​So, you want to adopt a retiring breeder dog. That is wonderful! We want our retiring parent dogs to have the same experiences as their own pups with great families. In fact, some retired parent dogs have been adopted into the same families as their pups!

After visiting with our trainers, we have re-evaluated the best way to ensure our adult dogs find their own amazing forever homes when they retire.

We retire our adult dogs after about 4 litters or so depending on whether or not they’ve had pups consistently or if they’ve skipped a litter. This is generally 2 years after they’ve started breeding, so the adult dog is around 4 years old on average.

A Retiring Breeder Is Not A Pet. Yet.

A retiring female breeder is not a pet. Yet. What makes a pet? While that could probably be an entire post on it’s own, it’s one of the key things to remember when considering adopting an older or adult retiring parent dog.

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a pet is “an animal that is kept in the home as a companion and treated affectionately”. 

While all our dogs are loved and treated affectionately, they are not kept in the home. Though, we have begun expanding our Guardian Home options. If you’re interested and live within 2 hours of our farm, we’d love to talk to you.
​
If you’ve never owned a dog, everything is new. Whether it’s a retiring breeder or a puppy, there is still training and work to be considered. If you’re interested in a adopting an older retired parent dog, below are 5 things to keep in mind before committing.

5 Things to Keep in Mind When Adopting a Retiring Parent Dog

1. Retiring breeders are working dogs. They are not pets. Yet. It’s like asking a sheep herding dog to suddenly go for walks and lay by the fire. They won’t understand and may be confused for a bit about what’s happening. Breeder dogs have usually grown up in a kennel, not a house. This is something they’ll need to get used to.

2. They have been socialized but mostly eat food to live, they don’t live to eat, and therefore are not food motivated.

3. Breeder dogs have no experience with elevators, stairs, loud noises, television, etc.

4. They are not raised in a house, but in a kennel. It’s quiet except for the sounds of other dogs, puppies, and nature. The quiet you enjoy when you visit the country. It’s what they know. They are not trained. While we make every effort to make living conditions as comfortable as possible, breeder dogs are in kennels with doggy doors for easy access to the outside.

5. Dogs are exercised off-leash in a controlled environment (yard or fenced acreage). Leashes and a walk in the park or around the neighborhood will be new experiences.
​
Whether Puppy or Parent, Training Is Necessary

Just like you have to take time to train a puppy, the same goes for a working dog. It can take the parent dog some time to adjust to their new way of life, from a few days to a few months, according to our trainers.  Our retiring females are often re-homed with their own puppies.

None of the above is to say, the adult dogs won’t acclimate, but it will take time.

It’s exciting to think about getting a puppy or an older or adult dog. The above are just a few things to consider before deciding to adopt.

Want to learn more or see if adopting a pup or older dog is right for you? Send us an email.

Any available dogs whether retiring, older, current, or future litters can always be found on our Currently Available Litters page.