Sheryl you're dead right on everything you've said. The other thing about buying purebreds is that, due to in-breeding, they often have congenital illnesses. Eg my grandma has a purebred german shepard ($600) and my auntie has a purebred golden lab ($400). The shepard has hip dysplasia and many skin allergies, grandma spends upwards of $90 a month on medications and visits to the chiropracter. The lab has a form of arthritis and was initially expected to live no more than 5 years (although she's now 7 and doing pretty well, thankfully). I don't know how much she costs but it's a lot. Our dogs are all mixed breed, mainly shelter adoptees and have never had a serious long term health condition. Coincidence? I'm thinking probably not.
I'll try to find some figures on heartworm - but as i said we've never treated for it and in 18 years none of the dogs we've had (i think there's 5 of them) have had it.
How exciting you're getting a dog Sheryl! oh and i love norweigen forest cats too!

I can't imagine life without a dog.  I've had one in my home since I was 11 or 12, and 2 in my home for my 32 years of marriage.  All but Ebby have been free from friends, or lost with no owner able to be found.  The first dog had to be put down when she was 10 due to pancreatic cancer but our other dogs (all but Ebby) have lived long and healthy lives.  One lived to be 18, our Tru we have at the moment is 16 and still bouncing around like a puppy.  All free and never cost us a cent.

Ebby, though a bitza like all the rest, was purchased from a pet shop for about $200 and has had 2 dislocated knee cap operations at $600 each, some excema problems and now all this recent stuff which we could easily spend $5,000+ on - if we had it to spare

I rather suspect, having seen identical looking puppies regularly in the pet shop after we got her, that her poor mother was being used as a fund raiser and being made to whelp too often.  How sad

I wouldn't personally seek out a thoroughbred dog.  My in-laws were given a highly pedigreed corgi but his hips are shot and he's costing them a fortune each month in tablets as well.

Here's a scam my Mum was caught in.  There's a lady who breeds golden retrievers and she 'gave' Mum one on condition that she could 'borrow' him for breeding purposes.  So my Mum fed and walked the dog, paid for all the vet care, vitamins and supplements the real owner told her he needed and then gave him up regularly so this woman could take him and earn money from him.  Eventually the dog didn't want to go to the breeding home and Mum's partner and the true dog owner had words, so the owner took the dog back forever.  We all saw what was happening but Mum loved the dog - what can you say?

Love
May

Oh Freedom - congratulations on your Moderatorship, it couldn't happen to a nicer or more deserving person!!!

Love and big hugs
May

Thankyou very much for your lovely words May, and thanks again Sheryl for creating the Raw Pets section. I'm sure too that it will be an excellent place for all us animal lovers to chat!