Next Herder?? ACD/Aussie?? Kelpie/Koolie?
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The conclusion I've come to with Siri is that she works better when she's "pissed off." I get FAR more work out of her if I shove her around and make her all snappy and annoyed, yes, those are my technical terms for this.
I don't know what to make of that, other than just call it interaction? She rarely chooses to engage, she generally will if you ask, but I've never had her "ask" to work like Frodo or Bailey do. (I also haven't uhh, trained her since last Wednesday in class...)
I don't know what to make of that, other than just call it interaction? She rarely chooses to engage, she generally will if you ask, but I've never had her "ask" to work like Frodo or Bailey do. (I also haven't uhh, trained her since last Wednesday in class...)
Sorry, no quote, but re: Kootenay, the few Koolies I know are not really "soft" dogs. In that way I really like them, they are very responsive and handler-attuned but not easy hurt or overly-sensitive, and resilient when in drive. That is perfect for me. Can't speak for lines other than Toolalla though.
The one I know is not like that, he is sensitive and shuts down sort of easily (for instance if he lands funny coming off a rebound or something, he won't want to do it again and it takes a long time to build his confidence back up - as an example). But it seems like he is not necessarily typical of Koolies in general. I'd love to meet some other Koolies in real life!
SO MUCH QUOTING TO BE DONE 
Kastle is pretty freakin' awesome considering I desperately wanted a DS in a GSD body and I somehow lucked out
He barks, whines, cries, moans, and SCREEEAAAAMMMMMSSS when he's leaking when we're doing obedience for bites (pickin' my battles...). We just started his out after the escape and the guarding in the field...and my dog wants to SILENT GUARD?! WTF?! WHO IS THIS QUIET INTENSE DOG ON THE FIELD?! lol
For reals?!? Hmmmm...that is incredibly tempting. Whoa, are you whelping the litter?? Who is the potential sire? OMG ALL THE QUESTIONS!
<3
Ohh right, good idea, der.
Yeah lines, they're a pain in my ass. It's taken me 4 years to find a few lines of GSD that I adore...and I spend A LOT of time with GSDs.
I am not interested in getting a dog from that breeder regardless. But, this is also why ES is not on my list. Even though I think they are gorgeous.
This is my fave way to work my dogs hahahaha no joke. Eden has an "angry bark" that I put on cue to help rev her up before flyball/agility. She is NOT an angry worker but if I can get her mouthing off, we do better
Yay for Toolalla lines! He doesn't know what litters he has planned for next year yet though so no planning farther in that direction as of yet.
WHY DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE ME LIKE KASTLE EVEN MORE?! :lol-sign: He's so **** cool, I want a clone of him. Yay, how awesome for me. LOL Thank god some obedience and barking on cue cleared that up.
LOL Thank god some obedience and barking on cue cleared that up.
He barks, whines, cries, moans, and SCREEEAAAAMMMMMSSS when he's leaking when we're doing obedience for bites (pickin' my battles...). We just started his out after the escape and the guarding in the field...and my dog wants to SILENT GUARD?! WTF?! WHO IS THIS QUIET INTENSE DOG ON THE FIELD?! lol
There are a few things we're waiting on but it's the game plan.
<3
Ohh right, good idea, der.
Yeah lines, they're a pain in my ass. It's taken me 4 years to find a few lines of GSD that I adore...and I spend A LOT of time with GSDs.
I am not interested in getting a dog from that breeder regardless. But, this is also why ES is not on my list. Even though I think they are gorgeous.
This is my fave way to work my dogs hahahaha no joke. Eden has an "angry bark" that I put on cue to help rev her up before flyball/agility. She is NOT an angry worker but if I can get her mouthing off, we do better
Yay for Toolalla lines! He doesn't know what litters he has planned for next year yet though so no planning farther in that direction as of yet.
That's kind of how Webster is lol. And yet he's also very soft and his confidence is easily shattered...which manifests as him becoming suddenly disinterested. He's an odd duck. Took me a while to figure out how to get hom into the right mode of, well, productive defiance and teamwork lol. I get my best trial performances from him when he feels like he's being naughty and getting away with it, even though he's actually doing what I want.
Very odd duck. Cute. Funny. But not easy.
Very odd duck. Cute. Funny. But not easy.
That's how Zuma is. Something funny happened with her dog catch, I'm not sure if I caught her wrong one time or what, but she refused to do it. We finally have it back after retraining/rebuilding confidence for the last 2 months. Her footstall was the same way, the footstall she has now is actually footstall version 3.0.
Zinga is the opposite, if she misses her mark or falls, she hits it harder and faster the next time. She's the one I have no issues trying the crazy tricks with, because I know she'll bounce right back for more.
Zinga is the opposite, if she misses her mark or falls, she hits it harder and faster the next time. She's the one I have no issues trying the crazy tricks with, because I know she'll bounce right back for more.
She is very much a puppy, and she's brilliant! She's also a terrier so I'm learning that she ADORES being thumped far more than any dog I've ever trained before. She just works harder and better when training is physical for her.
Last night she wasn't able to lie in her crate calmly while I worked Gaby nearby if the door was closed. If the door was open, and she had the choice to stay, she was SOLID. It was kind of eye opening. When given the option to think, rather than just have to do, she's really showing off her stellar impulse control! It was even a calm down... gooood puppy!
Last night she wasn't able to lie in her crate calmly while I worked Gaby nearby if the door was closed. If the door was open, and she had the choice to stay, she was SOLID. It was kind of eye opening. When given the option to think, rather than just have to do, she's really showing off her stellar impulse control! It was even a calm down... gooood puppy!
