04/01/2026
Let’s talk about the great debate: adopting vs shopping- and why it’s archaic.
Throughout the last 40 years the catchy slogan “Adopt don’t shop” has been heavily pushed to bring awareness to the dogs in the shelter and to make an attempt to get the dogs in shelters to loving families. While this has the best intentions, we frequently see this phrase weaponized, as if shopping for a dog is the less noble way to own a dog.
This mindset has driven people away from well bred dogs. The benefits of well bred dogs include, reliability in temperament, size, and drive; and typically have less health problems or known things to look out for.
Why is that important?
Frankly most people like a dog for their looks, and not as much what their lifestyle compatibility is with their dogs needs are.
And hard truth- most people don’t like change.
When you rescue a dog, regardless of its breed or mix of breeds, you don’t know what you’re getting. As long as you are willing to make changes in order to meet the dogs needs, it’s okay to not really know what your dog’s history is. Unfortunately it’s common that people think they have one kind of dog, but it turns out to be something completely different that doesn’t suit their current lifestyle and that’s when change has to happen to maintain the dogs needs. This can look like needing to move from an apartment to a house with a yard, crating and rotating to keep animals separate, changing your schedule to allow for more walks etc.
Even if you’re purchasing a well bred dog from a reputable breeder, it’s important to be really honest with yourself about what your lifestyle is. If you work long hours most of the week, getting a very active dog with high energy is going to be very difficult for you to meet its exercise requirements. If you regularly go on walks for over several miles long and you want to bring your dog with you, a brachiocephalic breed wouldn’t be suitable for that. If you are hoping getting a dog will make you walk more, even a lower energy dog loves to go on walks.
Ultimately the way to responsibly own a dog is to be honest about your lifestyle with yourself and choosing a companion that best suits it.
Let’s clear a few things up-
✅ Adopting a dog is a great thing to do
✅ Purchasing a dog from a reputable breeder is a great thing to do
❌ Avoid supporting back yard breeders
❌ Avoid purchasing from pet stores who source their animals from puppy mills
✅ Loving your dog unconditionally regardless of how you got them is a great thing to do
✅ Learning and growing and taking precautions to not contribute to the shelter population is a great thing to do
Breeder red flags
🚩 If the breeder you’re considering charges different amounts for the dogs because of color
🚩If the breeder uses language like “adopt” in reference to the purchase of their puppies
🚩If the breeder doesn’t provide health testing from the parents
🚩If the puppies have not been to a vet for ALL age appropriate vaccines
🚩 If the breeder intentionally sells dogs out of size regulations
🚩If the breeder sells designer dogs
Hot tips:
🔥 Spay and neuter your dog
🔥 Your dog doesn’t need to experience motherhood/ fatherhood
🔥Your dog doesn’t need a boyfriend/ girlfriend for the weekend
🔥 Wanting a puppy from your dog because they are ‘such a good dog’ is back yard breeding
Stop contributing to the problem 🎉
🐾
Photo of our training alumni Hank- the laziest couch potato that enjoys the casual adventure.
