i know this is not related to subarus, but at least it's bay area related!

i'm thinking about getting a dog/puppy, but i'm not sure whether i should buy one from the store or adopt one. anyone with experience in that area have any advice? also, where are some reputable places i could buy/adopt a dog from in the bay area? i feel like i've seen a bunch of threads related to animals in baic, so i thought it would be a good place for some advice. thanks!

 

I think you should adopt the doggies cuz there are so many out there without homes. They need some lovin' too My class mate just adopted his puppy, which is super cute! I'll ask him for you, and let you know!

Good luck finding your doggy!

 

my wife and I adopted a 2 year old cocker spanial (6 years ago) and it has been a great experience and wouldnt have done it any another way.
Now of course, adopting doesn't give you many options and it might be difficult to find pure bred animals. But if you do find what you are looking for, not only will you be saving tons of doe, you'll feel good about yourself by giving the puppy a home
I'd say go to a pet adoption place and see for yourself.
What kind of dog are you looking for?

 

My wife and I have 3 dogs: 2 from adoption centers and 1 that was feral. Personally, I wouldn't go to a breeder because there are so many good dogs that need homes. Also, I'm more concerned about the behaviour of the dog than the type/how pure-bred it is.

You should check out the Humane Society of Silicon Valley - they have a great facility. Their web site has pics of their current residents.

Having said that, if you want a specific dog, a breeder may be the best route for you.

 

adopt! you can even find pure breds if you're lucky/patient or willing to travel a little bit...


www.petfinder.com

^^ANY shelter can post an animal up for adoption, so its a pretty good list.

 

First of all, its your money. People can give all the advice they want but it's purely YOUR MONEY AND TIME. You can either adopt a dog, or buy a pure bred one. Some of the pure breeders are great, just because you know they know how to take care of the dogs and when you get the dogs they're in very good condition. Picking up an adopted dog could be similar, many of these societies take care of the adopted dogs and make sure they're properly fed/spayed with shots, etc.

If I seriously had some money, I'd get a pure bred, but that's me. I like knowing I'd get the dog about 10 weeks after they're born, then make sure to take them to get their 3 part shots, etc. It's kind of like owning a NEW car vs a used car. Sure some of the used cars get great guarantees from the dealerships, but sometimes you want the new car, cuz after that it's all in your own hands, and you know the whole history of it.

 

Adopt, I drove to Ukiah from SF to adopt.

 

Adopt. Most dogs in the shelter have nothing wrong with them and are only there because their previous owners were irresponsible. I adopted a 1 year old Catahoula from the Fremont dog shelter, and he was very well behaved.

 

It's really up to you but I'll give you my experience. We got a puppy last year from a breeder out of state. This is the first dog that my wife or I has ever had. If we had to do it over again, we would adopt. To me there are only two reasons why you would want to buy a puppy.

1) you have to have a certain type of dog
2) you want to raise the dog from as little as possible

Like I said, if I had to do it over again I would adopt. I would adopt a dog that is between 1 to 2 years. Our dog for the first year destroyed many things. Now that she is 13 months old, she is so much easier to take care of vs. when she was 8 months old. We also got lucky that she is a pretty easy going (doesn't bark much, isn't aggressive, etc) but getting a puppy you won't know how it will behave. Now there is a flip side to this getting a puppy, you can control what the puppy goes through.

Before getting a dog, I didn't understand the magnitude of how many dogs are put down every year. Now that I do, if the dog is a good fit, saving a dog's life is well worth it.

Then there is cost factor, adopting will be cheaper. Depending on the dog, this amount could be a lot.

 

You are absolutely correct, it is his decision in the end. As you seem to highly value dogs that are, "in very good condition" there are many who choose to get a dog that wasn't in "good condition" simply to give that poor creature a better life than it once had.

I agree that when you pick up an animal in the earlier stages of its life, it is easier to build that special bond with the creature. But comparing a living animal to an inanimate object? It's quite a stretch.

So basically it comes down to opinions... What do you want from a dog OP?

 

thanks for all the great advice!

i don't really have a particular kind of dog in mind. i guess i have more of general characteristics than a particularly breed. i'd like one that's small-to-medium in size, short hair (so less shedding hopefully), and pretty mild in behavior (not super hyper but not super lazy).

the dog would actually be for my mom, so i'm more concerned about how it would behave than the actual breed. i think she's sorta reaching that age when she's starting to feel like she has nothing to do/take care of, so i was thinking maybe a dog might be a fun companion. maybe some of you guys have experience in that area to know whether aging moms are fond of furry new animals

 

Pug.

 

Adopt adopt adopt

 

btw, short hair doesn't mean less shedding. My terrier/chihuahua mix has the shortest hair of our 3, but he sheds the most by a long way. Conversely, our Maltese rat-dog doesn't shed at all. He has hair rather than fur.

regardless of the route you take, read upon training and good practices. It makes the dog happier and easier to live with.

 

Adopt!