While I support rescue shelters and wouldn't be opposed to getting a dog from one, I have some major issues with this post.
First off, just because a dog doesn't come from a shelter, doesn't mean it comes from a puppy mill. There are such things as responsible breeders that care about the dogs - even after they've gone to their new homes. The guy across the hall from me at work used to be one - he had such a strong reputation in his particular breed's world (Brittany Spaniels) that he usually had a year plus waiting list for pups. He used to go as far as requiring interviews with prospective buyers, and when they came to the top of the list, he would match them to a puppy's personality to make sure it was a good fit. Towards the end of his breeding career, he stopped doing that, but would still assist with selection. He had two pups that I know of develop medical issues (diabetes and epilepsy), and the owners wished to part with the dog. He refunded 100% of their money, and found a new home for the dogs. These types of breeders - the good ones, not the puppy mills - research the genealogy of a breeding pair to make sure there's not genetic issues, will often have the mother checked for hip and eye problems before breeding to make sure the puppies won't be genetically predisposed to problems.
And the second problem I have is the statement, "there's no reason to buy dogs from puppy mills even if you're wanting a specific kind of dog. There's dogs of every breed that are waiting to be adopted."
Wrong again. Granted, if you're just looking for a companion dog, you're right. But if you're looking for a working dog, there are legitimate reasons for buying from a breeder (again, note the distinction: BREEDER, not puppy mill). First being bloodlines. Dogs of one bloodline will typically have a specific overall temperament and drive. (for instance, my coworkers dogs were of the Maverick bloodline, known for being very social, family dogs that would hunt through a brick wall if they thought a bird was on the other side) Secondly, is training. I know guys -- die-hard hunters -- that refuse to let anyone else train their dogs. They want to be the 'alpha male' to their dogs starting the day the pup leaves his mother - and I tend to agree that the first month or two a pup is away from mom is some of the most valuable bonding time.
NOW, am I saying rescue dogs are bad? Nope, not at all. But to say there's no reason to get a dog anywhere but a rescue is ignorant, and to group all breeders in with puppy mills is offensive.
