How old ???

[death by dog 11]

How old would you stop running your dog at ???

[ferreting king 9]

Retired my BITCH this year 8 year old, maybe use her for a bit mooching now and again to keep her ticking over

[Fat-Ferret 857]

Whenever they tell you...My old hound is still going ok in her 10th year, definitely no super dog now, but she can show the young'uns a thing or two , Why stop taking them out if they are keen

[death by dog 11]

Cheers lads mines is 8 another year or two with the ferrets won't do her much harm I think atb

[Simoman 110]

Depends on each individual case, some are ready for retirement at 7, some are still plugging away at 11 or more, its down to you to know your dog and when the time has come for retirement..........

[trigger2 3,170]

mines 7 and a half and is semi retired. hes seen alot of work over those years.

[Simoman 110]

mines 7 and a half and is semi retired. hes seen alot of work over those years.

 

Exactly, dogs out several times a week and being worked hard last less time than once a month dogs that see little........

[paulus 26]

if the dogs fit and still wants to go, age doesnt matter might be slower than it was but you carnt beat experience. my old dog will get strieghtlined on short grass everytime but any mistakes at the hedge and there his the same in longer grass.

[Bosun11 537]

Some good answers above but ain't a big fan of retirement myself, never seen a decent old dog yet that would prefer a constant fireside life rather than be in the field. Watched one of mine simply give up and fade away the day I stopped taking her. Fecking sickening looking back, she would have given anything to come but I left her behind...

Whats here now will always have a mooch out, no not like they used to but in some capacity, they can run till they drop, or can't run no more and then I know their time has gone and i'll do the right thing by them...

[TonyOrmy 128]

retierd a decent dog meself this year,dont get me wrong,only for the reason i but him over me bitch summer gone ,as i wanted to keep one back ,BUT,ikept two,so ,let him make way for his two daughters ,who have both done more than i could of asked for in there first season atb,and happy hunting tony

[MikeTheDog 153]

Bosun, why didn't you take the old bitch out when you realised she was worse off at home?

 

I don't work my dogs as hard as some but imo I would only retire a dog when they don't get out of bed when you are getting ready to go out. My old lurcher was still mooching and ferreting at 14.

 

My Meg is only eight and has shown no signs of slowing down yet.

[wild rover 548]

Retired Old lad (now 11) from lamping at 7, and myself ha, he ferreted and mooched for 3 years now he is out every morning for an hour or two, mooching about, still catches the odd rabbit and keen to chase other stuff, slowed up now and just enjoys getting out and about but doesnt bother when I take the young dog ferreting, maybe because he still gets out and not sitting in kennel.

[slips 114]

i think all the time they get up waggin that tail when the boots and coat gets put on take em just let em do what they please

[paulus 26]

its nice to hear the older dogs are still kept and taken out in todays throw away society

[skycat 6,174]

Got two bitches, 9 and 11: both carrying injuries, arthritis etc, but both still hunting well, maybe not catching quite like they used to, but they really enjoy a daily mooch with a bit of excitement and more often than not in the right place if something is flushed. It would kill them to leave them at home. As long as they want to come out, they do. In fact, the eldest crouches behind the kennel if she thinks I might call her back indoors and leave without her: I see her poking her nose round the corner, trembling and looking at me, not wanting to be shut in the house. She's eyeballing me: YOU WILL NOT LEAVE ME BEHIND LOL Then comes bounding out like a puppy when she sees my face laughing at her.

 

Hard to lose dogs you've shared that many years with. Make the most of the time you have with them.