# Retiring an obedience dog?? A tough decision!



## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Well, I am closer to realizing that I need to retire my Baylee from obedience trialing. It saddens and disappoints me because she is so close to being able to achieve her UD title.
I had to pull her entry from the trial we entered because when we arrived at the show grounds today she was lame and unable to heel. If this were only a single incident I would just wait it out and try again but Baylee is 9 and has been treated over the last 9 months for a series of back and elbow problems. 
It is so hard to make that final decison to end our obedience quests together. Baylee is my novice A dog and over the years we have met many challenges in earning her CDX. She has taught me so much along the way and brought me to love the sport of obedience.
I fear my dear Baylee is willing but her body is telling me it is time to call it a day and retire her from the obedience ring.
I can't quite go there yet but I know that day is close....

We are entered again tomorrow so I'll see how she is feeling. We may end up being just spectators at the show.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

If she has at least 2 legs right now, maybe give her a couple months off (completely rest her) to get through this bout of lameness and aim for 2 shows in summer or early fall? 

As somebody who retired her novice A guy from trials when he was 5 after he got his title... I've been there with the sad feeling at giving up the competition. And I hope that my current guy gets as far as your dog has and is still in showing shape when _he's_ nine.  

If you retire her, you will have a little extra money (not being spent on the dog classes, travel, and show entries) to use on spoiling her and keeping her comfortable in her senior years.


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## Stretchdrive (Mar 12, 2011)

I retired my novice a dog at only 7 years old. He worked nicely, but just wasn't able to propel himself over the jumps very well. I did a few veterans classes after that, but retired him for good this last fall. It is a tough decision, but easier to make if you have another dog in training. He is now making a wonderful house pet, and loving every minute of it


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Baylee, unfortunately has no UD legs so far. She always misses qualifying by one exercise and usually it is with signals. Her heeling has become very sluggish and we worked through some jumping issues a few months back that seemed related to her back problems.
I had decided to enter the Spring shows then make a decision but it is a tough decisoin to finally make. I always say that Baylee would love nothing more than relaxing on the couch with a handful of bonbons but I LOVE showing and I love the challenge of bringing our hard work to its goal. Baylee mostly humors me.
I have a youngster that I am working with but it will be a long time before he is ready to show.
Baylee is a dog that most people never expected to get a CD. Several people suggested I give up the quest with this pup. It has been a wonderfully exciting journey filled with a number of challenges. It saddens me to thnk it is coming to an end.
It was only January that I lost my "rally king", Beau to osteosarcoma. I think that just adds to the struggle.


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## Rastadog (Oct 24, 2006)

*Baybeams*

I retired my obedience dog wheb she was 7 due to mast cell tumors. Too many surgerys and generals which took their toll on our training time and her body. She was my novice a dog had a cdx and was HIT 4 times. One day working on articles she shut down after a correction. It had never happened before. I was shocked and upset. That was our last day of formal obedience work. It was time to stop. Her body and mind had had enough. It sounds like you have exceded you original expectations. It's ok to stop formal work and showing. Take her home and do fun training to keep her mind active and enjoy the relationship you have worked so hard to build. I understand how you feel. It will be ok. Alex


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Retiring our dogs is always hard. I have now retired 3 and it just never gets easier.

Good luck with whatever decisions you make.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Good luck with whatever decision you make. Baylee will love you regardless.


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## Titan1 (Jan 19, 2010)

Can you do rally with her? Occasionally?


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

How's Baylee today? 

Whatever you decide, you and Baylee have achieved so much to be proud of!


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

BayBeams said:


> I always say that Baylee would love nothing more than relaxing on the couch with a handful of bonbons but I LOVE showing and I love the challenge of bringing our hard work to its goal. Baylee mostly humors me.


I haven't been in your position but I can only imagine that it's nothing but difficult!! I don't know how to word this without it sounding rude (I don't mean for it to be), but reading this part of your post above makes me think that you are keeping her in it to make _you_ happy rather than _her_. With the mention of your other dog in training, why not just focus on readying him for the spotlight? Possibly with all your attention devoted to him will advance his show career? And like others have said, you have earned so much to be proud of!

Wishing you the best while you make your decision!


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Augie's Mom said:


> How's Baylee today?
> 
> Whatever you decide, you and Baylee have achieved so much to be proud of!


Baylee is still limping today. I sent a message to her rehab vet to see if she has additional suggestions. I went to the trial on Sunday but Baylee and I were just spectators. We had fun and cheered on our friends. I truly am proud of our accomplishments, thanks for the reminders.



esSJay said:


> I haven't been in your position but I can only imagine that it's nothing but difficult!! I don't know how to word this without it sounding rude (I don't mean for it to be), but reading this part of your post above makes me think that you are keeping her in it to make _you_ happy rather than _her_. With the mention of your other dog in training, why not just focus on readying him for the spotlight? Possibly with all your attention devoted to him will advance his show career? And like others have said, you have earned so much to be proud of!
> 
> Wishing you the best while you make your decision!


Thanks for your thoughts. I don't think they are rude. When I posted that part about Baylee I knew for those who didn't know her or me they might think I am doing obedience with her just for my entertainment but let me give you a "nut shell" background.
Baylee, as a youngster, had some aggression and other temprament issues. She has never been playful with other dogs nor with people. She was very "independent" and we had a terrible time bonding as a team. I spent years trying to investigate possible medical or structural problems as well as seeking the advice of behaviorists. 
Finally, through many years of different things we started to gel in the area of obedience. Baylee's eyes sparkle with delight when she gets an exercise right and earns her reward of a cookie. Through years of working together we have formed a special bond because of our obedience work. However, truly Baylee's dynamic and tendancy is that she wants to be left alone. She doesn't realize until she is involved in the activity that this is enjoyable to her. Evey second of delight I can elicit from her is worth the challenge.
If I need to retire Baylee we will find another avenue for bonding together but if I just let her "lounge with bonbons" the sad Baylee would become the dominant force and that is something I can't let her go back to. In addition, she is missing Beau at the moment as am I and our activities together help us remember his joyfulness.
Baylee is an unusual Golden girl with the delicate balance she maintains between solemnity and joy but she is worth every effort to develop our bond and obedience work/play has been an important key.


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## DNL2448 (Feb 13, 2009)

I feel your pain. My girl Brandy had two UD legs when she developed seizures and I chose to retire her as her seizures were (it seemed) brought on by stress. In the end, I realized the shows and ribbons are for me, so it was a no brainer to just let Brandy be a full time couch potato.

You will make the right decision, for your girl.


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## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

It is hard. Especially when you had goals and dreams. Teddi got retired more or less before she ever got going. She was supposed to be my agility dog. My heart is broken because we can't "play" together but Teddi does not realize the difference. Now in Teddi's case, we can do "some" obedience. We did rally and I want to try for her CD but that is as far as she can go, no jumping. 

I agree a little with esSJay a little, it is "you" that feels this, not Baylee. However I do understand the conflict you feel inside. It is hard. 

It's harder when you 'have' to decide, not because you are ready.


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## Augie's Mom (Sep 28, 2007)

Even with the best of plans sometimes fate decides otherwise. 

Beau and Baylee have turned you into an amazing trainer and Baxter will reap the rewards from all that experience. Baylee can be your assistant coach and cheerleader, just because you sit on the bench doesn't mean you aren't part of the team.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

One thing I have found is I cannot give my all to training more than one dog. I always have my dog who gets the priority in training, and then any other dogs get whatever is left of me for training, which is never much. When Flip was younger Conner was still my priority, but as Flip got older I knew I had to put more focus on him to get him to where I wanted him, and I realized it was not fair to expect Conner to be at the top of his game if I wasn't able to put in the effort outside of show time and decided it was time to let him be done. I went through the same thing with Annabel when Conner passed her up in open and went on to utility.
I've always been in awe at how Bridget Carlsen can keep so many dogs at such a high level. I think she has better vitamins than I do LOL.

I know that isn't the issue you wrote about, but it is something else to consider when making your decision - you have a youngster to train and need to find the right balance in training time and energy.


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## boomers_dawn (Sep 20, 2009)

I've been going through similar agony with my Boomer and Rally. He's 11 now and has early arthritis in his shoulder, plus some new in his spine and hips. 

So I stopped after CD because I didn't want to make him do the "big" obedience jumps, but we kept going in Rally. Boomer LOVES Rally! One time I set up a course and walked it to check the spacing and placement of the signs. He saw me walking the course without him and ran into heel position like "Hey wait for me!!!!!"

We had a bad winter in CT with cold, high snow and ice. And Gladys' puppy play doesn't help, which I put a stop to. So Boomer's Rally career was on hold all winter. 

Now the weather's warming up and I can tell he feels better .. but I'm still a little leary of making him do the jumps. Although I don't think the Rally jump is any higher than the bed.

