Rehoming Dogs Show Vs Obedience/performance

[whatevah]

I read in a different forum that a lot of show owners rehome their breeding dogs and dogs that didn't turn out as well as expected for the show ring. I know of a lady who rehomed her Rottweiler because it lost a tooth.

Is this common in the obedience/flyball/herding/tracking performance homes? Do people rehome dogs because they don't herd or don't retrieve?

Just curious. I am not thinking of rehoming any of my dogs just curious.

[poodlefan]

In my experience rehoming a dog sports dog is rare... not unheard of, but rare. I don't know anyone personally who's done it.

There are plenty of obedience and agility dogs who were rescues or rehomes though!

[trifecta]

I have an acquaintance who was very competitive in obedience & agility. She purchased a puppy with a view to trialling, but he never made the grade upon maturity. Due to a council limit on the number of dogs able to be kept in one household in her shire, she rehomed this dog & purchased another, who incidentally went on to make the top grade in the obedience, agility & show ring.

I personally could not do it, but it was more than a hobby to her... more like an obsession

Edited January 3, 2007 by trifecta

[Working_Setters]

In my experience rehoming due to lack of performance in field events is rare, but that's not to say it doesn't happen. I would estimate it would take most people until the dog is around the age of 4 to decide a dog was a "dud" from a performance point of view, by that age you're generally pretty attached to the dog. In the main, very few field bred dogs are complete duds from a working point of view, sure some are better than others, but few are complete duds, rather most have some "issues/problems" that, in most cases, can (potentially at least) be solved via training. So unlike conformation events (at least my understanding of them, having attended a few - but never having entered any), in field performance events it's often not a clear case that a dog does or doesn't "make the grade", rather it's more usual to have a dog that shows potential, but needs training (or a different approach to training) to sort out some problems that are holding the dog back. Most owners won't give up on (rehome) that type of dog. There are a few driven competitors that won't persist with a dog that doesn't measure up to a given yard stick by a certain age, but in my experience they are very much in the minority. Most field trainers persist with these "less promising dogs", personally I have, b/c I considered not only the welfare of the dog, but also the opportunity of my growth as a trainer, if I could sort out these "issues" and turn this dog into a performer, then I'd have become that much more accomplished as a trainer. IMO most owners see the potential for great performances in their field bred dogs and take on the challenge of realising that potential.

[bridgie_cat]

I would guess that a breeder of working dogs may do more rehomes if their dogs didn't turn out to have much instinct etc for their work or unsuitable temps for work/breeding with etc... for the same reasons that show breeders rehome unsuitable dogs (lack of att and space - although there is more likely to be enough space on a farm.)

I would seriously doubt that an actual performance home would sell on a dog that wasnt a winner in the obedience ring/other doggie sports.

Whatever a breeders objective - if a certain dog does not fit the criteria and they do not have the space or time to keep it - then it would be sold on - regardless of being a worker or a showie.

[Kelpie-i]

No such thing as rehoming a dog that doesn't herd if you're a farmer. If the dog don't herd, it usually meets God. Having said that however, many breeders of working dogs will certainly try to re-home a dog that won't work as a family pets.

[mjk05]

No such thing as rehoming a dog that doesn't herd if you're a farmer

I think a lot of people in my state rehome dogs that don't meet their expectations as working dogs, especially in the sheepdog trialling community. We've taken on a few dogs ourselves for rehoming to pet/sports homes, or working homes with different requirements (eg hobby farmers). Unfortunately not many sports people round here seem interested in rehoming at the moment, they all want working-bred puppies from breeders

There are also a lot of "substandard" working dogs on local farms- as long as they don't do anything dangerous or costly, they just sort of hang around. I don't think many farmers like shooting dogs, unless they have a good reason.

In general, I don't think many agility/obedience people move dogs on if they don't work out for sports. I've heard a couple of stories of dogs rehomed, but that's Australia-wide, and its more common for people either to persist with a dog that's not top-notch, to find something else the dog does enjoy/excel at, or to just retire them and keep them as a pet.

