In today’s world, everyone has a voice, and the same holds true when considering adding a furry companion to your household. There are numerous perspectives on the ideal approach, with some firmly advocating for shelter rescue dogs while others vow to steer clear of the shelters, claiming they’re only full of problems and insist that only the finest dogs come from a breeder.

Here’s the bottom line: there is no definitive right or wrong choice. It’s a deeply personal decision that should take into account each family’s unique situation.

My first dog that I had as an adult was found living under a porch in a very remote village in Alaska. The village was known for stray and abandoned dogs, with no veterinarian care, most were interbred larger mixed Labrador and Rottweiler breeds used as a bear alarms to alert the village. My boy Tootles, was a tough completely displaced 12-pound cotton puff that was purchased in ” the City” and left to fend for himself. He was the best dog and gave me 13 amazing years full of adventure. He got me through life, from 3 big moves across country, job transitions, vacations, married life, and losing significant family members– he was my might little sidekick.

However, as much as I loved the fierce little 12- pound ball of love, he came with baggage. I never fully understood his background but after talking to the village priest and the person who owned the porch where Tootles was previously living, it was clear he had a rough up bringing. This translated to intense barking at certain people, anxiety with fireworks, a serious hate for large trucks, and mild resource guarding for his favorite person– ie me. He was my wild little man from Alaska and I just kind of tolerated his behavior for 13 years.

Knowing pet ownership is literally a lifetime, I was adamant about having a perfect dog after he passed. I wanted to avoid the drama and weight of worrying about who was coming to visit, trash day, thunder storms, and holidays involving fireworks.

I read at least 10 books about perfect puppy training, endless videos, tons of research, and talked to a wide range of people. I went down the rabbit hole head first and crash landed on the decision to go with a purebred dog.

I researched the heck out of breeds from the doodle world to nearly every AKC recognized low-shedding breed. I finally landed on the perfect breed. A handful of the literature I read mentioned puppies go through 3 stages of development by the time they’re able to go home from a breeder and the way they’re raised has a significant impact on their temperament and personality. Naturally, I proceeded to research breeders, thankfully there aren’t many breeders in the US for the chosen breed so it narrowed the options.

Dare I say it? Tessie came from a breeder. The first time I admitted that, there was a gasp and a judgmental reaction, as if I had committed a cardinal sin by not adopting a shelter dog. The implication seemed to be that I had just carelessly called up a breeder halfway across the country and said, “Hey, send me one perfect fluff next week. See ya, Thanks!”

It’s become a very noble and almost an elitists badge of entitlement to rescue a dog while discarding the fact that rescue dogs have some very concerning challenges. Not knowing their full background, taking on a rescue dog can come with several strings attached. It’s easier to train a dog when they’re younger, when they’re brand new, and haven’t learned bad behaviors. Housetraining is one of the biggest reasons for surrendering a dog to the shelter. New puppy owners may not know how to appropriately handle the potty training situation, so they get frustrated and tired of cleaning up accidents, and as a last resort send the pup packing. Getting the housetraining program right early on is one of the key milestone indicators of puppy ownership success. When a small puppy has an accident, it’s a smaller mess to cleanup. Not a huge surprise that when a larger dog has an accident, it’s a bigger mess. Breaking the habit takes time, consistency, and a lot of patience. I acknowledge that not all rescue dogs are unpotty trained, many times you luck out and completely bypass the house training phase, which is a huge win! However, there may be additional hurdles like reactivity, aggression, resource guarding, chewing, destructive behaviors, or biting–which can be dangerous especially around little ones.

There is a belief that unethical breeding is the reason for a majority of the dogs in the shelter. Unethical breeding often refers to less than satisfactory practices ranging from the typical puppy mill to the hobby-shop back yard breeding program where momma dogs and puppies receive less than optimal care. The majority of the time, profits are the driving force and breeders simply produce dogs to quickly make money. Ethical breeders on the other hand, have an established breeding program with meticulous records that prioritize the health and wellness of mommas and their offspring. They usually adhere to breed standards and have reputable reviews, and often produce very few puppies. Yes, there are often higher associated costs, applications forms, and wait times but this typically results in dedicated pet owners that legitimately want to care for their puppies and fewer surrendered to the shelters.

We recently hit the jackpot with a rescue pup at our local shelter. Under normal circumstances, there are rarely any low-shedding dogs at the shelter. Other dogs we’ve checked out had some incompatible behavior issues. Meanwhile, Mia was a hidden treasure. She even came housebroken with an impressive amount of training– a huge surprise to all the literature and research I’ve read.

Notable traits of a rescue dog include their appreciation for treats, toys, meal toppers, and bedding. Shelter life is often hard on a pup so when they finally have a chance to call a place home their happiness and appreciation is deeply acknowledged. Meanwhile, the lifestyle a pup has when they go home at 8 weeks old is just ordinary life for them. However, at only weeks old, you’re gifted the opportunity to see your tiny rubbery puppy grow into a full-size dog and teach everything they need to know and prevent unwanted behaviors.

Navigating the worlds both rescue and breeding, I understand the biases and judgments surrounding pet ownership. Acquiring a puppy from a breeder often seems expensive and glorified, which can make rescue animals seem less valuable, as they typically come with only a small adoption or donation fee. However, there is no definitive right or wrong choice. Each household has its own unique circumstances. What matters most is that families thoughtfully consider their decisions and ensure they can offer a safe and joyful life for the pets they welcome into their homes. I ask everyone to be respectful of these choices, show compassion, and support each other as we share the privilege of pet parenting.