# How would I go about acquiring a retired dog from a good breeder?



## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

A suggestion Johnnybandit made in another thread seems like it might be a pretty good solution for my dad. My dad is retired and would like a nice dog for companionship but doesn't want to go through the whole puppy training routine. So we're thinking an adult dog would work. He's open to a rescue but would like to get a dog from someone who has lived with the dog and knows its history. That's why getting a retired dog from a breeder is appealing. Presumably, the dog would be trained and in good health if the breeder is a reputable one.

My questions:
- how would I go about finding a reputable breeder?
- what would be good questions to ask about the dog's history?
- what would a breeder be looking for in a home for a retired dog?
- at what age are dogs typically retired from a breeding program?

Anything else we should think about? Thanks!


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## labradorann (Jul 19, 2011)

Hi, I found a great article on this not long ago but I just can't find it anywhere, my son says he can check every website ive visited so let us do that and I'm sure I'll be able to turn it up for you. Send me a message in a week or so if you dont hear from me


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## Juniper's mom (Jun 13, 2009)

Hope you might give some more thought to a rescue. Not necessarily going to shelter, but finding a rescue group where the rescuers have a fair amount of experience with the dogs they are trying to place. In some cases, adult dogs have been in a home situation for several months, and they are "known quantities," and maybe just aren't getting adopted so fast because they aren't puppies.


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## Candydb (Jul 16, 2011)

Well there is a good breeder in my area where the females are retired at about age 5 and males at about 9 or 10 or so although there was a Mini (schnauzer) from Sweden she retired (if I remember correctly) at age 4 b/c he hated the stud dog life....
However while in good health they did NOT seem trained and (mostly with a very few exceptions) NOT used to home life-- these are kennel(in her case, Ranch) dogs used for Breeding!
I have heard that dogs that fail out of service/ guide dog training are a great bet (there is usually a waiting list)-- I know of one case in which the dog failed b/c it could not routinely hold its pee for 4 hours even as a young dog!


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

Candydb said:


> Well there is a good breeder in my area where the females are retired at about age 5 and males at about 9 or 10 or so although there was a Mini (schnauzer) from Sweden she retired (if I remember correctly) at age 4 b/c he hated the stud dog life....
> However while in good health they did NOT seem trained and (mostly with a very few exceptions) NOT used to home life-- these are kennel(in her case, Ranch) dogs used for Breeding!


I would not consider a breeder with untrained, unsocialized "kennel dogs" to be a good breeder at all.

If the dogs are truly retired from breeding/showing, they might be older. But sometimes there's a dog who doesn't work out for showing or breeding, and that's usually determined around age 2. I would think you'd go about it the same way you'd get a puppy. . .contact the breeder, explain what you're looking for, and see what they can do for you. Even if that breeder doesn't have any available dogs, they probably know somebody who does.


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## igmomma (Jul 24, 2011)

It really depends, I'd start by asking dog people around, if you want a purebred, contact a purebred rescue, they can often direct you to a good breeder. Or go to AKC's website and see if there's any upcoming shows in the area, dog shows are a great way to meet breeders. As for the age, I think that depends on alot of factors. I know alot of show breeders that place dogs at 1-2 years old occasionally because for one reason or another they didn't "turn out" as show dogs. I also see them placing dogs they wanted to use as breeders at 3-4 years old if for what ever reason they aren't able to produce - Sperm isn't viable for males, females for a number of reasons, can't conceive, had a difficult pregnancy, won't tolerate being bred, there's many good reasons. I got my Afghan Hound when she was 3 years old, simply because she didn't like the life of a kennel dog, the lady I got her from and still co-own her with wanted her to go to someone who would love her, spoil her, let her sleep on the bed, get on the couch, and live the life of a pet. With her she lived in more of a kennel atmosphere, and Lola just wanted to be a house dog.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

I would go on to a breed specific forum and look for their "avaliable dogs" section or "looking for a dog" section and post for information in there. Those types of dogs are rarly advertised and normally given to friends of friends, friends of people who know the breeder and heard thru the grape vine kinda thing.


