No one in this thread has said anything about pound dogs not being trainable so I'm not sure where that assertion comes from. Some people simply like a certain breed and certain aspects about that breed.

Some people like to show their dogs etc. You have to realise not everyone her is

a) from america
b) can find the breed they and want the sex they want in the local shelter.

Back home we have 1 and you rarely see a rottweiler in the shelter. That is my breed of choice I have tried other breeds and have found the rottweiler is the only one for me.

I did try to adopt as mentioned I was rejected their views and mind didn't click and I'm not lying to adopt a dog. Yes some places it's really easy to adopt unfortunately where I live in Savannah is not one of those places. A car won't solve it either because again most rescues won't adopt out of state because then they can't monitor you to make sure you don't do something with the dog they don't like.

Ever try and adopt a dog and then say you'll use it in Schutzhund sports? Yeah see how well that one flies over.

Again many people can adopt and it suit them fine unfortunately some of us have different lifestyles or goals for dogs we live with and it makes adoption from most agencies impossible because they don't agree with it.

Very well said Badkittyamy. I too am not a rescue from the shelter kind of person. I have done it before, have volunteered at my local shelter, and I do not agree with who they don't allow to take home one of their dogs.

I am a fan of only one breed, one specific breed, and it is my choice to stictly go to responsible breeders of that one breed.

Although I support others getting mixed breeds, and from rescues/shelters.

What kind of people aren't allowed to take dogs home from shelters? I know there defiantly are people like that, but it would have to be for a really good reason. My aunt worked at an animal shelter for a very long time. I got to hear about all kind of stupid people that would walk in the doors, point to the nearest lab, and say they want it. A lot of dogs in shelters have behavior problems, if there's a chance a dog might come back in worse condition then before, they don't let the dog get adopted out.

I'm a bigger fan of rescuing then buying a puppy. Responsible breeder's puppies cost so much, and I'd have no future plans for such a high quality pup. If I want a specific breed I go to a breed rescue. But as long as you can pay for an expensive pup from a good breeder, and might even have plans for that pup, go for it.

Tailtail shelters are different here. They have VERY strict guidelines. I myself have been turned down as well as my friend who is a vet tech. This is not even a rescue it was just from the local humane society.

I have heard of shelters turning people down for various reasons (i will use my humane society):

Not having a fenced in yard
Feeding Raw
Participating in Schutzhund or similar dog sports
Being a student
Being in the army
Being in a rental
Letting you dogs out in the back yard while you are not home - this is why I was turned down. My doors are indoor dogs but I have a privacy fenced in yard and let them play in it while I am not home. Yet the allow outside cats in fact they had an outside cat at the humane society and it was stolen. Irony

Rules for shelters, humane societies and rescues all differ from one to the next. Usually, as privately run, or county run organizations, they can implement any rules they choose.

Some are happy to give their dogs away to anyone. Some do a bit of screening and have some rules, and others are over zealous nazis who think they're the only ones qualified to own dogs, and know everything about dogs.

To each their own.

Yeah, my local shelter doesn't take pitbuls for one, and is actually quite difficult to get a dog from there. For reasons such as badkittyamyy stated, especially for the not having a fenced in yard and for renting - not owning your home.

I tried to get a boxer from a boxer rescue once - and was turned down because a pitbul lives across the street from me. Now would you agree with that? Because I think that is ridiculous.

Not to mention a lot of rescue organizations won't (as previously stated) consider homes outside of their state. And here we don't have many breed rescues - none local to me anyways.

I stick by what I said before, I will go to responsible breeders, and get my cattle dogs. I will train them in agility. And that will be that.

I encourage anyone and everyone to check out their local shelters though - see what they have, what their policies are, etc. There are some good ones out there; I've just yet to encounter one. And everyones wants/needs are different.

My local shelter is great, and is run by knowledgeable and caring people. They don't have any rules for adoption, besides getting the dog fixed, and they take in any breeds.

The rescues that I've had experience with in the past do have adoption rules, but mostly consist of having a fenced yard for some (not all), and keeping pets indoors only.

It would make me very mad and frustrated to have a shelter in my area run by bigots of the dog world.

Luckily, I have only dealt with great animal shelters. There are some really stupid reasons to turn people down. But I would be hesitant when it came to house renters or people who don't have fenced yards.

That's what confused me! They say you MUST have a fenced in yard but then won't adopt to people who let their dogs out alone sometimes >_< If you want people to crate their dogs, (which is what i do usually anyway) WHY require a fenced in yard?

If you are going to require dog owners to have indoor pets why not the cats too (don't even get me started on how stupid it is cats are allowed to roam free given the destruction to native wildlife yet dogs aren't)

If you get a cat from a shelter around here, they have to be indoor cats.

We have some outdoor cats around here, I don't like it, it's sad - it gets really cold here and I doubt they're getting nearly enough food.

I don't know why they would adopt out outside cats to people. Seeing as the reason they were probably taken to the shelter was because they were strays anyway. My only concern with having no fenced in yard would be the dog getting loose. Or that the lack of fenced in yard would mean less exercise for the dog.

But as many dogs have proven, you put most in the backyard and as soon as they leave they simply nap in the sun. Dogs need to be walked hence the not needing a fenced in yard. And if you don't have a reliable recall for your dog they should be on a leash anyway.

My dogs go for two walks a day, and both come when called. One would nap in the sun, but the other won't. Given the chance, both would go out and explore. My airedale wouldn't come back. It really all depends on the prey drive and whatnot. I know the airedale rescue I got my dog from really looks at the kind of fence you have. Fences also keep unfriendly dogs and animals out. Not all dogs need a fenced in yard, but it is certainly an important factor to take into account when adopting out a dog.

