Breeding for sports

Laurelin

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Honestly Backup being less smart than Sloan (and Arnold) makes him an easier keeper. I am sorry if that's mean or offensive but man some days and in some ways it's so much easier having a dog who's not an evil genius.

<shrug>
Oh don't get me wrong, I definitely think Mia's intelligence is some of what makes her more difficult. She figures things out on her own a lot faster/more often than any dog I've seen. My old trainer had told me that Mia is one of the most intelligent dogs she's seen. My dad is always saying (to Mia) that there is such thing as a dog being too smart for her own good. I think her intelligence helps make her more difficult but she's also more determined, more hyper-aware, less happy go lucky, more suspicious about everything, etc.

Summer is intelligent in her own way. Summer tends to read people a lot better than Mia and is more adaptable. Summer needed less time and work to blend seamlessly into my life (Mia got there, but it's taken 4 years). Summer seems to adjust herself to the people in front of her. I've never seen another dog have the affect on people that Summer does. She seems to know just how to help someone and brighten their day. She seems to know when to ignore me to go take care of someone else. At agility trials she gets passed along and held by a dozen people and carried around. And she takes it in stride. Not even, she adores it. Stores we go into, etc.... she is a mini celebrity. Mia barely gets noticed (probably prefers it that way though).

Both are trainable but there have been instances where Summer learns something a lot faster than Mia or vice versa. Summer has never attempted to open a crate though. Summer doesn't seem to climb shelves to get to food like Mia will. But Summer is much more adjustable, much better with people. Summer is actually more of a handful on the agility course.

At any rate I don't think biddable and easy = dumb. I really don't think there are enough dogs like Summer in the world.
 
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Dogdragoness

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Oh don't get me wrong, I definitely think Mia's intelligence is some of what makes her more difficult. She figures things out on her own a lot faster/more often than any dog I've seen. My old trainer had told me that Mia is one of the most intelligent dogs she's seen. My dad is always saying (to Mia) that there is such thing as a dog being too smart for her own good. I think her intelligence helps make her more difficult but she's also more determined, more hyper-aware, less happy go lucky, more suspicious about everything, etc.
Izze was like that ... Gosh I sure so miss her :(
 

JacksonsMom

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Oh don't get me wrong, I definitely think Mia's intelligence is some of what makes her more difficult. She figures things out on her own a lot faster/more often than any dog I've seen. My old trainer had told me that Mia is one of the most intelligent dogs she's seen. My dad is always saying (to Mia) that there is such thing as a dog being too smart for her own good. I think her intelligence helps make her more difficult but she's also more determined, more hyper-aware, less happy go lucky, more suspicious about everything, etc.

Summer is intelligent in her own way. Summer tends to read people a lot better than Mia and is more adaptable. Summer needed less time and work to blend seamlessly into my life (Mia got there, but it's taken 4 years). Summer seems to adjust herself to the people in front of her. I've never seen another dog have the affect on people that Summer does. She seems to know just how to help someone and brighten their day. She seems to know when to ignore me to go take care of someone else. At agility trials she gets passed along and held by a dozen people and carried around. And she takes it in stride. Not even, she adores it. Stores we go into, etc.... she is a mini celebrity. Mia barely gets noticed (probably prefers it that way though).

Both are trainable but there have been instances where Summer learns something a lot faster than Mia or vice versa. Summer has never attempted to open a crate though. Summer doesn't seem to climb shelves to get to food like Mia will. But Summer is much more adjustable, much better with people. Summer is actually more of a handful on the agility course.

At any rate I don't think biddable and easy = dumb. I really don't think there are enough dogs like Summer in the world.
Jackson sounds somewhat in between Summer and Mia personality-wise, leaning more towards Mia though.

He IS one of those "too smart for his own good" dogs. Sometimes scary intelligent which *I* love but makes him a PITA for others. My dad loves him to death but gets so annoyed by him and doesn't understand why I'd want another like him.

But this: "I think her intelligence helps make her more difficult but she's also more determined, more hyper-aware, less happy go lucky, more suspicious about everything, etc." describes Jackson to a tee.

Oh and I know I just went way off topic here.
 

Laurelin

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Based on what trey looked like when he was wet Shelties ain't pretty dogs under that hair lol. He was sooooo skinny and awkward.
 

BostonBanker

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This thread has made me want a short (smooth?) coated Sheltie. For purely selfish reasons. So ya'll can design me one now!
My friend had one in rescue. I mean, obviously not, but it looked *exactly* like a sheltie with...I'm trying to think of what the hair was comparable to. Like GSD length, but not so much undercoat.
 

Flyinsbt

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N

As someone who will be looking for a pet dog for companionship within the next year or two - I couldn't agree more than with the above quote. I have just as much right to research a breed and find a breeder who health tests their dogs as someone who will only be showing their dog, or competing in sports. At the end of the day, the dog who is shown or is competed with is a PET. It gets snuggles, and gets treats and lives with a family. So, people who look for sports dogs, they look for breeds that can do what they need and find breeders who are more likely to have their perfect sport dog in their next litter.
Okay. First off I was not talking about "pet" dogs, I was talking about dogs owned by a large section of the general public. I specifically commented that there was a difference between dog oriented people (like the people that spend time discussing dogs on an internet forum), and the general public. It does not have to do with participation in sports, a person can be a "pet owner" and be very dog oriented. Even the people who aren't super dog oriented have the right to the dog of their choice (whatever my opinion of that choice might be), but I wasn't lumping pet owners together anyway.

