Interestingly at the agility trial I was once again asked if he was a flyball mix of ACD/rattie. This time from people in Texas.
Several people chimed in when I mentioned I had been asked before about this a few times that 'yeah that's a mix they're doing for flyball!' And then they started talking about some big flyball sport breeders and how they're mixing bcs and whippets and bcs and terriers.
It seems a lot of the agility folk here find it distasteful. I wonder if the rumors of ACD/rat or ACD/JRT are going along with this feeling that they dislike the idea of sports mixes and sport breeders are mixing everything. I've even been told 'Whew, glad he's not one of those. They're just breeding for speed and those dogs are terrible pets for anybody!'
I cannot take him to a sports event without being asked if he's a flyball mix though.
I have a hard time seeing people wanting to mix ACDs and Rat Terriers specifically for sports. I could see Rat/BC or Aussie, but ACDs certainly aren't top ranking in any sport other than disc maybe. The stigma of ACDs being not very dog tolerant (or human tolerant) and the Terrier personality just doesn't sound like a great mix on paper
, if I was looking to breed sport mixes. Of course Hank isn't like this but the bad traits of both breeds would make a poor sport dog.
Rat/ACD or JRT/ACD is common but I think this is because a lot of horse/farm people have both. Also, there are people out there breeding for "miniature" ACDs... and they are mixing Rat and JRT to get it because they still stay somewhat true to type and color with the mix, just small.
Like this..."Mini ACD"...obv mixed with another small breed.
