rehoming a breeding bitch

[ACavalierDream]

hello, I was about to go ahead and add another puppy to keep our existing dog company. I had agreed on the sale but eventually there were several red flags that made me pull back. Basically it is a commercial breeder with some grey areas but not a puppy farm.

The breeder took it well and has instead offered one of the breeding bitches (who is not able to breed anymore after having lost a litter) for a rehoming fee similar to Battersea Dog's Home one. She is two and I have been to the home a couple of times. She has lived in the family home not in kennels. I have no issue with her living conditions but I guess she will have some issues.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

That is exactly what I cannot find out because she registers the puppies individually or doesn’t register them. It’s optional. It was one of my red flags.

Please read my other posts. I have spoken to a few members of the club who have been kind and generous with their time with the issue related to this post and when I noticed issues. But what I cannot crack is how to get close enough to be considered for a puppy. It seems, perhaps I am wrong here, that going to shows is the way forward. I completely agree with being thoroughly vetted, but I don’t know how to get them to vet me in the first place, if that makes sense.

No problem! Have you straight up asked them if they would give you a puppy or refer you to someone who would consider you for one?

Have you been rejected or steered away or is this a fear you have? Let me know how I can help.

Thank you for your post. Yes I have and they have taken my details which they already had but only for a rescue as I am on their rescue list. I explained I would love a puppy and they have made a note. I was told I was the ideal candidate and there might be some coming up. They have my family and up to a point financial situation. I already own a dog of that breed, and recently owned another one of a similar breed.

I originally contacted them because I needed help from them when I had issues with the breeder aforementioned and they were very helpful and gave me more info than I expected.

I imagine it’s a question of patience but I’m wondering if there is more I can do.

Or I rescue that bitch…

I guess it depends on what you want to do re: rescue. I have no thoughts on this apart to say that I see all views listed here.

My personal experience is limited to that of early childhood when my parents rescued a previous breeding bitch from a puppy farm and she was very sickly and non social. It was horrendous to think what she may have gone through to go from what we view as cocker spaniels to what she ended up as which was on her side, in the bathtub, isolated through choice. I suspect that's how the 'breeders' left her, day in and day out, and she didn't know how to be anything else.

Her memory is why I'm such an advocate about education and a passionate animal lover.

That aside, if you want a puppy with a health guarantee, guaranteed to have been bred with the best intentions, highest standards etc. then stay on the wait/watch list for a puppy. Patience is key and pays off in the end. Steer clear of the Kennel Club and pursue via official breed club members.

If you want instant gratification (phrase is used non-judgemental here) and would prefer the rescue, I would suggest trying to ask the 'breeder' if they will release her to you with no charge so that you can put the 'donation' towards vet check up and possible treatments, if required. Worth a try?

Where do you think many of the dogs rescues take in come from? Many are strays dumped because they are ex breeding bitches. We have one - she has a few health issues but she’s the loveliest dog you could wish to own

@purplely as had been said a hundred times on this thread...if you're not happy buying a puppy from someone, why would you pay for a dog that same person doesn't even want?

Either take the dog for free - because, given it serves no purpose to the breeder, the breeder has no justification in trying to charge for it - or go to an actual rescue, that cares about animals, and pay for a rescue dog.

By paying for this dog, all OP is doing is financially supporting a puppy farmer. Of course she can get the dog if she wishes, but I am not sure why anyone would support paying a puppy farmer for anything - least of all a dog they admittedly do not even have a use for

I don’t want to support her hence I did not take the puppy after some digging. I would do it to get the bitch out, it is that simple. To avoid her being put on the internet or dumped. I was ready to adopt anyway.

The price is an interesting issue. The puppies sell for £2k + and she has been offered to me for a few hundred pounds. Basically the same price as a rescue would ask for. I spoke to someone yesterday who made a fair point I had not thought of, it is incredibly cheap for a bitch that is still fairly young. As it has been mentioned here, plenty other people would have her.

I worry that she wants to get rid of her for another reason than just she is not a good breeder. But equally, I can see that she is not commercially viable to her and knowing her, she is not the type (nor of the age) to seat with a new litter all night. But nothing I have seen indicates animal abuse of the scale mentioned by other posters who rescues ex breeders.

I'm not sure why I keep revisiting this thread - I want to cry every bloody time 😟

There's no happy ending for this poor dog, is there.
I hope karma exists for people who use dogs like this, they deserve to feel exactly how she must feel - used, and betrayed by those who should have loved and cared for her.

I wish that were true. And perhaps it was, fifty years ago.

Unfortunately Crufts and other high stakes conformation competitions end up rewarding increasingly extreme type over true to type. Muzzles get shorter, coats get thicker, breeds either get progressively more big and chunky or extremely fine and frail.

You can't seriously breed to win at really big shows while maintaining health, function, and personality. At some point, you have to choose between one or the other - and only those who choose pizazz over the others will win.

