This post has no implications at all and I am really just interested to hear from breeders. I have a 4 yr old border terrier who I got through rescue. I have his pedigree certificate which shows that he is from what appears to be a long line of champions. I have done some research on the net and have found my dog via his pedigree name (he won a prize and I'm proud and not surprised!) and his parents and descendants all seem to have been prize winners. I'm just wondering, does anyone have any opinions on why such a lovely dog of obvious high pedigree would end up being homeless (he is very aggressive towards other dogs). Don't get me wrong, he's with me now and going nowhere else as I love him dearly! I only want to keep him as a pet but I just wondered why obviously good quality dogs end up in homes. Very interested to hear what a breeder would say.

CG

I am not a breeder, but perhaps he wasn't as good in the showring as the breeder had hoped and sold him on to a pet home when he was older. Unfortunately he could have then passed into rescue from the pet home, rather then be returned to the breeder.

If you know who the breeder is why don't you contact them and let them know he now has a great home, you never know they may have some puppy photo's of him.

Sandra

There are any number of reasons why a dog finishes up in rescue rather than back with the breeder. Someone dieing, broken home, straying is unlikely as you have his pedigree, the owner being take sick or going abroad. As I say any number of reasons. do let the breeder know you have him, if they care about their stock they will be pleased.

Well maybe on second thoughts I'll email the breeder and tell them he is totally content! I agree, I would be pleased if I was the breeder to know that he was OK.

CG.

Thanks Sandra, you could well be right as he won the prize as a pup. I know he had a few homes before me and I picked up a bit of his history from the previous owner. I think aggression has always been his problem. I do have the name of the breeder but I think I'll pass and just concentrate on him and me (you're right, he does have a great home now!!) - I can't believe his pup photos can be any more gorgeous than the ones I have of him :0)

CG

As a breeder of Border Terriers, if this had happened to one of mine I would want to know that he had ended up in a good home, even though he had had a number of homes in between.

My puppies are my babies and remain so until the day they die.

There could be a number of reasons he ended up in a rescue home. Although we all take great care in making sure that where we home to, is the right place, a lot of owners never bother to contact a breeder when there are problems, This can be due to embarassment, ignorance or just plain stupidity.

I hope to goodness he isn't one of mine. If he was I would be on the other end of the phone for any advice you might need to help overcome his problems.

Well Lady, all I can say is he came from Yorkshire originally, I think perhaps he wasn't properly socialised as a pup, hence his aggression. I never wanted a dog to breed or show, only as a pet and companion and Copper certainly is all of that and a whole handful more! If anyone is reading this post and wondering if this is one of their doggies, please be assured that he has a great home now and the "handing on" has now stopped. I would never give up on him!

CG

I am pleased to hear that he is with you permanently, but still think that a little note to the breeder would be in order. You may find that they can help with the problem that he has, as they are experienced in the breed.

I doubt by the way that it was lack of socialisation as a pup, because if he was shown then all the socialisation would have been done beforehand.

I would think it more likely that, as can happen in all breeds, he just has the wrong bloodlines, and that as he matured the temperament was such that showing him was not an option.

Personally if any of mine showed agressive tendencies I would stop showing, so that the line was not likely to be carried on, by him being bred from.

CG

Please contact the breeder, many years ago my brother rescued a Stafford bitch she was about 5 and being very badly treated, locked in a shed (with hardly any roof) not fed on a regular basis, is she was only left overs, and kicked if she cried or whimpered. My brother was helping a friend move into a flat and the flat they were moving to overlooked this house/garden. He noticed the dog and over a period of 4 days ( he was helping with the decorating to, so he saw a small ammount of this cruelty) speaking to one of the neighbours he discovered the rest. On the fourth day, my brother glanced out of the window to see a large man about 6ft tall holding the dog by her collar up to his face and screaming at her to be quiet.

Now at this point my brother broke, he stormed down the stairs, through the side entrance and grabbed the bloke by his throat. pinned him against the wall and quietly warned by my brother (I'm told by his friend who followed him) to let the dog alone. He then pulled £100 out of his pocket threw it at the man. Picked up the dog and left.
He brought the bitch who he called "Angel" home and she shared the house with Sam and Gypsy (family Staffs then) and she was with us for about 4 months before friends of the family lost their elderly Stafford bitch, they adopted her and she lived a happy life as an only dog for the next 9 years.

One one occasion they took her past where a show was being held and someone recognised her calling a friend to confirm it. They have the name of the bitches breeders, who the couple contacted the breeders were eoverjoyed to hear she was well. It appears the couple who brought her as a pup had split up and sold her on, then they too sold her again, then again. They had searched for her but couldn't trace her. She had had approx 3 litters the vet said. For the remaining 7 years of her life they stayed in contact. And when she died the breeders (very well known and sucessful at that time) gave them a puppy FOC. For the kindness they had shown one of their pups.

To my knowledge they are still in touch with Xmas cards. This happened in the mid 80's, when there were not so many Staffs around.

So I say get in touch, you may be pleased by their reaction.

Karen

Thanks Karen, and everyone.

As a non breeder and just a dog owner I don't suppose I ever thought that breeders might think about their dogs years down the line. Well now I know different and I will make the effort to contact the breeder and let them know that their boy is just having the best life he could have!! (and not having the indignity of showing his nether regions lol)

CG

I can only say that if I lost track of one of mine (and I know it could happen, despite trying to cover this in puppy contracts) I would be overjoyed to find him/her again.

That is such a great story and just highlights the two very different types of people who buy/own staffies :D