Ok, contacted the suggested ACD breeder to ask if she thought the breed would suit me...I was very thorough and honest in what I wanted and that I am looking at several breeds.
Contacted FlyingSBT to ask for references on Staffies
Contacted Toolalla about Koolies (he doesn't know what he's going to be breeding this far ahead)
Will take a more serious look at shelters when I'm closer to the time I want to add (like NEXT Spring/Summer).
The Malinois breeder looked a little too...looks oriented for me. But, I don't want a straight bitesport litter either so...not sure where I'm going to go on that.
Lists are long for sport mixes and I'm not sure I want to go that route but threw out a few interested messages anyway, just to see what may be available.
I'm not feeling *that click* with anything yet...but luckily this is a ways off
Contacted FlyingSBT to ask for references on Staffies
Contacted Toolalla about Koolies (he doesn't know what he's going to be breeding this far ahead)
Will take a more serious look at shelters when I'm closer to the time I want to add (like NEXT Spring/Summer).
The Malinois breeder looked a little too...looks oriented for me. But, I don't want a straight bitesport litter either so...not sure where I'm going to go on that.
Lists are long for sport mixes and I'm not sure I want to go that route but threw out a few interested messages anyway, just to see what may be available.
I'm not feeling *that click* with anything yet...but luckily this is a ways off
Stan is from Avonlea Malinois. I highly recommend her. She has bred several OTCH, MACH, herding champions, and at least one tracking champion. Stan has all the drive and energy that Harry (Dantero dog) had, but in a package that goes to the playground and is totally happy with being surrounded by packs of strange children. I've even taken him to the nursing home. He's a phenomenal dog.
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I feel your pain. I'm having a very hard time finding another GSD worthy of living here. Not that the ones I know are bad, they're actually quite nice. But they lack that edge, that extreme drive I want. Sherman is amazing but he lacks the drive I want to see and he is pretty drivey. He is not hard enough for me either. My solution is to breed Judge, I loved his first litter and then this will more than likely be his last litter.
Sometimes finding that perfect dog takes years. It took my friend with Dobes 6 years to find the right fit for her and her dogs. And...she got exactly what she wanted. So....I feel your pain and I'm sure you'll find the right solution/dog when you're supposed too!
Sometimes finding that perfect dog takes years. It took my friend with Dobes 6 years to find the right fit for her and her dogs. And...she got exactly what she wanted. So....I feel your pain and I'm sure you'll find the right solution/dog when you're supposed too!
I'm just...not feeling a Lab right now. Nothing specific, and I'm fairly certain I'll have one again in the future, but not right now. Who knows though, perhaps in a year it will be more likely. I just really adore my herders right now.
I don't think so, they sound a little too quirky to me. From what I've read, they are a breed that takes finesse and I'm not sure I've got enough of that LOL
Thank you for the recommendation, I will definitely take a look!
Exactly! With so many dogs, and such a specific spot to fill, it's a little tricky. Which is why I'm starting to look now even though ideally, I'd like to wait until next year before bringing NextDog home.
I don't think so, they sound a little too quirky to me. From what I've read, they are a breed that takes finesse and I'm not sure I've got enough of that LOL
Thank you for the recommendation, I will definitely take a look!
Exactly! With so many dogs, and such a specific spot to fill, it's a little tricky. Which is why I'm starting to look now even though ideally, I'd like to wait until next year before bringing NextDog home.
I don't think that a pyr shep would be what you want. They're not always dog friendly, especially with the same sex. They can be bossy. They're also very.... odd, haha. It's not that they need any special 'finesse' or handling, they just need a lot of it and often for a long time. Most the breeders/owners laugh when I start grilling them about the ins and outs of their socialization program and say they just need what any herder needs but expect it to last a long time and the dog to go through some fear periods that may take longer than a lot of dogs. A lot of the pyr sheps I meet are pretty friendly but they can definitely be 'no touch' dogs.
I'm also not sure if the majority of them would have the drive you particularly want. The good ones are incredibly drivey but the breeders I've talked to have stressed that if you get frustrated, it's probably going to feed into the dog. Most handlers/owners also insinuate that the breed needs more drive building than most. One thing that has interested me is that almost everyone I've talked to was surprised their shep wasn't very soft when it came to training.
Anyways, I think they're fabulous dogs but definitely not a sure bet for a top level sports dog. They're wild and very up and happy, super ahletic and devoted, but can be environmentally sensitive and need a strong foundation and a lot of work with their bond with their handler. they're a little bit primitive compared to most herders.
But if you're interested most breeders I've talked to will be more than happy to tell you the good, bad, and ugly of the breed. There's some fantastic breeders out there.
I'm also not sure if the majority of them would have the drive you particularly want. The good ones are incredibly drivey but the breeders I've talked to have stressed that if you get frustrated, it's probably going to feed into the dog. Most handlers/owners also insinuate that the breed needs more drive building than most. One thing that has interested me is that almost everyone I've talked to was surprised their shep wasn't very soft when it came to training.
Anyways, I think they're fabulous dogs but definitely not a sure bet for a top level sports dog. They're wild and very up and happy, super ahletic and devoted, but can be environmentally sensitive and need a strong foundation and a lot of work with their bond with their handler. they're a little bit primitive compared to most herders.
But if you're interested most breeders I've talked to will be more than happy to tell you the good, bad, and ugly of the breed. There's some fantastic breeders out there.