Controversial Issues

People often say JRTs aren't first time dog owner dogs. Yet I have placed a couple of dogs in first time owners homes and it has been great.

Often I suggest first time dog owners who want JRTs go the rescue route and get an adult so they can see what they are getting.

As long as well all agree that Mia is the specialist most awesome dog.

Well yea, she's the exception that proves the rule.

I think you meant to say Dekka...

but in all seriousness:

Awww I love that!

Brisbane was bitey as hell when he was younger, mouthy heelers don't normally bother me. However, if the first time a driveless, lethargic dog puts his mouth on me I end up with antibiotics, nerve damage, and a permanent scar...that's something else entirely.

Regarding cropping and docking, there are a couple of breeds that I strongly prefer to be cropped. Dobermans are one for sure, I love the look of a well done crop and honestly don't like the aesthetics of an uncropped Doberman at all. They just don't have the same beauty and appeal as a well cropped Dobe to me. I prefer Beaucerons cropped as well but their floppy ears are so silly that I find them cute uncropped too.

Docking I'm fine either way, I like Aussies and Rotties with or without tails (prefer Rotties with tails, actually, but see Rotties without them often enough that it barely registers).

Honestly I'm just glad I don't own a breed that's traditionally docked or cropped, because of 1) the care and expenses that come with cropping and 2) the debates.

<rage>
SO MUCH RAGE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW. YOU TAKE YOUR SUBTLE MERLE DOGS AND JUST GET OUT. GEEET OUUUUUUT.

*shakes fist*

I'll give you rage and quietly mutter obscenities the whole time.

lol yeah no. You don't actually see a problem with making a huge, extreme generalization about an entire type? Also the "cannot barely walk because his back is so sloped thing", like sassafras pointed out, it's not the "slope of his back" that's forcing his legs down it's the angulation of the legs/rear and maybe loose ligamentation.

"Great watch dogs, but they would never hurt anyone", well that's just not correct for a GSD unfortunately.

"Imported from Germany", I'd wager there are just as many if not more show lines imported from Germany as there are working lines. Those two dogs could very well have been show lines or part show lines, as some people incorrectly assume that just because the dogs have IPO/SCHH titles in their pedigree, they are working bred.

Not denying show lines have their problems (working lines do too) but a huge, broad generalization like that attacking an entire type of dog? Let's not.

Yep.

Well you didn't say anything mean about my dog!! But THERE. RAGE.

</rage>

Same. I don't believe cropping is a wonderful thing, but honestly I would almost certainly get a Doberman or Beauceron cropped if I ever owned one. I doubt I ever will though, and the whole cropping/docking debate is certainly a contributing factor.

LOL no you're not missing anything, Trent is 100% working lines. Linds just wanted to incite rage and I failed to deliver until now LOL We were talking about pet peeves on forums and what usually generates the biggest debates, and I mentioned that talking about show lines can usually get messy on the GSD boards.

Really, really agree with this. Exactly how I feel about the topic.

Mia is the only dog I will ever accept as a Special Snowflake.

I like the look of a cropped Doberman but when I got Kris, I had no intention of getting her cropped. One reason was that there is nobody in my area that does cropping and I just did not want to put the time and money into getting her cropped. Since then I have seen so many pictures of crops I would not like that I am even happier that I did not get her done.

I have seen some where the ears were not looked after when they were cropped and that looks worse to me than leaving them natural. I was lucky that Kris' natural ears hang nicely and don't stick out everywhere like some I have seen. I have also read that a good breeder would not sell a Doberman uncropped.

As far as neutering, I have two male Shih Tzu x Maltese that are not neutered and probably never will be unless it is a health issue. When I had the 8 years old into the Vet to have his teeth cleaned they phoned me up to see if I wanted him neutered at the same time. I know they were just trying to prevent him having to be put under aneasthetic again but he has gone 8 years without needing to be neutered so why should I "have" to do it now? It is not like I have not noticed he is entire.

Agreed with that! Kimma is my first dog ever - not even my family had dogs growing up. And Jari's brother went to first time dog owners (their families had dogs, but they had not as a couple yet had a dog). He's doing brilliantly and is spoiled rotten (as he should be).

I would much rather people just be honest about their breed (in as factual a way as possible) than try to say who should or should not own them. Obviously is someone lists a bunch of traits they want in their next dog and there are conflicts, then it makes sense to draw attention to that. Likewise if they do not mention things that might be specific to the breed in question, it makes sense for others who know the breed to draw attention to what might be missing. If any of that makes sense.

The thing about the "Special" breeds is everyone thinks their breed is the special one.

And it gets taken to far. It turns from "These dogs can be difficult for people not experienced with this type of breed so make sure you do your homework." into "They are NEVER for first time owners and are so different from other breeds and only the special people who already have one can own them."

I got Traveler with no previous herder experience and they are a perfect fit for me. I think it depends more on the type of person you are, what dogs you click with and how much research you put into it.

I know plenty of people on their third border collie who should never own a border collie. I know a ton of people with labs that really should never have a lab. I know lots of people as first time owners of GSD's, Wiems, Mals that are making amazing owners.

And I hate the Super Secret Special Club feeling a lot of breeds can start to get. That you have to pass muster with the rest of the owners before you are worthy to touch their breed. And I think things get exaggerated like CRAZY within certain breeds which end up scaring off sane owners who try to research.

There is a difference between saying "They need mental and physical exercise and can be probe to ___ and ____ and ____ ." or saying " They will need ALL the exercise!!! All the training!! You will never not be able to not take them for a 20 mile hike and they will take over your house if you don't make sure they know you are boss!!"

In some circles I think the opposite can be true as well -- that the mystique surrounding the breed can make people think they are some sort of holy grail and if only they can prove themselves worthy and acquire one, all their problems will be solved. And then some of them discover, to their disappointment, that they still have a...dog. Haha

This is very accurate for working line GSDs and other forums. That's actually part of the reason why I get irritated at people putting down show lines and putting working lines on a pedestal. I talk to SO many people who own pet bred or show bred GSDs that tell me about their dog's reactivity or anxiety or whatnot and then follow that up with "I can't wait to finally get a WL GSD, I'm so done with all these issues".

News flash, not all working line GSDs are made the same and you will still have a dog. You're going to get what you put into it and still have to put the work into finding and raising a good dog.

The number of people on the GSD boards that try to "convert" people from show/pet lines to working lines is ridiculous, particularly because a lot of them don't actually own WL GSDs and just have a romanticized idea of them. Stoooop. They're just dogs too guys, calm down. My dog licks his balls and spins in circles when poop gets stuck to his butt, too.

This :hail:

So, there's this chart that's doing the rounds online that ranks some of the most popular dog breeds in terms of intelligence, health issues, etc. (http://www.vox.com/xpress/2014/11/14/7220303/dog-breeds-ranked)

It's causing a lot of Aussie dogmoms to get their panties in a twist because, oh my goodness, the Aussies aren't facing IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!!! Cue people calling the designer an idiot, internet-detectiving him and insulting his work history, and other pretty heinous things... because they don't agree with an infographic.

People need to calm the **** down sometimes. Wow.

Is that controversial?

Not facing in the right direction?

Facing one way means the dog is clever, the other way means its dumb.

Huh? Several are facing left.

Oh, I didn't even see that key at the top.

Ah, I didn't see the key either. I just thought it was a layout thing.


There's only one answer: Boycott.

I think it's based off that old Stanley Coren intelligence list.