advice on re-homing an ex-breeding bitch please :)

[kate2]

As per my other thread about feeding routines, we are adopting a 3 year old ex-breeding bitch at the end of September/beginning October (she has a litter of Cockerpoos at the moment so we will bring her home once all the puppies are rehomed).  So it would be great to hear any advice from anyone who has done this and anything to expect/look out for please?

She came to this breeder from another breeder at 7 months old and this is her second litter, we will be getting her spayed in a few months once she's settled in as no plans for puppies

When she didn't have puppies she was kept in outdoor kennels with other dogs and let out in a ménage for exercise (not sure if she was walked as well, need to find out), and bought indoors when she was having puppies, so she is used to living in or out.

We've been told she is pretty clean/house-trained (although expecting we may have to train this properly) and she loves attention and people, so we're hoping she will love having her own humans and attention and lots of walks and playtime and training of course!

She seems very energetic, although she wont be used to long walks so we will need to build her up gradually to get her fitter!

Any advice gratefully received

[chrisp]

No advice on rehoming, but just wanted to say 'well done'.   

[Countrygirl]

No advice on rehoming, but just wanted to say 'well done'.   

And from me.  People who give these dogs the chance of a wonderful new life are just wonderful themselves.

[sodpot2000]

Well done and good luck!

In your place I would ring Many Tears Animal Rescue in South Wales (01269-843084) They seem to take in a lot of ex-breed bitches for rehoming and I am sure they would be able to give you some pointers. I know they prefer to rehome ex-breeding dogs where there is already another dog to take the newbie under its wing. We had a dachshund who came from show kennels and although she hadn't been used for breeding she was surplus as she wouldn't show well in the ring. Throughout her life she always looked to our cocker for guidance.

That said I am sure with kindness and patience you will bring her out of herself.

[Lottielove]

There are a couple of pages on adopting ex-breeders here (at the Many Tears website as mentioned)
http://www.manytearsrescue.org/adoption_advice.php

[kate2]

oh dear.. what have I let myself in for 
Thanks very much for the link and info, I will arm myself with questions to ask the breeder when we see her again in a couple of weeks, she was living in when we saw her (to have the pups) and seemed very happy to see people and very sociable, but its going to be a case of us getting to know her as much as she gets to know us 

[Poppypuppy09]

Hi Kate,

Firstly congratulations 

Many Tears do specialise in ex breeders but these are real puppy farm dogs generally. For example Bella my MT cocker had never seen light, never been walked, was used to having her food thrown on the floor and not in a bowl and came to me with burns all up her legs where she was left in her own mess  your new furbaby won't have been subjected to so the abuse etc so the info from MT may not be so relevant, just didn't want you scared half to death 

Lots of us have done similar things so I am sure there will be plenty of people here willing to help with advice if you need it 

Good luck

X

[BobnDot]

oh dear.. what have I let myself in for 

You've probably let yourself in for one of the most uplifting and rewarding experiences of your life 

First of all a big Well Done  for bringing this little girl into your family and giving her the love and stability that comes with a forever home.

Milly came to us at 7 months old and, although she hadn't been physically abused as such, had been owned by someone who really shouldn't have had a dog  and had completely wasted the most formative time of her puppyhood.

Lots of love, understanding and rebuilding of her confidence was needed but she soon blossomed into a wonderful girl that has repaid our efforts many times over. There seems to be an extra closeness there with Milly and us that I'm sure has resulted from the rehabilitation journey that we took together 

The very best of luck with your journey and I'm sure you won't be disappointed 

Bob.

[minimoo]

Don't read too much into many tears site, they really do have some extreme cases in , your girl sounds nothing like them so don't be alarmed just give her time to get into a routine with you , and well done im sure you will all be very happy together

[LilahLoo]

Hi

I rehomed Lucy in April. She's my second ex-breeder. 

I would just say be kind and patient (I'm sure you are both).  Neither of my girls had been abused but they had lived outside. 

When I got Delilah she hardly moved out of her bed for the first couple of weeks - just lay in it sizing us up. Lucy was more adventurous but couldn't do steps in and out of the back door - little things we take for granted can be big things for these girls.

Delilah fell ill last year and I had to have her put to sleep. I never gave a second thought to homing another ex breeder.

Good luck.

[AndyB]

Well Done You.  What a lovely thing to do.  I feel sure with lots of kindness and patience, (which I'm sure you have in spades), this will prove to be a very happy and rewarding experience.  Cockers are wonderful, loving dogs.  Good Luck.

[PennyB]

I always find the best thing is to act as if they've been with you forever - try not to do too much with them when they 1st arrive - they need structure and boundaries and as tempting as it is try not to overcompensate.

When Lady (working cocker age 9 who had had 2 other homes and had also been a breeding bitch at some stage) arrived last November I just put her bed up in a quieter part of the sitting room with her cushion she came with - she was actually quite bereft at leaving her old home. I just left her and only interacted for food, going out to the loo then a walk the day after she arrived (I try not to walk them the day they arrive and just let them get used to the house they're in) - she was so sad + when I left the house she howled the place down (she doesn't now) - so best to work on leaving the house and basically practise as if they have separation anxiety so that its easier to deal with if they start (in many ways its about not waiting for them to develop bad habits - assume a behavior is likely to happen, and act preemptively to manage it before it develops).

http://www.pawschicago.org/jean-donaldsons-top-10-training-tips/