I feel so bad...................

[luckychaos]

5 years ago I was at PJ's pet center (a pet shop) and I fell in love with a
beautiful border collie/golden retriever puppy. (I was 9 at the time and knew nothing of pet stores and puppy mills). My parents agreed and so we brought the puppy home. Lucky for us he turned out to be a healthy
and pretty well socialized dog. I just feel so bad for supporting the puppy mill industry.

Of course our second dog Chaos (aka devil dog and brat by the shelter)
was a rescue and she's turing out to be just as wonderful as the other dogs we've bought from breeders and pet stores. So I'd just like to let anyone out there who dosen't already know it, ADOPT A DOG, SAVE A LIFE.

[mouseatthebusstop]

Don't feel bad about buying a dog from a pet store. People who buy from them don't know. They think a nice kind breeder took them there rather sell them their self. I presume you have loved and enjoyed this dog. in the future if you want to buy another dog you know to look at the shelters.

[Lord_Pik]

Luckily dogpaddle and I have gotten 0/3 dogs from puppy mills (either directly or indirectly).. Kavik was bought from a private breeder, and he cost quite a bundle too (approx $500). Tyr was taken from an abusive home mainly because we couldn't stand to see the cute thing suffer. We hadn't really intended to keep him, just remove him from the BAD place :-? , but he grew on us. And Zaphod we acquired from a shelter. All three of them are very well off, not nervous or anything, most likely won't ever fear-bite, and over-all obedient and easy to train. Shelter dogs are in fact more loving I find, because you took them from a stressful situation and love them so much.

[Daisysmom]

We got our Trixie from a pet store. But, she was a mix and most mixes, at least where we got her are not from mills. They usually sell purebreds.

Don't feel bad. The dogs still need a good and loving home! They didn't ask to be born like that!!

[Luka-pop]

As long as you knew better for the next time and as long as you took loving care of your dog. I didn't know that pet stores sold mixes, besides cockapoos and labradoodles and stuff like that. Is there such name as a border retriever?

I am a shelter volunteer, so I've experienced all sorts of dogs. Most of them are either strays (so many pits, labs, and shelties and shepherd mixes), but the ones that are surrendered are given up because the owner's can't handle their behavior problems. The main cause of these behavior problems is that irresponsible owners will buy that cute little puppy from the pet store window, before researching the breed or dog, for that matter. Then, because of improper training and socialization, they form all sorts of problems. My dog Luka was one of them. He had severe separation anxiety and was self-destructive when left alone. He also learned how to jump the six feet fence at the shelter when he was left alone. Well, after three weeks at our house, he's able to stay alone for 5.5 hours. They were just doing it incorrectly and confusing him, blaming the damage on Luka.

[DogPaddle]

I'm sure someone would try to market a Golden Collie, sounds expensive. :roll:

Lucky - No reason to feel bad, like others said - you didn't know, now you do, you love and care for your dogs.

[courtnek]

I have had one dog that I actually purchased. My firstl a purebred G/R.

All the ones since then have been mixes, frm shelters, from give-a-ways, and my newest baby Alex, who is a rescue from a bad home.

I agree that anyone who wants a dog should research the dog and decide if that animal will fit their lifestyle. Unfortunately, they dont.

As far as pet shops, I go there for food and chewies and that's it. And I try to pass the word along to people looking for dogs to not go there at all, since the puppies tear at your heart so badly. I wish there was a way to
educate people in the proper way to get and experoence having a dog.

Maybe they should foster one first, to see how they like it....