What would you do with the "failures" - Page 4

sunshine, wow.

I read this thread last night and since I never purchased a pup with breeding in mind.....felt foolish about offering an opinion.  After reading sunshine's post just now, I changed my mind-------for surely...the title alone beckons a strong response.  For me, there is no dog that I would term a failure.  Failure only comes to mind when I think of owners or breeders that 'move on'.

Everyone here---posters and readers---can offer their experiences and knowledge.......but who's most qualified? I've seriously begun to wonder lately.  Who are the truly *dog people* around here, anyway?  I keep reading comments made by so many 'my way, no way' people, who constantly belittle using the underhanded,point-gainer excuse.......'for betterment of the breed'.  They are not what I would call true *dog people*......at least, not first and foremost. (I have finally come to realize that most of the threads end up....*Dog People* vs *People who erroneously label themselves Dog People*.)

IMO......*Dog People* get a dog---bond with it---and deal with problems that come up.........which means changing THEIR lives to accommodate the dog's capabilities.  Slow walks or just sitting under a shade tree and enjoying each other's companionship might have to override medals being bestowed on podiums.  Seems to me, 'dog people'  think primarily about what they can do to make their dog happy.  I hate to say it.....but many of the sportsmen that post seem to be primarily concerned with what their dogs can accomplish for them----their happiness comes first.  If the dog enjoys himself also....well...that's a plus----but titles are usually on some form of a timetable. (I don't mean to just single out sportsmen or schutzhund competitors----but it does seem that dogs are rehomed with not so much as a backward glance.) It's ironic........the stories of some posters whose hearts are broken trying desperately to save a doomed dog.......and then reading how others trade in dogs.....just so ironic.  And, not fair to say all sportsmen act in this manner. Some probably do the right thing and keep the 'failure' even when they replace it on the field.  But, honestly, if they have room for only one and make a change.......they are not *Dog People*.  They are...first and foremost....Sportsmen.

You get my drift.........Who are the true *Dog People* in the world of breeders, K9handlers, schutzhund competitors....and, even that totally undervalued pet person? Who is the breeder that won't sell that 7 yr old bitch to a 'hobby breeder' (what a joke) and cares more about the future of their girl thereby spaying and find her a loving, TRUE, retirement home----at a low, fair price?  Who are the K9handlers that offer permanent, loving homes to their comrades? Who are the sportsmen that change their hobbies rather than change their dogs?  These are the people I want to hear from-----the dog lovers-----the Dog People.  (Now---couldn't get more sentimental than that.)

Beautifully put LMH.  I could not agree more.  That is why I started this thread.  You see so many dogs being sold (and sometimes given away) after "washing out" for whatever the intended original purpose was.  Of course, sometimes lifestyles change and you have to find a new home for a dog, but your point about changing your sport or lifestyle to accomodate that particular member of your family who is now not "up to it" for your original purpose or hope, is a valid point, and a "cutting" point.  I would change my life to accomodate a son who needs special care and would not put him up for adoption.  Same with a canine member of my family.  Although a vicious dog would be another thing entirely, as would a vicious son.

I can tell that you thought this through before posting here, as most of us usually just read something here and quickly respond.  I am a dog person.   That does not make me better than anyone else, just what I am.

Sunshine who was Galaxy bred to?  I watched Ulf put the HGH title on him a couple of years back. 

My  boy was titled for the first time in that trial.

I've had so many failures with dogs it's hard to remember all of them. My first was dysplastic, kept her til she died. She was a pet and a family member. Her replacement was also dysplastic and very lame at one point. I decided to keep him rested and after he passed the painful stage that many pups go through I was able to place him as a companion for a young blind child. He lead a long happy life. My next dog suffered from seizures and temperament issues and after she bit a child she was put down. After that I decided to buy an older OFA'd bitch and then had my first litter.

Had to replace on 2 severely dysplastic pups I bred and sold for show/breeding. The owners opted to put them to sleep since both had no sockets and that was back in the days when there weren't many vets doing hip replacement surgery. I always left it up to the owners what they wanted to do with their dogs that didn't turn out. They could either keep them and have them neutered or return them to me. If there was a serious health issue like the severe HD then I would allow the owner the option of euthanasia and then they could pick another puppy or I would refund the full purchase price. They were the only 2 dogs I ever had to replace. 

My main problem was getting dogs back and having dogs dumped on me when I had a boarding kennel. Not much to do about that other than trying to find them decetn homes or keep them. Most stayed with me til they died from old age. Looking back it probably wasn't fair to the dogs to keep them kenneled for most of thier lives, but at the time I felt it was the right thing to do. I probably should have tried harder to place them in good homes, but it got to the point that it was just less stressful to keep them rather than worry if they were being treated right.

Not sure what I should be called, maybe a dog collector ?

LOL Blitzen I have been called that more than once. I'm trying to cut back.

LOL Blitzen I have been called that more than once. I'm trying to cut back.

My family thinks I'm nuts and I only have 4!  If I had more property I could very easily get into the "collector" category.

Almost anyone that I tell that I have 4 big dogs is practically appalled!  Except for the real dog people.  They just don't get it!!

I guess too that I fall into the lines of craziness when it comes to my animals.  I have a 16 year old Doberman mix that bloated in September.  99.9 percent of the population would not have proceeded.  However, I wasn't about to make that decision for her.  The way I figured, she didn't live to be 16 years old to die of bloat!  And guess what, made it through the surgery and is still cruising around almost 10 months later.  Almost $4000 in vet bills later!  And I work for a vet!  Her surgery was done at a specialty practice, who was also kind enough to give me a professional discount.  Who knows it may have been more with what we did with her once she was released from the other hospital.

Rezkat, were you the handler that received the "best handler" award? If so, I remember you and your fine dog well.  

Galaxy was bred to a 2nd generation SchH3 (on the mother's side) Female, who I just adore.  As the litter is completely sold, it cannot be deemed as advertisement, so here is the pedigree.

By the way, there are big hopes that there will be a HGH trial here in the Dallas area this coming Fall. . .

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/para.utkoma?fadir=395482&modir=413157

ROFL...to be considered a dog collector one must have AT LEAST 10 dogs on site at any given time, not necessarily the same breed or even purebred. 

It took me about 20 years to discover that breeding dogs was not really my thing. Now when I want a dog, I buy one.  duh.....should have thought of that years ago.