I do buy dogs to do my hobby. If i didnt do Ob & just wanted a couple of pet dogs, id have two not four.

Flynn, Mav & Zo , were all bought (& bred) to do obedience.

Flynn cant do it anymore, so hes retired from comp & is working for my business instead!

I dont personally agree with passing dogs on. but i can understand why some people do, & in some cases IT IS BETTER FOR THE DOG, -although not something i would do.

My dogs are my life & my hobby is my passion.
Im not apologying for it!

Thats such a nice statements - sums it up for me to!!

just because a dog may be bred & bought for a hobby, its still wanted, loved & cherished by their owners .

A few people may put their hooby before their dogs, just like some people out their work before their family etc.

Hobbys & training dogs is a GOOD thing, both for the dogs & for the social support. I have friends all over the country from obedience, all different backgrounds & ages,How fantastic is that , some are like extended family because the dofgs are related! I think itswonderful!

Same as showing for me, I have meet some amazing people from the UK and abroad - some of these people will be friends for life, I have learnt lots from them and thats something to never forget. Most of all though we have a laugh an the dogs have a great time!

What! You mean you don't work for HMRC Dobermann?

I'm not apologizing either for my dogs being my hobby! My friends have dogs that are "part of the family"....... stuck in front of the telly with the kids for hours because the parents can't be bothered.

My "hobby" involves spending hours with my dogs, keeping them mentally and physically stimulated and incredibly fit. They love my "hobby" as much as I do and I have an amazing relationship with them.

At what point is this wrong??

I buy gundogs to work which is my hobby, so where do I fit in?

the dobe was originally bred and 'designed' by a german tax collector to take on his rounds to protect him, 'the handler' not itself (rotts were used before this with money round their necks I believe) so in a way the first (as far as I'm aware) 'designer dog' but bred with a working purpose. The purpose to protect their handler (and the taxes) from threat I suppose.

I see nothing wrong with buying a dog with a hobby in mind, but I do feel there should be more to choosing the dog than merely looking at it as a 'tool'.

In other words, dogs are sentient beings and should be treated as such and not as commodities.

If I wanted a dog to participate in a hobby, I'd choose the breed most suited to it, but I'd choose the dog to fit in with my lifestyle so that if the hobby falls flat on its backside, the dog more than makes up for any disappointment of foregoing a hobby

I also have very mixed feelings on breeding/buying for hobbies too. Probably, in the vast majority of cases, particularly on this forum, there doesn't seem to be any conflict between the dog & the hobby. People try to find a dog that will be good at their hobby, but if it doesn't work out, then the dog is still a much-loved family member.

But to put the hobby before the dog, is, IMO, not something a true dog lover would do, & sadly, for those people, their dogs would probably be better off in a home where they are loved & treated with respect & kindness.

Working dogs like assistance dogs, police dogs, sheep dogs etc, are a bit different in that humans effectively need & rely on these dogs to be able to live normal lives or be able to do a specific job. Howver much I may disagree with animals being exploited like this, I like to think that the majority of working dogs are leading lifestyles that suit them, that they are treated well & all their needs provided for ~ so perhaps, even if human needs are put before those of the dog, it doesn't necessarily mean the dog suffers at all.

I hate to think that dogs are passed on when they can't fulfil the owner's needs or wishes, especially if the dog is happy where it is with it's own circle of human & canine friends. I feel the same about other pets & particularly horses where it seems perfectly acceptable to sell on a horse when the owner feels like it. Horses can bond to their field/stable mates & form pair bonds, so by just passing them on to another owner, it can be hugely upsetting for the horse. Yet no-one seems to think this is unacceptable or take this into account with horses.