Same goes for us,pretty much the same with the staffords,if we didn't show or wasn't interested in that sort of thing we would have had another rescue,our first stafford came from rescue,then i got interested in showing which ruled out a rescue.Staffords run in my blood i think,and the same with hubby Springers run in his blood been raised on a farm and getting involved with shoots and working gundogs.
Fen came to us from Nessr and he is a fantastic dog,although he can never be shown he can still enjoy the country and doing what he was bred for,which hubby has grown up with.We had been thinking of adopting a springer for a while and when we saw his details and his description we thought he was right to fit in with our family,which has proved right,the last week he has really come out of his shell and has such a character and will actually play with us now.
I think what i'm trying to say is don't rule out a rescue completely.
Good Luck whatever you decide

This really saddens me when dogs are dying through lack of homes everyday.
I truly believe the slogan why buy when others die

Hi Allbreeds

I can understand what you are saying, however what is your view on dogs that are bought for show or working homes? Also, as Muddiwarx pointed out, many rescue centres won't rehome to full time workers, or families with young children, and for many other reasons. Whatever the sad and distressing situation with brimming rescue centres (and I think we can all appreciate that), a rescue dog is not always suitable for everyone.

I've had pups from breeders and rescues, I have been half lucky that it kinda worked with the rescue-but it wasn't easy and she was just a juvenille! If you can do it-awesome, well done for giving a dog a home, but if you can't then I don't think you should be made feel bad.
My old rescue girl was PTS earlier this year..my two present dogs came from breeders-both with contracts that if anything happens the pups are returned-so no rescue homes, I think these contracts should be in place on all pups-would save a lot of dogs ending up in rescue!

I think alot of dogs end up in rescue through irresponsible/accidental breeding.It is a sad situation and rescues are overflowing,but if an indivual chooses to go to a reputable breeder then i don't think they should be made to feel guilty about it.
Alot of Stafford rescue's will not rehome a dog where there is another dog already on the premises.

I tried very hard to home a 4 month old pup from a rescue, but they put every obsticle they could in my way and everytime I found a solution, I dont live near the rescue center and their policy is all pups they rehome have to attend their training classes I found five registered trainers who were willing to keep in weekly contact with the center to confirm I was attending classes with the pup, I got a local rescue center to agree to home check, me and said if they werent happy with the trainers or center I had found I was happy to attend any classes they chose and have whoever they prefered to do the home check. I work full time but was intending to bring the pup to work with me. They said they had a more appropriate home and I should find a younger puppy from a breeder as they thought this would best suit me!!!!
I did this in the end and couldnt be happier with my pup (11months old now!) but last I heard the poor pup I tried to rehome was still there had still never experienced living in a home with much less chance of finding the right home the older he gets without any training what so ever!!!!

Just looked at this and find it a concerning statement. Any good breeder would always take the puppy back to rehome. If they can't do that they shouldn't breed.
Any good breeder with a good reputation normally has a waiting list anyway and should be able to find another for their pup.

I think the majority of us here have gone down the rescue route and many of us here I would think have the best of both worlds, me included. I own two rescue dogs I also own dogs brought from breeders. I suppose I am one of the 'lucky' ones who went to a rescue where there were no strict stipulations on families with children as long as the dogs you were intrested in had a history of living with children. Obviously people with young families don't always get the chance or want a dog from rescue because the safety of kids should always be paramount, some rescue dogs are not suitable with young families simply because of the kind of abused backgrounds they may have come from, or rescues won't always rehome to people with young children, sometimes even older children.
So I suppose those that have gone down the rescue route and tried to help a rescue dog and have been refused a dog for whatever reason would find the phrase "Why breed or buy, when others die" quite offensive. Many of us have done our bit for dogs that have fallen on hard times and will continue doing so and possibly continue enjoying the best of both those worlds.

Not all rescue centres are the same, you just have to keep trying until you find the right dog, I know a few centres that are happy to home with children, people who work fulltime etc
IMO breeders who have homes lined up are still adding to the unwanted dog problem, for every home they use an already unwanted dog is missing out. Not all of their pups will stay in the same home for life and although they may say they'll take their pups back how many genuinely mean this, how many will take their pup back 6 years later when their pup is now dog aggressive and not good with strangers - I think not. How many breeders will insist on their pups being neutered and will enforce this taking the dog back or owner to court if they refuse. How many breeders keep an eye on their dogs for life and carryout pre and post homevisits.
If you genuinely love dogs you'd help rescue not breed and sell.

This is no longer the case. Stats show this year more pedigrees have been given upto rescue than crossbreeds.

I know many rescues that are happy to home staffys with other dogs providing the dog is good with other dogs