This is where I am coming from. I despair when I see a poor oldie in kennels (I have adopted the odd one myself . So vulnerable, so afraid, it is so tragic when they have been loved and cared for all their lives. It is even more tragic when they die in kennels. 

Send me the details of ANY rescue/charity where I can send a 75 - 90 yr old who will allow them to adopt an oldie as believe me I've tried as have family members of said individuals.

Fact of the matter is these are folk who are disregarded due to their age nothing more, as for all the critism from the High horse riders here thanks for not letting me down lmao!  I'm not going to take it personally you don't know me, how I keep my dogs, how many/few dogs I've got etc, so you're not in a position to critise me personally.

My point is there are times when its a good thing to allow an oldie to go to a forever home, life is never cut n dried the unexpected always comes along at some point and I'll never say never. 

> My point is there are times when its a good thing to allow an oldie to go to a forever home

As a pet owner, I can understand why an adult bitch/male (say 5/6yrs old - as I don't breed I don't know at what age they are 'retired' from breeding), that is no-longer usable for a breeding programme would be found a loving forever-home, but not an oldie. I would have thought the oldie had been living as a pet for a good few years without being of any further use for breeding, so would assume it was allready in it's forever home with the breeder.
That's why some of us can't get our heads around an oldie being given up to a new home. But, again I don't know at what age a bitch/dog would have retired from breeding, so maybe I have got the wrong end of the stick (if a dog/bitch is only retired from a breeding programme once it is an oldie, not many years proir to it being an oldie)?

I'm not going to take it personally you don't know me, how I keep my dogs, how many/few dogs I've got etc, so you're not in a position to critise me personally.


Hi Schip,

Slightly confused by your statement here, you knew when you posted this that it was an emotive subject, I don't feel anyone has critised you personally, in fact it has been quite a pleasant thread on how people feel about it.

There is nothing wrong in giving old people, old dogs, I don't think I've read anyone who is against that.

The main issue has been how some people can give up their old dogs no matter who is interested in them. Not a brood bitch, or a retired working dog, which many of us understand, but their old dogs.  I guess to most of us breeders and dog owners an oldie has a name it's Jack or Spot or Lady :-).......... it's not just an oldie and having had it for a long time he/she usually has a long history with the owner and is much loved by them.

By all means if your dogs are kennelled that may well be a very good reason, I personally feel that can detatch people a little more, but you have not stated that, though could old 'Jack' not then be in the house to save 'him' from feeling the cold etc?

My mother and eldest brother have always had a large number of dogs, (unlike my sensible self :-D ) for working and show and they've often brought in newbies but the older ones have never moved on, all our family dogs have stayed with us until they have passed over, but they have always been housedogs, even the workers. For people like myself it is hard to understand.

I guess we're looking at it in different ways though, the way I see it you are viewing your old 'Jacks' in the same way many of us view our pups and you get joy the same way in making people happy in having one of your dogs, I guess we could say that is quite a selfless act to give up a dog to make others happy. I think I shall have to look at you in that way, because otherwise I don't understand it. :-)

Perhaps the elderly dog might no longer enjoy being part of the group, and not be robust enough to cope with the inevitable bumping about that happens when they're around the younger, more boisterous dogs? A quiet home life with a bit more one-to-one might make its final years more enjoyable.

Personally I've never had so many dogs that I've not been able to protect the oldies (I have one very frail oldie at the moment, who I'm watching from day to day to try to judge when That Time has come, so I'm not my usual cheerful self right now!) but I can understand how easily it can happen.

> Perhaps the elderly dog might no longer enjoy being part of the group, and not be robust enough to cope with the inevitable bumping about that happens when they're around the younger, more boisterous dogs? A quiet home life with a bit more one-to-one might make its final years more enjoyable.

I can understand that and agree that rehoming an oldie for thoses reasons is in the dogs best interests :)
Even only having experience 1 oldie & 1 pup at the same time I can can see how a full house of young dogs may not be the best situation for an oldie to live out thier life in. I just can't understand why anybody would give an oldie away because an old person expressed interest in the dog and could offer a good home (that is how the origional post reads), if the owner was allready looking for a new home for the oldie then great, an eldery owner may be the perfect match, but that isn't how the OP read.

I have one very frail oldie at the moment, who I'm watching from day to day to try to judge when That Time has come, so I'm not my usual cheerful self right now!)

