This was posted on a forum I frequent.

"As you may know, Barack Obama has promised his kids that he will buy
them a dog after the campaign. This petition encourages him to adopt a
homeless dog from an animal shelter rather than purchase one from a
store or breeder.

Regardless of your political affiliation, I encourage you to check it out."

www.obamafamilydog.com

montana wildhack wrote:
This was posted on a forum I frequent.

"As you may know, Barack Obama has promised his kids that he will buy
them a dog after the campaign. This petition encourages him to adopt a
homeless dog from an animal shelter rather than purchase one from a
store or breeder.

Regardless of your political affiliation, I encourage you to check it out."

www.obamafamilydog.com


I have really mixed emotions about this. When I got my dogs I came
under a great deal of criticism for opting to purchase carefully bred
pedigreed dogs from health-tested lines, instead of taking potluck from
a shelter.

It was bad enough when I got my BCs but when word leaked out that a slot
for a third dog had opened in my family, everybody and his brother
wanted me to "do the right thing" and take on their problems and
disasters. The pressure from certain people was egregious enough that
my relationships with those individuals were permanently affected.

I have limited space and resources and specific goals and ideas for what
I want to do with my dogs, and what I expect of them. Nobody gets any
guarantees and I certainly would not have dumped or even re-homed any of
them if they had not worked out as performance dogs, but I wanted to
maximize my chances at getting what I wanted. And that meant purebreds
from performance lines.

For me, choosing canine family members is an extremely serious matter, a
15-18 year committment (hopefully), not some spur-of-the-moment impulse
acquisition and I refuse to be guilt-tripped for my decisions.

When I tired of one woman's ongoing harangues on the matter, I finally
told her, "Look, this is none of your business, it's as bad as
criticising a couple for opting to give birth to their own child instead
of flying to Ethiopia to adopt a starving teenager".

And you know what? She responded, "It is the same thing, it's *exactly*
the same thing, nobody should be having any more babies until every
child has a home, and nobody should be breeding dogs until the shelters
are empty." At that point I realized that I was dealing with a
delusional fanatic, not a rational individual.

Promoting the adoption of homeless shelter dogs is a laudable goal but
it's not for everybody. I wouldn't pass judgement on somebody who made
the same decision I did.

In article ,
Kathleen wrote:


And you know what? She responded, "It is the same thing, it's *exactly*
the same thing, nobody should be having any more babies until every
child has a home, and nobody should be breeding dogs until the shelters
are empty." At that point I realized that I was dealing with a
delusional fanatic, not a rational individual.

Kind of like the cat group folks?

Promoting the adoption of homeless shelter dogs is a laudable goal but
it's not for everybody. I wouldn't pass judgement on somebody who made
the same decision I did.

Same here. I have 3 dogs and each is here for a different reason. They
were all "right for ME" though. 2 were shelter dogs (well, once was a
shelter reject!) and the other a well bred puppy. I don't love any of
them any more of less, but they were very specifically chosen for my
needs at the time as well as my long term goals. Rudy was a foster who
wasn't supposed to stay, but once I realized he was meant to, well.....

--
Janet Boss
www.bestfriendsdogobedience.com

Kathleen wrote:

When I tired of one woman's ongoing harangues on the matter, I finally
told her, "Look, this is none of your business, it's as bad as
criticising a couple for opting to give birth to their own child instead
of flying to Ethiopia to adopt a starving teenager".

And you know what? She responded, "It is the same thing, it's *exactly*
the same thing, nobody should be having any more babies until every
child has a home, and nobody should be breeding dogs until the shelters
are empty." At that point I realized that I was dealing with a
delusional fanatic, not a rational individual.


I have to ask. What was her living situation? How many dogs? How many
cats? How much space, and what sort of medical care for them? Financed
by whom? The lady sounds so bizarre, you've peaked my curiousity. Any
children? Has she adopted any starving Ethiopian teenagers?


--Lia

"Suja" said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

There is nothing wrong with buying an even tempered, well bred
dog from health tested lines.

And, if Obama did so, it would probably go a long way, education
wise, to decreasing the number of given-up-on dogs in shelters
and rescue.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.

