For first time dog owners, yeah, probably. Retrievers are really easy dogs.
What do you base this on? Can you provide unbiased research?
I am all about shelter dogs but I do not believe that they are better behaved because of their experiences.
Unbiased research? The girl who gives away animals like Halloween candy wants me to site my sources? For such weapons grade stupidity, I'm going to give you an internet worthy answer :
IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT I HAVE TO SAY, YOU CAN BLOW IT OUT OF YOUR EXCESSIVELY LARGE VAGINA
Well maybe what he is getting at is shelter dogs typically are mutts which are more likely to be much smarter than your pure-bred anything due to inbreeding. Mutts also live much longer and healthier lives, which is nice.
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Well, I think of rescues as shelters with a dress code; they're just a little more exclusive. So I lump those two together into one bucket. After owning lots of dogs and knowing a ton more, I think shelter/rescue dogs are better temperament. Why? Pet shop dogs and bred dogs both suffer from poor socialization. Socialization is the key to a good dog. Both pet shop and bred dogs are separated from the litter while very young, don't get to interact with other animals, almost never get to interact with animals not in their litter, and don't interact with a lot of people. Shelter/rescue all have interacted with lots of animals and people and, on average, are better tempered for it.
Let's not mix words though. Your animal is a direct representation of you and how you have raised it. If you have a bad dog,
its your fault. Animals may have had a bad start, but I have met no animal I couldn't rehabilitate. Don't believe me? Ask Spange about Daisy or Monkey. Ask Blondie and Erage how their crazy old cat responded to me ... the one that doesn't like anyone. Does that mean everyone who can't bring back marginal pets is a bad person? No, but you need to recognize what you can handle up front when you get an animal and match it to your ability to raise him. Not doing
that makes you a bad person.
As for health, pet shop dogs come from mills where the animals are products, not living things. You do the math there. Breeders are selling you the dogs they don't think are good enough to be show dogs. Read that again : they sell you the dogs that are substandard to the breed. Rescue/shelter dogs have at very least been checked, spayed/neutered, and given all its shots *very* recently. Most have been in care long enough to have started to go to the vet regularly. Since these dogs are also grown, its a bit easier to spot any possible health issues and avoid what you can't handle. As already said, mutts tend to be healthier than pure breeds because they mix up the genes and end up with less inherited problems.
I'm going to be blunt.. but that's disgusting. Potty training a dog is not rocket science. Brand new dogs and puppies... take them out at least every thirty minutes and gradually increase the time until they learn.
Some toy breeds simply can't hold it for 8-10 hours while you're at work. Its do it on the pad or do it in your shoes. Bigger dogs, yeah, you shouldn't need pads.
I KNOW I KNOW!!! Sorry I was sooo busy at work. Catching up now... plus fly's asshole is due for some trimming.
Take pics and send them to Erage and Patty. I hear they gaze longingly into it.
no, they ate dogs in england.
and they ate orses too
You dropped your "h". Here ... *hands h*
Don't forget that short haired dogs shed too
Word. Amelie sheds and she's short hair and doesn't have any undercoat at all.
All I have to add is buy the better dog food. *talkin 'bout poop*
Good food makes a difference in dog gas too. Nothing stinks worse than dog farts. Helps their health too. Also : if you never feed your dog "people food" they won't know what it is. Subsequently, you will never have beggars.
http://www.dfwlabrescue.org/
If you would like; you can try foster-to-adopt which means you can 'test-drive' the dog to make sure your environment is conducive to an animal. If you fall in love then just adopt her.
Rad concept, jump on that. If nothing else, spend some time one on one with the dog before you take him home if you don't do this program. Get down to their level and see how they react to you, don't just tower over them.