Rescue vs. Purebred Dogs

I currently have two dogs living under my roof as my own. Lainey, a boxer from a breeder purchased at 10 weeks old, and Pablo, a 1-2 year old mixed breed dog pulled off the streets of Mexico, it is rumored that he was picked up after being thrown out the window of a car.

Lainey has had quite the cushy upbringing, a full box of toys from day 1, off-leash training, frequent visits to the beach, family members homes, pet stores, and the best veterinary care we can afford. She’s also had a loving home from the day we picked her up. In fact, she’s really been a part of the family since then.

Pablo, on the other hand, has had a life we could only imagine as being crappy, although it is difficult to know for sure. From what we have heard, he lived in a beach town, but was thrown from a moving vehicle, chased off of farms with machetes, and ate out of dumpsters.

These two dogs live side by side in my home, and even though their lives started out completely differently, they are treated EXACTLY the same.

It’s hard not to feel bad for a dog that has had a terrible past. But we can’t let their past affect their future. When we feel bad for a dog (or human, for that matter) we often go easy on them.

I get it-- completely. I’m not a cold-hearted monster. But by going easy on them, we are doing them a disservice.
Think of training as therapy, either physical or mental/emotional. When you are going through therapy, it is because you need to work through something: pain, emotional hardships, troubling past experiences or injuries. If you are sheltered through this process, you won't heal properly. Your muscles will continue to be stiff, your emotions not dealt with, etc.

With our dogs, the idea is the same. Just because their past has been troubled doesn't mean their behavior should be overlooked.
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Don’t forget that loving someone often requires doing what is BEST for them, not what is EASIEST.