[leopuppy04]

I have never heard of it happening, but I have heard of people taking a pup on for a few weeks and then giving it back to breeder saying they didn't think it had the drive to do the competitive sports. I could do that, but I couldn't rehome Leo for example, if he never got his CCD. LOL!

I think that it is because people who show usually have a lot more dogs and don't spend as much time with each individual dog as we do in obed. Just think - we need to have a really good bond with our dogs to compete in these sports. not saying that when showing you don't, but usually to train well for the show ring you don't need that kind of bond and they usually have more. JMHO

[poodlefan]

I'd disagree with your view as to why showies rehome more Leo. Most show exhibitors are breeders too. As you said, they tend to have a few more dogs and keeping lower quality breeding dogs is a poor strategy in the long term. Breeding poor quality dogs is pointless - better to desex and rehome.

I personally don't have a problem with people rehoming dogs responsibly - I have one here. She's over standard for toy poodle but a great pet.

[Bellebriar]

No such thing as rehoming a dog that doesn't herd if you're a farmer

I think a lot of people in my state rehome dogs that don't meet their expectations as working dogs, especially in the sheepdog trialling community. We've taken on a few dogs ourselves for rehoming to pet/sports homes, or working homes with different requirements (eg hobby farmers). Unfortunately not many sports people round here seem interested in rehoming at the moment, they all want working-bred puppies from breeders

There are also a lot of "substandard" working dogs on local farms- as long as they don't do anything dangerous or costly, they just sort of hang around. I don't think many farmers like shooting dogs, unless they have a good reason.

In general, I don't think many agility/obedience people move dogs on if they don't work out for sports. I've heard a couple of stories of dogs rehomed, but that's Australia-wide, and its more common for people either to persist with a dog that's not top-notch, to find something else the dog does enjoy/excel at, or to just retire them and keep them as a pet.

Having over the last 30 years been involved in Conformation, obedience & agility I can say with out hesitation that just as much training is needed in a top show dog as is needed in any of the sports. Sure you can have a dog that just plods around the ring, but to see a dog who is realy intune with its handler is a wonderful sight.

As for rehoming, yes we do, and the reason is that we keep on average more dogs, we can only run on the best for breeding. There is a saying in breeding that "form follows function" and if you loose sight of this as well as temperment then you loose breed type.

It is far better to rehome a pup or dog into a one on one situation than to have them competing for attention they crave.

We have done it quite a few times and have made some wonderful friends. We get emails and photos of the dogs that we have placed and are still able to play apart in their lives. IMO is would be selfish to just keep the dog in your yard when you attention is more focused on your showies, you are denying the dog the chance of a loving home and a chance for them to shine.

[whatevah]

Forgot to add, we all know what happens to greyhounds when they can no longer run. I actually did rehome a dog for health reasons. She was full of allergies and mutilating herself with the itching scratching. We tried everything including modified diet, took her to the vet specialist centre, tried a special coat, tried partitioning off our land etc. Contacted breeder, and she organised a new home for her. The new people drove all the way from South Austalia, and took her allergies and all. Since moving to South Austalia all her allergies disappeared. Different environment. I was crying buckets when I let her go, but it was the best choice for her. She was trained to a good obedience standard. She was a munsterlander.

Edited January 4, 2007 by CrashTestDummy

[jbbb]

It is far better to rehome a pup or dog into a one on one situation than to have them competing for attention they crave.

We have done it quite a few times and have made some wonderful friends. We get emails and photos of the dogs that we have placed and are still able to play apart in their lives. IMO is would be selfish to just keep the dog in your yard when you attention is more focused on your showies, you are denying the dog the chance of a loving home and a chance for them to shine.

Yep, we got our girl at 12 months old because the breeder had no more room and she thought she would be better off in a home with more attention! (NB. she had won Best Puppy in Show just before we got her, so she certainly couldnt be called a 'dud').

As it is, she is spoilt rotten at our place. She laps up the attention that she wouldnt have had at the breeders with several other dogs. She is still shown by me (not very well) and occasionally by the breeder, and does fairly well in the ring.

