Why do owners who retire their show dog rehome them???

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Moderator speaking,
 Both of you can cease...now.

Edited out because....well you know.

Ask the people that have "rehomed" retired champions in their households if it was wrong for them to get those dogs.

Yikes!
I know this is a touchy subject. My Trixie is a retired champ/brood bitch.
I must say when she was first offered to me my reaction was like some of you here, but my breeder did say if I didn't want her she was never leaving her home. But that after she saw the way Joe and I were w/ Brando if I did want her she would let her go to us.
 
Trixie was 7 when I got her. Her temperament is sunshine. She is the happiest most loving dog I've ever know.
She was a little scared of lightening when I first got her which is really odd for a show dog, but she is OK now.
She has retired in style.
I think the breeder did a selfless thing. She could never give Trixie the life I've given her it would have been impossible.
Good breeders are in it for the betterment of the breed, and if they were to keep all of their dogs, then what?
These last three years with Trixalina have enriched my life in ways I couldn't say, she has taught me alot.
 
Good breeders aren't putting dogs into shelters or rescues.

My Trixie is a retired champ/brood bitch

 
Deb, thanks for opening your heart and hearth to an older girl.  I'm sure you are rewarded many times over, just as she has been.  And thank you for sharing it on this thread.
 

Good breeders aren't putting dogs into shelters or rescues.

 
Great observation!

Good breeders are in it for the betterment of the breed, and if they were to keep all of their dogs, then what?

the breeders I admire have at most three to five dogs. They sell the puppies, yes, but their show/breeding dogs are theirs for life. They live in the house, not in kennels. They have lovely lives.
 
Not all re-homes are bad. However, people who systematically discard all of their retired dogs to make room for young dogs are not people I am a fan of.

ORIGINAL: Liesje
I'm not really sure how I feel about these scenarios.  I think PWCA makes an excellent point, that ethical, professional breeders are not just responsible for individual dogs but for the breed as a whole.  Now, my experience is limited to German Shepherd breeders, but most of the breeders I've found that are routinely re-homing older, retired dogs happen to be kennels producing top working dogs and dogs for police departments, the military, and other protection work or work like drugs and bombs.  These are not pet quality dogs and are from lines intending to work, not be a companion while they are still of working age.  One particular kennel I in mind would have a fraction of the amount of dogs and many police departments would have to find a new breeder (in fact, the breeder I have in mind actually supplies my local PD).  The reality is that not all purebred dogs are bred and raised to be pets.  They are born to work work work! and then when working is too much of a strain, they are retired to new homes.  It's not really a matter of their kennel not wanting them or not caring for them, but the kennel's primary responsibility is to maintain a breeding program that produces top working dogs, not nurture dogs in their old age and leave police departments to have to import their dogs.

I think that is an excellent point, about working dogs. 

I'm don't have much contact with breeders, so I'm working totally on hypotheticals in my mind.  I definately don't the personality to manage large numbers of dogs, and so it is hard for me to imagine rehoming a dog I've loved and worked with for years.  But, since I've only ever owned 2 dogs at once, I'm coming from a different experience. 

And with cases like Chopper, I can't see how anyone would have a problem with her being rehomed. It would take a very strange line of reasoning to object to that!

I think it's a wonderful thing and a vital one for the breeds in question, for females in particular to be rehomed after they have been shown and completed their breeding careers. In companion dogs, temperament and soundness are the top priority, and being able to have plenty of time to assess that in a home situation is key for a breeder.

It is a fact that you breed a pup, then in the case of a show animal, the next generation comes no more than three, three and a half years down the road, usually less. Do the math. If you limit a person to three or four breeding age animals at a time, your line and breeding program will end very quickly.

Placing the ones who "age out" allow them to go to loving homes where they will be the center of attention, and where the breeder can keep a continued eye on the animal's progress as he or she matures. And it allows the breeder to focus on what the breeder does best, advance the welfare of the breed.

We have a similar situation in working dogs, only to a much greater degree. We may put a whole bunch of training in a dog and then have no choice at all but to place such a dog in a completely different home, after realizing reluctantly that the dog isn't cut out to work. It happens quite, quite often - and the dogs almost never fail to adjust, fall in love with their new home environments, or get used to holding down couches and other various suburban activities.

