# Adopting retirees



## missalita (May 4, 2012)

I'm wondering if anyone has experience with adopting a retiree from the showring?

I spoke with some breeders years ago and was told they are raised in somewhat confined areas in order to grow coat and aren't really potty trained. 

Can anyone enlighten me as to what other challenges a retiree might have in adapting to a homelife? My current maltese is a rescue from a puppymill and while she does have her challenges, she is a lovebug and I adore her. Plus she has the tiny face and dark pigment that I love. I've always admired the conformation and beautiful faces of the show maltese and am thinking I may want to get Zsa Zsa a companion one day.

Thoughts? Experiences?


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## LuvMyBoys (Jan 2, 2012)

I have a retiree. We've had Dusty for 2 years this August. He was 4.5 when we got him. He is a clown and a booger and a total love bug now.

When we first got him he was understandably reserved. We gave him time and he bonded with my husband first. In the last three months he has also become a Mama's boys, unless I bathe or brush him, then he doesn't speak to me for hours. He can give the dirtiest looks!

Walking on a leash was interesting at first. The leash meant prance and show off to him, not walk around the neighborhood. He quit showing after he got his championship, and I unfortunately don't know what age that was, and then he was cut short, lived in the house and studded. He hadn't been 'show dog' groomed in a long time when we got him, and he ain't fond of ANY grooming now (which part of RETIRED do you not understand Mom?). 

We had him neutered when we got him, so because he was older and was a stud, he is a marker. I know you can train that out of them, but quite frankly, me and my family are not that trainable. So, he wears a belly band during the day. He marks here and there (then does a cha cha cha), but he doesn't potty in the house, does that make sense. He saves the real pee pees for outside. He may have been pad trained, I didn't know such a thing existed when I got him so I didn't think to ask.

We have another Maltese, who is a rescue and they are best friends. I don't think Dusty would do well in a single dog environment just because he grew up in a show breeders house with lots of dogs always around.

Adopting Jasper at 1.5 and then Dusty a week later have convinced me to never have a puppy ever again. I will only go the retiree or rescue route from now on.


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

Experience i have non-But that was fantastic you adopted your beautiful little girl. There needs to be more people like you-that will open their home and hearts to doing that.

My Yogi Has Lots of Quirks and is real little bugger--but when you see those little faces -who cares. Glad the 2 of you joined--Nickee in Pa
Yogi says Me too**


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

I have 2 retired girls that are from the same breeder as Laura (LuvMyBoys) in fact Dusty is my youngest retired girl Kelly's grandfather. I have Reese who just turned 8 in November and i have had her 2 years in November, she was a retired breeder, not a retired show dog. I picked her up at a show and she had me to herself the whole weekend of the show, she was understandably shy when she met my son and husband but for some reason from the moment i picked her up she was very comfortable with me (i wonder if it's because me and the breeder share the same birthday?). I unfortunately had to go back to work that Monday from our wonderful weekend and Reese and my husband had a good first part of the day together, Reese decided to go into another room and was sleeping in her bed and my dh went to get her to take her out and startled her from her sleep and from that day forward has been afraid of everyone except me. I'm the only one that Reese will come to and not run away from, she'll give kisses to my dh and son when i'm holding her or she's in bed at night with us. When i brought her home she did have some accidents which is to be expected because she is learning a whole new routine and getting adjusted to her new family and life. She is 100% pad trained and outdoor trained ( works great when we have storms) and is the sweetest girl and loves me with her whole heart and to her i'm her whole world, she was cut down extremely short when i got her but i have since grown her back into coat, she doesn't mind grooming and is a really good girl when she is being groomed and bathed. She gets excited when she sees her breeder and the breeders husband, tail wags nonstop and she gives them both plenty of kisses. My other little girl Kelly was about 1 1/2 years of age when i got her. I had met her when i was picking up Reese at a show, Kelly was 9 months old when i met her and was being shown, i fell in love with her when i saw her running around like a nut case in the RV when i was visiting the breeder after the show, i had asked the breeder if she could please keep me in mind when she retired Kelly. I email the breeder with updates and pictures and one of the emails she had asked me if i was still interested in Kelly because she was being retired (she didn't get as big as the breeder would have liked, so she isn't titled) so of course i said yes, i wanted her the moment i met her but had no idea it would be so soon. I picked Kelly up a year after i picked up Reese almost to the date, so this past November i've had Kelly for a year and she will be 3 February 18th. Kelly's hair was cut very short when i got her i have since grown Kelly back in coat, i can't say that she loves to be groomed and bath time is a huge struggle but we manage and i've since been able to get her to tolerate when it's time to be groomed. I had to work with potty training again which is expected, she uses potty pads and is also outdoor trained although i have to put her in an area to go potty on a pad if the weather is bad, she doesn't go to the pad on her own like Reese does, so i can't say 100% reliable. Kelly never really had a problem with adjusting to a new family or life, she fit in right from the start and is very outgoing and has a ton of confidence and has the attitude that everything should revolve around her but she does try to overstep her boundaries where my first girl Chloe and my other girl Noelle are concerned so we have had some fights at times. My little boy Riley gets along with everyone and is especially close to Reese and Kelly and you will usually find the 3 together. With both girls i've never had a problem with taking them on walks on leash but if we go to the doggy boutique sometimes Kelly will plant her little feet and not want to walk so i keep treats with me to encourage her to walk on leash if the store is empty if store is busy i just pick up and carry. I can honestly say that i will always have a retiree in my life.