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## So Cavalier (Jul 23, 2010)

If there is a specific breed you are looking for, check to see if there is a local breed club in your area. You can often make really good contacts there.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

winniec777 said:


> A suggestion Johnnybandit made in another thread seems like it might be a pretty good solution for my dad. My dad is retired and would like a nice dog for companionship but doesn't want to go through the whole puppy training routine. So we're thinking an adult dog would work. He's open to a rescue but would like to get a dog from someone who has lived with the dog and knows its history. That's why getting a retired dog from a breeder is appealing. Presumably, the dog would be trained and in good health if the breeder is a reputable one.
> 
> My questions:
> - how would I go about finding a reputable breeder?
> ...


I would decide what breed you are looking for, find some breeders and inquire.....

Older folks and middle aged dogs are great.

Here is my thing with this.... Some comments on this thread speak of retired breeders with poor manners. If the dog is also a retired show dog, it should have some really good manners. 

People that don't show, seldom get a true grasp of just how much socialization it takes to take a dog out on a show circuit. The crowds, different venues, the judges, hotel rooms, traveling, etc.

Some dogs wash out as show dogs not because they are quality examples of their breed, but because they could not handle the circuit. 

A dog that is a finished champion is good. If it has been shown as a Special some, even better.


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## Candydb (Jul 16, 2011)

Willowy said:


> I would not consider a breeder with untrained, unsocialized "kennel dogs" to be a good breeder at all.
> 
> If the dogs are truly retired from breeding/showing, they might be older. But sometimes there's a dog who doesn't work out for showing or breeding, and that's usually determined around age 2. I would think you'd go about it the same way you'd get a puppy. . .contact the breeder, explain what you're looking for, and see what they can do for you. Even if that breeder doesn't have any available dogs, they probably know somebody who does.


I did not say unsocialized. Used to living in an intense urban environment No. Used to friendly people and other dogs. Yes. Used to living indoors with people No. Housebroken No....


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## The_Monstors (Oct 1, 2010)

I think a retired show/breeder dog would be a good option or a rescue that fosters all their pets. 

Figure out what type of dogs you guys would be interested in and look for local breeders/breed specific clubs. I think this is the best option for some breeds that are a bit difficult to find in rescue even I am interested in a English Bully and we have a great breeder in our area but there isnt a rescue anywhere near. I asked them about their retired dogs and their females were 2-5, males were 5-9ish. Some were shown, some are just bred but all were well behaved. I would just make sure make an emphasis on knowing how they are raised and how they live to make sure the dogs have been properly socialized if they were just for breeding. This particular breeder was charging more for her retired show dogs, but understandable since a lot more time, care and socialization was put into bringing them into the show circuit. 

Rescues usually foster dogs and some adult dogs stay for quite some time since they have more rules and people go for the pups. Their requirements are obviously more rigorous as they are particular about the persons schedule, house, etc. but maybe your dad is in a good position for it. A few even have "seniors for seniors" programs/senior discounts and give special favor for placing sweet and docile senior dogs with retirees so it's something I would consider would be great for your dad.


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## JuneBud (Feb 17, 2010)

The breeder of my dog keeps her females in her home and her males in kennels, allowing the males (separately) in the home occasionally when no females are in heat. All her dogs are at least Ch. titled. She breeds each female 3 or maybe 4 times and then retires them. I would look for an adult dog who comes from this kind of breeder, not from one who kennels all the dogs.

