Once-Popular Dog Breed Only Has 1,500 Pups Left Worldwide and It’s Beyond Disheartening

Adopt, don’t shop is always a mantra people should live by… but there’s one important exception. That’s the argument that can be made for purchasing a pet from a reputable breeder if you are passionate about preserving the specific breed and saving them from extinction. That is, of course, if you can’t find the particular breed from a breed-specific rescue to adopt from.

One dog mom speaking out about her chosen breed posted a video on TikTok of her gorgeous dogs and explains why she worries her dog’s breed will die out.

The sweet video, shared to the TikTok account for @TheDoomydogs, shows the creator’s Belgian Laekenois pups and has people in the comments speaking out about their own rare breeds and the fears they have for them.

Related: Ragdoll Cat’s Gorgeous Rare Face Coloring Is Making People Do a Double Take

One person said, “Me with Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers. They’re barely known within Canada let alone around the world.”

Another person replied, “I have Lakeland Terriers and totally understand your feeling, they’re basically unknown here in the U.S.”

One person commented, “Never heard of these dogs before, thank you for raising awareness of such a wonderful looking breed.”

Another person made a pretty valid point with, “This is why ethical breeders are so important. The back yard breeders are the top contributors to shelter populations and killing off breeds.”

Adopting is always a wonderful choice to make, but if you do decide to get a dog from a breeder, do your research first and find an ethical breeder.

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All About Belgian Laekenois

The same creator posted an informative video about these beautiful dogs for those of you curious or interested in finding your own pup.

These dogs are hard to find and Modern Dog explains, “The Laekenois are known for their curly, wire-haired coat that varies from fawn to mahogany in colour. Originating in the Belgian town of Laeken, they are the rarest of the four breeds; sadly their numbers dropped after serving as messenger dogs in both World Wars. The Laekenois is so rare, in fact, it is estimated there are only about 1,000 in the world!”

Remember: Finding a good breeder is the key to finding the right puppy. A good breeder will match you with the right puppy, and will without question have done all the health certifications necessary to screen out health problems as much as possible.

If you can’t adopt, shop responsibly.