I think I knew this already but...

I had a GREAT time at the show! The girls did fabulous. It was great practice for Mia especially being around tons and tons of dogs and people. She did great overall. A couple dogs made her skittish but she did fantastic.

They got lots of compliments and Summer had a blast doing the meet the breed. I was even complimented by some of the show pap folk that I should have shown Summer. They said she was a 'cute little dog'. I even got grooming tips on how to straighten out her cowlicks. :rofl1: The show pap people were really nice and encouraging and liked that there were pet/sport people there to also talk the pet/sport aspect of the breed. I had so many people tell me how wonderful my two were or come tell me about their own papillon. Summer got her picture made with I bet 20 people, lol. I was asked over 50 times if they were chihuahuas and over 20 times if they were Cavaliers. :rofl1:

The nicest thing was since it was a MASSIVE show, there were several breeds I got to spend quite a bit of time with that I have ben interested in meeting. I even got to spend some time with a Lundehund. I met tollers, finally. They were doing a meet the breed. I got to meet quite a few and watch a few others in performance events too. They seem like really great little dogs and driven but I just for some reason can't see myself with one. Same with every other breed I'd been interested in and got to meet- Aussies, Icelandics, Pyr Sheps, Cirneco.... I enjoyed them but decided I probably don't want one.

I kept coming back to the same three breeds... Papillons, shelties, and Border Collies. Papillons are self explanatory. I just can't help but smile from ear to ear when I see one. They're all just such charming and engaging personalities. No other breed makes me happier. I was surprised at myself though with shelties, though. Right when I walked in, I walked by the sheltie rescue... and I literally got tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. I watched some amazing shelties in agility and flyball and appreciated more than ever how much drive and speed a good sheltie can have. I'll have one again one day. I was also surprised that so many shelties were the same size as Summer! There were some teeny tiny shelties there.

And then border collies... The border collie meet the breed was disappointing because unlike the pap meet the breed, the BCs were all show dogs. None of the pet/rescue/performance people were there. But watching them in agility and flyball just reaffirmed that they're exactly what I want in my next dog. They just literally take my breath away. Not because of looks either... some BCs are rather plain looking in a way. But once they start moving they all get me like no others. My dad wanted me to check in while I was there and I told him 'btw, my next dog is going to be a border collie'. It's the first time he didn't tell me I was crazy for wanting one.

I also am almost frightened to say it but I'm also really intrigued by... malinois.... There were several doing performance and I have to say they really are amazing dogs. I caught myself thinking at one point 'well maybe after I get a BC or two under my belt' and then thought I must be insane for even thinking that! But malinois have such a fire in them. I love it.

No other breeds really spoke to me like those did. I'm taking it as a sign, what do you think? I've really tried to think about this rationally and explore all options, but I keep coming back to the same breed. Aussies and tollers sound GREAT and I do really like them, they just don't have same kind of draw for me.

Also, I really really want to try flyball now. Yeah there were some super cmpetitive all border collie/borderjack/sports mixes, but there were also some just for fun teams running too. There were teams of all tiny dogs. There was one team running a blind golden retriever. He was very slow but had a blast and so did his people. I think if you got involved with the right group it could be very enjoyable. And the dogs in flyball are amazing athletes.

That's so great that you had such a fun time!

Out of all of the dogs that you mentioned it is easiest for me to see you with a BC.

And papillons, right?

Well, of course!

wow--sounds like it was a great time! (still wishes there were pictures....grumble grumble...)

What kind of show was it? With the 'meet the breed', it kinda sounds like the canine version of Equine Affaire. What?? No pictures??

I don't have a camera.

It was an AKC conformation show primarily, but there was also a NAFA competition as well as AKC agility, rally, obedience. And a disk dog and freestyle competition. So a little of everything, really! It's HUGE.

Almost all the bigger conformation shows I've

And of course you have a complete list of all the Coonhound breeders that had dogs entered. Right?

I think those two breeds are good choices if you have an energy outlet already in mind - every day-. Without that energy release which the typical pet home just doesn't have they're a lot of dog. I've known BCs that did not have that need met who became OCD and neurotic to the point of needing medication to solve self mutilation behaviors. There is also a huge difference between working line and show line BCs. In fact a certain BC registry will throw out any dog who achieves a confirmation title.

I really haven't seen too many confirmation mals. I don't tend to hang out at the show ring that much but a working line Mal well trained is a beautiful sight to behold. Not well trained is a bastion of destruction. Owning a mal is a lifestyle, papillons even at the height of their zooms doesn't compare.

Oh no at this point I couldn't even dream of owning a mal, I just was really surprised at how much I liked them.

But a BC I feel like I could handle.

Oh and I do have a catalog, Jenn.

LOL Laur. You were so busy I thought you forgot.

It sounds like a fun day! So much to do and see at those shows. The dog sports are my favorite. I especially love watching the free style. Glad it was a good experience for you all!

Funny that you mention BCs being plain looking. Some of them really are. You can have a curly coated, predominately black dog with no visible muscle tone or any sign that it's an athletic animal... and then it sets its body in motion and becomes the most beautiful dog I've ever seen. When I watch border collies work sheep or do agility, I don't think I've ever seen an unattractive one.

The fact that most of them are nice looking dogs is just a bonus. Then again, I have a different view of what makes an attractive dog than a lot of people do. As far as appearance goes (short of Papillons, who I have an enormous soft spot for) I don't like dogs with extremely exaggerated features, I like them to be tough, athletic and sound. I like that there is nothing extreme about a border collie, nothing has been physically altered very far from their predator ancestors. I can look at a picture of my own dog and a picture of a coyote and, were the coat type/color different, it'd be almost like looking at the same animal.

I think that's another part of what I love so much about the breed. I've always admired wolves and wild dogs (and wild cats, for that matter) for the way they move, the focus with which they stalk their prey.. and BCs have that same smooth, flawless elegance in motion.

I'm glad you were able to confirm your feelings about the Border Collie.

I am exactly the same way. Once you get them moving they're just breathtaking. Even the most plain looking BC. I love the way they slink around. I can definitely say I've never seen an ugly one.

I don't think paps are as extremely built as most other small dogs either. They have the exaggerated ears and coat (on some) but other than that I see a similar build to the other breeds I find attractive. But paps aren't the most beautiful dogs to me either. For them its the personality that sets them apart in my mind.

The thing I love so much about Paps is the fact that their appearance and personality go hand-in-hand, better than any other breed I've met before. The banner of joy (pap tail) and the enormous ears that they can completely tuck back and make disappear.... <3333 totally makes me melt.

I also like them because, compared to other small dogs, they really are DOG-shaped and are still capable of being very athletic. I don't like the bug-eyed, dome-skulled look. I don't like the brachycephalic (sp) look. I feel similarly about little spitz dogs like Poms, I just don't like their coats and personalities as much as I like a Papillon's.

I agree completely.

A lot of people that have met them have been so surprised at how much they move their ears around. Their ears are so expressive. They look like happy little messes and they really are.

Of course several people at the show told me Mia had the sweetest face of any dog they've ever seen and I just had to think... Mia? SWEET? :lol-sign: