Re: Buying a gift, whats kinda dog makes the best pet?
My apologies to anyone I might offend, but I have never understood this, either.
There a people in this world that for one reason or another want a specific breed. A good breeder is willing to provide this to the right type of owner that makes a good fit for the dog. Many look at it as matching the owner to the dog not the dog to the owner.
If a person comes to me and states they would like one of my pups, I will not promise them one out of a little until I see what the personalities are of the dogs. If I do not have one that will mesh well with them, I will send them to the nearest shelter and help them find one that will.
After the litter of pups leave, we donate any extra items to the local shelter since it will be another year or so, in this case a year and a half until the next litter.
Two of our dogs have come from a shelter and there is nothing wrong at all with them. One was even abused when we got her (our old maid Saint). Since there is a demand for purebred Saints, I would rather contribute to the well bred and raised ones than see someone go to a pet store and buy one from a puppy mill.
Another note many of you might not realize. Not too long ago there was a puppy mill in this area that was shut down. EVERY one of the puppies and the adult dogs were taken in by local breeders that could not bear the thought of these animals being euthanized.