Very sorry to hear that JG, horrible time for any of us to be in. :-(

From the experience I've had with packs though, the senior dogs are usually noted by the rest of the pack and given respect and often not bothered for play etc, by the younger, often licked and even if they have strolled off into a different room one of the pack will generally go and sit with him/her for company, just the viewings I've had, our packs have always been very close. My mother has what she calls the senior arm chair which her older dog/s are only allowed to use. Maybe it is a human emotion and not so important to a dog, but I've always felt it important for an old, faithful dog to spend it's last days with it's owner whom it has grown up with and loved, surrounded by it's pack (if it has one) and in it's lifelong home, until that dreadful day.

But sentimental is my middle name. :-)

Just to slightly side track, I guess I can ask schip as you've already done it, or any others. I've always wondered about the effects on dogs which have been seperated from a very close pack?

I ask as at present my mother is down to 7 dogs, very tight pack. A few years ago my mum was laid up for approx 3 months with her leg so she stayed with me and of course brought her dogs along so 8 dogs in my home, managed fine all well behaved dogs but I did come across the problem of holidays, weekends away, days out, it's easy with my one girl, as my mum or brothers can easily take care of her whilst away but 8 dogs was too difficult to spread around and time in with everyone being home, or being able to come to mine to care for all of them. Kennels of course would cost a fortune for that amount of dogs and they've never been in a kennel in their life.

We all of course hope that my mother will outlive her pack as my brothers and I know we would have to seperate them otherwise, maybe have a couple each.

But, if it were to need to happen, we are all quite worried about the effect of breaking up such a close knit pack and that is even with them knowing us and all our other dogs?

Do the dogs fret for a while and then move on, like any rescue will do, or does it cause behavioural problems, pining for their pack, is it worse for them to come together again at family gatherings?

It's something we've never had to experience, hopefully we never will, I'm sure it would be fine if it had to happen, but can't help the niggling worries in the back of my head at breaking up a pack.

> Send me the details of ANY rescue/charity where I can send a 75 - 90 yr old who will allow them to adopt an oldie as believe me I've tried as have family members of said individuals.

The one I homevet for! Many organisations will consider an 'oldie' to an 'oldie'. The view of rescue centres is dramatically changing in what they will and won't do. Some old rules are being reviewed and discarded, and individual cases being considered more on their merit than just following the rules. I am a homevetter and can make that decision. I did turn down a gentleman of 75 but he applied for a 1 year old border collie, I suggested he consider an older dog. Little compares to the heartbreak of seeing an old, once loved, confused old dog lose hope and die in kennels believe me.

> Fact of the matter is these are folk who are disregarded due to their age nothing more, as for all the critism from the High horse riders here thanks for not letting me down lmao!  I'm not going to take it personally you don't know me, how I keep my dogs, how many/few dogs I've got etc, so you're not in a position to critise me personally.

I don't believe anyone HAS criticised you personally. I agree with Carrington, this has been a sensible thread, which you started. Come to think of it why did you post it?

I went to the lab rescue and asked if they would let one go to my FIL ehan MIL died earlier this year, they had no problem as long as it was a dog over 6. I/we are willing to give it a home if FIL passes on but at the moment he's off up the allotments and helping to walk my SIL labs, but of an evening and weekends he's alone. Its win win as far as lab rescue are concerned. Also Wickaweys (sp) would allow an old BC to go to an older person especially if they had one before so all is not lost. Thats without greyhound rescue in this area no problems with oldies with oldies.

I would support your decision as I think my post said to get an oldie for my FIL to love is so important to have a one to one to share walks and love with I see no harm. I am emotionally attached to my two but DIL can manage two young dogs here and walk them into the ground.
Oldies to oldies should be a slogan.!!

When my Mum died her Skipperke Jack left home to loive with our neighbour.
He was about 8 I think, the houses were side by side and Sandra walked Jack when Mum got so bad she couldn't. He just went to Sandra as we nursed Mum when Dad went to get him he howled at the door until Sandra came and went with her.
Dad paid for all his vet bills and food until he died a few months ago. Now Jack visited checkd out Mum's bedroom No Mum off he went to his chosen home. Jack had moved on!! they do I think,  sometimes we give them human emotions. I cannot imagine parting with my two, but Im not sure they think the same way - Just a thought!

just adding on to the bottom,
i took on an oldie, i say oldie she was only 4 but finished breeding and showing. i already had her daughter and the breeder knew i was thinking of another one.
as the person taking on an oldie i am extremely happy to have her, such a gentle lady and although she had the best of care where she was the breeder knew she wouldnt be getting to lounge on sofas and lay near the fire in winter so she knew it was better for her in the long run.