And it's not the difference between harsh treatment and good treatment. I purchased a dog that was a housedog when not working, from the time he was a pup until the last year or so of his training (owner died and he was sold to someone else). He was treated well then, too. I was talking to a guy at a trial this weekend who had a really nice dog, that he purchased from someone for a fraction of what he was worth, because she was a National Finals Champion and the dog wasn't capable of that level of work. But he slept on her bed. Along with the National Champion dog and most of her other dogs.

Dogs never ask, "Why am I here?" All they really want to know is, "What happens next?" As long as you answer that question for a dog, 80% of dogs will be perfectly happy when treated fairly and kindly.

the breeders I admire have at most three to five dogs. They sell the puppies, yes, but their show/breeding dogs are theirs for life. They live in the house, not in kennels. They have lovely lives.

Not all re-homes are bad. However, people who systematically discard all of their retired dogs to make room for young dogs are not people I am a fan of.

 
Mudpuppy I agree with that 100%
 
My breeders dogs live in the house not a kennel but she does have 10-15 dogs and then some w/ pups and whatever  they do for other breeders show etc.

Dogs never ask, "Why am I here?" All they really want to know is, "What happens next?" As long as you answer that question for a dog, 80% of dogs will be perfectly happy when treated fairly and kindly.

Whoop there it is! Nicely said Becca

ORIGINAL: dogsRkewl

Hi,

I've recently come across a dog that is being rehomed because the owner is retiring it as a show dog which was then used for breeding.  Apparently the dog has had three litters and so the owner's won't breed her anymore, which is good.  She apparently has born some champs.  The owner is requiring a spay as a condition.

My question is, why would they then get rid of her?  I have seen and heard of other show dogs being rehomed for the same reason.  Some just give them away and some charge.

If anyone is familiar with a situation where a dog has been rehomed from a life of showing and breeding (only 3 litters), what negatives/positives should I expect from this?  I have no idea what temperament a dog must have to have been shown.  Thanks!!

Meanwhile, back to the actual question that started this thread.

Yes, I am familiar with several dogs that were rehomed after their show career ended. I own two of them myself. They are lovely, well socialized dogs who were housepets even during their show career.

First let me say that not all show dogs live the life that was described in the first few posts. I know someone who owns a terrier that has ranked in the top 10 in her breed in conformation for two years, and another who owns a hound that was ranked in the top 10 for at least two years. Both these dogs live in the house with their owner. They will be sent out for a week or two at a time for a show circuit, then they come home to their couch, and their yard and their doting owners for a week or two, then they went out on the road for a few more days. Neither is in a tremendously popular breed, so they can be nationally ranked with this type of show schedule. Admittedly the top ranked labs and goldens and GSD's are campaigned more rigorously, but really, except for the top ranked dogs in the most popular breeds, the huge huge overwhelming majority of show dogs are not campaigned anything like what the first few posts described.

I have gotten four of the nine dogs I have owned from the same breeder. She typically has from five to eight dogs, and they all spend time in the house with her every day. Generally two or three are in training for tracking or herding, and so they go to training sessions on a regular basis, and they attend dog shows maybe six to eight weekends a year. She generally breeds one litter per year, and generally keeps a puppy from each litter. But if you figure a dog typically lives about 12 to 14 years, and add a puppy once per year, if you do the math, you realize that some of the adult dogs go to new homes so that she can keep her number of dogs down to around a half dozen so that she can keep them as house dogs, and so that she can give them all individual attention on a regular basis.

And you know what? People are thrilled to get her retired adults. They are past the difficult puppy and adolescent years. They are well trained and socialized and have very stable and dependable temperaments. There is no guess work about whether the dog will grow up to be an active dog suitable for life with a hiker and jogger, a good herding dog, or a couch potato suitable for a professional tv watcher. I've adopted two of her young adults that turned out to not quite make the mark as conformation show dogs, and one of them has gone on to be a great obedience dog for me, and one is approaching earning her herding championship through the American Herding Breeds Association. I knew what the temperament and potential of each of these dogs was before I adopted them, and I didn't have the guess work that goes with selecting a two month old puppy.

