If you want to start a thread about adopting an animal go ahead, but that's not what i'm asking in this thread. If you can find me a pure lab that I can adopt/rescue I would be more than happy. Otherwise, you are doing nothing but derailing this thread for your own personal crusade.
Wow, personal crusade?
Your question was "Would you buy a dog at Petland?"
And I can tell you right now, I have a Lab X (rescue dog) and except for a small white patch on her chest and a bit longer coat no one could tell she is not a purebread. Not only that but she was the easiest dog to train I have ever seen, she has a great temperment is amazingly smart.
Stats out there do indicate that your average "heinze 57" is more intelligent and more trainable then your average purebread and I can attest to that with my personal experience.
IMO definatley get a rescue dog, so many great ones. But if you decide not to then at least buy from a breeder, Petland is pure garbage and I can guarantee despite their assurances, your dog will be from a puppy mill.
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Your question was "Would you buy a dog at Petland?"
Don't like opinions, stay off the internet.
EXACTLY. I didn't ask whether I should be adopting a dog, I asked would you get one at Petland, or would you get one from a breeder and if anyone had any experience with any breeders in Calgary or with buying and animal at Petland.
I said in multiple posts in a very subtle fashion that I was not interesting in adopting for very specific reasons, yet the "You shouldn't be buying" posts continued.
I would never buy from a store in a thousand million years. Buying animals for profit on propagates the animal mill industry. I did buy my mother a dog from a respected breeder, but only because my mother wanted a particular breed of dog, and that breed was not found at the local SPCA. But for myself, my cats were strays and if I get a dog, it will be from the Humane Society. The Calgary Humane Society does have a bunch of labs and lab mixes if that interests you at all....
Like you think that certified kennel breeders are not selling their animals for profit?
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IMO definatley get a rescue dog, so many great ones. But if you decide not to then at least buy from a breeder, Petland is pure garbage and I can guarantee despite their assurances, your dog will be from a puppy mill.
Well, maybe not a puppy mill per se - but when you see something like that Sask breeder that handles multiple breeds, its pretty much low-intensity puppy milling in my opinion - low yields of whatever kind of puppy there is demand for, drawn from a pool of local or semi-local studs and bitches. There won’t be the same emphasis on maintaining accurate genetic records, detailed health knowledge of the breeding stock, massive knowledge of the breed, etc.
If you want a particular breed you want to go to a breeder. Their knowledge and general passion for the breed (and if that passion isn’t evident, walk away) is crucial in ensuring you get a healthy pup.
So many other benefits too - no pressure/time constrained experience in the pet shop, you’ll have a litter of pups to look at and interact with, to find the one that really appeals or immediately warms to you, etc. Even the experience of driving out to the country or some remote spot to meet the breeder is a great road trip, tremendously exciting and a real adventure.
You don’t get to spend this kind of time with your potential new addition at a pet shop:
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EXACTLY. I didn't ask whether I should be adopting a dog, I asked would you get one at Petland, or would you get one from a breeder and if anyone had any experience with any breeders in Calgary or with buying and animal at Petland.
I said in multiple posts in a very subtle fashion that I was not interesting in adopting for very specific reasons, yet the "You shouldn't be buying" posts continued.
Do you have anything to add to this thread, or are you just posting for the sake of posting?
Sure if you say so. What are those reasons, specifically?
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Originally Posted by MJM
EXACTLY. I didn't ask whether I should be adopting a dog, I asked would you get one at Petland, or would you get one from a breeder and if anyone had any experience with any breeders in Calgary or with buying and animal at Petland.
I said in multiple posts in a very subtle fashion that I was not interesting in adopting for very specific reasons, yet the "You shouldn't be buying" posts continued.
[Mod voice]I'm afraid you opened the door with this thread; asking people if they would buy from Petland. They are telling you where they would get a dog and why.
If you don't like some of the responses, ignore them and focus on the answers you do like.
[\Mod voice.]
For every site like that, I can find a site advocating purebread dogs. Both sites are pushing their own agenda. I don't have much faith in either.
As I've said multiple times I want a lab for it's temperment and intelligence. Is there a chance you'd get this with a mix, absolutely. But I'd rather hedge my bets.
I would buy from a breeder where you can be somewhat more assured you are actually getting a purebred dog that is hopefully not really inbred.
Unsolicited Advice: When you do get a lab, get pet insurance and get the additional hip dysplasia (sp?) clause. A coworker of mine got a chocolate lab puppy and they have 3 surgeries lined up to fix hip problems that would cost about $20,000.
For every site like that, I can find a site advocating purebread dogs. Both sites are pushing their own agenda. I don't have much faith in either.
As I've said multiple times I want a lab for it's temperment and intelligence. Is there a chance you'd get this with a mix, absolutely. But I'd rather hedge my bets.
