What is your opinion on paying a lot of money for a pure breed dog while dogs in the pound are euthanized?

it's called different strokes.


Many people only want a pet, a rescue dog fits the bill nicely


Some people want to run field trials, it becomes nice to have a dog that they wil at leastl let you enter in a field trial,,,,, leaves out rescue dogs


Some people want a hunting companion, before spending thousands on training it's nice to know that the dog is sound first,,,,, leaves out rescue dogs


some people want a show dog


some people want a herding dog


some people want rescue dogs


dogs for the blind


bomb sniffing dogs


police dogs


the list goes on,,,, sometimes a rescue dog works, sometimes it does't

What is your opinion on paying a lot of money for a pure breed dog while dogs in the pound are euthanized?
So many good, thoughtful answers on this thread!!! :-)





And Robomom....I just LOVED your story about being chosen by Sheba. :D


Thanks for sharing that. It gave me warm fuzzies.
Reply:Waste of money but to each their own. I would rather have a mutt any day.
Reply:Some of the best dogs are mixed breeds. The reason behind this I think is that when a pure bred dog has, lets call it the stupid gene, it can't be bred out of them. In a mixed breed you may find a few stupid here and there but they are generally all different. Hope that made sense.
Reply:Only people with airs do such a thing. It is demonstrated that dogs in the pound are smarter than pure bree dogs, they can offer a lot of love and gratitude and they will never betray your trust
Reply:I think it's deplorable that there are so many unwanted dogs out there. I wish I could help them all. At the same time, I can understand why someone would want a specific breed. Many people want certain characteristics in the dogs they have as pets. They want to make sure this dog fits in with their lifestyle. Although, you can never be certain about what a dog's personality will be, you're more likely to come closer to what you want with a pure bred animal.


Of course, now, many shelters do extensive temperment testing on their animals. So, people aren't as clueless to what they're getting into anymore.


While it is commendable that people want to adopt homeless dogs, if everyone did that, the responsible breeders would suffer.


They shouldn't have to pay just because there are irresponsible pet owners out there.


I guess I'm not the one who can tell you what's right or wrong. I think it's different for each individual.
Reply:it is a really stupid thing to do
Reply:I'm all for adopting animals. I've never had a purebred cat or dog in my life, and I would go to a breed rescue if I did get one.
Reply:I have grown up with dogs my whole life and cats. I always get my dogs and cats from the pound , never in my life will I pay hundreds upon hundreds for a dog when there are thousands of dogs that are getting ready to lose their life because nobody wants a "mutt". I think that is truly sad that they have to have the most expensive dogs, the dogs that look the cutest. Well to be honest the mutts look alot better then them show dogs or purebreeds.





You get into them purebreeds and they breed within families and then you got major medical problems with dogs. Purebreeds have so many more medical problems then mutts do. My mom has always gotten purebreeds and she has spent thousands and thousands and thousands of dollors on her purebreeds where as I get a mutt from the pound and never have a problem with them at all.





Just because people drop dogs off at the pound dont mean there is something wrong with them. The majority of them dogs and cats are in the pound from irresponsiable pet owners not taking the time to get their animals fixed because they are to lazy to do it or dont want to spend the money on the vet. Well, if you are a pet owner you are going to spend money on them that is just the facts.





And then they get them fancy purebreeds and then the owners think they have to change the dogs look from chopping their ears and tails off. Jeez, why even get a dog if you are going to do that to them I dont think its right its pet abuse as far as Im concerned . My vet wont even do that unless its a medical reason for it to be done and that is why I like her so much she cares for the animals.





Go the pound and save a life instead of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a dog . To me that is a waste of money
Reply:I think that for the average family that wants just a loving pet the shelters and pounds should be the first option. For those who show or have an interest in that then I guess that is fine. There are so many breed rescues out there too that someone has the options to get whatever they want. I think we as humans need to become more responsible for what we do and what situations we cause.
Reply:For myself, I would not do it. I live in a country where dogs are not treated well, rarely fed and have to fend for themselves. If they are injured, they heal on their own, or die. Only after Americans created a free spay and neuter clinic was this eventually accepted by the locals. An expensive pure breed dog here would not only be dangerous for its health, but would appear obscene in this setting.
Reply:my first opinion is to have all pets spayed or neutered unless your a professional breeder. which is a breeder who is responsible for


their breeding, breeds only to improve the breed and not trying to make money. as a good breeder knows, there is no money in


breeding puppies for the right reasons. pure bred puppies/dogs


are euthanized everyday at pounds due to over population and


pet owners who find every excuse they can to get rid of their pets.


not to mention mix breeds. where do you think pure bred dogs came from? designer dogs are showing up more and more at the pounds also, which by the way are mix breed dogs. be responsible and spay/neuter your pets to prevent overpopulation.


