They have so many respritory problens due to their smooshed face they cannot survive temperature extremes. Cocker Spaniels were at one time true sporting dogs , used to spring and fetch gamebirds. Today’s Cockers would be lucky to be able to fetch a freakin’ sparrow , their mouths are so tiny. And don’t even get me started on that excessive , cotton-y coat There are many of us that don’t thing they belong in the Sporting group any longer , and would be better placed in the Non-Sporting. Pekingese? I don’t even know where to start. Same birthing problems as the Bulldogs, same breathing problems , but add to that the deformed gait that has been bred into them. > > Still , I know these breeds have their supporters , and as I always say , if everyone liked the same breed of dog , it would be a helluva boring dog show. I still prefer the safety net of buying from a reputable breeder, knowing that they CARE about the puppies they produce , and that the puppies have had the best possible start in life , with good vet care, socialization, and well-thought out planning for temperament and health. I can be fairly well assured that if I want a calm mellow dog , by buying from a breeder I trust I won’t end up with a half-crazed hellion. > > That’s all I’m sayin’. 😉 Yeah, it is unfortunate that some breeds are bred for looks, instead of function. I never did understand what people see in the slopping back of German Shepherds or the “pushed in” face of pugs, they look ugly. I find labs and english cocker spaniels better looking than pugs. Though I admit, I would love to own a large dog like a leonberger or a shaggy dog like an Old English Sheepdog. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/46 "2005-08-27T17:44:12Z")
Let’s see… my experiences with dogs. My first dog of my own was Sarah, a Cocker Spaniel from a breeder. She had a runny nose from the start. when we took her to the vet, he asked if she’d had her first shots. We said yes - the breeder had given us her shot records. She came to us with distemper, which may’ve been treated if we knew what we were dealing with right away. I lost Sarah after a couple weeks, the vet having figured out too late what she had. Next Dog was Siddhartha. Sid was an Afghan Hound from a breeder. He was a wonderful dog, the companion of my childhood. He was so devoted to me that if I had to be away from the house overnight, I’d record my voice and the family would hide the tape recorder in different rooms so Sid would think I was just in another part of the house. I had him for 14 years. It hurt so much to lose him. My next dog was Kate. She was a doberman/pointer cross I got from the humane society. The first day I had her, the garbageman came up to the back of the house to get the trash. She took a jump to stand between us to protect me. She was protective, but not aggressive. She was great with kids. The neighbors wouldn’t give their own dogs scraps so they could give her treats. My sister used to babysit for a little boy. I saw him once at the local mall and stopped to say hi. The woman he was with (not his mom) said, “You must be Kate”. I explained that Kate was the dog, and they said “Are you sure - Donnie talks about Kate all the time and never mentioned that she’s a dog.” When she got old and incontinent, I moved into the guest room so she could still sleep in m y room, in hte warm, easy-to-clean waterbed. Kate lived to be 13. After I lost Sid, I said I wouldn’t have just one dog, because I couldn’t go home to an empty house. So when I bought my first house, I also got Mike. Mike was a German Shepherd from the local dog pound. He was a purebred. Just hours from being put down. Mike had a few screws loose. He suffered from separation anxiety when I was gone. He learned how to unlock the windows, open them up and let himself out of the house. That didn’t do the windows (or blinds) any good. And since the pound doubles the fee each time they catch the dog, the last time I got him out cost me $500. But he loved me. He didn’t want much, just me. Simon was another Doberman, purebred this time, also from the pound. He was a stray they picked up. I didn’t really want another dog, but when they told me at the pound that they probably wouldn’t bother putting him up for adoptions because no one would want him anyway (he was very skinny). If they’re pressed for space they just decide if a dog is unlikely to be adopted just to euthanize it. Anyway, of course I took him. Simon was my fatty-boy. Having missed so many meals early in life, he was determined never to miss another. And opposite of Mike, he wouldn’t leave the yard if you paid him. Simon didn’t need the attention that Mike did - he was happy just to be in the same room with me. Wherever I was, he wasn’t too far away. He died after about 10 years with me - he was an adult when I adopted him, so I don’t know how old he was. Ruffian was an Airdale. I got her because a friend of my mother had purchased her from a breeder as a companion for a 2 year old. Not a wise move. When they realized it wasn’t working out, they called me and asked me to take her. She was a typical terrier, my first ever terrier. She was brassy and pushy and I loved her. Last winter when it was raining so hard we were coming back from feeding my horse and she wouldn’t cross the creek because it was running so hard so we (4 dogs and me) went up to the road to cross there. The mailman ran over her. I have a thread about it somewhere. I brought her home, hoping that she would walk again, but she died. Maggie is a Standard Poodle. A co-worker decided she needed a dog. this person had never had so much as a goldfish, and I knew that it wasn’t going to work out. I tried to pursuade her to get a doberman, but she thought a standard poodle was what she nneded. She found a breeder and I went with her to pick up the puppy. She was a geat dog. We took her back to the office, and she behaved perfectly all afternoon. I went home with the co-worker and set up a crate, gave her toys, a bed, etc. The next day was Saturday. She called me at 7:30 say "The dog has to go. She’s following me everywhere. " I explained that she was all the puppy had, that the