Pet Shop Puppy or Pound Pooch, which would you buy?

My dog Tuppence, who passed away at age 17, was a pound pooch. She has been gone for 8 years now but I miss her so. Her companionship and love was unmatched. She was a Jack Russell Terrier and I never regretted a single day she was with me, no matter what mischief she got up to and there was plenty.

by Gayle Beveridge

Because I work for a vet I beg of you, if you are considering a new pet, please PLEASE only buy from REGISTERED breeders or the rspca/pound. There are so many dodgy back yard breeders who are only in it for the money to supplement their dole /pension. They over price their puppies beyond what they are worth and are often from deformed dogs. Crooked legs, over shot/under shot jaws, umbilical hernias they have bought cheap as PET only, not breeder quality. They also do not feed good quality food, don't worm (or use cheap supermarket preparstions) ask your vet how many hookworm infected puppies they treat. A lot of them also do not microchip. Sorry about the 10 page essay, but this is a subject I feel very stronly about.

by redph

Amen to that!

All the dogs I have had have come from death row at the pound and they have always been a good friend and mate.

by gbrow

My family's dogs have come from the RSPCA or someone we knew whose dog had pups. If I were going to get one of my own I'd either get one from the RSPCA or a registered breeder. I don't like the idea of buying one from a pet shop because I don't want to support puppy mills that abuse the dogs.

by Jennifer Muirhead

From someone who had a spare puppy or rescue.
Pet shops worry me.
Plus the price tag is a disgrace for a dog.

by jonaja

Pound pooch. There's no way I'm supporting puppy farmers - that's a disgrace.

by Vee

The Pound meets my need to help others

by Steve

neither for me.
I prefer to buy a dog breed that I know exactly what their personality will turn out like....just bought my second whippet yesterday after my darling old dog, who saved my life, died several months ago.

Have bought pedigree dogs now for 15 years as I like to know what I am getting.

Also, I tried to buy one from a shelter but sent about 6 emails and only one replied. I would not go to a shop either.

by Finy

Nowadays, would be a 'rescue' owner from pound.

by donjo

Pound Pooch every time. There is just nothing as good as the feeling you get when you see a scared and abused creature blossom into a confident and faithful friend. To see them learning to play, learning to be unafraid to eat their own food from their very own dish and then realising that they have a safe environment and a comfy bed is such a joy. After about three months you have a brand new dog - it's wonderful.

by Rice