[Breed Recommendations] Looking to get my next sporting dog

[bpps]

Introduction

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

• Had dogs my whole life. I’m in my 5th year of 4-H in the dog project. I’ve been getting into Junior showmanship more. I did train IGP obedience on and off, and am hoping to get back into it again. I have experience with da/reactivity.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a reputable breeder?

• breeder

3) Describe your ideal dog.

• Smart, biddable but somewhat independent, Velcro but would rather be by me than in my skin, attentive, Something that is neutral but happy to meet their people. Eager to please, Off-switch preferred, No SSA, Personality is a must, likes to work, stable enough to go out and compete/work, stable

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

• (Both of us) GSD- just something our whole family has liked. Biddable, smart breed that’s versatile. So many different lines though.
• (Me) Bouvier- I just really like them. I love their energy and work ethic, and their coat. But I’ve come to realize they’re not the breed for us right now. They just wouldn’t be a good fit in our household.
• (Both) Australian Shepherd- We know lots and do some ASCA shows so we’ve been around them a lot. They’re energetic, lively, outgoing dogs that are very biddable, versatile, eager to please.
• (Both?) Dutch Shepherd- We’ve both grown fond of them, but pretty sure that they’re too much for us.
• (Me) Welsh Springer Spaniel- I’ve grown very fond of welshes after showing a few. They’re a little smaller, but I just love them. Only thing I don’t like is that they don’t seem to have much personality.
• (Both) Labs- honestly would probably fit us pretty well, but I just don’t know if I can see us with one right now
• (Both) Australian Cattle Dog- just a dog that wants to work and can do most things, but a lot of energy
• (My mom) GSPs- She likes their coat, energy, drive, athleticism, she just really likes them.
• (My mom) Weimaraner + Vizslas- She likes both, but not as much as the GSPs.
• I tend to really like herding breeds

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

• compete, show, tricks, work, herd(?)

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

• Me- Right now, one of the biggest priorities is 4-H. My dogs are nervous, so I’ve never been able to take a dog to the state fair, and barely even the county fair. I’d also like to do AKC conformation/Junior showmanship. I’d like to do Obedience/rally + agility too (both in 4-H and outside of 4-H). Possibly herding if it’sa herding breed. The big thing is that I really like IGP and want to do it, but I'm 100% sure that we’d do it (but I can drive soon so it would be easier to go). I’d really just like to do any and all sports that we like and have time for (like barn hunt and fast cat and herding).
• My mom- just wants something that i can take to the state fair, show, and a running partner for her (nothing too long distance, but maybe 1-8miles?).

Care Commitments

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

• depends on the day. At least 1 long training session per day, maybe one or two short training sessions per day. Play whenever they want, interacting whenever I’m home.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

• hour? Depends on the day. We have a big backyard they can go in to play with the other dogs. We can do training. No Dog Parks at all.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

• I like grooming and would be open to it, but my mom prefers a short coat with no grooming. Hoping for maybe a median we can reach? So maybe a medium coat? I will do all grooming before a show. Willing to learn how to trim.

Personal Preferences

10) What size dog are you looking for?

• medium-large. (40lbs-120lbs ish). Willing to break from this for the right dog.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

• Any

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

• Kind of important. This will be something we will be training, so I don’t think it really matters. We will need to be off-leash for agility, obedience, anything we compete in really.

Dog Personality and Behavior

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

• Velcro, but just wanting to be near you, not in your skin type of dog

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

• eager-to-please

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

• any reaction is fine. I would prefer indifference or friendly interest.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

• I mean, Yes I would, but I wouldn’t want it. I’m really tired of reactivity/aggression holding us back from competing.

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

• Not really?

Lifestyle

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

• Someone is usually always at home, unless we’re all at an event. So most of the day, some weekends may be left home.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

• My other family has no care, they wouldn’t do anything besides feeding every so often and loving the dog. They would help to keep up with a crate and rotate if needed.

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

• 3 dogs- all mutts (GSD x, Rottweiler X, and GSP X).

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

• Young cousins and friends come over for holidays and camping, but not a whole lot.

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

• N/A

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

• PNW, no restrictions

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

• PNW- so hot summers and cold winters

Additional Information and Questions

25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

• Off-switch preferred, No SSA preferred, personality is a must.

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

Thanks!!

Edit: we’ve decided to go with a Welsh Springer spaniel! Now to just learn about the breed and maybe hang out by the breed ring to talk to people.

 

[cathya]

@bpps A show line GSD might be a good bet to start with, Bouvs are lovely but the can be really tough customers and they are large and high maintenance on the grooming front: expect to be forking over $150 for grooming, every 6-8 weeks, that adds up enough to really consider.

On aussies I would just say search that breed on the reactive dog Reddit. They can be really liable to resource guard and being the fourth dog in the household would probably compound the likelihood.

Weims: separation anxiety. They are notorious for it.

