Dont get a pup, dont get this breed ...

Why so often on here do I read such comments, dont get a breed from this group/dont get a pup as your first dog?

If someone researchs their choosen breed, feels they can give it what it needs - then why would they need to start off with an adult...or go with another possibly easier breed

makes no sense to me, so why do people keep advising this??

My first dog was a rescued JRT - Owning her has not reflected getting my other breeds from pups, all needing different needs...

If you want a breed that your interested in, I cant actually see any better way than to have a pup and watch and understand it as it grows..You can never understand a breed fully until you have owned them through different age..

I think it's often because many people haven't researched the breed. They know of a nice Labrador/Cocker Spaniel/St Bernard that their aunt/cousin/friend owns and assume theirs will be the same. They see a cute puppy face and don't realise the hard work it takes.
I grew up with GSDs all my life, we always had two at a time, I was involved with their care (grooming, feeding, walking) but owning a GSD puppy to raise myself was a real shock to my system! It wasn't the walk-on-a-perfect-loose-lead, come-back-when-called, could-leave-infront-of-a-roast-dinner-unattended dog I was used to, it was a leg-chewing, bin-raiding cheeky little monster
I would have called myself dog-savvy, growing up with dogs, but I wasn't on a dog forum at the time, and I did some things wrong - I'm only human, afterall. Had I any inkling what I was letting myself in for, I may have changed my mind about getting a puppy, or at least done a whole lot more homework first, and I think people on here have the benefit of having been through that and just want new members to learn from other people's mistakes rather than making and learning from their own. I think if I was to get a puppy now, I would do things a whole lot differently just from the knowledge I've garnered by being on forums like this, and from my experiences with my current adult rescue dogs.
Like you said, learning from each lifestage is vital to really getting to know a dog, but if you have limited experience then why jump in at the deepend and have to learn every aspect straight away? If you've never owned that breed before, I think it's far more sensible to adopt a well-balanced adult and learn their regular breed traits before trying to raise a puppy blindly, with no experience of how an adult dog will turn out. With my puppy, for example, I already had a good idea of adult GSD traits so it gave me something to aim for - I knew seperation anxiety could be an issue, guarding behaviour, etc., so I at least had half an idea of what to train into/out of her, rather than have to learn that at the same time as learning all the general puppy stuff. I am definately not anti-puppy but I am all for people stopping and actually thinking about what they're getting into before they go ahead.

I think it's just personal opinions based on people's situations.

I wouldn't advise a family with young children and barely any time to get a Border collie. Some people can do it but it's not to say everyone can.

I wouldn't advise a first time owner to get a Husky without owning a few different breeds before hand due to the needs of the dog.

Fair enough, if they have researched thoroughly and feel they can handle it then that's fine, but there are many dogs in rescue due to the owner not being prepared for what they have researched.
Besides most things these days are for status or looks which shows the increase in SBT's and other bull breeds in rescues.

I understand your point, I have been told that since I hadn't owned a certain breed before and because the dog in question needed a lot of rehabilitation and training that as I only just got my first dog in July of last year - I should hand it over to a breed rescue and allow them to find it an experienced home. Fair enough she may have needed a lot of work but I thought I could take it on, but there were other factors - Louie was young and still in training, I was in the middle of renovating our house and thinking of it now, realistically I couldn't have taken her on - but at the time I thought I could - which most people believe they can.

I would have to agree here - this way you can shape behaviours and bring the dog up as you want it brought up. However on the other hand an adult dog from a rescue has grown into it's traits and it's personality so it is easier to get a better idea of what you are working with.

I neither agree or disagree with people saying "don't get a certain breed" but there are breeds you would not advise to certain people in certain situations.

Then it doesnt matter what breed they have the same issues will occur! none of us are born dog owning experts, we all have to learn - instead of telling people what breeds they shouldnt be owning, and what age to get - we should be educating them on problems likely to occur.

I agree with this totally. IMO, you can read all the books in the world, speak to as many breeders/owners as you like but until you actually own a certain breed you cannot fully know what you are letting yourself in for.

I think people should be able to choose what they like without the guilt of others telling them they should do this, that and the other. What really narks me is when people pipe up with that slogan "dont buy while rescue dogs die" and think that everybody should adopt a dog from a shelter instead of going to a breeder.

I agree,I think it comes down to the individual dog too,Tyler would have been a dream for a 1st time owner as he was so easy,now Meg could have been a nightmare for a 1st time owner and at times I felt out of my depth with her,she was a very naughty pup and very hard to train,especially toilet training,she is a good dog now apart from aggression issues with other dogs but alot of hard work went into her as it did with Tyler but I spent alot more one to one time with Meg she was just so flaming stubborn or just been thick LOL

Didnt see you edit before replying. working with rescue I see just how many dogs come through, most have issues. alot that have come from bad experiences and would not reflect the breed if brought up well balanced. Going for a rescue is not always the best options, when you rescue you do not know what your getting, you dont know your getting a well balanced dog, and its possibly that the breed traits are will not be there, will be to the extreme ect!

Getting a puppy is to me the safer option for a first timer, you have the breeders support, you start with them young so can train, bond and learn together. There are pros and cons for each - but I havr read threads on here where people would be more than responsible, and knowledgeable enough to bring in a pup yet have been told to go for a rescue!

Alot of rescues that come through breed rescue need experienced owners - not someone new to the breed. An adult in a rescue could go either way, and until that dog is in a settled home enviroment you would never know fully.

But there are many balanced rescues with little to no issues too.
At the end of the day no one has to take the advice given on here, if they really want a pup then nothing's stopping them, I just think if the message gets through to only half the people about rescues, BYBs, etc. then it's an achievement. From my experience, I think lots of people won't recommend against a pup completely but will suggest that if an adult rescue isn't what they want, to at the very least do their research into finding a decent breeder.

Like you said, pros and cons, but this applies to puppies too. Adult rescues may "go either way" but so can puppies - my puppy wasn't the easiest dog! She was your typical BYB free ad dog (I didn't buy her, she came from a relative who bought her to find she didn't get along with their current dog) and in my newbie status I probably did a few things wrong, I think it's just as naive to say that puppies, being a blank slate, will come out perfect - they may not have bad habits to train out but you can accidentally train them in through lack of experience.

Like I said, I'm not anti-puppy, but the majority of "I'm thinking about getting a puppy!" threads seem to show that the owner-to-be has not actually done a whole lot of research on the breed or puppies in general.

Of course there are some perfect dogs in rescue! Of course no one has to take the advice given on here, although it can be miss guiding and in alot of cases there is no 'real' reason why someone new to a breed shoud go for a rescue.