Incident near Exeter

[JBen]

I think most people understand putting pets down ( not for me to judge their reasons). I think most of us are bothered or more that they were simply dumped like yesterdays trash....or dumped in a public spot...to rot.

We might disagree on what we think should happen. Nothing to charges for the dump and why.

In that, I suspect most will agree.

[fishermccann]

Yes they are dogs but they should be treated with respect , even in death.

[krakadawn]

It's not just Houndsmen. Any reputable working dog breeder culls to better their breed. It's in most breed organizations standards. Not mention every livestock farmer, it's a regular thing.

How would you feel if you wanted to buy a hunting dog and you got sold a cull from a 'dog trader'. You wouldn't be happy that you got screwed and now you got a dog that doesn't do what it was bred or sold to do. Especially when your talking thousands of dollars. So do you want culls going around in your breed? No

And anyone that thinks killing (HUMANELY) a wild animal is any different than a domesticated animal is not being realistic or has their head buried up their a*s so far they think there's a difference. Your sh** stinks too buddy.

If this was a hunter who shot his own dogs then the only thing I see wrong is the fact he dumped them in a public spot.

Firebird, you seem to be very agitated about this. Don't think any one spoke against 'culling' and certainly if you've been victim to an unscrupulous 'trader', then that's unfortunate.
Let me explain to you how many breeders 'cull'. Its simple they simply do not breed unfit candidates. That is determined by sound health clearances as well as performance such that culling by 'killing' doesn't happen.

I realize we have people always trying to make a buck and will breed and sell anything but here's the caveat.........check out the dog before you buy it. We've been through this so many times......health clearances/pedigrees/observe parents etc. There is absolutely no need for someone to be on the hook for that amount of cash when buying a dog.

Remember, this isn't about killing an animal in any legal hunting situation........no one is disputing or arguing about that. What's at stake here is that some person has done a stupid thing. We've all learned that stupid people do stupid things! This situation should have nothing to do with hunters or houndsmen in particular.

Let's keep the focus on the act that was committed.

[welsh]

Any successful reputable working/hunting dog breeder culls.

By putting dogs down?

Not true. The same end is achieved by simply not breeding those dogs. They end up going to hunters who don't necessarily want fire-breathing, trial-winning dogs. It isn't always necessary to put down dogs that don't make the grade.

I'd point out also that the universe of working dogs extends to police dogs, cadaver dogs, and so forth. Breeders don't cull dogs that fail to make the grade in that world. They simply wash them out of their training programs and find them other homes.

[JBen]

Exactly Welsh. They find the right buyer for the not up to par "runt", no matter how long it take. And they still remove it from the gene pool.

Again, lets all start from the common shared love of dogs.
Thanks G pet/dog photography is fast becoming one of my favorite things

[69firebird]

Off topic your right again

I do not agree with working dogs going to live In residential 9-5 homes. That being said I have a beautiful B&T that I've been trying to sell for showing cause she's not interested in hunting. Well it's been 6 months and everyone just wants a pet.

I breed for those 'fire breathing' dogs and I am very conscious on the sire and dam I choose to re produce and unfortunately I still get poor dogs that I would never want to sell as a 'hunting' dog. and definitely not as a pet. I have books on genetics and research bloodlines to great lengths. Double up on the good and fix the poor issues.

[Oddmott]

Off topic your right again

I do not agree with working dogs going to live In residential 9-5 homes. That being said I have a beautiful B&T that I've been trying to sell for showing cause she's not interested in hunting. Well it's been 6 months and everyone just wants a pet.

I breed for those 'fire breathing' dogs and I am very conscious on the sire and dam I choose to re produce and unfortunately I still get poor dogs that I would never want to sell as a 'hunting' dog. and definitely not as a pet. I have books on genetics and research bloodlines to great lengths. Double up on the good and fix the poor issues.

I'd say you're the only one here living outside reality or holding to unreasonable expectations. If highly developed, bred for k9 work dogs wash out of training and are successfully re-homed as family pets or "easier" workers (therapy & development aid dogs) by the THOUSANDS every year... there is no need to kill yours. Unless you're breeding one of the 3 dog breeds on the whole planet that are so aggressive they simply can't be trusted around people. But, you're not.

One of the best pet dogs I ever met was a Black & Tan that was a very, VERY poor hunter. Just the friendliest hound you could ever meet. Physically he was the epitome of the breed, but just didn't have that drive to hunt. Turned into the best dog the new family ever had.

As others have said, you cull the genetics by not breeding the sub-par animals. It ends there.

[Waftrudnir]

...
They end up going to hunters who don't necessarily want fire-breathing, trial-winning dogs. It isn't always necessary to put down dogs that don't make the grade.
...

that is a really good point.
a "lot of dog" can be a lot of trouble too.
if you are able to continue to invest in the dog (training, socialization, etc.) you might harvest the fruits later, but if not ???

and I disagree with the statement of the OP, that dogs cannot be rehomed! it really depends on the dog and the home. certainly agree that many homes are not suitable for a high strung dog, and some dogs are too unpredictable (especially those little pet rats that as miraculously excluded from the "dangerous dog" debates)
additionally, hunters tend to buy pups (a clean slate avoids trouble) and some humane societies are not hunter-friendly (ill minded ideology),
so yes a lot of good hunting dogs will be put down - unnecessarily IMHO

[Waftrudnir]

....I breed for those 'fire breathing' dogs ....

and how do you screen the new owners?
the dog is only one end of the equation and you need to match up both sides!

[Waftrudnir]

... If highly developed, bred for k9 work dogs wash out of training and are successfully re-homed as family pets or "easier" workers (therapy & development aid dogs) by the THOUSANDS every year....

reading up on service dogs is time well spent; there's a lot to be learnt and most of it is well proven for many decades!
the issue is not new at all: A while ago, I read an about 75 year old book on (hunting) dog training, which describes the disconnect between training of (military) service dogs and hunting dogs. Nothing has changed...