So what exactly is preventing you from getting a dog from the SPCA?
Personally I would never buy a dog from a pet store. If you want a purebred lab, find a breeder that only breeds labs. Good breeders aren't in it just for the money. They love the breed. Find out about the parents. Make sure they are completely different bloodlines.
Reputable breeders will ask you questions to make sure the puppy is going to a good home. Also be prepared to spend $1000. or more.
Not interested in any other breed but a lab. X breeds will not work for me. I want a lab specifically because of their temperment and intelligence (response to training). This cannot be assured with a X breed.
If you want to start a thread about adopting an animal go ahead, but that's not what i'm asking in this thread. If you can find me a pure lab that I can adopt/rescue I would be more than happy. Otherwise, you are doing nothing but derailing this thread for your own personal crusade.
I think i've made it pretty clear that I want a pure lab, and the issue here is whether I should A) Buy it form Petland or B) Wait for a Breeder.
I have no problems with the SPCA, but that is clearly not what I want to do.
This is a bit off-topic but personally, I would only consider a Siberian Husky if I ever got a dog. This is my own personal preference of course.
So what exactly is preventing you from getting a dog from the SPCA?
The OP sounds like he or his wife are going to be first time dog owners. Based on that alone, I think going to a breeder and getting a young pup that will more easily form those early bonds and emotional transference is preferable to even a slightly-more difficult to bond/train/housebreak adoptee.
Factor in that they already have some in-built expectations for the experience, such as it being a pure bred, a pup, and something that can be raised and trained “from scratch”. Going the breeder route means their pup is LESS likely to end up at the SPCA than one that is somewhat more challenging out of the gate.
I think the SPCA is a great option for experienced owners, for first time owners, you want every possible advantage to begin with to avoid a trip to the SPCA in the first place. I would wager that most SPCA dogs that came from homes (not strays) are from homes of first time owners.
This is a bit off-topic but personally, I would only consider a Siberian Husky if I ever got a dog. This is my own personal preference of course.
My dad had a husky when he was a child. He said it was quite vicious. I was willing to brush that aside, until I read about that husky attack on the baby in Quebec. Given were planning on having kids in the not too distant future, we are taking every step possible to acquire a dog with the appropriate temperment. That's why we are set on a lab.
^^^ I got a great one from the SPCA cause some family was suprised a hunting dog wouldn't leave their cat alone. She has been nothing but a great member of our family though.
My dad had a husky when he was a child. He said it was quite vicious. I was willing to brush that aside, until I read about that husky attack on the baby in Quebec. Given were planning on having kids in the not too distant future, we are taking every step possible to acquire a dog with the appropriate temperment. That's why we are set on a lab.
A dog attacked a 2-year-old girl Sunday in Helvetia, lifting her up by her head, severing the top on her ear and leaving deep cuts on her neck and face.
The girl was at a gathering with 30 family members and friends just before 5:30 p.m. on an acreage at 15500 N.W. Logie Trail Road when a black Labrador retiever named Bear suddenly grabbed the girl by her head, according to Washington County sheriff's officials.
All dogs can attack/harm children or adults, regardless of breed. Likewise, all dogs can be trained and socialized to be wonderful family companions. The onus is on the owner to properly train the dog from a very early age to be calm and restrained around other people and animals.
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For every site like that, I can find a site advocating purebread dogs. Both sites are pushing their own agenda. I don't have much faith in either.
As I've said multiple times I want a lab for it's temperment and intelligence. Is there a chance you'd get this with a mix, absolutely. But I'd rather hedge my bets.
Did you even look at the site at all before posting? There is no "agenda" except for helping uninformed soon to be dog owners (ahem...) make proper choices. I would love for you to tell me about the "agenda" they have and what benefit it affords them?
The temperment of any dog is a complete roll of the die. Very first dog I owned years and years ago, purchased by my father, a Golden Retriever from one of the best breeders in the US, this dogs father was a very accomplished show dog and as mild mannered as any dog you've seen. Paid an ungodly amount for this dog and do not get me wrong he was great, but had major temperment issues. We were able to train him well enough but could not stop him for literally attacking most any other dog he played with to the point where we were threatened with a lawsuit because of him hurting another animal. On top of those issues at 6 years old he died, completly out of the blue. Turns out he had a twisted stomach and we got him to the vet to late, it also turned out that this twisted stomach problem (an issue with alot of bigger dogs) had manifested itself in 3 of our puppies littermates. The sire and dame had no history of intestinal issues and the breeder felt it was a trait developed in that litter.
Of course just one man's experience, but I could relate to you another 3-4 like it from others I know who have had major issues with purebread dogs. I am not saying don't get one per say, I still think you would find a X rescue dog your family would love, but if you do get one be very aware that a purebread is a long ways from a sure thing and you will really need to do research into the breeders you're looking at and the bloodlines of their animals.
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