The truth about most dogs lives.

[Pupsnpullets]

It should never be about spaying and neutering, an unhealthy practice anyway, especially juvenile spay/neuter. It's about somehow getting the message through to people about being responsible for your selves, your families, your animals and generally society in general. I was not born in this country and have traveled many countries, but over stuffed shelters was (it may be different now) only a serious problem in this country! Why is that? No other country I've visited is as picky about getting pets neutered at this country and yet no other country (that I've visited) has the over population of pets as this country. Sadly, so many dogs here have mental issues, too, which again makes it difficult to know whether I'm doing the right thing or not by adopting. In this litigious society there is quite a risk taking an unknown dog into your home.

I don't want to point the finger or blame anyone or any circumstance for the way things are, for every finger I point there are 4 pointing back at me. In fact, I feel tremendously sad for the dogs, the families who want an animal and don't 'qualify', and even for those that discard their animals. Some how we've got to get back valuing ourselves and then maybe the ripple effect will continue on out and we can respect all of nature, too.

I have two gorgeous dogs, both discarded from their families when the kids grew up. Now one has serious neurological issues from spinal damage and the other is blind but they will never be discarded again. Oh, and one is still entire. There have never been any 'mishaps'. I probably would never choose a disabled dog if I were looking to adopt but then I won't part with it cos it's no longer 'perfect' either.

I sorry to bore you with all of this but my fingers just wouldn't stop typing. I guess, in a nutshell I'd have to say the problem seems to me much larger than puppy mills, back yard breeders and struggling shelters.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Quote:
I'm sorry, I read your post at least three times to be sure I was reading it right... Did you say spaying/neutering is unhealthy? I'm curisous as to why you feel this way...

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Quote:
I'm sorry, I read your post at least three times to be sure I was reading it right... Did you say spaying/neutering is unhealthy? I'm curisous as to why you feel this way...

Juvenile spaying and neutering (before puberty) has got a few problems associated with it. I'll find my notes and see if I can send them to you but right off hand there is the issue of female incontinence often occurring in middle age, and with both male and females there can be joint problems, especially in working dogs. Apparently at the onset of puberty a hormone is secreted which directs the body to stop growing and develop the joints. In early neuter cases the dogs keep growing and tend to have immature joints which which can break down under stress - think agility, working sheep and cattle dogs etc. I'll pm you if you want more info. Don't really want to hijack this thread

 

[Beekissed]

I didn't read all the posts, so someone may have mentioned this already...but along with this topic another point should be made. It is a good thing to give an unwanted animal a home and all of mine came indirectly from the pound or unwanted surplus.

I say they came indirectly from the pound because two the best dogs in the world were pound puppies, not once but twice or more...and were adopted by people who thought they were cute or nice but then decided they drank too much water, were too big, shed too much on the carpet, etc. and either abandoned them or gave them to me.

I would say, if you are going to adopt a dog, please make sure the breed, the temperament, the size, the hair quality is JUST what you want. Not something that will make you wish you hadn't brought the dog home much later and then you have to, once again, send the dog out into the world.

When I bring home a dog~this has happened a whole 3 times in my life~they stay with me until the end. This means I must be very sure that this dog will fit into my life, no matter where I live, where I move, what money I have, etc. Or, one's choices about living should include provisions for your dog from the time they are brought into your life.

Now, I know that sometimes illness and tragedies can prevent you from keeping your dogs for their lifetime, but there is an exception to every rule.

Also...when you bring the dog home, make a great attempt to train the dog in the manner that will make your life with the dog easier and better for you both. Don't bring home an adult dog you've adopted, turn it loose in the yard and expect it will automatically be well behaved and not kill your other animals, dig up your garden, chew up your garden hose, etc.

AND, it would be nice to only adopt a dog if it won't overstress your finances, living area, time, health....if you bring home every orphan dog just because you want to "give it a good home", how in the world will you provide for all those animals? Will it stress your life? Will it strain your finances? Will it overwhelm you to care for them all? Will they all get good, individual training and attention? If not, you are more likely to want to rehome the dog.

