Rehoming an ex-breeding dog - the downsides?

[niva441]

I've been thinking about getting a Labrador bh. However as I travel a lot the dog would be staying with my parents and their dog during their week. I therefore thought I couldn't inflict house training a puppy on them, so thought about rehoming an older dog.

Looking on the net lots of the dogs I've seen are ex-breeding dogs. In addition to the standard rehoming issues for a domestic pet, what would rehoming a breeding dog involve?

Thanks

Todd

[kooky guy]

Our Cocker Spaniel is a retired breeding dog.

I think a lot depends on the dog and the conditions they were kept in. Ours lived in a concrete shed so wasn't very house trained, although to be fair to her she picked it up very quickly.

Other than that she's been a perfect starter dog (my wife had never had a dog and was quite nervous about the whole thing). We've had her for 7 years now and, despite going blind and pretty deaf, she's still going strong.

One thing I have noticed is that because she had never had to think for herself, she doesn't seem to be very bright. Also she doesn't like other dogs - not sure if this is a direct result of her previous life or not.

Not sure if any of that helps - just my experience.

[Jasandjules]

This is a really difficult moral position for me.

I am torn between a breeder should be required to ensure the health and wellbeing of their bh for life, and the knowledge that currently some a***hole might just have the dog PTS as they are no longer making them money. Is it supporting puppy farming to rescue this dog?!?? I really don't know.

[niva441]

I understand your viewpoint, I just look at it as trying to give them a decent life to make up for the working years.

[ehonda]

Jasandjules said:

This is a really difficult moral position for me.

Is it supporting puppy farming to rescue this dog?!?? I really don't know.

It sucks, doesn't it? I don't think it's supporting puppy farming as long as the breeder isn't getting any money from it.

I think the big thing that would put me off would be trying to train and socialise an older dog which has probably never had any expectations placed on it other than making the scumbags a fast buck. I'd expect this to be hard work, but probably less so than doing it with a puppy.
Flip side is that you could give a dog which has had a thoroughly stty life so far, the company and affection it never had before. It's nice to think that these poor dogs can enjoy their later years.

[kooky guy]

Ours came from somewhere that has been accused of being a 'puppy farm'.

Surprisingly, the lady who ran the place was quite fussy about her new home and asked a lot of questions to see if we were suitable before she agreed. I was actually quite pleased that she did. Her policy was to have a maximum of 3 litters from each bh and then rehome them. No charge either, although obviously we didn't get her pedigreee papers etc and we had to agree to have her speyed.

Misty was 5 when we got her. She's now about 13, so she's had at least 7 years of being in a loving environment and seems happy enough. I would certainly recommend it.

[y2blade]

niva441 said:

I understand your viewpoint, I just look at it as trying to give them a decent life to make up for the working years.

That is the viewpoint I'd take too.

Give her a loving home.

[pikeyboy]

One of my GSP's, the oldest is an ex breeding bh, beautiful dog, was house trained etc. She was returned to the breeder as a puppy when someone found her running up the hard shoulder of the M1.

[Jasandjules]

ehonda said:

It sucks, doesn't it? I don't think it's supporting puppy farming as long as the breeder isn't getting any money from it.

It's nice to think that these poor dogs can enjoy their later years.

It sure does suck. To me not paying for her is no deterrent though. I mean, one litter pays for the dog and with profit left over. BUT being forced to look after the dog for life would be a further cost to the breeder. Which might make them think twice about using animals for money in this way.

I should point out I am a dog breeder................ I will be keeping my bh for her life though. I would not even consider not doing so.

But yes, the flipside is that someone gives the dog love and affection and a nice life after she's been "used".

That's why it is such a dilemma to me (in the same way Rescue greyhounds pose me a problem).....

[pikeyboy]

Is someone who has their dogas DNA tested eye and hip scored and pics amtes carefully etc a puppy farmer or just a concencious breeder making a living.

Mine came from a breeder like this rather than a puppy farm.

Still nice giving her a nice life thougheven if she isn't as obedient as my youngest. Having said this her nose is brilliant and I just wish I'd had her from a pup.

[ehonda]

Jasandjules said:

It sure does suck. To me not paying for her is no deterrent though. I mean, one litter pays for the dog and with profit left over. BUT being forced to look after the dog for life would be a further cost to the breeder. Which might make them think twice about using animals for money in this way.

I should point out I am a dog breeder................ I will be keeping my bh for her life though. I would not even consider not doing so.

But yes, the flipside is that someone gives the dog love and affection and a nice life after she's been "used".

