Want the unknown - buy from a shelter

[Stacie]

I heard or read this somewhere: If you are not going to buy a pure breed dog form a rep. breeder, where you have a better chance of buying a sound, well tempered, healthy dog...then go to a local shelter or rescue group and save the life of a currently unwanted dog! I thought it was great advice

[Linda]

People who adopt from shelters usually want puppies, but they should also consider older dogs. I've done this a few times and it's so rewarding knowing you're probably saving them from being put down just because they're older. There's usually no problem placing puppies, but older dogs sometimes are there for a very long time and some don't get adopted at all. So next time you go to a shelter looking for a friend, please consider the older dogs too!

[Stacie]

HSUS Pet Overpopulation Estimates
Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year:
8-12 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year:
4-6 million (HSUS estimate)

Number of animal shelters in the United States:
Between 4 and 6 thousand (HSUS estimate)

Percentage of purebred dogs in shelters:
25 percent (HSUS estimate)

Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 2

Average number of animals in an average canine litter: 6-10

In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.

[Liz]

I think this is really good advice as well. I recently adopted a wonderful shepherd cross as a companion for my other dog from the adoption center at Petsmart and couldn't be happier with the pup. Hoping to ad a Dane soon too, but my GSD is so hyper I just didn't think a dane puppy was a good choice as a companion for him at the moment. When he calms down then I will definately require a dane in my home, and until then I will be researching all the information I can about the breed and finding a good breeder.

[Carolyn]

WOW, thats great advice, thanks for sharing it Stacie!!

[Dina]

Thank you for mentioning that Linda, and I'd like to add that we have many wonderful older danes in dane rescue who get passed up over & over because of their age & the lifespan of a dane. People come with kids & think they HAVE to have a puppy or young dog, people come with older dogs & think they HAVE to have a puppy or young dog- this is simply not true- the older dogs that we have in rescue that can go to a home with children are much more mellow than the young dogs, often much more tolerant, and less likely to knock the little ones down, and we usually know who will get along fine with other dogs, or cats. I wish people would consider them more often, they deserve a good home just as much as the young dogs