Who's to say that with a fenced in yard, the dog will even be going out there?

Also, some people don't even have yards - what then? Those people don't deserve dogs? There are plenty of ways to exercise your dog that doesn't include a yard. Walks, for one, are important - as perviously stated. Parks have lots of space, there are secluded parks where you could let your dog off and throw a ball, they can run around, etc. There are many different options.

I'm not attacking anyone. I didn't say you should have a fenced in yard, I said it's a good thing to take into consideration. Not everyone has to have a yard to own a dog. But it might rule out more energetic breeds. There are many different ways to exercise a dog, but if for some reason your high energy dog couldn't go for a walk one day, it is just as easy to go in your back yard and throw a ball around. There are no secluded parks near me and if I let my dog off her leash she'll run away. If I didn't have a fenced in back yard for my dogs then my only option would be walks in bad weather.

I have an Australian Cattle Dog - how much more active do they get? And I barely have a yard; and I bring my dog to all kinds of places for exercise.

How could you not be able to walk your dog, but you can take the time to throw the ball in the yard?

But, I don't mean to be argumentative - everyone is different, and I just don't think yard should matter.

Then, for you, the fence shouldn't matter too much. But not everyone is like you. My airedale is very high energy. She gets two walks a day and still wants to go out and play. So I'll take her out and throw a ball around for her. For my dog, a fence is necessary. If someone came into the shelter and wanted to adopt her, she would really need a fence.

They do a bad job of taking care of the roads here, the roads will be really icy, but my backyard will be fine. And if it looks like it's about to rain I don't have to take the chance I can just go outside and play.

Old thread, but interesting.

Personally, I like to get my Danes from breeders. They don't need to be breeders who show their Danes. They don't need to be titled. Personally, I prefer a breeder that looks into HEALTH and temperement, first and foremost. Then comes being pretty. However, though two of my Danes are from breeders, and one is from a litter produced on my own, I have no qualms against taking in or rehoming other dogs. I foster, as well. Within the past month, I have rescued three Danes. One came from a mill where he was being studded out to his mother and sisters. He is a Harlequin Dane. He was being bred to other Harlequins and Merles, producing blind and deaf puppies with a myriad of other health issues. (I will NEVER breed merle x merle, harlequin x harlequin, or merle x harlequin.) He is now in a family home where he was neutered today. I also rescued a female Dane who rated in at a BMI of 1.5. For those of you who don't know, she was a walking skeleton. She was also a mill dog, being bred for profit. She now resides with a family 3 hours away, and has already been spayed. The third this week is a beautiful blue brindle male that was abused. He rated in at a BMI of 1. Being alive, he couldn't be rated lower, but the dog was 80 pounds underweight and had sores all over his body where he slept on concrete. I paid for this dogs treatment and neuter. For the next few months, this dog is going to by on 2000mg of Cephylexin a day to treat the infections in his sores.
I may breed (my dogs aren't OFA'd or CERF for personal reasons, but I do have them x-rayed and tested and evaluated by a team of vets), but it is very sparingly. I just turned a woman down who wanted to breed her merle to my harlequin to make "pretty puppies." I never make what I spend in caring for my pups. And, I adopt, foster, etc.
I may get flamed for not showing my dogs, but there are more important things that a "pretty" dog. My dogs go on to do great things like Service Dog work. They've got titles other than Ch. in their pedigree, which is amazing for the breed known as a couch potato. (My dog's sire and dam are both working service dogs, even at the ages of 9 and 10. His half brother is also a service dog, and he's 7.)
Sorry about the patchiness of the thread. I'm exhausted.

I forgot to add a point. There are many show breeders who produce beautiful dogs, but they've got a dirty little secret. Many of them breed Harlequin x Harlequin. As I stated before, this produces blind and/or deaf puppies. These puppies also have other problems, such as severe heart issues. These breeders are held high by their parent club and the AKC, and whatever. I wouldn't ever buy a puppy from them. They're making the moral decision to produce puppies that will suffer, just for a pretty litter with markings that will allow them to show.

What would you do? Buy from them or go to the small time breeder that wouldn't dream of doing that, but goes out of their way to make sure they have good, healthy dogs with good, steady temperements? The small-time breeder that prefers that their pups go out spayed or neutered, unless a co-own is in order with a strict contract.

I'd choose the small-time, and I'm not just saying this because I produce the occasional litter. It's a moral choice. Sure, the bigger breeder may have prettier dogs with ring titles, but how many puppies have they culled out or hid, due to their breeding practices, just for some good looking Harlequins?

But people who show breeds have to meet the breed standards. Sure, they do have gorgeous dogs, but that's because of good breeding. They can have the most beautiful dog in the ring, if they don't meet the breed standards, it means nothing. For good breeders, health and temperament should always come first. But if the ugliest pup and the prettiest pup equaled in both, I can't blame them for wanting to breed the prettiest.

People who show do it for the dogs. The ones who want the pretty dogs are the backyard breeders. If someone doesn't show and is a small-time breeder, I would be more wary. Of course, service dogs have to get here somehow, and the people breeding service dogs are also doing it for the dogs. But in my research, I've found more responsible breeders who show, then the ones who don't.

Culling is horrible! No one should ever be culling a dog! Ex: My boss shows and breeds English mastiffs. She didn't cull the runt, she sold it as a family pet and didn't allow the runt to be bred. There's no reason to ever cull or hide a dog and anyone doing that is a horrible breeder and person!