Sport Mixes

Well...some Mals certainly count as sport mixes LOL

A Koolwhip would be perfect! I'd get one LOL I think Borderwhips are pretty neat too. I can't say sport mixes aren't appealing but at this point for me, they aren't practical either because of the rules about competing with mixes in AKC.

Ok, WTH is a "Kool Whip"? I get Whippet....

Koolie

I also am less attracted to that mix because I just haven't been crazy about the JRTs I have met. Though that may be because I just haven't met a good one with a decent trainer yet.

I am so in love with the BC temperament that I am scared to mix it with something else. If I could get a BC mind in a smaller package that would be perfect.

Contact Point BCs are often tiny.

I may take a B/W but I doubt I'd take any other sport mix.

A Sportmix is a buscuit, which comes in many different colors and "flavors", all of which are actually chicken



Sorry, couldn't resist, lol, we (regrettably) sell these where I work. :spam:
Mini-rant: How can you call it a cheese buscuit when there is literally NO cheese ingredients, fake or otherwise?!

And also, I do believe the first time the word Kool-Whip was uttered on this forum a PM was sent to Lindsey saying I wanted to be at the top of the list for one so nyeah!

UGH, I love Contact Point BCs... if I picked a breeder based only on wanting a "sport dog", it would be one of their puppies! Unbeatable. And they have some amazing colors too.

Kool-Whip is the greatest designer dog name EVER!!!

All of the sport mixes I've met in Flyball have been downright homely looking, and pretty obnoxious and spazzy. But I guess they're bred for spazziness. Not my thing.

Does Cricket count as a sportmix? Lol JK... But in all honesty this dog is incredibly fast and loves to get out there and get it done. Loves agility and I really want to try her in dock diving for the hell of it.

I have thought a whippijack could be a good sport mix. Though it doesn't sound as cool as a koolwhip

If I could take the best traits of the JRT (drivey, balance, and size) and mix with the whippet (sheer speed, lightness, and biddability) one could have a killer agility dog.

I think it's ridiculous to intentionally breed a mutt to get a better dock diving dog.
There are enough unwanted mutts in shelters.
Not to mention....it drives me nuts that someone would breed a dog specifically for performance with no thought to temperment.
Some of these mixes must produce insanely high energy dogs...not exactly a good pet.

There is a lot of thought about the dog's temperament. They are bred to have a temperament suitable to performance events not to mention that they have to be able to handle the stress and activity of a trial.

Performance dogs are insanely high energy, that is desirable. Just because it's not what you look for in a pet does not mean it doesn't make a good pet for someone seeking those traits in their dogs.

Maybe I don't want a "good pet". *shrug* They're not bred to be pets, they're bred to do flyball, dock diving, agility... whatever. Nobody's claiming otherwise. If you want a "good pet", look elsewhere. The thought given to temperament is in regards to performance ability, not couch-holding-down ability. It doesn't mean they're necessarily unstable, either. Just not an ideal housepet.

As for all the mutts in the shelters... are they extradordinarily good at dock diving? lol. What's wrong with somebody wanting a purpose-bred mix?

Well, meh, if the designer breeders would health test their stock, not do false advertising (all Labradoodles are 100% non-shedding!!1!!), pay strict attention to temperament, and place their dogs carefully, then I wouldn't mind them at all either. LOL oops.

If someone was breeding two of the same breed (we'll just say labs) together with high drive to create dogs to be better at performance sports, no one would have an issue. I don't see why breeding together two different breeds together to create a performance dog, is any much different? If they have people that want them, why the hell not? Same goes for designer dogs.

Any sport mix breeder worth their salt is going to be working with performance-tested dogs of known ancestry who has been health-tested for relevant genetic issues. They, like any breeder worth anything, know what they are producing and what sort of home is likely to be a good match. And they should be providing support and a safe place to land for the lifetime of that pup.

Not exactly the chi-tzu-poo breeder around the block breeding Teh Adoooooorablez she happened to get her hands on and selling them to whoever shows up with a check. Or for that matter, the bottomfeeder sort of purebred breeders who do the same.

Breeding for dock dogs [alone] is dumb.

To me there is. Designer breeds are produced to be cute and to have cool names. Very little thought is put into the dog's temperament. If you think there is then please tell me what purpose a ACD/Shih tzu has other than drive his poor unsuspecting owner crazy?

I have absolutely no problem with any dog that is bred with a purpose in mind as long as they fill that purpose. Border collies were designed to be excellent herders and to excel at that activity. Borderstaffy's are bred to be excellent at flyball and to excel at that activity. I really don't see the difference? There are people who are willing to put in the time and effort to have these dogs exceed at their jobs and they are not being sold off as pets where they are expected to hold down the couch all day.

I do have a problem with your typical BYB of ANY breed or mix regardless of the intentions.

This.

Like Emily said too, most people that are drawn to and get these dogs aren't looking for a the typical definition of a good pet. They want a sport dog, the want that energy and they want a competitive dog where they have some guarantee about the dogs ancestry, ability and how it's going to turn out.

But then again, I have no real issue with cross breeding to make a good pet if done with the proper health checks, proper temperament (and proving said temperament), dogs are cared for and if there is a market.

There is a void, sport dogs are filling it. I don't really see what the problem with that is. Lurchers, Alaskan Huskies, many many ranch dogs and all number of hunting dogs have been bred like that forever.