I have breed for many years and my dogs are all house dogs, they are my family and like my children, I would never dream of ever giving any of them up, to me they are here for life, and my old girls plod along with my young ones.

But yet again I have just seen an advertisement from a small time breeder colleague of mine selling one of her bitches.  I don't understand it, my colleagues always seem to adore their bitches, make fusses of them, call them darling, sweetheart etc, and are extremely fussy about who gets the pups, but as soon as a younger model comes in the 3-5 year old is advertised on a site for sale.

The only common dinominator I can see, is that my 'bitch selling' colleagues dogs are all kennelled and not house pets.  My house pet breeder colleagues seem to also keep their dogs. So this has made me ponder why??

Having sold pups as house pets and kennelled. I would be interested in other people's views. :-)

Is the bond the same.

Could be, as certainly most horse owners don't keep their horses for life, and there is less attachment than to pets who live in the house.

On the other hand I know breeders who will home bitches and dogs (even champions) that have made their contribution to the line and the breed feeling that they deserve the extra attention as they get older of being the one and only adored pet, leaving space for the breeder to carry on their passion for the continuance and development of their breed line.

Some peoples priorities lie with the individual dog, some others with their line and the breed as a whole.

I know if I was able to let my girls go I would have developed my line and knowledge more, but I have never been able to let one go once it has been kept past the baby pup stage. 

This of course means If what I keep isn't very good I won't make any headway for many years, but I am still young enough for that not to be to much of an issue, and I am not in such a hurry.

I am glad I am not alone, though I do know pleanty of in house breeders who also keep their dogs for life.  I am just of the opinion that we breeders should practice what we preach, I always look (as I am sure that you do) for lifelong homes for my pups, the thought of them being sold on from pillar to post I personally would find upsetting.  But certain associates will be very unforgiving of one of their bred pups ending up being re-homed, I even witnessed one having a real go at someone for re-homing, saying they would have had the pup back, but in the same breathe sell on their own bitch.  The bond really does not seem the same as when they are kept in the home.

My friend sometimes rehomes her 'retired' breeding bitches, but she never advertises or sells them on. If a suitable situation arises, she'd far rather see one of her kennelled girls living out the rest of her life as a house dog with a loving family. I don't think it's because the bond isn't the same with a kennel dog, because many of them stay all their lives and she does have her 'favourites'. But you must admit, most dogs would prefer a nice house with a sofa to a kennel no matter how warm and cosy any day!

I can't see a problem with that personally, but then again, that may be because I had the pleasure of one of these girls for many years and am in line for another in a few months time.