Puppies to Go -  "Designer Dogs"

(and I'm not talking just Labradoodles folks!) pup

I doubt this is a new trend, but I'm certainly noticing it more these days. With all the fast food, fast everything the new trend is Puppies to Go...what am I talking about? I'm talking about when people contact a rescue or breeder and feel entitled to have to certain traits in their new dog - it must be a certain color, a certain coat, a certain personality trait - as if we have control over nature. What ever happened to unconditional love? An open mind? TRAINING and NURTURING to get the traits you desire? Puppies are not made to order. Just like when you have children - you don't typically get to pick their hair color and sex (at least you used to not be able to) and you'd love him/her anyway. You couldn't be assured she'd be talented musically or a mathematical whiz. You get what the genes throw at you!

It's one thing to request a dog the breeder or rescuer feels may be good with kids, cats, other dogs - that's a legitimate concern for safety as well as harmony in the home. But harmony does not depend on color or coat style. You are supposedly getting this puppy forever, for who he is, and while it's nice if he IS good with kids (or cats, other dogs, whatever) it's still YOUR responsibility as the owner to socialize and guide him in that direction. I think it's the sense of entitlement people seem to have these days. Because you are paying good money for this puppy, you expect perfection, and feel you are entitled to get whatever you want down to specific markings or coat style - in spite of the fact that there may be other families that feel just as entitled to get what they want. Puppies are not erector sets that you choose parts off a shelf and put together - each is a tremendously unique and special live creature. It's not a toy for your kids, a "replacement" for a dog that died, a companion for another pet, or something cute to only appreciate because it has "puppy breath". If that's your intention GET A STUFFED DOG as you'll be much happier with the fact that it is perfect - it doesn't pee, doesn't poop, doesn't dig, doesn't howl, doesn't whine, doesn't nip, doesn't run away, doesn't jump out of the back of your pickup, doesn't demand attention, doesn't require feeding, doesn't chew, will stay the color it was when you bought it, doesn't have to be spayed or neutered, and will sit on the shelf and be perfect forever.

One of the reasons puppy mills flourish is because of this whole "Puppies to Go" mentality.





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