12 April 2009

This rescuer supports the Obamas' new dog


Rescuing a dog isn't for everyone. As much as we'd like it to be. There, I said it. For myself, I'm certain I will always be able to find the perfect dog from a rescue or shelter but as it happens, the breeds I prefer are common in rescue. That isn't true for everyone.

The Obamas were limited to begin with by their daughter's allergies. That's unfortunate. Ideally they would have been able to choose from a million black lab mixed puppies and set an example for the rest of the country in doing so but hey, ideally there would be NO black lab mix puppies out there for anyone anyhow. From there, they decided on 2 possible "breeds": a Labradoodle/Goldendoodle or a Portuguese water dog. (I use quotes because doodles are not an actual breed but rather mutts, same as the aforementioned lab mix.) Let's give them credit to begin with for researching their breed choices and deciding on one that met their needs, rather than just grabbing up the first dog they found to be "cute." A lack of education about what a specific breed needs is one of the reasons so many dogs end up in rescue to begin with.

No one loves dogs more than I do, and I'd venture a guess not too many people have devoted more of their life to saving those dogs who are tossed away like so much trash than I have. As a dog lover and a rescuer, I understand people prefer different breeds of dogs. What is wrong with that? One of the things that makes dogs so wonderful are their differences.

Here's the facts. If you want a rarer breed dog, and there's dozens of them, you are probably not going to find it in rescue, especially if you want a puppy. So what do you do? Settle on a breed you're not in love with? Is that fair? If your favorite breed is a German Shepherd Dog or a pug, would you be just as happy with an Irish Setter or a shih tzu? Maybe you would be but let's not expect everyone to do things your way. If you want a breed not commonly found in rescue, the next step is finding a RESPONSIBLE breeder.

What does that mean? A responsible breeder shows their dogs and breeds to breed standard. They get all of the recommended breed health clearances and don't breed dogs that have medical problems. They screen their owners as carefully as any reputable rescue, and insist any dogs that don't meet show quality will be spayed or neutered. They take all their dogs back if for any reason the original owner can't keep them. Yes, maybe now and then one of these dogs ends up in rescue but by and large these breeders are NOT the problem. The problem comes from backyard breeders and "just one litter" breeders, whose puppies go off into the world to have more puppies. The problem comes from puppy millers (and dare I say, the "rescues" that buy these puppy mill dogs under the guise of "saving" them, and continue to provide financial incentive for the creeps who use dogs as a source of income.)

Since the news of Bo's pending arrival at the White House has been leaked before an official statement, I don't know yet what they will say about their choice. Still unless I hear otherwise, I will presume that his breeder meets those standards. Also Bo was returned to his breeder, which means he was not actually purchased by the Obamas as an 8 week old puppy. That in itself does make him a rescue of sorts. He goes onto a happy, loving home now, same as any of the dogs we save.

Yes, perhaps now we will see a spike in interest in this breed, but that isn't going to happen overnight and it might not happen at all. Yes, there will be bad breeders who will jump on this bandwagon now in the hopes they can meet an imagined demand, but like it or not, many breeds come and go in popularity. Who's fault is that? Not the Obamas, but rather the people who want to make money off dogs, and those who buy a dog without educating themselves as to what is the right way to do so.

I said from the start I hoped they chose a Portuguese water dog over a doodle. Doodles are MUTTS, folks. Poodles are being bred with everything from labs to yorkies to chihuahuas. They are promoted as hypoallergenic "designer" breeds (and let's be honest, they're almost invariably very cute) but there is no way to responsibly breed a doodle. When labradoodles first showed up here, they cost a fortune, $1500 for a mutt?? And then they started trickling into rescue, and the price went down. Now you can find just about any version you want from a rescue somewhere.

(One of our own dogs is a yorkie/poodle, rescued from the pound I get dogs from when he was about 6 months old.)

So, yes, the Obamas probably could have found a "designer breed" in rescue. And then what? Every other dumbass with a poodle would start the whole trend again.

I sincerely hope that the Obamas take this opportunity to educate people about rescue and responsible breeders. In the meantime, I'll do my own part here. I want a world where dogs aren't considered disposable. I also want a world with a full variety of wonderful dogs. Responsible breeders aren't the problem. Let's place the blame where it belongs and continue to fight the battle on the fronts where it matters. I for one congratulate our President and his family on their new dog. I hope he provides many years of love and happiness.

PLEASE if you're considering a new dog, check into rescue first. If you still need to consider a breeder, here is more information on what you need to know.

How to find a good breeder (pdf)