I agree, cruelty does not equal moving dogs on...

Wrote out a huge reply...and lost it! J & C, Im still umming and arring, my thoughts are gonna change, but I do wonder bout it, I do think that the dogs welfare should be forefront, but also wonder that if someone has a fair few dogs that are gone to a new home in a matter of months, is it really for the dogs benefit for said person to be in said sport, as theres only so many homes to take on dogs. And TTL, good post, Diesel was bred for working, and he's great! At working on being a pain in the bum .

I agree, but the definition of "welfare" will vary from individual to individual. To some, welfare needs are meant when all a dog needs is food and shelter (bale of hay in kennel).

It's dependent on the circumstances, if the dog genuinely couldn't do the task, and the owner took care of everything in a responsible manner, i.e. ensuring a new home for the dog, then I don't think we could complain. I certaintly couldn't do it, regardless of whether my dogs were good gundogs or not. But, again, some people are just not that emotionally attached to animals.

Equally though, some of my family members are shocked that we kill and eat our own chickens.......

If a person was going through dog after dog after dog, I'd be questioning the person's ability as a trainer

It was the people going through dog to dog Im talking bout like this guy who said he never got attached to his dads dogs as they could be gone in months, apparently he always had a few in kennels...

I think the vast majority of travellers (not all by any means) will dump a lurcher or a longdog that they deem unsuitable, without batting an eyelid. I have a Saluki that was classed as a "failed worker" at 10 months old. At 10 months she wasn't old enough to work let alone fail! She was neglected, had mange, was underfed and had clearly been hit. When the travellers moved on they left her behind. Which was the best thing they could have done for her because now she lives somewhere where her worth isn't decided by how many hares/rabbits/deer she takes.
I do not have a problem with working dogs that aren't up to scratch being moved on as long as it is done with the animals welfare and best interests at heart. I also have a "failed" working sheepdog and she's a little cracker. Again, their loss, my gain.

Oh right aye, sorry kind of forgot about the initial post!

Yeah, this makes me think of a guy we know. He is forever selling his dogs and buying new ones, complaining that they are no good. He sees a good gundog and wants his to be the same, but I think he isn't willing to put in the work, and is the type that thinks they come born trained already??

I think he's an idiot, but do I think he's cruel to his dogs because he won't keep them and put a bit of work in? Hmmmm hard one, half the planet don't put any work into their pet dogs, so are they cruel too? Again, depends on an individual's definition of cruel. I'm sure plenty on here think I'm cruel because mine are all kenneled outside?

I do think a man who rehomes five dogs, through checking the homes are suitable, is better then a man who leaves one at the side of a road, some are idiots, but if people think that a dog should be fully trained to work before a year, even if they did try to find a good home, do they know enough to sort the wheat from the chaff? Its a shame that there are idiots around, but its a wonder where they keep getting new dogs from aswell, but I do wish that more people went into owning a dog with their eyes open.

I think, as with all things really, there are good and bad out there. There are good owners who rehome dogs responsibly and take care to find the right home for a dog that may not be suited to living with them for whatever reason. And then you get others who really don't care for their dogs and use them exclusively for whatever job/hobby etc it is and if the dogs doesn't live up to the expectations placed upon it, then it is cast aside as though it were worthless.

And then you get dog peddler - who takes in dogs from all manner of circumstances simply to sell them on for a profit

my brother does this to some extent. he does security and if he takes a dog on and it isnt fit for work after 4 months of training he will rehome it - but he always rehomes himself and sometimes it can take a while. he has 6 dogs 2 working pairs of gsd so they can do a day on day off. and the 2 "failures" as he calls them a gsd suki who is just to adorable and alfie a spanial that has adhd or something he was suppost to be a drug dog for a contract he got with the police and came from a really good working breeder but just can concentrate he kept these 2 guys as he really loves them but ive seen a few dogs come and go. His main dog is coming up for retirement now as hes nearly 5 and my brother is really stuggling with the decision of what to do about him. If he stays his life will be a bit crap as the working dogs take up so much of his time along with the shifts he does and his wife wont deal with the workers so the poor dog wont be having any fun. so rehoming would be a good option for the dog but my bro loves him so much he was his first worker and is all white long hair stunning dog and really good worker and hes the one that keeps the pack in order. But he will no longer be earning his keep, my brother has only so much room, and what sort of life will he have being left home all the time while the others go out to work. sometimes alot more thought has gone in to the decision than it may seam