What happens to the old dogs?

This is a question mostly for the old-timers on the board, and those young old-timers like 14rock

In most traditional dog yards, what happens to the old dogs? I'm talking about dogs that have proven themselves in their lifetimes by whatever standards their owners have set, as performers, producers, or whatever. Are they typically kept around to live out their days in retirement? Or are they culled when they no longer have the ability to produce?

Take a female for example, who may not be able to breed after age 7 or so. Would the typical dogman keep feeding her for another 7 years, or longer?

I ask because I want to understand the logic of culling as it applies to the whole life-cycle of a dog. Plus you hardly ever hear about old dogs, other than a few famous ones.

 

all dogmen are different..a good male i would keep and use to school..and a female i would put down..but most old dogs that have gotten there deserve to live out the rest of there life..not claiming to be a dogman nor an old timer..just taking the thread back up..

 

I mean if you have the means to keep that dog on your yard why not? I mean that dog has earned its chain spot and for many years earned its feed. Just because nature takes over does not mean that the dog hadnt earned its feed years previously.

If you really have "love" for the dog then I dont think people would just put down a dog like that who had earned them money and proved themselves and proved others.

When a dog becomes old and there is no "working" use or any use for the dog then just let it live the remainder of its life a retired warrior.

If you dont have the financal means why not farm the dog out.

 

7years old or so should still beable to have the ability to breed. If not I have to consider the indavidual dog and evaluate from there. Chances are not good for that dog....

Now onto the geriatric, I have a soft spot for all my old dogs. They have proved to be dogs and aslong as thier qaulity of life is not in question they die of old age.

 

Some breeders opt to place their older dogs into homes where they can live the good life...... I got one of mine this way....

 

Hmmmm, good question.

What happens and what should happen (ideally) are seldom the same thing. Some things to consider is space, dog, and time.


Space: How much available space does the dogman have available for old/retired dogs while dogman still in the mix?

Potentially, all dogs that are true-to-form may live to retire. Does that mean that a dogman should limit its yard's future for the sake of the old dogs?

A man's (or woman's) yard is essentially the heart of its program. Some may say old dogs (as described in the original post) clog/halt/obstruct development because lack of space impedes expansion of valuable dog numbers.


Dog: Is this a dog you bred, raised, schooled, and showed? or was this a seasoned dog who came on your yard at the end of his show career or specifically to be used as a stud?

Time: How old is the "old dog"? How healthy is it?



A very interesting and difficult question.

 

I agree with the fact that all dogmen are different, but I do know one in particular (actually2) that keep them around and feed them and take very good care of them until they can no longer survive on their own....

Their reason for this was..."it's a damn good dog, produced many good dogs, and is the least I can do....he/she is worthy of being taken care of until the last day"

 

that sentence, to me, is total loyalty to the dog that did serve you so well.

 

I felt the same way when I had first heard it....they got my full respect from it.

This one particular dog I know, is 13 I belive and has sooo many health problems, but is in no pain spent a lot of money on her to keep her around, and she is absolutley one the best dogs I will ever lay my eyes on...Very dedicated and faithful to man who feeds her.......

 

I mean lets say a dog is 10 years old if you had this dog from a puppy and gave allot of love to this dog then theres going to be a great big strong bond between you and the dog. You may become emotionally attached to the dog.

 

IMO if a dog reaches old age, he got there for a reason and has earned the right to die of old age. Fat and happy. But it does vary from dog to dog. As far as placing him in a family envorinment, I would say no. After a dog has had his career catching hogs I dont know that I could let him around my daughter. But once again, it depends on the dog. Some are great around kids, and some are just iffy. And theres no "if" when it comes to a childs well being.

 

on my yard as long as the dog is healthy it always has a place at my home.now some dogmen culled old dogs for the reasons that were allready stated but myself i always figured you gave me good service as far as producing and such the least i can do is let you die of old age and live a peacefull life just doing nothing.it is the way i always did it but now more so than ever i myself can relate to not discarding something because it has some age on it.

 

I'd say it depends more on proper socialization :/

 

Thats your opinion. I said it depends on the dog. Some dogs CANT be socialized. Thats fact.

 

My response was primarily in regard to the statement "After a dog has had his career catching hogs I dont know that I could let him around my daughter."
I was just curious as to why a hog-catching dog would be considered more of a danger than anything else.

 

I would keep the dog as a house dog but if i needed to get rid of dogs i would place him in a family home that knows game dogs. I mean what if Mayday was still alive and couldnt produce no more or do nothing wouldnt you be more then happy to place him at your yard just to say you have? There is no need to cull a dog that is old because that dog has done more then what it was asked in its life and deserves to live out his life to the fullest. People that do cull old dogs because they dont do nothing for them no more does not have my respect at all. Tom G. places his old dogs in family homes to as far as i know of.

 

people that dont own bulldogs need to realize that someone with a yard full of stock (numerous dogs) doesnt have enough time in the day to turn every dog on the yard into a house pet. Theirs not enough time to give each of them playtime, house time and bond with people and a lot of the time their was never a thought about it, these are not pets, theyre stock, their is a difference

most dogmen would let them live their life out if they have an empty chain spot, if they need to chain spot for a new dog, then their time is over.

Not everyone thinks like a pet owner.

Its nearly impossible to turn a dog thats been a chain brain for 9yrs into a house pet, lol good luck

 

the old dogs should live out their lives either with the breeder or the breeder should find a knowledgeable home for them. if they put out puppies for the breeder its the least they should do, return the favor of looking out for them..

i agree with this as well, and whether the dog came as a pup or an adult, it should be treated the same

 

If my kid runs passed him squeeling he's likely to catch her. Im not saying it couldnt work, its just a chance I wouldnt take.

 

While I understand your post, I have to disagree with it. While the dog was "useful", the owner makes sure there's enough time in a day for each of them. I think that part of the overall responsibility is finding them an appropriate place after their 'work" is done and letting them live out the rest of their life comfortably.