Forgot to add that she has 4-5 females and 2-3 males, more or less, at times.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Candydb said:


> Well there is a good breeder in my area where the females are retired at about age 5 and males at about 9 or 10 or so although there was a Mini (schnauzer) from Sweden she retired (if I remember correctly) at age 4 b/c he hated the stud dog life....
> However while in good health they did NOT seem trained and (mostly with a very few exceptions) NOT used to home life-- these are kennel(in her case, Ranch) dogs used for Breeding!
> I have heard that dogs that fail out of service/ guide dog training are a great bet (there is usually a waiting list)-- I know of one case in which the dog failed b/c it could not routinely hold its pee for 4 hours even as a young dog!


Sorry, but that's not what I would call a good breeder, sounds like a show mill. Good breeders raise their dogs in the house where they are part of the family, can be socailized, trained and housebroken and are loved like any other pet.



Juniper's mom said:


> Hope you might give some more thought to a rescue. Not necessarily going to shelter, but finding a rescue group where the rescuers have a fair amount of experience with the dogs they are trying to place. In some cases, adult dogs have been in a home situation for several months, and they are "known quantities," and maybe just aren't getting adopted so fast because they aren't puppies.


Many of the breeders I know DO rescue and foster in their homes. There is nothing wrong with getting a retired dog or a dog that has been returned to the breeder because the family that it was sold to couldn't keep it (in fact two of my dogs have come from just this situation).


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## lisaj1354 (Feb 23, 2008)

There is a vast difference between good manners and housetrained.

As far as my experience goes, breeders don't house train their dogs - no matter how old they are. They have puppy rooms, large yards, etc., and house training is not necessary. They DO teach them show manners, but that's about it. 

If you want an older, usually housetrained dog, then go to a rescue - don't go to a breeder.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

cshellenberger said:


> Sorry, but that's not what I would call a good breeder, sounds like a show mill. Good breeders raise their dogs in the house where they are part of the family, can be socailized, trained and housebroken and are loved like any other pet.


I don't wholy disagree but I know plenty of good breeders who's dogs sleep in outdoor kennels and are rarely let in the house but are socialized and worked with everyday.


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## igmomma (Jul 24, 2011)

Keechak said:


> I don't wholy disagree but I know plenty of good breeders who's dogs sleep in outdoor kennels and are rarely let in the houOse but are socialized and worked with everyday.


I would also disagree. Personally, all my dogs show, pet, or rescue, are in my home. HOWEVER I don't keep an intact male around because there are times I have to travel and I just don't trust anyone to handle my pack the way I do, and want to chance of an oops litter happening because someone "accidentally" let my male out with a bitch in heat, I hear of it happening way to often, and I do to much rescue to want to chance an "oops" litter. 

That said, there's alot of reasons a breeder may opt for kenneling dogs instead of having them all live in the house. The biggest being space and stress! I know several breeders I highly respect that use a kennel building because they have between 10 and 20 dogs. If they had that many dogs running through the house, it'd be really hard to keep up on the cleaning between muddy feet and shedding hair and everything else. Lola came from a very good breeder very involved in rescue. She was house trained because she'd rotate which dogs got to stay in the house but she didn't have a pet life and did spend alot of time in her "grooming shop" (she's also a professional groomer and has part of her grooming shop set up as a kennel building where she houses her dogs when they're not in their exercise yards). Sara came from a breeder that technically her dogs are in the house, but she's taken the back room and set it up with several pens that connect to outdoor runs so that her breeding dogs can stay segregated and go in and out at whim, but can still see the daily activities going on in the house, and she also rotates through which dogs are allowed to be loose in the house. I have no problem with show breeders who's dogs aren't in the house with them all the time, there's alot of good reasons why they may choose to raise in more of a kennel situation, especially when it comes to keeping males and females segregated to prevent unwanted breedings!


