'Buy' All Means, Shop for Your Next Dog

One rallying cry for the animal rightists is "Don't Shop, Adopt!" Oh, but if it were only that simple.

That phrase is intended to prevent people from purchasing puppies directly from pet stores. All pet store puppies come from breeders, just like any other dog. I used the word "breeder" in the general sense, because that's what they are, and that's where those puppies come from. The standards of care those breeders use varies, as does the quality of care the rest of the animals at pet stores may receive. So a buyer should "shop" around, if quality of care matters to them. While I wouldn't recommend to my friends that a pet store is a good place to find a quality dog for a good price, I also don't recommend shelters as my first pick, either. There are other reasons for that statement, but I digress.

When a person "adopts" a pet, typically there is a fee involved. This means that regardless of what you call it, you are "shopping", and you will make a purchase for a piece of property, legally speaking, even when you visit a local shelter. Once you buy that animal, you have a legal responsibility to take good care of it, because you own it.

Well that just takes the wind out of your heroism-seeking sails, doesn't it? You don't necessarily "rescue" or "save" a dog from that "no-kill" shelter (or any other), where it was probably turned in after being generally well-cared for at its first home, and is now well-fed and healthy. (Nor is that dog called a "rescue", as that wouldn't make sense, as this word is supposed to be used as a verb). No, you BUY the animal, just as you would a car-- you have to fill out some forms and make some promises first, but when money changes hands, you are buying that dog.

So, if you're considering buying from a shelter, what is the difference between the dogs you would find there and the ones you would find in a pet store? Some of the dogs in both places have been poorly bred, and may have structural, medical, and behavioral issues that make them less desirable. On the other hand, there are some "gems" to be found in both places, but you may not know them at first sight.

The pet store dog is likely young and attractive, but it may have originated from an irresponsible breeder. You may have an ethical problem with that person profiting from the money leaving your hands in exchange for the animal, and the pup may cost you alot more in the long run if it isn't really healthy. The shelter pup may be a cheaper purchase, and the shelter may or may not "profit" from your choice, but the dog may still have the same problems.

Most of the dogs in shelters are there because they were unwanted by someone else. They were likely unwanted largely because they weren't top-quality dogs. (If they were of good quality, the previous owner would have kept or easily sold it themselves). If you're okay taking a chance with a dog that may not live long, may cost you in medical or training fees, and may be difficult to live with, the shelter fee may be worth it. For many of us, dogs from shelters turn out to be great, healthy pet dogs and well worth the risk (I've heard rumors of the same being true of pet store puppies). But still, you have to "shop" for that great deal that fits your home.

Or, you can go a more direct route and shop around for specific breeds and breeders, and then shop amongst them for that perfect pup or adult dog. There are some great buys around, but unfortunately, because of the animal rights' groups legal antics, there are less quality breeders around these days, and they are getting harder to find. They face too many costly legal restrictions.

A really good breeder is likely to spend a lot on the care of their dogs, testing for and caring for their health, competing to prove their structural quality and temperament, and generally spoiling them. This means that their puppies are going to cost more than a shelter is likely to charge (at least, that's how it should be). But you, as an educated buyer, would know exactly what to expect from such a breeder, and you'd likely have a good advisor for your dog's future with them as well. Purchasing from a quality breeder can be like an investment in your quality dog, and lots of people feel good about such a purchase.

Or you could find a breeder who doesn't show their dogs or compete with their dogs, and does minimal testing but may have healthy dogs, who has kept their breeding kennel hidden from the AR's long enough to make it financially feasable to breed some decent dogs, who then are able to still provide you with a good dog for a decent price.

Or they may charge you a mint for a lemon because they don't know the difference or they don't care. You have to shop around to find the breeder you want to buy from.

So regardless of your ethical standards or how much you are willing to spend on your next dog, you have to shop around. You'll shop at the shelter, for a breeder, or the at pet store, or from the newspaper, local flyers, Craigslist or other internet sources, or word of mouth.

"Adoption" may be the best, most affordable route for you to go to find what you are looking for, and you might feel really good about providing a home (buying) for a dog "in need" (for sale). You might find a great breeder and dog through a pet store if you're really lucky, but I wouldn't recommend wasting your time on that route. Or perhaps shopping around for the right puppy, from an experienced purebred dog breeder would be the best bet for you to find the dog you are looking for.

But 'buy' all means, shop for your next dog.