My partner clued in pretty quickly that when it comes to animals, I can’t say no. So that’s why I almost found myself in a car on a very rainy Sunday earlier this month with a black and white dog in the back named Lenny.
Lenny is a Cocker Spaniel our family was planning to adopt after his previous caretaker had a stroke, leaving them unable to care for him. It was heart-tugging and hard to say no, and in the long run, probably a good call since Ali, my partner, has been aggressively suggesting getting a cow (we live in the middle of the city). Unfortunately, Lenny was, instead, sold to someone in Chilliwack, despite being promised to us. It was difficult to watch my eight-year-old stepson deal with his heartbreak over not getting to welcome a new canine family member.
Getting a new dog was always the plan though, and almost a daily discussion. Ali’s sister is a Springer Spaniel breeder and is expecting a litter quite soon. We seriously considered taking one of the puppies, until Ali’s friend told her about Lenny. But as Lenny fell through, we had a new opportunity. Mobi, a Springer Spaniel, needed to be rehomed and that new home ended up being ours (yes Mum and Dad, I have another dog now, so what?).
A lot of people would probably be dismayed that we were originally thinking of getting a puppy from a breeder, rather than adopt. I wouldn’t blame them. According to Humane Canada, 20,239 dogs and 58, 793 cats were in shelters across the country and are all in need of a permanent home. There are various reasons why these animals are admitted into shelters, from housing concerns (moving, landlord issues, strata concerns), financial concerns, responsibility, and poor ownership.
I’ve only ever had experience with adopting dogs. I adopted my almost 13-year-old Border Collie/lab mix, Coal, when he was a puppy while attending college in Thunder Bay, Ont.
My family also adopted a two-year-old Stumpy Tail Australian Cattle Dog mix called Smokey for my father as a Christmas present in 2018.
My father grew up around dogs and had three Airedales as a kid and a Shetland Collie called Maggie when my younger sister and I were just kids.
Smokey was a wonderful dog. He was a happy dog who would drop anything for a good tummy rub, preferring that to any tasty treat. Sadly, Smokey would die by the time he was six. It was almost exactly four years later from when he walked into my parent’s kitchen, where my dad’s face had dropped in confusion, before almost immediately dropping to the floor to shower Smokey in pets. It was Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM), the second most common heart disease in dogs. By the time he was diagnosed, it was already too late. The veterinarian told my father all he could do from then was make sure he was comfortable. My family is still deeply saddened by the loss.
While Smokey was a great dog, he wasn’t the perfect dog. When it came to other dogs he was often aggressive. When Coal and Smokey met, it took them a few weeks to come to a peaceful understanding. The elder Coal ruled the roost, Smokey often tagging along behind. It didn’t improve his attitude toward other dogs though.
When my sister and I picked Smokey up on a cold and windy Ontario day, the sky almost as gray as his fur, from the rescue, the owner assured us Smokey had no problems with other dogs or animals. My father also had to bug her for months afterwards for his medical files. I’m still not sure if he ever got them.
There within lies one of the problems of adopting. And there are several more, just like there are many cons in going through a breeder.
You never know what you get with an adopted pet; medical records are lost, unknown genetics, their temperament isn’t exactly what the breeder described as, or maybe they are just not a great fit for the family, or rather the family is not a great fit for the dogs needs.
I’ve seen a lot of staunch anti-breeder people on the Internet when it comes to getting a dog, but breeders can be necessary and are often the right call if you are looking for something specific in a dog.
A rancher wants a good cattle dog? They are not going to have much success in adopting a dog with no medical records or the right drive to herd their cattle. Most dogs are happiest when they are working.
Most breeders also have rehoming options. If a puppy or dog isn’t a good fit for a family, the breeder will take it back and find a new home for it. Breeders will also have a detailed pedigree of their dogs and be aware of any health issues with the specific breed and their line of dogs.
Of course, non-ethical breeders do exist, which is where most of the distrust of them comes from. Some breed just to make a quick buck.
Unfortunately, the biggest issue with a lot of breeders, especially ones who want to make show dogs, is the constant inbreeding to match a certain look. This leads to a lot of inherited diseases. It can also lead to an influx of unwanted animals in shelters due to people not researching what kind of pet they want and the breeders selling them those pets actively informing them on the needs of said animal.