 

[isadream]

Quote:
Over stuffed shelters may just be in the US because we build shelters and try to humanely take care of the strays. In lots of countries they just shoot them down or import them here to adopt out. Right now different rescue groups are importing about 300,000 mutts/strays from these countries. They have even imported some with rabies and a type of worm that is unheard of in the US thus putting our citizens and our local dogs at risk---what do they care? they say they are saving these dogs and they are making a lot of money doing it. Check out Save a Sato. That is just one group who imports from Puerto Rico. Most of these dogs are coming in from 3rd world countries and being put into our shelters thus we really do not know exactly how bad our own problem is. Experts are saying the US does not have near the problem that we used to have and that is why they are importing these strays--in order to keep our shelters in business. Think about it--the airlines fly the dogs in for free, vets treat them for little to nothing and they get around $300 each for them. My friend in NJ just paid for one that was imported. Dog was fine in the shelter but after she took her home and after a few days the dog started acting out soo back to the shelter it went.

I did a lot of reading when I first heard of this and I was shocked and stunned at the money in "rescueing" these dogs!

 

[onthespot]

Well, isa, I guess I hit the jackpot then. I recently rescued a pug, pregnant. The puppies will be purebred, and registerable AKC. Should I register and sell the puppies, or should I take them to the pound and let them find new homes? Which would end up in more pound puppies not finding homes? Im I now part of the problem because I register and sell the puppies? Am I a better person, is the world a better place if I do not register the puppies, and adopt them out for $50 each? What would you do? Anyone, anyone, Bueller? She is due in a couple weeks, best i can tell... I don't really know when. Could be next week for all I know. Or three weeks. I felt a puppy move under my hand, so i know she is pregnant.

 

[Beekissed]

She's pretty...and I don't normally think pugs are pretty. Register and sell them, I say.

Fact is, if everyone stopped breeding purebred dogs...then there would be no more purebred dogs. Which would be a shame, as some breeds were developed for their particular traits, some of which are useful to mankind. In particular, the working breeds.

There is no simple solution to this problem and no black and white...lots of gray areas there.

If my Lucy had not been spayed when she came to me, I would have definitely thought of breeding her just so I could carry on her excellent traits....unusually beautiful, smart, loving, well-behaved and useful. I can barely stand the thought of not having her around anymore, but she is aging and becoming arthritic in her old age~would love to have two more just like her.

 

[isadream]

OMG shes BEAUTIFUL!! Look at that FACE!! Aren't they just adorable? Since she is pregnant I would say you did not rescue her from the pound because if you had they would have spayed her pregnant or not. So there is one strike against you! Just kidding I would have taken her too if I were you!

I would want to place the pups with ppl I know personally so I could keep up with them. The very last thing I would do is take them to the pound. Too much chance of them picking up a disease and dying. I could place 4 pups for you if you were here. You do know pugs are prone to having to have C-sections right? You could be out several hundred $ in vet bills. I personally do not see anything wrong with you selling them if that is what you want to do. Good luck with her and the pups. Keep me up to date.

Talking about finding a pound puppy a home, I talked to a friend of mine about this thread she has a toy poodle. She flat out said that if she was unable to purchase a toy poodle she would be dogless and I am the same way so I do not think that your reg pug puppies will cost any pound puppy a home. Either you want a shelter dog or you dont.

 

[miss heny]

we just save a male yellow lab from a shelter today! he need to get "snipednipe" then we have bring him home monday

 

[onthespot]

No, she belonged to someone who is a state employee and the recent budget cuts are just killing him and he couldn't buy dog food one day and asked me to take her.

She has whelped before by herself and had no problems. She is a mediocre to bad mother. There is a vet twenty minutes away that will do an emergency C-section for $400 if it is during office hours. After hours, I am SOL and will probably pay $2500 at an emergency vet if she needs one.