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I'm curious if this is a common practice or not. After some time off after whelping, is it common for bitches to go back to the show ring or is it usually a retirement point after they're bred for the first time?

I'm trying to decide what to do myself and I don't want to do something that is frowned upon or something like that. Thanks for the input!

I don't know about anyone else, but I show mine in between litters.

Yep, me too - couple of weeks maternity leave and back to work if they are doing well.

I personally never bother to send my girls back into the ring after they've been bred from.

If they are doing well in the ring but aren't 'Campaign-worthy' then I pull them from the ring once they've achieved their GCH title. They then move on to breeding and are bred until I'm done with them, then they're FHd.

For those few girls who are Campaign-worthy I show them for as long as they continue to do well in the ring, then I breed them at the end of their show career.

If you breed her today, June 1, she drops on June 6. You have to wait 6 days beyond dropping before they can show again.
So, count 11 days out of the ring.
This helps for timing of Nationals or World Cup.
I do it all the time.

Carol

Sometimes, I will breed a dog right after winning a championship and then put her back in the show ring to earn GCH.

But that's the exception to the rule. Most of my girls I pull out after they earn CH because they're just kinda mediocre and I don't see them earning a GCH and they're more valuable to me as broodies. If I'm going to try for a GCH, then I don't breed them til they've accomplished that as well.

Alexandria

""If I'm going to try for a GCH, then I don't breed them til they've accomplished that as well.""

I totally agree here. I have had few bitches that I have not bred until well after their GCH. The rest of the Ch bitches, I try to enter in the Nationals but if they are not ready, oh well.

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Last edited by Clwyd Cockers on 6/2/2016 2:07:25 PM

I breed and two days later stop their showing. They have their pups and aren't ready to show for 5 days after, a total of 8 days down. They do just as well after pups as they did before.
IdahoLaura

Regardless to gender, if a dog is winning consistently... I keep it out for as long as I can.

You might not get her winning traits into your breeding pool as quick as you'd like, but a true winner doesn't come along everyday.

Will