"montana wildhack" wrote in message:


"As you may know, Barack Obama has promised his kids that he will buy
them a dog after the campaign. This petition encourages him to adopt a
homeless dog from an animal shelter rather than purchase one from a
store or breeder.

I am sure they mean well, but he should do what is in the best interest of
his family. There is nothing wrong with buying an even tempered, well bred
dog from health tested lines.

Suja

Rocky wrote:
"Suja" said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

There is nothing wrong with buying an even tempered, well bred
dog from health tested lines.

And, if Obama did so, it would probably go a long way, education
wise, to decreasing the number of given-up-on dogs in shelters
and rescue.

Of course, if the Obamas adopted a shelter dog or rescue, it
would probably go a long way to increasing the number of rejected
dog adoptions.

Clearly, the only thing for them to do is to adopt one of each!

FurPaw

--
The plural of anecdote is not proof.

To reply, unleash the dog.

Janet Boss wrote:

In article ,
Kathleen wrote:


And you know what? She responded, "It is the same thing, it's *exactly*
the same thing, nobody should be having any more babies until every
child has a home, and nobody should be breeding dogs until the shelters
are empty." At that point I realized that I was dealing with a
delusional fanatic, not a rational individual.


Kind of like the cat group folks?

Heh. The reek of lunacy clings like the odor of a dozen incontinent
tomcats. I'm sure you recognize it from your interactions with Schoen.
I'm only surprised that I didn't recognize it sooner with this broad.


Promoting the adoption of homeless shelter dogs is a laudable goal but
it's not for everybody. I wouldn't pass judgement on somebody who made
the same decision I did.


Same here. I have 3 dogs and each is here for a different reason. They
were all "right for ME" though. 2 were shelter dogs (well, once was a
shelter reject!) and the other a well bred puppy. I don't love any of
them any more of less, but they were very specifically chosen for my
needs at the time as well as my long term goals. Rudy was a foster who
wasn't supposed to stay, but once I realized he was meant to, well.....

Exactly. Thank you.

Julia Altshuler wrote:

Kathleen wrote:


When I tired of one woman's ongoing harangues on the matter, I finally
told her, "Look, this is none of your business, it's as bad as
criticising a couple for opting to give birth to their own child
instead of flying to Ethiopia to adopt a starving teenager".

And you know what? She responded, "It is the same thing, it's
*exactly* the same thing, nobody should be having any more babies
until every child has a home, and nobody should be breeding dogs until
the shelters are empty." At that point I realized that I was dealing
with a delusional fanatic, not a rational individual.



I have to ask. What was her living situation? How many dogs? How many
cats? How much space, and what sort of medical care for them? Financed
by whom? The lady sounds so bizarre, you've peaked my curiousity. Any
children? Has she adopted any starving Ethiopian teenagers?

Mid 30s, married to a doormat.

2 shelter dogs.

One is vicious and has bitten three people that I personally know of,
two of whom required medical attention. No lawsuits to date.

The other, a large mixed breed, was active in dog sports with her
husband until a few months ago when he (the dog) developed lameness in a
hind leg after exertion. My guess would be that it is arthritis related
to hip dysplasia but we will probably never know because it has never
been diagnosed or treated. Instead, the woman demanded that the husband
cease and desist from exercising the dog as it was selfish of him to
cause the dog pain "just for the fun of it". Meanwhile, the dog has
gained about 20 lbs, still limping, no x-rays, no painkillers.

No cats - see first dog.

No children, Ethiopian or otherwise.

Recently returned from a 3 week vacation in Hawaii, currently taking
ballroom dancing lessons with her doormat.

Kathleen spoke these words of wisdom in
news

Promoting the adoption of homeless shelter dogs is a laudable goal but
it's not for everybody. I wouldn't pass judgement on somebody who made
the same decision I did.






I certainly agree. BUT, A pet is a pet. If you have a specific reason for
wanting a certain type of dog , competition, breeding, herding, flyball, or
whatever, then certainly choosing from a breeder with greater potential of
getting exactly what you had hoped for makes sense.

But if your only requirements are as a good solid pet, then rescue makes
sense too