OMFG: anti-shelter article

[kaos]

Just read this on MSN... I am in utter shock... I don't even want to say what I am thinking of this guy but clearly he has as much intelligence as Katz.

 

The pros and cons of dogs from a pet shelter

 

Thoughts?

 

Sara

[borderlicious]

What a bunch of inane drivel. I have too many thoughts on the matter to really put together a coherent post, but I'll say this - my childhood dog came from a shelter, from a questionable past and was landed in a home (ours) that had very little experience with training dogs. She went on to become our go-to dog on our ranch, my constant companion and protector, and was the most stable and reliable dog I've ever known, and lived to be at least 15 years old.

 

People who use the "shelter dogs need work" argument must have owned those miraculous puppies that didn't need any training. You know, the kind that were born knowing how to pee outside, come when called and not bite. I've fostered shelter dogs and I have found their transition similar to that of bringing in a puppy. And honestly, the time that I spent on making those dogs comfortable was far less time than I spent house training, supervising, obedience training, socializing and amusing my puppies. I think it's safe to say that a new dog is work, no matter how old it is or where it comes from.

 

I volunteer regularly at a shelter and the most common excuses for turning a dog in, have nothing to do with the dog whatsoever. It is an owner problem 90% of the time. Shelter dogs are not the trash that this moron makes them out to be.

[tualizzy]

This just makes me sad.

[Millie&MeBC]

That is absoltuely ridiculous. and I agree 100% with grace (borderlicious)

[Jack & Co.]

However, I strongly advise those with children to find a reputable breeder and buy a purebred puppy. You are going to own this animal for at least 10 years. You and your kids and the dog deserve the best chance you can get at success. Taking someone else's mistakes into your own home represents a poor way to start.

 

We got Jack from the animal shelter as a puppy and we couldn't be happier. Unfortunately, because of overcrowding, he was housed outside (2 months old) with adult dogs and he had bronchitis and bad, bad worms. But good food, a capable vet, and lots of love fixed him right up. We had owned a purebread cocker and decided to go to the animal shelter for a mix in hopes of avoiding some of the chronic health problems our BYB cocker had suffered with.

[stockdogranch]

What an ass.

Anna

[Beth G]

Ditto! How's it go? Eeeeee-Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!

 

 

Popcorn is the only dog that I have ever had, that wasn't a rescue and that I got as a pup, and yet all my dogs have been great. I don't regret rescuing any of them.

 

Of course real dog people, like us, understand that dogs, like people, all have their quirks, problems and insecurities.

 

And we stick by our dogs and work with them, through their problems- as we would in any relationship.

 

That guy is an idiot- with a capial I.

[Kat's Dogs]

That is sick.

 

The fact is - EVERY one of the problems mentioned can occur with puppies from breeders too! Why do you think the dogs end up in shelters? Do dogs from breeders not have aggression, barking, digging, chewing and potty issues? Yeah right.

 

That is just aweful! So backwards!

 

Older dogs are BETTER! Obviously all dogs in shelters started as puppies - but people who got them couldn't handle them. This article just tells more people who aren't ready to get puppies that will only end up in shelters later.

[sluj]

I'd like to see some statistics backing up his claim that the majority of dogs are actually there due to behavior problems. Read the placards on the kennels, and you see an awful lot of "owner moved", "owner devloped allergies", "owner got married/ had a baby", none of which has anything to do with the dog himself. He acknowledges they do exist, but seems to imply they are a small minority, which I don't believe is the case at all.

 

And I have to agree with Grace and Kat - if the buyer is't dog-savvy enough to deal with a shelter dog, they're pretty likely to screw up the purebred puppy, too.

[Kat's Dogs]

I'd like to see some statistics backing up his claim that the majority of dogs are actually there due to behavior problems. Read the placards on the kennels, and you see an awful lot of "owner moved", "owner developed allergies", "owner got married/ had a baby"

 

A couple years ago I was looking at shelter statistics. The number one reason was because the owner moved to a place and couldn't take the dog. Shortly after that were the allergies, and human kids. The other top one was housetraining. But yes, the main reasons dogs are there is lots of times not even the dogs' problem.

[Chesney's Girl]

After having a couple fosters in Louisiana and pulling them from the shelter... They all seemed so greatful that I couldn't grasp the idea that most rescues wouldn't be able to give a family the same satifaction as a breeder baught pup, if they are given the same essentials...

 

Sad the way some people are so closed minded and oblivious

[WyoBC]

I can't believe that!! When I got Black Jack from the shelter he was shy, scared, and lonely. Now he's a bright, lovable, and happy dog. The main reason people leave dogs at the shelter is because they don't understand what it takes to own a dog. It's their falt, not the dogs.