That's why it is such a dilemma to me (in the same way Rescue greyhounds pose me a problem).....

Sadly, and I think you mentioned this earlier in the thread, I think if they couldn't rehome them then once they stop being productive they'll be abandoned or put to sleep I don't think many of them would lose sleep over either of these options as the dogs are simply a resource for them.

[Jasandjules]

boy said:

Is someone who has their dogas DNA tested eye and hip scored and pics amtes carefully etc a puppy farmer or just a concencious breeder making a living.

Yes, to me at least. I have a stud dog - fantastic pedigree, winners of many shows. But he is infertile. Have I kept him or have I passed him on to a pet home?

As I said, to me it's a very difficult moral minefield.

[Superficial]

Would you be rehoming a dog via a rescue, or taking them on directly from the breeder themselves?

Forgetting the moral point of view, if you rehomed directly from a breeder you wouldn't receive the same assurances of a health check, and even sometimes help with related medical costs for life that a rescue can offer.

[dmulally]

I do cocker spaniel rescue and about a one in 10 are dumped in the pound by sthouse breeders. If the dog comes from a proper breeder then you will have a very pampered pooch and they will probably want to stay in touch to make sure the dog settles.

On the other hand the ones I have rescued from puppy mills have been awful. This probably doesnt apply to what you're looking at getting OP but it happens. I remember one little boy who has spent his life in a cage. A cage so small all he could do was run around in circles on the spot constantly when excited. It was heartbreaking and took forever to get him to walk in a straight line. Also had a couple of poor creatures that had been de-barked in a backyard.

Like every dog they all respond to affection and thrive with dicipline so best meet them in person and see what you're getting.

[parapaul]

niva441 said:

I've been thinking about getting a Labrador bh. However as I travel a lot the dog would be staying with my parents and their dog during their week. I therefore thought I couldn't inflict house training a puppy on them, so thought about rehoming an older dog.

Regardless of the morals of rehoming an ex-breeding dog, why are you planning to have a dog you'll only be able to care for at the weekend? If you don't have time to look after a dog, don't get one.

If your parents wanted another dog, they'd have chosen one themselves.

[niva441]

parapaul said:

niva441 said:

I've been thinking about getting a Labrador bh. However as I travel a lot the dog would be staying with my parents and their dog during their week. I therefore thought I couldn't inflict house training a puppy on them, so thought about rehoming an older dog.

Regardless of the morals of rehoming an ex-breeding dog, why are you planning to have a dog you'll only be able to care for at the weekend? If you don't have time to look after a dog, don't get one.

If your parents wanted another dog, they'd have chosen one themselves.

Apologies for going quiet on the thread I started and also to the mods that I didn't consider the vernacular equivalent of female when composing it.

Thanks for all your replys, they've given me much to think about.

The amount of time I would be able to spend with the dog is an issue. Although as I work an intense 4 day week, I am home by approx 5 on Thursday, assuming I've kept ahead of the Cambridgeshire A14 traffic disaster area.

In many ways I would be paying the upkeep for a playmate for my parent's chocolate labrador, who I think would be ideal to socialise an ex-breeding dog.

Another issue I have thought about is one of the things I like to do with dogs are long walks. I imagine that an ex-breeder would need to be build up to the stage that it could walk a reasonable distance.

[Morningside]

None I can think off. Our old Dachshund Tara was an ex breeder.

Only down side (if it was one) is that she used to lick everything.
She also used to mother the other dogs.

[dmulally]

All the dogs I have known with dax in them always lick. Feet, hands, face...anything. Usually for attention. No other breed have I seen do it as much. Cerazy.

[kooky guy]

dmulally said:

Also had a couple of poor creatures that had been de-barked in a backyard.

Curious as to exactly what you mean by this. I ask because my ex breeding Cocker never barks and I've never understood why.

[dmulally]

kooky guy said:

Curious as to exactly what you mean by this. I ask because my ex breeding Cocker never barks and I've never understood why.

First off, I have no idea what happens in Pomland. In Australia if you have a noisy dog and it is a menace, you can take it to a vet and they can remove something in the voicebox. I don't remember if it is legal or not but I don't know of any vets that actually do it.

I heard about an annoying of cockers (my word for collective cockers) and the RSPCA and Animal Welfare league both pointed me to the council (WOFTAM) so I thought I'd pop around for a look see. Long story short I ended up with one of them and it would rarely make a peep and when it did it was like a weird cough. At the vets they confirmed Puddles had been debarked and they had made a mess of it. Broke my heart. Then again they all do the little sts.

Puddles is now Stan lording it up in Darwin.