You’ve decided to get a dog – congratulations! This is an exciting time. Now, you just have to decide if you’re going to be adopting a dog from a shelter vs. breeder.
The Advantages of Adopting a Dog from a Shelter
There are many advantages of adopting a dog from a shelter.
Help a Shelter
Shelters are often full of puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs that need a home. These shelters are stretched thin when it comes to caring for all of the animals. When you adopt from a shelter, you’re helping a shelter greatly.
Give a Dog a Forever Home
Shelter dogs don’t receive the same type of comfort, love, and attention as they would in a loving home. When you decide to adopt from a shelter, you’re deciding to give a dog the life he/she deserves.
Variety to Choose From
Shelters have many different breeds to choose from, and many of them are mixed breeds. The benefit of a mixed breed is that many dogs are the perfect combination of two or more breeds. You truly end up with a unique canine.
Inexpensive
Adopting from a shelter is much less expensive than using a breeder. Since there is a high demand for dogs needing homes, costs are low to adopt them. Some shelters only charge $50 with an approved application.
The Disadvantages of Adopting a Dog from a Shelter
As you can see, there are many advantages of adopting a dog from a shelter. Just like anything, though. There are disadvantages to it as well.
Unknown History
Unfortunately, many dogs that make their way into a shelter have been abused. These dogs may carry some deep-rooted issues that could make it difficult to have them as a pet in your home. Most shelters rehabilitate their dogs before allowing them to be adopted, so be sure to ask about this if you decide to adopt a shelter dog.
Mixed Breeds – Mixed Medical Risks
Many medical conditions are genetic according to breed. Since shelter dogs are often mixed, they may suffer from many different medical conditions.
Personality Unknown
Since shelters are bombarded with many different dogs, they often don’t have a chance to get to know the dogs. This means that you won’t have a lot of information to go on to decide if a particular pup’s personality is a good fit for you and your family.
Take time to get to know the pup you’re interested in if you find one you like by visiting the shelter often. This way you’ll have an easier time understanding the pup’s personality, so you ca make a decision on whether or not he/she is right for you.
The Advantages of Using a Dog Breeder
Dog breeders are professionals who breed dogs to sell. Good breeders are passionate about their breed and can tell you a lot about their pups when you’re interested in using them. There are other advantages of using a dog breeder that can help you decide on whether you should use one.
Know the History
Breeders are the only ones who have cared for a puppy, so they will know all about the pup’s history. They know what happened during birth, what vaccinations were given, and any medical concerns affecting the mother and father.
Personality Information
Puppies show off their personality as soon as possible. Breeders pick up on these personalities and can tell you the differences between the pups in the litter. This way if you want a spunky and active pup, the breeder can point out which one would be perfect for you.
Breed Knowledge
Since breeders are experts in the breed they work with, you can ask as many questions as you like about it and get a good answer. You can get a rundown of potential medical risks and any care recommendations that are specific to the breed.
The Disadvantages of Using a Breeder
Despite all of the information you can get from a breeder, there are some disadvantages of using one you should be aware of before making a decision.
Breeders Aren’t All the Same
Some breeders are not trustworthy. They are in the breeding business only to make money and will tell you anything you want to hear to be able to sell their pups. Do your research if you decide to use a breeder to make sure you’re not working with someone who isn’t in the business for the right reasons.
They Are Expensive
You’ll pay anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars for a dog when using a breeder. Since the dogs are purebred vs. mixed, they are much more in demand so breeders charge much more for them.