[SoloRiver]

The author makes some good points in the article, as there is a high potential for dog/owner mismatch in any case where a prospective owner is unprepared, or unable to assess the suitability of a potential pet. However, this would apply as equally for many owners obtaining pets from sources other than animal shelters. I also have a real, big, HUGE problem with the nasty overtones blaming the dogs themselves for "screwing up their own lives" (or whatever the article actually says) by doing, basically, what many totally normal dogs do if they lack training (i.e., bark, soil the house, destroy things, etc.).

 

I'd like to see some statistics backing up his claim that the majority of dogs are actually there due to behavior problems.

 

I too think the author is an ass, but there are studies that indicate "behavioral problems" are the most common reason why dogs are given up, euthanized, or eliminated from breeding programs.

 

Miller, D.D., Staats, S.R., Partlo, C., Rada, K., 1996. Factors associated

with the decision to surrender a pet to an animal shelter. J. Am. Vet.

Med. Assoc. 209, 738-742.

 

Mondelli, F., Previde, E.P., Verga, M., Levi, D., Magistrelli, S., Valsecchi,

P., 2004. The bond that never developed: adoption and relinquishment

of dogs in a rescue shelter. J. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 7, 253-266.

 

Patronek, G.J., Glicklman, L.T., Beck, A.M., McCabe, G.P., Ecker, C.,

1996. Risk factors for relinquishment of dogs to an animal shelter.

J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 209, 572-581.

 

Salman, M.D., New, J.G., Jr., Scarlett, J.M., Kass, P.H., 1998. Human and

animal factors related to the relinquishment of dogs and cats in selected

animal shelters in the United States. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 1,

207-226.

 

Salman, M.D., Hutchison, J., Ruch-Gallie, R., New, J.G., Jr,, Scarlett, J.M.,

Kass, P.H., 2000. Behavioral reasons for relinquishment of dogs and

cats to 12 shelters. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 3, 93-106.

 

Shore, E.R., Petersen, C.L., Douglas, D.K., 2003. Moving as a reason for

pet relinquishment: a closer look. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 6, 39-52.

 

Shore, E.R., 2005. Returning a recently adopted companion animal: adopters’

reasons for and reactions to the failed adoption experience. J. Appl.

Anim. Welf. Sci. 8, 187-198.

 

The thing is that "behavior problems" are owner-defined. Some of them are probably the types of problems that, for example, my project is interested in (what most dog people would refer to as "temperament" problems) but a lot of them, maybe even most of them, probably aren't. Most of them are probably just normal dog behavior. And temperament problems can hardly be considered a dog's fault, any more than depression or anxiety problems in people can be considered personal failings.

[SoloRiver]

The author makes some good points in the article, as there is a high potential for dog/owner mismatch in any case where a prospective owner is unprepared, or unable to assess the suitability of a potential pet. However, this would apply as equally for many owners obtaining pets from sources other than animal shelters. I also have a real, big, HUGE problem with the nasty overtones blaming the dogs themselves for "screwing up their own lives" (or whatever the article actually says) by doing, basically, what many totally normal dogs do if they lack training (i.e., bark, soil the house, destroy things, etc.).

 

I'd like to see some statistics backing up his claim that the majority of dogs are actually there due to behavior problems.

 

I too think the author is an ass, but there are studies that indicate "behavioral problems" are the most common reason why dogs are given up, euthanized, or eliminated from breeding programs.

 

Miller, D.D., Staats, S.R., Partlo, C., Rada, K., 1996. Factors associated

with the decision to surrender a pet to an animal shelter. J. Am. Vet.

Med. Assoc. 209, 738-742.

 

Mondelli, F., Previde, E.P., Verga, M., Levi, D., Magistrelli, S., Valsecchi,

P., 2004. The bond that never developed: adoption and relinquishment

of dogs in a rescue shelter. J. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 7, 253-266.

 

Patronek, G.J., Glicklman, L.T., Beck, A.M., McCabe, G.P., Ecker, C.,

1996. Risk factors for relinquishment of dogs to an animal shelter.

J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc. 209, 572-581.

 

Salman, M.D., New, J.G., Jr., Scarlett, J.M., Kass, P.H., 1998. Human and

animal factors related to the relinquishment of dogs and cats in selected

animal shelters in the United States. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 1,

207-226.

 

Salman, M.D., Hutchison, J., Ruch-Gallie, R., New, J.G., Jr,, Scarlett, J.M.,

Kass, P.H., 2000. Behavioral reasons for relinquishment of dogs and

cats to 12 shelters. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 3, 93-106.

 

Shore, E.R., Petersen, C.L., Douglas, D.K., 2003. Moving as a reason for

pet relinquishment: a closer look. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 6, 39-52.

 

Shore, E.R., 2005. Returning a recently adopted companion animal: adopters’

reasons for and reactions to the failed adoption experience. J. Appl.

Anim. Welf. Sci. 8, 187-198.

