We had bichon, acquired from a breeder who did a few litters a year, kept the pups who had potential as show dogs and sold the others. They were members of the local Bichon association, interested in promoting the breed. We were able to visit their home just after the dog was born to see the litter and verify that they weren't a puppy mill. The dog was smart, low shedding and very loving. I swear his unconditional love was one of the reasons my one daughter survived her teenage years.
Our subsequent two dogs have been rescues, one a westie/schnauzer mix and the current likely a shih tzu/mini poodle. The Westie was slightly older, had been dumped on an Indian reservation and seemed lovingly determined to show his appreciation for being in our family. The current one has more of the shih tzu personality—independent and slightly bossy, but still a good dog. She was transported from the back woods of Kentucky where shelters are inundated to the rescue group we like here in MN.
One note on rescues: most of the ones in our area place the dogs first in a foster home, where they are usually with other dogs, often cats and children. So the fosters quickly get a good sense if the dog has any serious issues. The listing on the rescue site always includes observations on personality, behavior quirks and any major health issues, and when the perspective adopter merits the dog, the foster is there as well to answer questions and see how the personalities blend. Sometimes there are requirements, like that a dog should only go to a home with a fenced yard, or where someone is home during the day. The rescue requires adopters to have a home visit or to bring a video showing the rooms in their home, to help prevent dogs from going to hoarders. The rescue also stipulates that if the adoption isn't working out for any reason that you contact them first and they will take the dog back.
I understand people's warnings about adopting a rescue dog, but the experience when working with a good rescue organization is very different than stopping in at the local pound and picking a dog. The rescue organizations also take dogs from the local pound and place them with fosters, too, to help improve their chances of adoption. And I do see listings for dogs that are likely pure bred, sometimes from breeding situations.