Has anyone got experience of adopting an ex breeding bitch?

[ThespianTendencies]

I have a 5y ear old rescue lab x (got him at 11 weeks) and want to find out about getting a second rescue (I already have a thread for this) but I specifically wanted to find out if anyone has adopted an ex breeder. I know they are typically nervous, not housetrained and come with issues and I need to be sure I am prepared to deal with this before I leap in.

My friend took on an ex puppy farm bitch. She was very nervous as she had never had positive experiences with humans (her 'owner' was thankfully sucessfully prosecuted ), but settled quite quickly.

I think it helped that as well as having a calm but confident dog in the home already, my friend works from home so she had a lot of time to bond.

The issue that took longest to sort was her lack of socialization with other dogs. She'd only really seen them between the bars of a cage. Now, a couple of years on, you would never know her history, as she is a well adjusted, friendly bitch.

Chickens - thank you for your input. I am in two minds to be honest. I would love to think that I could be the safe place for one of these poor dogs and I know it would be enormously rewarding to see a dog flourish with the right care and patience but my concern is that my son - aged 11 - might not feel so patient and rewarded! i am home all day most days (work from home) but I am concerned it may be biting off more than I can chew. I hope some other wise MNetters come along and share their advice.

Hi I’m currently in bed Ill my ex breeding spaniel is tucked in with me.

She was about three when we got her took her a very long time to settle properly. Some things just clicked strait away like n
Learning her name within a day. House training was not good and not easy as she would just go anywhere she was. However having that many puppies her bladder was shot so from time to time she gets a uti and struggles. But 98 percent house trained. She still belts her food down without chewing as she always wants to finish first. I got her from many tears who are well worth looking up.

Hi Pasithea - Yes,it is Many Tears I am looking at. They have lots of ex breeders as you know. So sad that these dogs are treated so poorly. You sound like you have worked hard with your spaniel and are reaping rewards. I shall read a bit more about it and make a considered decision. Thankyou.

I have a many tears ex-breeder, and she is currently snoozing at my feet.

We got her as my first mt rescue was used to a house full of dogs and was very lonely as an only dog.

My little ex breeder arrived, scared and anxious, and slept and ate under the dining room table for a couple of days as she was terrified of us. But she was settled in within a week, following her new sister around, and curling up on the bed, and answering to her new name happily.

We did about 15 years ago when I was much younger

She was used to breed but developed problems with her hips so was no longer any use to them. They put her in kennels and never went back. The kennels eventually put her up for 'sale' (although they never asked for any money for her) and we brought her home

She never played - she didn't know what it meant as she was never allowed to before us. She'd been beaten repeatedly. She had tattoos in her ears. It took her a whole year to bark as she must've been punished for barking previously, and any raised voices she would either run and hide or lay there shaking. She was more scared of men and would be petrified if somebody came in wearing a hat

The kennels reckoned she must've been about 4 when we brought her home. We had her another 4 years when she passed away. She was loyal, loving and would never hurt a fly but you could just tell she was happy for the life we gave her

SparklingRaspberry. It’s heartbreking how poorly these dogs are treated. Thank goodness she got the chance to live as a loved pet. It must feel good to do a good thing like that. Was she hard to housetrain and integrate into your family would you say?

Watching with interest.