 

The thing is that "behavior problems" are owner-defined. Some of them are probably the types of problems that, for example, my project is interested in (what most dog people would refer to as "temperament" problems) but a lot of them, maybe even most of them, probably aren't. Most of them are probably just normal dog behavior. And the other kinds of problems can hardly be considered the dog's fault, any more than depression or anxiety problems in people can be considered personal failings.

[sluj]

I too think the author is an ass, but there are studies that indicate "behavioral problems" are the most common reason why dogs are given up, euthanized, or eliminated from breeding programs.

....

 

The thing is that "behavior problems" are owner-defined. Some of them are probably the types of problems that, for example, my project is interested in (what most dog people would refer to as "temperament" problems) but a lot of them, maybe even most of them, probably aren't. Most of them are probably just normal dog behavior. And the other kinds of problems can hardly be considered the dog's fault, any more than depression or anxiety problems in people can be considered personal failings.

 

Thanks for the references. I don't doubt that many shelter dogs either have problems or caused their previous owners problems, but I strongly object to the author's implications that dogs without such issues are a rarity. It's hard enough to get people to look at shelter dogs without that sort of propaganda.

[mbc1963]

Hmmm....

 

He also neglects to mention that huge numbers of the dogs who end up in shelters were PURE-BRED dogs purchased by FAMILIES from REPUTABLE BREEDERS.

 

Where does he think these dogs with problems come from? The "Problem Dog Store?" Taking in ANY dog isn't a good thing if it ends tragically.

 

Stupid.

 

Mary

[Jack & Co.]

Mary, that's a good point.

 

I've mentioned my church friend before who got a St. Bernard puppy because "he had always wanted one." He has 3-year old twins and a small fenced yard. My friend really enjoyed the novelty of having a large dog and went on and on about how much he ate and weighed. This puppy lived outside all winter and even though he had a dog house, never went in it. I started hearing complaints from my friend about the dog digging, jumping on the kids and knocking them down, the dog mess in the yard, all of the outside toys being chewed up, etc. I recommended the puppy class I took with Jack and while they did attend, he wasn't thrilled that there was homework outside of class and neither dog nor owner learned much. The story ends when they take the dog to the animal shelter at 8 months of age and he is taken in by the local St. Bernard rescue. I'm sure the SB rescue folks found him a better family!

[clara]

An idiot is an idiot, whether they buy a puppy or get a dog from a shelter. They're going to screw it up either way unless they're willing to lean how to do a good job raising and/or training a dog to be part of their family.

 

My Bingo's former owners are a perfect example. We got him from a shelter when he was 9 months old. They bought him for their kids from a petstore when he was a puppy, from a "bin" labeled Border Collie/ Springer Spaniel X, and I'll be he was sooooo cute. Then they took him home and tied him to a tree. Well the reason he had been at the shelter three times by the time he was finally relinquished, was that he kept chewing through that darn rope and running off. One the form on the front of his kennel, on the question of behavior problems, the original owners wrote that he "constantly seeks out companionship"... I am not kidding. He was wild and untrained in every imaginable way. Now he is the dog even non-dog people love. He never stops wagging his tail except when he's asleep. I hardle knew what I was doing when we adopted him, but we cared and we figured it out! Is that what people don't get, that you have to care and work on it, with any dog????

 

As far as behavior, all my dogs I've gotten from shelters have had problems that come with being undertrained. I've adopted a two year old lab, a 9 month old wild thing, and a 10 week old puppy (the only one not from a shelter). Looking back, there really wasn't ANY difference in the difficulty of training them. The training just involved different aspects of behavior.

 

This guy is an idiot, and although I thought he made some good suggestions at the end for people bringing new dogs home, he really did a diservice to shelter dogs.

 

And did anyone notice he didn't mention getting dogs from rescue groups at all!?!?!?

[Beth G]

I'm a firm believer that a large amount of dogs in the shelter have problems: I.E chewing, running off, jumping up, barking, because they have been ignored or not fixed, and that these problems are actually often caused by ignorent owners themselves who get a dog on a whim ,and that it's often not the dog's fault. (Yes a few truly are vicious and cannot be turned around but most are able to be rehabilitated).

 

What's so sad is that most of those problems are also easily fixed. IF only the people had put in the time and effort.

 

IMHO dogs are alot like kids in many ways. In that they need alot of the same things: Time, love, patience, understanding, and to be taught how to act. They aren't just born with manners. Why can't people just realize that?!

 

Ok done ranting.

[Bordercentrics]

The only reason I would buy a puppy from a breeder is if I wanted a dog for work or competition, and the parents had the drives needed. Many, many shelter dogs have demonstrated their true temperaments under stressful shelter conditions, especially if they have been evaluated with one of the shelter evaluation protocols. If they have been evaluated, you can pretty well know that they will tolerate being handled and that they won't guard their food or try to kill every cat they see. The only other thing they need is a veterinary exam, which is FREE at the two local shelters we volunteer at. Neutering is often free by vouchers as well.