Just because it's akc or "purebred" doen't mean it's quality breeding, it just says the dog has been registered as purebred.


so rescue a dog from the pound and do the right thing and have


it spayed/neutered.
Reply:I was always for pure breed dogs until I got my newist dog. She is so much stronger and heathier! (She's a mutt) I think I will go for mutts and mixed breeds! Why pay $500 when you could get a great dog for like $60 at the animal shelter!


~Froggie
Reply:If you plan to show or breed the dog, then by all means invest in a pure bred. Otherwise, I think mutts are often nicer. Personally, I have long held that once I can have a dog, I want a Rottweiler. But I also know that there are certain cross-breeds that might be superior. If I lived somewhere that allowed dogs -- or when I get a place of my own, where I make the rules -- I will definitely get a good-sized dog and do what it takes to train it well. I love a large, well-disciplined dog.
Reply:Its a waste of money. I have seen so many pure breed dogs in the pound, yes I visit regularly. People go for the hype of a pure breed but dont realize the nature of the particular breed. Like all the Jack Russell terriers bought because of Eddie on Frazier. When the folks got home with the pups, had no idea it takes years of training for them to behave that way. The nature of these dogs is to be 100% hyper 24/7. They cant handle it, and end up dumping them at the animal shelter. Its easier to just toss your check in the trash.





Save yourself money %26amp; heart break. Every animal I ever owned as an adult, I got at the pound. You have to be careful there too, but you can SEE something about the nature of the dog a little better when you check them out. I look in the eyes. A puppy is cute and cuddly but if they have that vacant duh stare, they arent very bright. You will have trouble training them. You can tell if they are yelpers, yappers, or just a basic pain in the rear by watching and interacting with them for a few minutes.





Cats are the same way. I'm a dog person and when helping a friend find a cat at the pound, I was chosen to take a beautiful young lady named Sheba home with me. I explained to her that I was a dog person, and had 3 at home, but she convinced me that she would be a perfect little lady. That was 5 years ago and Im so glad she chose me. The dogs love her too.
Reply:i think everyone is different and whatever their choice is is there choice. you can't save them all.. there are 9 dogs to every one human in america. i dont want 9 dogs
Reply:I have done both, and while I always seem to have a "rescue dog', I do like a specific breed and will continue to breed,show,and buy that breed.


I want a specicif look,temperment,and a dog that does certain things. That is just how it is. I have also had a bad experience with a shelter dog that had to be euthanized due to aggression. The shelter never temperment tested the dogs and didn't know the dog's history. It was a bad situation. It is not like cats. If you adopt one that is aggressive, it is easier to deal with. Dogs, however are brought to shelter for a reason and many times people have done awful things to them or done nothing wtih them at all. It all has an effect on the dog and makes many of then unsuitable for many types of homes. Many shelters cannot screen proplerly and then rehome the dogs hoping for the best.





If you want to adopt a dog, great, if you want to buy a dog, great. No one should pretend that either solution is better for everyone.
Reply:I would so much rather have a mixed breed dog than a full blooded. Mixed breeds have better temperments and make better pets for families with children. I payed for my mixed breed (lab and pitbull). The only thing about mixed breeds is alot of time you will run into problems with their health. You spend whatever money you saved buying mixed with vet trips and meds.
Reply:i personally like going ot the pound, thats where i got my dog sandy adn she is the best. then you feel good about yourself cause you saved an animals life. but i will admit that i go my dauschand holly from a breeder and walked past a pet store and almost bought another one but she was 1000$ adn thats outta my price range


the way i look at it, as long as you give it love and care for it, your doing the right thing
Reply:i think it is a little unfair but some people want sertain looks in dog but what alot of people dont know is that a mix or a mutt can make a much better smarter well temperd pet due to less inbreeding.


I would prefer to get a dog to save it from being put down then pay for one
Reply:I always wanted a mutt when I was a kid and my Mom made me get a pure bred. The funny thing is I'm mixed myself. What kind of lesson was she teaching me? Anyway mutts are cool. A yellow lab mixed with a smaller dog would be pretty cool. Puggles are cool too.