puppy needed her, but she couldn’t take it. So back the puppy went, back to the breeder. The breeder told other people she wasn’t letting the dog go again. When I called, she said, “What took you so long?” So I paid for her, far less than my co-worker, and brought Maggie home. Someone dumped Grace about 1/2 mile down the road. I found her wandering, lost and hungry and brought her home. A 7-8 year old doberman. I took her in, of course. She showed up just 2 weeks before Simon died. I’ve had an unbroken line of dobermans for 20 years. She fancies herself a hunter, but in reality she doesn’t catch much. A slow rabbit once. A rat in the barn once. She has a heart murmur, the vet says. And finally Fiona. Fiona was at the dog pound, too. 90% of the animals taken in at the Rutherford Co. pound are euthanized. She looked like an Irish Wolfhound, although she was aboutt the size of a doberman. Maggie needed a playmate and she loved playing. She loved chasing butterflies. I brought her home only to have her bit in the face by a rattlesnake the second week. I nursed her through that, only to have her hit by a car as I was out working in the yard. She was chasing a butterfly, I think. The truck didn’t honk, didn’t slow down, didn’t stop after. In fact, I think it swerved to hit her. I got her to the vet within 15 minutes, but she was already dead. Perhaps she wasn’t meant to live, I don’t know. So in my experience it doesn’t matter how you get your dog, but that you treat them with love, respect and discipline. Sure, there are bad apples out there, but most dogs just want those simple things. StG ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/47 "2005-08-27T19:15:46Z")
That’s it. It’s settled. Humane Society, here I come! all I have to do is move … that won’t be too big a deal … right? ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/48 "2005-08-27T19:33:03Z")
**Cowgirl** - I always say dogs are the only love money can buy. The right dog will find you when the time is right. I forgot Wolf. I picked up Wolf about 5 months ago. The guy that used to manage the barn where I boarded my horse before I bought my farm got into drugs. Eventually he left in the middle of the night after collecting a couple months worth of board and not forwarding it on to the property owner. He left behind 6 horses and an old alaksan malamute. The horses found homes okay, but no one wanted an old barn dog, so Wolf came to live here. I say that he’s not really a pet, he’s a “guest until he dies”. He’s the first outside dog I’ve ever had, but he’s beginning to come in more and more often. He acted at first like he expected to be hit if he came in the house. Now he comes in and settles on one of the dog beds. He doesn’t move, just lies there all evening, until it’s time for the last trip out before bedtime. Then he goes back outside and doesn’t try to come in again. He had a mysterious case of paralysis a couple months ago. The vet couldn’t figure it out, andshe had the needle ready, all set to euthanize him, but check one more time for pain sensation in his back toes. He responded sluggishly, so we hospitalized him for a few days and gave him seriods and he miraculously recovered. They were calling him the “miracle dog” at the clinic because it was so unexpected. They’re all good dogs. Even the ones that caused me trouble, like Mike. They loved me. You can’t regret love. StG ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/49 "2005-08-28T04:30:49Z")
> [@BluePitbull](#): > > Yeah, it is unfortunate that some breeds are bred for looks, instead of function. I never did understand what people see in the slopping back of German Shepherds or the “pushed in” face of pugs, they look ugly. I find labs and english cocker spaniels better looking than pugs. > Though I admit, I would love to own a large dog like a leonberger or a shaggy dog like an Old English Sheepdog. The looks aren’t really the problem I have with purebreeds; it’s the health of the animals suffering so that humans can have a tiny dog, or a huge dog, or a dog with virtually no nose, or a dog with droopy eyes and ears, or a dog with short, twisted legs that I find morally abhorrent. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/50 "2005-08-28T09:25:26Z")
I would go for an animal from a refuge. Pure breds generally go to good homes. As has been said, at a refuge you are giving a pet a chance. I have got all our cats from refuges, (apart from one that wandered in) and they have been great. Good luck with your mutt. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/51 "2005-08-28T18:13:39Z")
You are rolling the dice with a pound dog, IMO. The last pound dog we had was a mixed breed who turned out to be so aggressive that we could not have people into our house. There’s too much that can already be wrong with an older dog. The odds may be good, but–and this is just us, YMMV–I am not willing to take that chance again. It was way too stressful, and too much of a burden. After our pound dog died, we decided to do our research and look for a dog where disposition was the first, second and last major component in our decision on breed. We got an AKC-registered blonde lab (we were getting either a lab or a golden retreiver), who is simply the sweetest animal I have ever encountered. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He loves everyone who comes into the house. We helped to ensure this by seeing his parents, and how they acted, and by going with a breeder, not a puppy mill. Anyway, we just love him. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599/52 "2005-08-29T19:18:31Z")
Another vote here for [www.petfinder.com](http://www.petfinder.com). We have gotrten both of our dogs from there. It’s almost heartbreaking to think of all the great adorable dogs that just get abandoned. Petfinder can help you find local animals of any age and size and a lot of the local shelters and humane societies post through them. When my 14 year old shar pei shuffles off this mortal coil, I’ll go back to pet finer to get her little brother a new playmate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-a-dog-pound-puppy-or-purebred/318599.md?page=2)