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## missalita (May 4, 2012)

That's very encouraging, Debbie. I've been thinking more and more that Zsa Zsa needs a buddy. It's very possible I'll wind up with another rescue one day (accidents happen LOL) but if I get another one on purpose I think you've helped to convince me. I was afraid they might be too stand-offish. I really don't want a puppy but I'd prefer one I didn't have to grow coat on. I'd love to be able to snag a retiree BEFORE they shaved her, or at least only cut her down, not shave. I absolutely love to groom Zsa Zsa and she's finally getting a top knot long enough to keep the short hairs out of her eyes. I will try to post her most recent picture.


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## Sparkle'sMom (Feb 2, 2013)

missalita said:


> That's very encouraging, Debbie. I've been thinking more and more that Zsa Zsa needs a buddy. It's very possible I'll wind up with another rescue one day (accidents happen LOL) but if I get another one on purpose I think you've helped to convince me. I was afraid they might be too stand-offish. I really don't want a puppy but I'd prefer one I didn't have to grow coat on. I'd love to be able to snag a retiree BEFORE they shaved her, or at least only cut her down, not shave. I absolutely love to groom Zsa Zsa and she's finally getting a top knot long enough to keep the short hairs out of her eyes. I will try to post her most recent picture.



Zsa Zsa is adorable! You are to be commended and she's come a long way from the Mill'. I am thinking on the same thing.....I saw one that is a year old, almost, cut short at a very very high end breeder, she has been neutered. I wonder of she was a show? Guess I'll never know till I ask. Go Zsa Zsa!!!


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## missalita (May 4, 2012)

Sparkle'sMom said:


> Zsa Zsa is adorable! You are to be commended and she's come a long way from the Mill'. I am thinking on the same thing.....I saw one that is a year old, almost, cut short at a very very high end breeder, she has been neutered. I wonder of she was a show? Guess I'll never know till I ask. Go Zsa Zsa!!!


Thank you. I really do enjoy the coat but it helps that she is sooo good about being groomed. I'm amazed at what all she lets me do. She's so even tempered and has never snapped or growled. 

I really do adore her.


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## wildcard (Jan 5, 2009)

I do not breed maltese and I have not placed any of my 3 maltese "show boys" but I have placed some of our retired papillons in new homes. For the most part the transitions have been seamless-- our "show" dogs are also pets too and spend a lot of time in the house-- so they are used to the sights, sounds and smells of a house. The biggest hurdle is teaching them that being housebroken in our house should apply to anyone's home lol, so I tell the new family to start with crate training as they would a new puppy. It goes much faster than with a puppy since an adult has better control over their body functions and all of mine are fastidious in a crate. If they have been shown and finished a dog's temperament should be sound enough to fit in anywhere. 

Do not assume that all maltese have lived in pens and crates during the time they were shown-- I use wrappers when the coat is a certain length and we have hard floors (no carpet) as well, so my maltese are house dogs. My special actually goes to my office with me several times a week, and he sleeps in a co-sleeper next to my bed so that he can have his satiny bedding he needs and I can have the cotton bedding I love lol but we still sleep next to each other (my husband is very patient-- of course his papillon special sleeps on the pillows between us so he can't complain much).


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Secret is a retired champion that had 2 litters (1 puppy each time) when I got her. She was age 8 when she arrived and adjusted very easily to my other 2 and to our routine. She is adorable, very easy going and just seems to "go with the flow". Nothing really bothers her. She is a great traveler -- either by car or plane.

She was potty pad trained when she arrived and was usd to doing her business on our pad within a few days. We also have a doggie door so that the 3 can go in and out to do their business and she often does go outside. I did not train her to do this -- she picked it up from Lacie and Tilly. But, if she is lazy, or the weather is bad, she goes to one of our potty pads. 

Secret is a total cuddle bug -- but she's also very inquisitive and loves to investigate all kinds of new things. 

When I was breeding Lhasas, I placed many, many of my show dogs over the years and each adjusted well to their new homes and LOVED being the center of attention. 

I think retirees are wonderful.


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