Good Breeder?

Would you consider someone a Good Breeder if they always (or nearly always) rehome their older stock once their breeding/showing days are over, even if they fulfil other aspects of what's deemed a good breeder?
Becky

Personally I think a breeder should carryout the same checks as a reputable rescue; pre homevisit, post homevist, letters from landlords or council stating their allowed a dog, proof the owner has paid from training classes before parting with the pup. 1st vaccinations should be given before selling the pup and the breeder should follow up to ensure the dog has been neutered.
I do not think they should part with their adult dogs

I know one of the top Akita breeders has been the subject of much gossip recently because she rehomed one of her older brood bitches. I personally wouldn't do such a thing because I'd be attached to the dog and I suppose it's the same as rehoming a dog 'just because'. Then again, I'm not a breeder. On the other hand, it may be better for the dog if they go to a home where they will be treated as a pet. I suppose if the breeder does everything 'right', I wouldn't say they were a bad breeder. My main concern is that all dogs, pets or otherwise are treated well. I haven't really answered the question, I'm sitting on the fence.

if they rehomed older girlies just because they are no longer any good for breeding to make room for younger fertile stock then thats not for me .......on the other hand i consider myself a good breeder but i have rehomed one of mine recently due to another one of mine going deaf and the constant fighting between them she is only up the road with my best friends nan who lost her cavalier 6 months ago ....Bonnie is still mine and comes here for grooming every 2 weeks i see her as lodging with nana .........

life has settled great here

its not something i have really talked about on here before BUT i know i have done the right thing for all concerned and trust me it still makes my heart ache when i see her

I don't have an issue with rehoming because of fighting or change of circumstances etc but it was the routine rehoming of older dogs I was interested in.
Becky

I think this could all depend on whether the dogs were kept in kennels or not. For those of us that keep our dogs in the house (and therefore it HAS to be a small number of dogs compared to kennels) rehoming an older bitch because she can't be bred from any more would seem totally alien. Living in such close proximity to our dogs enables us to know their every expression and can tell how they're feeling from one minute to the next. However, those in kennels will not have that close human relationship on such a constant basis. I see no wrong in rehoming an older dog from kennels to allow it to live out it's days in a home environment. I don't think that would make them a bad breeder. Better for the dog to have some home comforts in its old age However, it may seem like double standards, but I would question someone rehoming an older bitch purely on the basis that she wasn't going to be bred from again if the dog had lived with them in the house all the time. Weird eh? I can't really explain why I feel that way either.

Debs

I know of a Setter breeder that frequently rehomes her bitches if they have too high a hip score for breeding or can no longer be bred from.

I asked her how she could bear to part with them but she sees it as they are going to a better place, they are all kennelled at her house whereas they go to live in homes as part of the family and become a much loved pet. When I hear that it makes me understand more but I couldn't do it easily myself. I suppose the difference is that mine are not a business,they are my pets whereas she only has them with breeding in mind.

I would mention that she sometimes charges for them but not all the time, it depends if it is someone she knows. If she charges its normally a couple of hundred pounds and she doesn't (to my knowledge), hand over the papers.

Therefore, in answer to your question, I personally wouldn't think this one is a bad breeder as she does do the health checks and only allows them to go to good homes. If she were breeding from them season after season and also not doing health checks, then getting rid of them I would not put her high on a list of good breeders.

I personally dont have a problem with it , its freedom of choice in my opion if the dog is adequietly housed outside in heated runs etc then why shouldnt a good reputable breeder let it live out the rest of its days in a family home in front of a nice warm fire or on a comfy sofa if thats what they choose to do .
I would prefer this for a an ex show or breeding dog than being put to sleep which has been known to be done ,.
Thats jmo but others will have different views im sure but hey each to there own i say as long as it dosent hurt they dog or cause it any distress i have no problem with it .

normally i would agree with the other posts that a female should stay with the breeders as a pet once she is finished breeding, however last year we rehomed Tulula, my goldie. She went to live with my parents they had lost their old boy about six months before. they still missed him but neither of them wanted a pup or young dog. They have always favoured Lula and offered to take her to help us with our move and hopefully heal their hearts. this worked out really well for us. but i wouldn't think about any of the others going anywhere.
I did know a lady very well who would rehome her all her dogs male or female once they had stopped breeding. All her dogs lived outside in state of the art kennels and normally they would stop breeding at four years old. she would charge a couple of hundred pound for them. they never went with papers and they weren't spayed before leaving her (this idea never pleased me). she had very different methods of breeding to me. i don't belive she every had any of her many dogs tested. Although her pups were all very good, healthy & happy kennel reared pups. with so many females (25ish) in her kennels she was unable to let them stay and retire with her. Not the way i like to see things done i like me girls to live indoors with me curled up on the sofa having a cuddle whether they breed or not. The only thing i can take out of her rehoming her old girls is at least now they are loved by their new owners curled up warm somewhere being spoilt which in my mind is nicer than ending their days in kennels lacking the love a caring owner can give. (not that i think there's anything wrong with kennel'd dogs )

Personally I think a breeder is being responsible if they rehome their older bitches to live as pets rather than in a kennel. Know of one big kennel where they don't do this & ok the dogs still live in their state of the art kennels have attention from their owners the kennel manager & the staff but once they are no longer being shown or bred from I think many of them would be happier in a house as a pet.