Retirement

[nuv 2]

Assuming that a terrier is still fit - mentally and physically - showing signs of age, when would you retire him/her?

 

I know many veterans would work until the day they die, but do you go by age, health etc?

 

I'm interested in criteria or just individual judgement.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Nuv

[Guest Pick&Shovell]

Assuming that a terrier is still fit - mentally and physically - showing signs of age, when would you retire him/her?

 

I know many veterans would work until the day they die, but do you go by age, health etc?

 

I'm interested in criteria or just individual judgement.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Nuv

 

Hi, i would say there is no set age as every dog/bitch is different and depends a lot on how much work they have done. Your knowledge of your terrier will be the best indicator of when the time for less has arrived.

[nuv 2]

Assuming that a terrier is still fit - mentally and physically - showing signs of age, when would you retire him/her?

 

I know many veterans would work until the day they die, but do you go by age, health etc?

 

I'm interested in criteria or just individual judgement.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Nuv

 

Hi, i would say there is no set age as every dog/bitch is different and depends a lot on how much work they have done. Your knowledge of your terrier will be the best indicator of when the time for less has arrived.

 

That's what I was driving at..my friend still worked his dog at the age of 10...although I believe he (the dog, not the friend) was becoming senile which consequently led to aggression...but he still worked reasonably well; I think many will work until the day they cannot...but is that day assessed by us, or them?

 

Ironically, given the amount of experts on 'working' terriers on this forum, not many seem to be so knowledgable on 'retiring' terriers...

 

Perhaps I should have asked about retiring a 'pure bred Nuttall terrier'...

[diggory 130]

supose it depends on the individual dog,personally if the dog is still fit and enjoying itself carry on working it.if you leave them in they fret n sulk,but would keep my eye on the dog for signs of decline

good hunting.

[Kane 2]

If a dog has had a reasonably hard working life it wont be fit to work at 10 years old a hard worked terrier will look ready for retirement at 5 or 6 years of age JMo.

[valerio 32]

,

Edited July 13, 2009 by valerio

[targa 5]

My" fell x" is 14 now, and he worked until he was 12 years old, catching 45 > 60 foxes a season. Now he's shaking al over when he's out walking for an half hour, he sleep's a lot

[Kane 2]

My" fell x" is 14 now, and he worked until he was 12 years old, catching 45 > 60 foxes a season. Now he's shaking al over when he's out walking for an half hour, he sleep's a lot

 

45 to 60 foxes until he was 12 years old :11: Bullshit ime afraid unless you class bushing and 12 inch digs as hard work

[diggory 130]

My" fell x" is 14 now, and he worked until he was 12 years old, catching 45 > 60 foxes a season. Now he's shaking al over when he's out walking for an half hour, he sleep's a lot

you sure about the 45 to 60 a season think you might need to rephrase that fella

[targa 5]

As its not a hard dog, let's say he catched 10 > 12 a season the rest was flushing out

 

It work like this here in Belgium: Dog walk underground, starts baying and terrorising the fox, most of the time fox flush out in 10 min and walk straight upon a 12 bore. If not, we dig.

Edited September 26, 2006 by targa

[Guest Dillon]

The youngest dog I retired was a six yr old and the oldest an 8 yr old, all depends on the work they have had and the situations they have been put in.

 

Lets face it if a dog gets REAL work for several good seasons it deserves retirement, and the majority of serious terrier lads that keep dogs to such an age will have adolescents and pups coming through the ranks to make the start to retirement earlier rather than running them into the ground.

 

When I say retire they go to my mothers and spend the rest of their days in front of the fire being well cared for.

[nuv 2]

The youngest dog I retired was a six yr old and the oldest an 8 yr old, all depends on the work they have had and the situations they have been put in.

 

Lets face it if a dog gets REAL work for several good seasons it deserves retirement, and the majority of serious terrier lads that keep dogs to such an age will have adolescents and pups coming through the ranks to make the start to retirement earlier rather than running them into the ground.

 

When I say retire they go to my mothers and spend the rest of their days in front of the fire being well cared for.

 

The old boy's seven and showing signs of age..he's been chewed up plenty of times and is still keen to go...but i can see the difference in him...it'll be the earliest I've retired a dog but if he hadn't been such a mental case then he may have got a few more years.

 

He was a pup when you promised me a day out Dill...

 

 

I'm pissing off to Oz soon...one legal day out - for the first time ever - would be great...

[skinhead 27]

Assuming that a terrier is still fit - mentally and physically - showing signs of age, when would you retire him/her?

 

I know many veterans would work until the day they die, but do you go by age, health etc?

 

I'm interested in criteria or just individual judgement.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

Nuv

hi my mate had a gould bred dog. and he was still digging with him and he was 15 or 16 a dog called nigger and he never failed........

[Guest REDROB]

hi nuv, i have a border dog thats over 8yrs and ive retired him, i use him for bushing on top now, after owning a dog for afew years you should be able to tell when to call it a day, for one thing they have usually lost a couple of teeth, not so nimble { he dosent dive into the back of the motor any more}to me there is no point in keeping him working if he is not able to do the job right, so his time is up,

[Guest working deerhound]

A dog should retire when he stops working decause he is breed 2 work and wouldnt be happy just sitting in a kennel