Vicky

My Siberian is "someone else's garbage" that came to us crate trained, housebroken, with basic obedience and house manners. Sure, he had some rough edges to work out, but all in all, he came as a fantastic dog.

I think people looking to trash shelter dogs so quickly haven't really taken the time to look for a dog. You don't go rushing out to the first breeder you see, do you? Then why would you do the same when it comes to shelters/rescues? You're much more likely to find a suitable dog for a pet home via a reputable shelter that tests their dogs rather than having the same family get a puppy that may or may not fit their situation. Just because there's a "market" for dogs does not mean they should be bred. I'm sorry if I sound elitist, but it's just how I feel, dogs should either have a current job (like Alaskan Huskies, the mutts used in sprinting) or should be bred to preserve a breed. You're right, huskies and mals aren't used so much, but that doesn't mean that they shouldn't still be bred to standard and preserved. It's "breed preservation" not "breed to fill puppy demand," that's what mills do.

What do you mean by that, do the same thing? It's not a matter of switching breeds entirely based on temperament, it's about adopting the dog that, although it's a breed that NORMALLY would be drivey, the dog has a temperament that doesn't fit with the normal standard. You can get this somewhat (like you even said) with pet-quality dogs from a good breeder, but you can get an even better match with a rescue pet that has been tested and found to fit in your particular situation. It's about doing the legwork to actually find a dog that fits for you, not glancing once and giving up because "they don't have the right dog," so you run out & buy a puppy. The rescue we got my husky from constantly has mixes that look wolfy, and a lot of them have nowhere near the drive that "standard" dogs would have. The only reason I would EVER get a dog anywhere other than a shelter/rescue would be if I had a specific job or sport that I wanted to do with that dog, because THAT'S the reason (the way I see it) to go to a breeder. Pet dogs are EVERYWHERE.