Why didn't I get a Rescue Dog? 1-22-15
Last April I bought a purebred Doberman puppy. I've had Dobermans in the past...a total of 5 to be precise. They are smart dogs, loyal, and very, very fast. They are natural guard dogs, but great with kids and pets. I considered other breeds during my search. I own a boat, and in my opinion Golden Retrievers are the best boating/water dogs available. But not every Golden Retriever looks like the one in the dog food commercials. Some have square heads. Some have reddish, blotchy fur. This would be fine if the name of the breed was Blotchy Reddish Retriever, but it's not. Down here in Sarasota, the land of fanatical dog lovers, I am considered to be somewhat middle-of-the-road as far as the amount of money I spend on my dog. Many of these dog lovers are retired and donate oodles of time to the local animal rescue facilities. Placing abandoned and abused animals into good homes requires energy and expertise. They take home a dog that could not be placed and was due for "the blue juice" every six months or so. Naturally, I perused some of the Rescue web sites before I began contacting private breeders. It was not promising. I suspect that anything resembling a purebred Doberman or Golden was snatched up long before its picture could be taken and posted. The faces on the websites were anything but friendly looking...in fact, I haven't seen so many misshapen heads since rabbits found the lettuce in my vegetable garden. There were squinty dogs, cross-eyed dogs, dogs with bent noses and multiple missing teeth. Some had missing legs or ears. The writing on the captions beneath the dogs photos was VERY creative. "My last owner was mean to me but the sores are healing although the fur may not grow back (and I will need $100 worth of medications every week)." Another dog on the website claimed to be a "Doberman/mix." LIARS! It was far closer to a Lab/Pit Bull mix. In fact, almost every rescue dog on the site was some type of Pit Bull "mix." One of the captions for these 80 pound orphans read "I need a home without other dogs as I am somewhat territorial." The part they omitted was that this crazy-looking fleabag also required a home without children...or adults...or neighbors. And you certainly could NOT leave the heathen alone at your home because he would tear the place to shreds. People, I love dogs too, but throw in the towel. Just put the damn thing down already!