 

After that, it's personality and activity level and size...

 

Most of the dogs we see in the shelters have never been taught even to walk on a leash - many haven't been in a house and may not be housetrained. Many, many shelter dogs really love people, but no one has petted them or spent time with them or worked with them in any way. They need civilizing and basic training and some attention, and most of all to feel secure in a family/pack.

[Root Beer]

Over the past year, I have done a goodly amount temperament evaluations on dogs in shelters, and a few in homes, for rescue. I have also transported some of those dogs, and others.

 

With the exception of two, none of those dogs were anywhere near as messed up in the head as my dog from a breeder is. Sure, many of them needed some manners training and the stability that living in a good home brings, but they were all friendly and highly trainable dogs that were eager to bond with the right person and were likely to make fine pets. Both dogs that were an exception had come from breeders - one of which was supposed to be a very good breeder.

 

While I would advise anyone who was looking to get a dog from any source to go into the situation with eyes open to the fact that there could be unforseen challenges along the way, and that all dogs need training (formal or not), I don't care for this article at all.

[vickim]

I would only consider animals from a shelter. I got my cat from a shelter and she was 6 months (she is a quirky cat--I am the only one she really likes, though other people can pet her, they can only pet her for three strokes before she hisses and swats at them. I've had her for 14 years). Whisper came from a rescue group who got her from a shelter where she was scheduled to be euthanized. Did she have problems? She sure did, and we're still working on them, but her issues were from lack of training, for the most part, though I suspect abuse from men wearing hooded sweatshirts. She is very assertive, very reactive, and very ready to fight (especially Pit Bulls, though any dog that reacts to her would be prime game; I don't let her play with dogs that jumpy and fast moving. She does not do well with a lot of activity around her.). I control her environment and watch her for signs she's getting over stressed and then I take her for a walk.

 

Rescue groups can be great, because they are individuals often dedicated to a single breed (and thus know the breed inside out), and take the time to evaluate the dog's temperant and make every effort to place the dog with a suitable family. I lucked out with Whisper--the rescue group I worked with was not breed-specific, just starting out and couldn't tell me a thing about her personality. Luckily, she and I mesh well together. Sure, she still has issues, and some of them will never go away.

 

Two weekends ago, I stopped at the bank and Whisper waited in the car for me. When I got back out, a man stopped me and wanted to know where I got Whisper. It turns out that he was a breeder at one point and wanted to know if she was possibly one of his own beloved dog's grandkids. Well, I got Whisper out of the car, launched into her story. He was impressed that I adopted a dog out of a shelter, or a rescue, and thanked me for doing a good deed (I think I got the better end of the deal, getting such a fine dog as Whisper). Whisper, for her part, accepted being loved on by a strange man with a hat on--two things she hated before. So sure, dogs from shelters can have issues, but they can also be taught proper behavior with patience and repetition.

 

I am reminded of something I heard a shelter worker say once on the show Animal Cops on Animal Planet. She stated that an owner brought in their pet because it didn't match the furniture.

 

And this man thinks these shelter animals have issues?

[Criosdaidh]

"As much as our hearts go out to them, shelter dogs are what they are because they have failed to live up to the expectations of at least one of their owners, and sometimes several owners, before arriving at their destination."

 

Ok so is his point that some "owners" are so stupid that they didn't think they'd have to spend any time teaching a puppy to behave as it grows up just like you do *gasp* human children?

 

"Remember that a dog imprints between seven and 11 weeks of age, which means that its character and habits are permanently formed at the end of this period."

 

Uh don't think so bud. No in my experience with any of my dogs. Achilles was a street rat when I got him, he was bad ADHD, couldn't focus, was sporratic and fidgety. Now he's very well behaved (best dog I ever had no exaggeration), very focused when I'm trying to teach him something or interacting with him.

 

 

"Even in the best circumstances, shelter dogs will usually require a greater effort to accomplish less in every aspect and stage of training, both because of their prior experiences."

 

Once again completely different in my experience. Achilles learns very quickly. And not just in general ways, he picks up on details about what I want him to do.

 

"With the exception of two, none of those dogs were anywhere near as messed up in the head as my dog from a breeder is."

 

Uh, thank ya. I've had several purebred breeder dogs in my day and every one of them was a mental case compared to the 2 dogs we have now.

 

"IMHO dogs are alot like kids in many ways. In that they need alot of the same things: Time, love, patience, understanding, and to be taught how to act. They aren't just born with manners. Why can't people just realize that?! "

 

100% agree.

[Beth G]

I just hate the damage that this article's BS could do to impressionable, inexperienced new owners. They just might believe it.