The breeder knew what she was doing - she is the kind of dog who likes her luxuries and we can provide that for her!

[leopuppy04]

I'd disagree with your view as to why showies rehome more Leo. Most show exhibitors are breeders too. As you said, they tend to have a few more dogs and keeping lower quality breeding dogs is a poor strategy in the long term. Breeding poor quality dogs is pointless - better to desex and rehome.

Hi PF,

Yes that is true, and I was aware of that, but I was talking more from a performance home perspective, or even a breeders perspective. I know of some breeders that have de-sexed dogs not suitable for breeding and kept them as performance 'pets', as they had qualities they liked for obed/agility. The same breeder can also re-home dogs that are no longer show quality etc. Although that does play a main part in the breeding side of things, because of limits to numbers etc, I do also think that in some instances they find it easier to re-home due to dog-owner not carrying the same bond.... again JMHO. As others pointed out - they feel their dogs will do better in a one-on-one situation... and lets face it, most obed people have fewer dogs than showies so one 'dud' obed/agility dog still gets enough attention.

[trifecta]

I have an acquaintance who was very competitive in obedience & agility. She purchased a puppy with a view to trialling, but he never made the grade upon maturity. Due to a council limit on the number of dogs able to be kept in one household in her shire, she rehomed this dog & purchased another, who incidentally went on to make the top grade in the obedience, agility & show ring.

I personally could not do it, but it was more than a hobby to her... more like an obsession

Have just reread my post & thought it sounded a bit mercenary Would like to add that this dog was responsibly rehomed & found a wonderful family with whom he lived out his years very happily; he just wasn't what my acquaintance wanted in a trial dog.

[Lablover]

Having over the last 30 years been involved in Conformation, obedience & agility I can say with out hesitation that JUST AS MUCH TRAINING IS NEEED IN A TOP SHOW DOG as is needed in any of the sports. Sure you can have a dog that just plods around the ring, but to see a dog who is realy intune with its handler is a wonderful sight.

Just as much training?. Wow!!

I think my husband often wishes he could rehome me.

Yes I have rehomed dogs in the past. Luckily to great homes.

[whatevah]

Lablover, at what age did you rehome dogs in the past? Just curious as to how long you work with them, and how long it took you to decide the dog wasn't working out. What was it about them, that they didn't have? At least the dog is trained for the new home.

[Lablover]

Crash Test Dummy,

Oh gee, now I am really going to bare my soul. Both were well health tested, ie hips, elbows and eyes and I did consider keeping them as future breeders, but did not think it fair, not to devote concentrated time with them.

The first I washed caused me a lot of tears. The second was marginally easier. Marginally.

Both had poor training attitudes (when the going was tough, big multiple swims, hard going, as in cover (large rocks), but were very easy to train. The easy to train part (as in general obedience they were outstanding IMHO)has always interested me a lot, as my current dogs, I feel, have excellent desire but sometimes due to their momentum (desire), their brains rattle in their heads, and it takes them a while for the "grey matter" to catch up. Both washed dogs had great eyes for marking. Memories were very good.

The placed dogs were 18-24 months, but in hindsight, I could see the signs much much ealier.

I wish sometimes I got into fish. Fish surely must be easier to train.

if I have not detailed my reply in full, let me know.

Edited for spelling. Sorry distracted.

Edited January 4, 2007 by Lablover

[whatevah]

What is "washed dog"? Like I said when they got rehomed the new owner would have been getting an excellent dog. What were the earlier signs that you saw.

[Lablover]

Sorry, washed dog means placed in another home. Both, owners keep in contact with me, and they were indeed very happy with their well "trained" dogs. Both have owners who allow the dogs to be with them, 24 hours a day. One of my main requirements.

Earlier signs? Easy....not enough desire and poor water attitude (for my standards).

[whatevah]

Thats quite interesting. With Josh it took me 6 months to get him to start liking water. Now look at him, as soon as we go to a park, he runs for the nearest body of water. Thanx for you reply.