I would recommend labs, springers, pointers (you already have a bit of experience), Viszlas (quite similar to pointers)… Have you thought about duck tolling retrievers? Dobermans also come to mind as a super Velcro, highly trainable breed that is low maintenance on the grooming front. Chesapeake bay retrievers come to mind too as a breed with lots of character.

 

[bpps]

@cathya I have definitely thought about GSDs, I haven’t gone into all the lines though. I do know a WGSL breeder though, so maybe I’ll have to reach out and talk with her.

I hate to say it, but my mom loves pointers/similar hunting breeds…. and me… not so much. It’s so hard to come together to agree on things! I definitely want to find something we both like, so it’s been hard!

I do like Dobermans and really liked one I got to work with, but DCM throws me off. I don’t know if I could. Otherwise, I love them and think they’re a great dog I would consider owning.

 

[theodor98]

@cathya

Chesapeake bay retrievers come to mind too as a breed with lots of character.

If by “character” you mean highly likely to be both DA as well as HA, sure, I’d agree with you there. They are the least “retriever temperament” of the retriever breeds.

 

[slave2six]

@cathya Bouviers are for the experienced owner. Of all the working breeds, this breed was the most challenging for me personally. They need strong consistent training throughout their life. I’m a GSD person in the end. I’ve always ended up rescuing one at some point in my life.

 

[ouznini]

@bpps Australian Shepherd

Super smart

Super sweet

Would never run off

Plenty of energy

I can take him into a group of a thousand kids, adults, and dogs and he does great every time

Oh and he rarely, if ever, barks. He talks more in his sleep. I don't like yappy dogs.

 

[lukewarmlex]

@bpps Y’all sound like a great home!! I’m gonna throw both the Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgis as a slightly shorter Aussie alternative. Lots of people who have GSDs convert to Cardis for their similar temperament in a smaller package. Have you had a chance to go to any conformation shows? That might be a good experience to get a sampling of lots of options, since y’all seem to have a large range of possibilities. You might especially consider rare breeds that would benefit from an involved home like yours.

 

[bpps]

@lukewarmlex I’ve been thinking about Cardis! My 4-H leader has a cardigan/border collie mix who I show and love! We went to a cardigan event and it did make me think about them! I definitely do like cardigans more than pembrokes.

We go to as many shows as we can. I show in AKC Junior showmanship, and have shown a few dogs in conformation before. We tend to go to all-breed shows too, so lots of exposure to dogs.

 

[lukewarmlex]

@bpps Awwww yaaay!! I hope they might win the day then. I’ll double down and say you sound like a phenomenal home and our breed would be lucky to have you. How about this… is there anything that might deter you from wanting one?

 

[bpps]

@lukewarmlex I definitely prefer bigger dogs (at least bigger than corgis), especially when showing. I do love table breeds though. They’re very vocal though, so I don’t know if they would fit in our household. I definitely like them though and might seek them out in the future.

But we’ve finally agreed on a Welsh Springer spaniel!

 

[lukewarmlex]

@bpps Oh yaaaaay!! A lovely choice. I hope you find your new bff soon!

 

[deanate]

@bpps Omg I can't imagine the energy levels on a cardi/border mix

 

[bpps]

@deanate He’s definitely a lot, but such a sweet boy with great drive!

 

[jemgirl81]

@bpps Brittany --- eager to please, smart, mostly velcro, lots of energy, most have big personalities - all of the positives of labs and goldens in a smaller, more healthy, longer lived size.

I've had Britts for 49 years -- what can I say???

 

[matthiasproctor]

@bpps You should look into getting an Airedale Terrier!
I wanted a dog that was intelligent and active but also cuddly. It was down to either getting a standard poodle or an Airedale Terrier, and the Airedale rescue was the one who happened to call me first, so that’s what we went with. Only caveat is that if you are going to show then, you will have to get them hand-stripped by a groomer (pricey) or learn to do it yourself (time consuming)

Mine loves to go hiking, camping, and kayaking with us. He is also training for trick dog ACK titles and is getting into agility competitions. But at the end of the day, he still likes his cuddles

 

[theodor98]

@bpps I would recommend against an Airedale purely due to the chances of SSA and overall DA from the breed. You want a dog to have fun with, not a project dog, so I would look elsewhere. I think you’re on the right track with an Aussie or a lab from a reputable breeder if you want a dog that will be good for the show ring as well as sports.

 

[cathya]

@theodor98 Honestly Aussies are really rife with behavioral issues these days. Resource guarding namely. A stop by the reactive dog Reddit or a thread on dog grooming Reddit will confirm.

 

[theodor98]

@cathya It’s why I specified a reputable breeder.

 

[skyguy8068]

@cathya Aussies should not be aggressive, either SSA or DA. That is very different than being reactive. Reactivity isn’t uncommon in Aussies, aggression is. Aussies are not known for resource guarding. There are however issues with poorly bred Aussies with shitty temperaments due them their increasing popularity, but as op is looking to buy from a reputable breeder, that’s much less of a concern.

 

[bpps]

@theodor98 Ah, yeah, that makes sense. Thanks!