Oh mahonc,

You've just made me feel ancient, 4 years in most breeds of dog is only approx 28 years of age in ours. I must be ready to be mummified by now then!  :-D :-D

> Now Jack visited checkd out Mum's bedroom No Mum off he went to his chosen home. Jack had moved on!!

I think that's true. When my mum was poorly with her final illness, her last Sheltie went to live with my niece. When they visited mum both at home and later in the hospice, Dylan went to her room, wagged to say hello, then sat with my niece. He went home with her happily every time without a backward glance. I think dogs do adjust, often very quickly.

Not sure I could part with any of mine but that's my choice. If ever I had to I expect they would cope better than I would.

Great idea Whistler - new slogan for rehoming centres - Oldies to Oldies! :)

Love the oldie to oldie slogan ;-)

I rehomed a 7 year old, though to a family with a teenage son. I went back a week or so later only to have her come up for a quick hello and she then turned her back on me :-) I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had obviously moved on. She stayed with them until she died 6 years later. I wouldn't hesitate to let them have another if I ever needed a home for one of my 'oldies'.

I have her daughter here now. She is 11 years old and is staying here until her time comes. Though there have been times......... ;-)

Add on to my post concerning my Father-in-Law. I did contact the Blue Cross before talking to my friend. The B C were quite happy to consider him for a dog as they look at each individual applying to take on a rescue. As the lady I spoke to said they see people in their 70's that are a lot fitter than some in their 50's.

The only reservation I had was that we would  not know the whole history, behaviour, training etc of a dog in a rescue home and with my Father-in-law's (at the time) emotionally fragile state I didn't want him to take on a dog that could have had issues and might need returning.

I have also found that when we have them to visit, as we live just round the corner , Jack, although he is fine with my 4 dogs of the same breed, can't wait to go home and comes and tells my FIL to hurry up and take him out of this mad house!

A very interesting topic...I phoned an advert for a dog when I lost my BS bitch many years ago now asking about a 4 year old rottweiler needing a home. I was shocked to realise early on in the conversation that this dog had been used as a breeding bitch.. the lady owner obviously didn't like it when I asked her the reason for re homing her, by saying oh she's no good to me now, she didn't even have a name for this dog! I explained I had a 5 year old child and was she ok with children and laughed at me and said she only eats one a day! She then began telling me she had puppies, if that would suit me more also Labradors as I had a child I presume. She wanted £250 for this 4 yr old dog which I thought was a lot of money back in 1999, I never went to visit her as I know it would of been hard not to of come home with a puppy.

I feel giving a home to a dog that has been brought up in a breeding establishment situation a good thing, in a multi dog household with lots of competition and youngsters bounding about its nice to know your old dog has sort of retired to live in peace and being fussed over a 100%.

I feel sorry for my old dog sometimes he does love coming on walks with the youngsters but the next day is in pain, saying that they do keep him more motivated I feel that if it was just me & him he would be acting much more older and slower.

> As a pet owner, I can understand why an adult bitch/male (say 5/6yrs old - as I don't breed I don't know at what age they are 'retired' from breeding), that is no-longer usable for a breeding programme would be found a loving forever-home,

Now this is interesting and part of a point I have made before.

My mentor died unexpectedly in 2001 after roughly 40 years in the breed.  She was of retirement age and for the last few years in her breeding program consciously earmarked some of her breeding bitches for re-homing.  she let them have one litter, or at most two and homed them at around four years of age.  She felt that at that age they had just reached their prime and would provide years of enjoyment to their new families.

In this way she was able to make a positive contribution to the breed to the end of her days, and only left her daughter with five dogs to sort out on her sudden death, two were young bitches and were homed and the other three 'oldies/biscuit crunchers' were kept by her daughter, the last of which died this year.

Another mentor died suddenly last year, but she too had sensibly cut her dogs down to two (spayed) bitches, (and had just lost a 15 year old) and her husbands Fox terrier.  Her last litter was in 2006 from a bitch she had bred on loan from her niece, as her own had both had to be spayed due to Pyometra.

The first felt that it wasn't fair to home a bitch older than five, for the owners sake,a nd the latter had very occasionally homed an oldie with good friends in the breed.  This kind of breeder will have made friends with many of their puppy buyers, possibly having had several generations of dogs from them.  These are not the kind of relationships that the commercially orientated breeder or the one off litter breeder have with their owners.

