A Dog Scared to Death of Everyone Just Needed a Hug - The Most Beautiful Video

[Coyote_Bandit]

44. Apparently

you confuse responsible breeders with puppy mills. The two are not the same. Whether you care to acknowledge it or not, there are responsible breeders. The real trick is identifying the few responsible breeders among the many less responsible breeders.

I've had a lot of rescue dogs of uncertain origin and parentage. I've had rescue dogs with serious medical issues, genetic conditions and behavioral issues. If one can afford the medical care they often require then they can make great pets. But far too often they are left to suffer because their adoptive owners simply cannot afford appropriate medical care for them - especially as they age. That too is a tragedy. One that often goes unrecognized.

I train dogs to work as therapy dogs and they continue on in their training to do competitive obedience and agility work. This kind of training takes years. Dogs that have been abused or neglected often are fearful or aggressive and therefore unsuited to do therapy work. Rescue dogs often lack the temperment and/or the longevity or physical abilities to warrant the investment of time, effort and expense to become highly skilled working dogs.

I will not be made to feel guilty because I choose to get a dog from a responsible breeder for the purpose of training it to be a highly skilled working dog.

Most people don't go down to their local Ford dealer and buy a car off the lot and expect it to have the temperment, longevity and capacity to succesfully compete at the Indy 500. This really isn't a whole lot different. I'm not looking for a pet - I'm looking for a dog that is likely to work and offer consistently high performance. I'm a lot more likely to get that with a new race car than with a used Ford Focus.