Adopt or Shop

[BrianLovesAkitas]

Im looking to get a dog soon and want to know whether it is a better idea to adopt an older dog, GSD for example, or just buy a puppy. Pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Violet Turner]

Im looking to get a dog soon and want to know whether it is a better idea to adopt an older dog, GSD for example, or just buy a puppy. Pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.

Adopt Adopt Adopt!!! because its cheaper but you will be giving a dog a warm safe home!!

 

[JudyN]

Buying a puppy

Pros:
You get all the fun of puppy zoomies, puppy breath and irresistible cuteness
You can start off the training from Day 1 in the way you want to train, thus (hopefully) avoiding long-term issues
Puppies are fun!!!
If you choose the breeder carefully, you have a good chance of avoiding long-term health issues and dodgy temperament (you want a breeder who has selected for temperament, not just appearance)

Cons:
Everything can get chewed: chairlegs, cushions, pens, shoes, your hands and ankles...
Housetraining 'accidents'
Having to take pup out every hour or even more often when housetraining
Puppies can be as much work as a human baby - more, in fact because if you put a baby down it stays where you put it and doesn't try to eat everything in its reach
Broken nights
More expensive
Will need to have someone there just about all the time to start out with

Adopting an adult

Pros:
Cheaper (at least in the short term)
If you adopt from a good rescue, you know a lot about the dog's temperament, training and behaviour
Possibly already housetrained
You are giving an unwanted dog a good home (and making space in the rescue for another unwanted dog) - you are literally saving a dog's life
Probably much less work
If a crossbreed, may be healthier than your average pedigree dog

Cons:
You are unlikely to know the parentage and any issues the parents had
May have been abused in the past and as a result be scared of (and fear aggressive towards)anything from men wearing hats to gates (someone I know has adopted a dog with a strong fear of gates...
May well have been poorly socialised which can also cause fear of certain people, dog reactivity, etc.
May not be housetrained and will have bigger 'accidents' than a pup
May not have had any training at all, and training will take longer than with a pup
May be 'shut down' in the rescue so their personality may not appear until a few weeks after you adopt them
May even be so traumatised that they can never be 'fixed'
Will take longer to build a bond and mutual trust

I'm sure there's more pros & cons to both I've missed. Most of the risks of adoption can be avoided if you choose a good rescue organisation. Bear in mind that though some people say you should never buy from a breeder while there are dogs in rescue, if no one bought pups from good breeders, before long all dogs would come from puppy farms, bad breeders and random accidental matings - and because they will probably develop health and behavioural issues because of bad breeding or early experiences, are much more likely to end up in rescues. So ignore anyone who says that you 'must' adopt and make your own decision.

 

[Violet Turner]

Buying a puppy

Pros:
You get all the fun of puppy zoomies, puppy breath and irresistible cuteness
You can start off the training from Day 1 in the way you want to train, thus (hopefully) avoiding long-term issues
Puppies are fun!!!
If you choose the breeder carefully, you have a good chance of avoiding long-term health issues and dodgy temperament (you want a breeder who has selected for temperament, not just appearance)

Cons:
Everything can get chewed: chairlegs, cushions, pens, shoes, your hands and ankles...
Housetraining 'accidents'
Having to take pup out every hour or even more often when housetraining
Puppies can be as much work as a human baby - more, in fact because if you put a baby down it stays where you put it and doesn't try to eat everything in its reach
Broken nights
More expensive
Will need to have someone there just about all the time to start out with

Adopting an adult

Pros:
Cheaper (at least in the short term)
If you adopt from a good rescue, you know a lot about the dog's temperament, training and behaviour
Possibly already housetrained
You are giving an unwanted dog a good home (and making space in the rescue for another unwanted dog) - you are literally saving a dog's life
Probably much less work
If a crossbreed, may be healthier than your average pedigree dog

Cons:
You are unlikely to know the parentage and any issues the parents had
May have been abused in the past and as a result be scared of (and fear aggressive towards)anything from men wearing hats to gates (someone I know has adopted a dog with a strong fear of gates...
May well have been poorly socialised which can also cause fear of certain people, dog reactivity, etc.
May not be housetrained and will have bigger 'accidents' than a pup
May not have had any training at all, and training will take longer than with a pup
May be 'shut down' in the rescue so their personality may not appear until a few weeks after you adopt them
May even be so traumatised that they can never be 'fixed'
Will take longer to build a bond and mutual trust

I'm sure there's more pros & cons to both I've missed. Most of the risks of adoption can be avoided if you choose a good rescue organisation. Bear in mind that though some people say you should never buy from a breeder while there are dogs in rescue, if no one bought pups from good breeders, before long all dogs would come from puppy farms, bad breeders and random accidental matings - and because they will probably develop health and behavioural issues because of bad breeding or early experiences, are much more likely to end up in rescues. So ignore anyone who says that you 'must' adopt and make your own decision.

you just sum up everything i was going to say and more!!

 

[arealhuman]

I'm biased towards adopting as you may have gathered from my other posts One other pro is that you can spend time with the dog to make sure you're suitable for each other before taking the plunge. Make sure your entire family is involved in this. You may even be able to foster the dog first, on the basis that if things don't work out, the dog can be returned to the shelter. As I said, visit a shelter, asks lots of questions, get involved with the dogs. You have nothing to lose if you do this, and so much to gain.

 

[thedogsbeforetime]

Well, technically, going the rescue or breeder route is shopping, either way.

What are you looking for in a dog or puppy?

Would you prefer a dog whose background you don't know at all besides what information the rescue may have gotten?

Or go to a breeder who has pedigree, health testing, temperament of lines, etc?

In the end, you can get both puppies and adult from rescues. And you can get both puppies and adults from breeder/breeder resources. It's just what you feel you need in a dog/puppy, need to know about the dog/puppy, and what you're comfortable with.

Just don't shop, when it comes to a pet store or unethical breeder/source.

 

[Mrs S]

Our last dog we adopted at two years old... We now have a puppy (well he was given to our friend but we pretty much live at hers now so he belongs to the three us!) and I can honestly say... ADOPT AN OLDER DOG. Roz (our first dog) was so easy going and no trouble at all... Giz is a monster in a dog suit!
Plus it's a lovely satisfying feeling knowing you've given a home to a rescue dog

 

[PineappleQueen]

Im also bias towards adopting. Just the thought of all the dogs in kennels in this weather breaks my heart.

Im also of the thinking that there is a 'right' dog for each owner and vice versa. Training an older dog, expecially when you dont know what has happened to him/her can be hard, but training a puppy can be hard too. I honestly think that with dogs you get out what you put in, the harder the work the bigger the reward. Seeing the change from terrified doggo to happy famiy member is amazing (for doggo and human)