> i say oldie she was only 4

In most breeds that is the age they just reach their prime and full social maturity.  My favourite age I'd say.

> asking about a 4 year old rottweiler needing a home. I was shocked to realise early on in the conversation that this dog had been used as a breeding bitch..

An excellent case of point....would we all admire this 'breeder' more if she had decided to keep this poor bitch for the rest of her days? There are many out there who truly feel that because the dog stays with them forever - they are somehow better - ask her dogs I say :-(

From reading these posts it would seem that it is the principal of rehoming that many disagree with....these poor dogs have to live with our 'principals'.
Each and every case on it's merits surely?

An excellent case of point....would we all admire this 'breeder' more if she had decided to keep this poor bitch for the rest of her days?

I cannot see the comparison with this case. This is not a responsible breeder but a puppy farmer. So therefore yes, the bitch would be so much better in a better home. I thought we were discussing 'responsible' breeders that rehome after the bitch was past their 'useful' date. In any case I am still of the opinion that my dogs are to stay with me until they die and if that means that I cannot breed litter after litter and keep a puppy then so be it. I will only keep as many dogs as I can manage. I fully understand keeping good bloodlines going but why do they always have to keep a puppy. If the bloodlines are so good then surely they would be useful to someone else. There again my dogs live with me not outside in kennels. So my 'oldies' will always have the comfort of home until the day they die.

> This is not a responsible breeder but a puppy farmer

Fine line I would say...a bitch and a litter, no other info given so this scenario may be the case others who contribute to this forum.
I still say that some dogs would be happier in the long run if given the 'ideal life' and that, I'm afraid to say, may not always be with the breeder.

I also know of several dogs who live with people who pride themselves that no matter what, the dog will stay with them forever......poor dogs :-(

We can always speak from the ideal perspective but many dont have the ideal home the breeder just thinks they have.

>I also know of several dogs who live with people who pride themselves that no matter what, the dog will stay with them forever......poor dogs

It can be very difficult to acknowledge that we might not be the perfect owners for each individual dog; that someone else might be able to provide better for their needs. Pride combined with sentimentality don't always work in the dog's favour.

[i]A very interesting topic...I phoned an advert for a dog when I lost my BS bitch many years ago now asking about a 4 year old rottweiler needing a home. I was shocked to realise early on in the conversation that this dog had been used as a breeding bitch.. the lady owner obviously didn't like it when I asked her the reason for re homing her, by saying oh she's no good to me now, she didn't even have a name for this dog! I explained I had a 5 year old child and was she ok with children and laughed at me and said she only eats one a day! She then began telling me she had puppies, if that would suit me more also Labradors as I had a child I presume. She wanted £250 for this 4 yr old dog which I thought was a lot of money back in 1999[/

Fine line I would say

I wouldn't call this a fine line between a responsible breeder and a puppy farmer.
Anyone that can casually sell a bitch and that she didn't even know the name of cannot be called a responsible breeder.

Carrington
" Of course the answer is a very polite no, and if that is a scenario you are speaking of that people turn up and fall for your own raised oldies, so you think 'ok you can have him/her?' that I don't understand, sorry.  How can anyone give up their dog because someone likes it and you feel sorry for them, no matter whether they can offer a good home or not, it's still your dog!
I can really understand your answer but [forgive me] I think of dogs in a similar way to children, you have to let them go eventually and you want the best for them too.  Also, not all breeders/owners will get on with their dogs perfectly, just as parents with children.  Just as I hope my kids will find their 'soul mates' it can also happen with other animals be they dogs, horses, rabbits .... 
Letting a loved dog go to another home is not a rejection IMHO - it is a matching of souls and needs - of both canine and human.
There may be many breeders who 'sell on' older dogs purely for monetary gain, but I think the examples above show caring and forward thinking for all concerned [including advancement of the breeds].

I was flabbergasted when someone who was on my puppy list, having met Mum and the puppies, phoned up a couple of weeks later to say he didn't want a pup after all, but was interested in buying the Mum, as I said she wasn't going to have any more puppies, and she would be quieter than a puppy!!

Afraid he went right off my list without a second thought.   

All our dogs/ bitches are family - sounds corny, I know, but very true.     I could no more part with an oldie than fly in the air.  

I do know of 'breeders' who will re-home oldies to save themselves the expense of vets bills in the later years.

Jo