A lot of people try to make me feel shitty about my purebred dog, a German Shepherd Dog from working lines, bred locally from Czech and American stock.
The thing is, I looked at rescue dogs first. The rescue organizations I tried to deal with treated me like trash. I went to an animal shelter to pick-up a puppy; they lied to me and held it for someone else, who ridiculed me when she arrived to pick up her dog. After that, I began researching breeders and found one that treated me with courtesy, dignity, and respect. I got my puppy from that breeder. She is the perfect dog for me and my family, no doubt about it.
I love my dog. Part of the reason I love her so much might be the struggle I just described above.
I think if the first rescue I dealt with had let me adopt a dog from them, I would have taken that dog for granted. Their disdain and ugliness, followed by a slightly more sugar-coated version from the non-breed specific rescues I met with, was like a wake-up call.
The smug ridicule I endured from the lady who somehow put a hold on the puppy I had driven more than sixty miles to rescue and take home? That opened my eyes to character of rescuers themselves. I'll never look at them as altruistic again. They're basically just bargain hunters, looking to beat out other people to have nice 'things' cheap. I doubt they really love their dogs at all.
Of course, people tell me, the breeders were nice to you and respectful! They were selling you a dog!
Yeah...and the rescue groups wanted only about $150 less for the privilege of adopting a puppy - for those who qualified. The only people here not having an adventure in capitalistic enterprise were the animal shelters, and they weren't exactly shining stars of fairness and competence here. I'm looking at you, Gwinnett County.
The kennel that bore and bred my dog was a family enterprise, brought about by a combination of hard times and a love for the breed going back to the proprietors' childhoods. They asked me a lot of questions, but always in a polite way. The interview lasted more than an hour and a half. No one, rescue or shelter, spoke with me for more than ten minutes. When I left their home that first visit, I knew. I just knew.
My doggy and I have been together a little over a year and a half now. I don't want to say that rescuing is wrong. It depends on the person and the rescue group and other factors. I just want others to know that if they've been treated like shit by a rescue, they are not alone and that getting a dog from a breeder isn't the end of the world. And if someone opts to go that route, good for them. Purebred dogs make great companions too.
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