Rehoming Dogs Show Vs Obedience/performance

[Working_Setters]

Are you getting tired of grooming all the burrs out of those Setter coats WS??

LOL - grooming - I know I've a brush around here somewhere, but I'd be pressed to put my hands on it. This is going to sound terrible, so before I say it I'd like to be clear that my dogs (and their coats) are in excellent condition/health. I NEVER groom my dogs, NEVER. The few burrs and grass seeds they pick up I pull you with my hands. I check them for burrs and seeds regularly, particularly between the toes and under the arm-pits (leg-pits?), but never groom. My wife will run the brush over them 2-3 times a year, generally the beginning of summer when they shed, but that's about it. Whilst on the subject I might as well tell you my idea of "bathing" a dog is to take them to the river/dam for a swim, I never dry them either. I use shampoo and the tub and give them a "proper" bath maybe 1-2 a year. They do swim in the river/dam pretty much everyday. My working setters are very much "wash and wear", it's the showies that need the grooming. If I had a burr problem, I'd clip the dogs.

[poodlefan]

That's funny - I talk about my dogs armpits too.

You lucky lucky b..stard (quoting Monty Python) WS... one of the downside to the non-shedding breeds is they attract burrs like magnets (well burr magnets anyway)

I am sooo getting one wash and wear dog before I die.

I love it when FHR and I get back from a river trip... I wash my dogs... she collapses in on the couch.. It's sooo unfair.

[FHRP]

Hi FHR - I'm about to join you in those ranks of "silly folk", I'm taking in a Wei from a friend (breeder) and will be very interested to see what we can achieve in retrieving trials and possibly tracking (if time permits).

Goodonya WS! Although I'd love to see an Irish Setter in retrieving too :p

[FHRP]

My working setters are very much "wash and wear", it's the showies that need the grooming. If I had a burr problem, I'd clip the dogs.

I think it's about time we see some pictures of your dogs WS!! I love the looks of the field setters I've seen on various websites.

[Working_Setters]

My working setters are very much "wash and wear", it's the showies that need the grooming. If I had a burr problem, I'd clip the dogs.

I think it's about time we see some pictures of your dogs WS!! I love the looks of the field setters I've seen on various websites.

Here's some I posted to DOL about a year ago, I'll fiddle around and reduce the file size of some new pics as soon as I have some spare time.

[FHRP]

Here's some I posted to DOL about a year ago, I'll fiddle around and reduce the file size of some new pics as soon as I have some spare time.

Thanks for posting them, I missed them last time! They certainly are beautiful dogs, and with a coat I could probably manage!!

OK, I think I've hijacked this thread long enough.

[Working_Setters]

Thanks for posting them, I missed them last time!

I know how easy it is to miss threads, I do it all the time!! I just let people know that I'd posted them previously in case they thought "hey, I've seen those pics somewhere before!!"

They certainly are beautiful dogs

Thank you

and with a coat I could probably manage!!

If I can I'm sure anybody can. Like I say, a quick check for burrs and a "bath' (swim) in the dam/river is all the coat "care" mine get.

I'll be competing in FT's in NSW latter in the year, I'll let you and PF know where and when and you can check out the dogs in person if you're interested.

I'll end my hi-jack now too, sorry if it bothered anybody.

[MrsD]

I myself would never rehome a dog if it decided it did not want to be say a Flyball dog, there are plenty of other sports out there to try :D.

Precisely what I think, if the dog doesnt do as well as hoped at one sport, why not try it at another?

[whatevah]

I think rehoming performance dogs would be much more prevalent in the USA/UK, where they seem to be extremely serious. I saw an agility event where there were all these motorhomes in the car park.

[Lablover]

I think rehoming performance dogs would be much more prevalent in the USA/UK, where they seem to be extremely serious. I saw an agility event where there were all these motorhomes in the car park.

In US field trials, which we call retrieving trials in Australia, that may be the case, after all winning is everything and their numbers certainly have required very high standards in dogs and training. In UK trials, the field trials are in natural conditions and IMHO are easier, than man made trials. Both are great.

Regarding US motor homes they are amazing. Their slide outs (in their motorhomes and vans), which I notice have just recently been added to some high models here, what we call caravans in Australia are great also. Wish our petrol/gas was the same price as the US. We could also then drive their huge vehicles.

[leopuppy04]

Me personally, I have interest in obedience, agility, flyball, herding and showing (as if that wasn't enough!). I do it for the fun and because my dog/s enjoy it. Like Josh was for you CTD, Leo is my first 'training' dog of any kind and he has been a huge learning curve. I'm immensely proud of where he stands now and where I should be able to go with him. If he failed however, I would not have rehomed him. I now have a new dog, Kinta and she is showing a lot of potential. As people have warned me I have & will make mistakes with her too, but I was more aware of what to look for in a dog that I wanted to train up to trialling levels in a whole lot of disciplines. She is also to be my show dog and hopefully foundation. If she fails as a show dog, I won't re-home her, nor will I if she produces a pup that I keep and they don't turn out etc,etc. For my own capacity, I feel that I could only have a max of 4 dogs (with a permit of course!) to train, probably 2 retired and 2 trialling... couldn't handle more than that! But if one doesn't make the grade, i'd still keep it. I'd be more inclined to re-home with something like a temperament that doesn't suit for trialling or a temperament fault, not fitting into family etc, etc.

I think those who can re-home their dogs are very strong. I couldn't bring myself to do it, yet I understand why you would do it.... if you bought the dog for a particular purpose and it can't fill that, well then perhaps re-homing is better... I just can't bring myself to do it!