I can give her a happy ending. I just need to decide if my family can roll the dice and take a chance. I am worried about health issues and behavioural issues. I have another dog to think of. No matter what the breeder says, I can't trust her to tell the truth. But knowing her, the commercially non viable excuse checks out.

I am waiting for more pictures and the pedigree name to find out more info. I also need to check with my pet insurance (we already have a hefty premium).

If only she could go to a reputable rescue first but that will not happen.

You’re not making any sense
‘if I don’t take her who will’
and then you say there’s a rescue with thousands on the waiting list for that breed.
soo maybe one of those thousands of people?

But the breeder won’t take her to a rescue because they want money. I’d rather give my ‘nominal fee’ to a rescue who are using it to help animals, than a breeder who is just taking money and getting rid of a dog they’ve used. (And I’m not against buying dogs, but this feels gross)
you know really that there’s no such thing as a rehoming fee to a breeder, You’re just buying a cheaper dog, don’t kid yourself.
if you want to buy her then do it, but don’t spin a story about how you’ve ’rescued’ her.

Perhaps. I understand why someone might object to registering puppies that aren't headed to show homes.

I'd be more interested in what the dogs are like. Are they a good representation of the breed? Are they confident? Do they have good muscle tone, or are they wasted / flabby? Are the coats healthy looking?

Does the breeder understand the common ailments of the breed, and how do they avoid them?

@ACavalierDream I do appreciate you listening to the concerns people have raised (and recognise I have been a bit sharp)!

Have you asked the breeder to provide all evidence of health tests? Honestly, I still wouldn't pay for her because it feels pretty uncomfortable (to me personally).

You could, potentially, get a trial period whilst you look after the dog a bit more each day to familiarise your existing dog etc?

It's what we do with foster dogs/adoptions in my local breed-specific rescue (Goldies). The family who want to adopt the dog (if they have an existing dog) will meet the dog a few times alone, then a few times in a neutral location with their existing dog, then a few individual days at the family home, then a few individual nights at the family home. It can take months to do, but we found that it results in far less issues long term. It also gets the potential new owner/their family, used to the dog and any quirks. Yes, it's a bit disconcerting for the dogs but it's far better than throwing them both together and expecting them to click (particularly when you're dealing with a breed that can easily be 40kg+).

I'm sorry, ACavalierDream, I understand how this poor dog is weighing heavy on your mind too 😟

You are doing the best you can, and I'm not criticising you at all (you've done nothing wrong!) If I didn't have two big lanky hounds I'd be nagging dh to let me track her down myself...

By ‘who will’ I mean, what kind of person might have her. Will she end up sold on the internet? Dumped on the street? If only one of those thousands had a chance I would be delighted but they won’t because that bitch won’t end up in that rescue or any for that matter. That’s the real issue. The thought of her ending up on the internet makes me sick.

Evidently she wants to recoup some money but what she is asking for is not much in the big scheme of things. She could be asking more as it was explained to me yesterday but a very knowledgeable person. Why is she not asking more?

If I go ahead, I will indeed see it as a rescue as the way I see it, this bitch is at risk of far worse. Your opinion is yours but that dog is in need of rescuing.

I have uncovered some unsavory practices in my research over the past few weeks. So one of the reasons for registering individually (for some not all) is to hide the fact that over breeding is taking place. There might be more nefarious reasons but I am not as knowledgeable as others.

Thank you for your post @LandSharksAnonymous . I have stepped into a world of breeding I do not like. All my family dogs where from show breeders my family knew well but that was spaniels and decades ago. I blissfully lived without having to get a puppy/dog from scratch until I had to figure it out for myself.

I am trying very hard to do the most research I can and do the right thing for her and me too.

She is meant to send me more pictures. I was planning on asking for a health certificate but can it be trusted? I need the pedigree name to do the little more digging I can do. I am getting help with that with someone who can read them.

You make a good suggestion about trial period and the people who are helping me suggested a first visit. But I know myself, once I have seen her and she is with me, she is mine no matter what because I know she want let me do what you suggest and she will offload her another way. she also has not been spayed so good knows who could buy her.

Thank you for your kind words. It is hard to keep a level head when dealing with a situation like this.

Yes, I'm aware that's one reason, but it's not the only reason for not registering every dog.

Registered puppies don't necessarily mean healthier dogs. Or dogs that have been better socialised or cared for.

The best way is to ask for the breed relevant health screening results for the dog, and to look at tje dog, including watching the dog's behaviour - perhaps a trial period.

You are right. From what I have understood being Kc registered does not mean much but not being Kc registered if selling pedigree is an issue. What is a bigger issue is having some registered and some not from the same place. From my personal experience KC seems to do nothing more that take registrations and can’t help prospective buyers. I don’t understand what the point of them is.

That’s shocking and I feel disgusted 😞

You’d be more shocked if I shared the details. Awful case.
KC seems to act like a business. It could do so much to help animal welfare and encourage responsible ownership. But doesn’t.