The vet said it's ok if he's up for it, but I don't want to get him to the show, across the parking lot at the huge fairgrounds, then have him limp in the ring and everyone plus the judge look at me like that evil whack job torturing her poor senior.

It sounds like you're in the same place I am ... not sure which way to go. I still train him and do the little exercises like beep beep beep back up and moving stand. I already worry that now that we don't train as much his mind will go downhill too.

Maybe if worse comes to worst we can just "play" little Rally and OB games with them at home to keep their minds occupied.

I don't consider Boomer "retired" just yet. I'm hoping he can do some outdoor Rally this summer and fall. We'll see, take it day by day. 

Do you think Rally is an option for you?


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## Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom (Jul 16, 2008)

I wish you well with your decision. I have never had to retire a performance dog, but can see how difficult it must be for both of you. Casey is not the most driven dog in the world, but he likes obedience because he gets treats and time with me. When I work with Sam, he is SAD...even if he is happy just hanging around, he still wants treats and time with me. You don't have to compete to give Baylee both of those things! Keep on working with her, just don't expect her to compete. Take her to matches and trials as exibition only to spend time with her.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I entered Conner for 10 minutes of utility at an upcoming fun match. Not only will he get his time in the ring - he'll get some treats while in there too!


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## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

Titan1 said:


> Can you do rally with her? Occasionally?



This is a great alternative for "retired" obedience dogs. I like to stay in Novice rally so this way they can virtually do it forever as there are not jumps in Novice Rally. Keeps them doing something and being in the ring with you.


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

AmbikaGR said:


> This is a great alternative for "retired" obedience dogs. I like to stay in Novice rally so this way they can virtually do it forever as there are not jumps in Novice Rally. Keeps them doing something and being in the ring with you.


Thanks to everyone for all your thoughts. Believe me I am taking into consideration the best interests of my girl, Baylee. She is very special to me. 
Rally is a consideration. Though, If Baylee continues to have intermittent lameness the twisting and turning and heeling that rally requires would be out of the question for her.

I think I am just trying to come to terms with the fact that my dear Baylee is aging and not as physically capable as she used to be. But then, I could say that about my self, as well, LOL. Having just gone through the decline and loss of my Beau it is hard to accept that Baylee is just not a young as she used to be.

Thanks for all your posts. It has given me lots of food for thought and has helped me to really take into consideration my prioities.

Loisiana, you are so right! Trying to focus training on both of my pups has been a challenge. Maybe this is an opportunity to shift gears and let Baxter really shine. Baylee will always be a part of the plan but maybe I just need to shift my focus to the youngster. 

It's not easy to give up on some goals especially one that has been such a long process but Baylee won't know the difference...it is just me that is affected. 

BTW, Baylee is doing better today....


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I am glad Baylee is doing well today 


I know how hard it is to give up on a goal when you've worked so hard towards it. Annabel was fully trained through utility but I ended up never entering her in utility, she never made it farther than a CDX. I just didn't think she could handle the stress of signals.

Colby is trained in utility also and earned his GO, but I will likely never be able to show him again because of patella problems and ACL surgery. There have only been like 5 UD Lhasa Apsos ever, so I was looking forward to adding to that total, but it looks like it won't be meant to be.

Conner was my hardest one to retire, not because we had any unfinished goals, but because we enjoy showing together so much and have bonded so much on this journey we have been through together.

BTW, both Conner and I find rally much more stressful than any obedience class!


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## BayBeams (Jan 3, 2010)

Baylee is one unusual pup and has always had a lot of insecurities. I can't begin to tell you how many times some of my friends told me to give up on ever showing Baylee in obedience. I had a lot to prove to myself as a new trainer with my dear girl and it is a difficult thought to stop before we achieve that ultimate goal and challenge. Oh well.... Baylee and I have come so far and developed a different sort of bond together. 

Baylee has her RN but neither one of us are huge fans of rally for her. For Beau it was a different story. He was a joy to watch in the rally ring. 
With Baylee, if there is a down sign in the ring we might as well call it a day. For some reason Baylee has no problem with the DOR in open but to lie down in the rally ring was a huge problem and it is a challenge in utility as well, with signals.


Well a month ago I sent in my entries for some upcoming shows. I'll play it by ear and see if Baylee is up to participating. If not, then we'll just go and support the rest of the gang. 

Again, thanks to all. Sharing your thoughts has been really helpful in sorting out my feelings about my plans for Baylee.

I'll keep you posted.


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