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## Labmom4 (Feb 1, 2011)

You can try a guide/service dog school Winnie. With only a 60% success rate, their are a lot of wonderful dogs in need of homes. The reasons they dont make the program are usually not something thats going to stop them from being a wonderful pet. For example, Remy was released due to a very slightly weak trachea that makes him cough when he exerts himself a lot, but he has a clean bill of health from the vet and his condition is not life threatening. Some dogs just cant stop sniffing the ground when they're working, which is normal behaviour, but unnacceptable to a guide. Or, they're distracted by and might chase cats or birds. Or they might just be too lazy to work. My school gives them free to approved homes. There is an application and they do a home visit and interview. There is no waiting list. You can find a list of schools in your area by googling it. These dogs have been wonderfully socialized and well-trained. They'll try to match a dog to your dad's personality, as it's super important to them that the dogs are happy in their new home.


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

Thanks everyone - lots of good info here. 

Sources to check:
- purebred rescue
- guide/service dog school
- breed club
- local AKC show to meet folks & ask questions
- breed specific forum

Looks like a good starting place. Finding an adult dog that has been shown is interesting. Having lived with a dog that would freak out in a show venue, I would very much prize a dog that could handle the hustle & bustle of a show with calm. Same with guide dogs trained to tolerate a lot of different situations. For my dad, prior training and temperament are the most important things. 

We'll keep looking....


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## igmomma (Jul 24, 2011)

Where are you located? Do you have any idea of what breed(s) you're considering? I know alot of show people around the country and may be able to point you towards some good breeders if you can give me an idea of what breed(s) you want. Are you wanting bigger, smaller, long haired, short haired, does grooming requirements matter? There's alot of other things to consider, especially in regards to grooming. How active is your dad? Does he want an active companion, or a dog to hang around with him all day?

I must say, if what he wants is a calm quiet companion dog to take for walks and keep him company - Look at a Retired Racing Greyhound! They make excellent companions, don't require much grooming or exercise, a good run once a day will keep them happy, and there's ALWAYS retired racers looking for homes, or if you're in a state it's still legal you may even be able to find a breeder/trainer that really knows their dogs! Most greyhound rescue groups house train the dogs, but they're usually very well leash trained and socialized from life on the track, a trainer/breeder doesn't want a greyhound that'll lung or pull on the leash, or show aggression to other dogs or people. Often "wash outs" that either don't have the drive or speed to race, or get injured on the track are retired fairly young, between 1 and 3 years old. I've never owned one but fostered many, and find them to be EXCELLENT companion dogs. It may be another place to consider looking. http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/directory/list.cfm Here's a good place to start looking for a greyhound rescue group near you.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

lisaj1354 said:


> There is a vast difference between good manners and housetrained.
> 
> As far as my experience goes, breeders don't house train their dogs - no matter how old they are. They have puppy rooms, large yards, etc., and house training is not necessary. They DO teach them show manners, but that's about it.
> 
> If you want an older, usually housetrained dog, then go to a rescue - don't go to a breeder.


Wow, every breeder I know housetrains their dogs. The ONLY dog that wasn't a pup I've gotten from a breeder that wasn't housetrained was Angel, but that was the previous owners fault for keepingher in an outdoor dog run (and the reason they were the previous owners)

Of course most breeders I know only a couple females an maybe one male on the property, they cobreed alot to keep the number of adult dogs in house down an only use the OH male if it suits the female and the goals of the breeding.


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

As someone who has gotten somewhat older dogs from breeders (one was a failed show prospect, one was a former breeder, one was a slightly older puppy), I would find a breeder the same way as you would for a puppy, except with the twist you don't want a young pup, you want an adolescent or older dog. There is no difference in the breeder, just what they're offering. Find a breeder, call and ask the question.


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## RaeganW (Jul 14, 2009)

InkedMarie said:


> As someone who has gotten somewhat older dogs from breeders (one was a failed show prospect, one was a former breeder, one was a slightly older puppy), I would find a breeder the same way as you would for a puppy, except with the twist you don't want a young pup, you want an adolescent or older dog. There is no difference in the breeder, just what they're offering. Find a breeder, call and ask the question.


Yep. And if they don't have one, they know who does.

As far as show dogs not being housebroken, MY retired show dog poops on command! XD


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