In reading the pages of posts on this subject, I'm stunned that people don't discern the difference in this practice compared to what owners of racing greyhounds do, or who characterize this as "dumping" the dog. Nooo. These breeders aren't dropping dogs off at shelters or on back roads, or turning them over to rescues for other people to deal with, or sending them to the gas chamber if they can't get a rescue to take them. They are keeping these dogs themselves until they find a suitable home for the dog. I'm sure there are individuals who do this irresponsibly, but that doesn't make the entire concept irresponsible. There are people out there who actually want an adult dog instead of a puppy, and are delighted at the opportunity to acquire a well bred one that has been well socialized and trained, and whose background and health history are well known. What's wrong with conscientious breeders providing these companion dogs from their retired show dogs?

ORIGINAL: brookcove

I think it's a wonderful thing and a vital one for the breeds in question, for females in particular to be rehomed after they have been shown and completed their breeding careers.

 
Then maybe if the price was increased on the pups, the rehoming would not have to take place and the dog could retire in the place it is most used to. 
 
IMO, this is so unncessary and it seems to want to compare to the nobility of rescuing, rehabing, and then rehoming dogs...just like my volunteer work.

I don't know how to quote, but Buster, your last 2 sentences were exactly the reason I got Buffy...to the letter!

ORIGINAL: buster the show dog


First let me say that not all show dogs live the life that was described in the first few posts. I know someone who owns a terrier that has ranked in the top 10 in her breed in conformation for two years, and another who owns a hound that was ranked in the top 10 for at least two years. Both these dogs live in the house with their owner. They will be sent out for a week or two at a time for a show circuit, then they come home to their couch, and their yard and their doting owners for a week or two, then they went out on the road for a few more days. Neither is in a tremendously popular breed, so they can be nationally ranked with this type of show schedule. Admittedly the top ranked labs and goldens and GSD's are campaigned more rigorously, but really, except for the top ranked dogs in the most popular breeds, the huge huge overwhelming majority of show dogs are not campaigned anything like what the first few posts described.

I have gotten four of the nine dogs I have owned from the same breeder. She typically has from five to eight dogs, and they all spend time in the house with her every day. Generally two or three are in training for tracking or herding, and so they go to training sessions on a regular basis, and they attend dog shows maybe six to eight weekends a year. She generally breeds one litter per year, and generally keeps a puppy from each litter. But if you figure a dog typically lives about 12 to 14 years, and add a puppy once per year, if you do the math, you realize that some of the adult dogs go to new homes so that she can keep her number of dogs down to around a half dozen so that she can keep them as house dogs, and so that she can give them all individual attention on a regular basis.

And you know what? People are thrilled to get her retired adults. They are past the difficult puppy and adolescent years. They are well trained and socialized and have very stable and dependable temperaments. There is no guess work about whether the dog will grow up to be an active dog suitable for life with a hiker and jogger, a good herding dog, or a couch potato suitable for a professional tv watcher. I've adopted two of her young adults that turned out to not quite make the mark as conformation show dogs, and one of them has gone on to be a great obedience dog for me, and one is approaching earning her herding championship through the American Herding Breeds Association. I knew what the temperament and potential of each of these dogs was before I adopted them, and I didn't have the guess work that goes with selecting a two month old puppy.

In reading the pages of posts on this subject, I'm stunned that people don't discern the difference in this practice compared to what owners of racing greyhounds do, or who characterize this as "dumping" the dog. Nooo. These breeders aren't dropping dogs off at shelters or on back roads, or turning them over to rescues for other people to deal with, or sending them to the gas chamber if they can't get a rescue to take them. They are keeping these dogs themselves until they find a suitable home for the dog. I'm sure there are individuals who do this irresponsibly, but that doesn't make the entire concept irresponsible. There are people out there who actually want an adult dog instead of a puppy, and are delighted at the opportunity to acquire a well bred one that has been well socialized and trained, and whose background and health history are well known. What's wrong with conscientious breeders providing these companion dogs from their retired show dogs?

Stop changing my mind.  STOP IT! Darn all you sensible people, bringing facts and perspective.