Second, there is a huge misunderstanding here about what I mean by "stupid and lazy". I'm not sure it's even worth my trying again to get my point across. This is going to be my last attempt.

I did not mean literally that the dogs were stupid and lazy. I meant that, compared to a hard-core working dog, they would seem stupid and lazy A dog that thinks for itself is not an easy pet. A dog that climbs trees is not easy to keep in a suburban yard. A dog that needs hours of exercise a day to settle is not appropriate for most working families. A dog that needs regular training to feel fulfilled... also not appropriate for most working families.

The dogs that would be most appropriate in these not so dog-savvy homes would be dogs that picked up the basic skills without too much trouble, but then settled into an easy, uncomplicated existence, without getting frustrated at no longer being given an outlet for their talents. They would be active enough to go to the dog park or for a walk, but not so energetic as to need that on a daily basis unless you want your furniture rearranged and the house redecorated.

Nobody here can really compare themselves, or their dogs, to that particular niche, because by the very act of spending time on a dog forum, people have proven themselves to not belong there.
 

*blackrose

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I did not mean literally that the dogs were stupid and lazy. I meant that, compared to a hard-core working dog, they would seem stupid and lazy A dog that thinks for itself is not an easy pet. A dog that climbs trees is not easy to keep in a suburban yard. A dog that needs hours of exercise a day to settle is not appropriate for most working families. A dog that needs regular training to feel fulfilled... also not appropriate for most working families.
(First off, want to say I understand what you mean and I'm not taking offense to it...I just want to be difficult. :p)

Chloe would be an easy pet if she didn't have her anxiety/aggression issues that she does. She is NOT stupid or lazy. She is extremely smart, picks up on things very quickly, loves to work, and would be active if my family was active. That being said, she is also very adaptable and can turn into a lazy house dog if she needs to be. She is DEFINITELY not an intense working dog....but that doesn't mean she isn't intelligent or active. Had she not have had her aggression/anxiety issues, she would have made a fun agility/obedience dog.

Rose, on the other hand, was also an easy pet. She was extremely adaptable, very well mannered, etc., etc. She was dumb and lazy. LOL Well, maybe not so much lazy, as she would run around outside/hunt/etc., but she was fine just spending the day doing nothing. And her IQ was probably not very high (said in the nicest way possible, as she was a very sweet girl). She didn't need or want to learn tons of tricks or commands, she just learned enough to get a cookie here and there and to be a good pet dog.

Gracie and Cooper are also this way, and they make very good pets as well.

I guess my point being that while *some* pet dogs are not the brightest bulbs or the most active and that is what people need (my Grandma and my mom, at this point, couldn't handle anything otherwise), I think a pet dog can also be a dog that COULD be a good sport dog, it just also has an awesome off switch.

Shoot, even I wouldn't want the kind of working dog you are describing. And I have a Chessie.
 
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My internet goes out and what comes out of this discussion over the next 2 days is exposition about what "stupid and lazy" means? I just don't really know what to say about that, except when I finish clearing out my email I'm going to go home and hug my lazy, stupid dogs.
 

Dogdragoness

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My internet goes out and what comes out of this discussion over the next 2 days is exposition about what "stupid and lazy" means? I just don't really know what to say about that, except when I finish clearing out my email I'm going to go home and hug my lazy, stupid dogs.
Yes even I was like kind of wat? About that, I have always had dogs that were happy to work, but if I wasn't going to "work" (well ... What they considered work) then they were like "ok, cool." Heck I have one dog, buddy who isn't interested in doing ANY "work". So I am going back home today & when I do I wil also give my "stupid, lazy dog" some lovin' as well :(
 

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i feel somewhat responsible for some of the posts on this thread, i retract my words stupid and lazy and big. to be more precise, factual (from observation) and less negative i re-word as;

i see an (obvious to me) trend that dogs purebred or not falling into two main phenotypical groups in the pet world:

1. if the dog by its own standard is meant to be small then the trend is towards super small, super cute and super fluffy. like they are perpetual puppies in look. everyone loves a puppy right so why not breed perpetual puppy dogs, makes economic sense to the breeder looking to turn a dollar.

2. if the dog by its own standard supposed to be large then the trend oversized dogs, eg huge heads/chests/height.....so much so that many larger breeds can neither move freely, breath freely, give birth naturally or mate naturally......

in terms of character the trend i see is not so much lazy and stupid it is regardless of breed the same dog, no fuss, low energy, easy to handle, safe, biddable, handler sensitive, dependent....... again independent of breed.

my conclusion as a direct result of the AKC, modern lifestyles, consumer demand and preferences there is a convergence of temperement to that stated above - just choose your preferred shape and colour.

all my "u n e d o o m u k a t e d" opinion, take it for as much as you paid for it.
 

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