#if a dog that size ended up with border collie level energy and drive that would be A LOT of dog

[two-calicos-in-a-trenchcoat]

So I decided that once I have some money saved up im gonna start the process of acquiring a dog for real

I was considering just adopting a dog from a shelter but the more I thought about it the more I felt like I should stick to my initial plan of finding a breeder. I want a border collie. Border collies have been on my list for years. I was considering a German shepherd more recently but german shepherds tend to get pretty big which would not be super conducive to my current living situation. If it got to be bigger than chewby, chewby would not be a fan. She gets pretty nervous when she's not the biggest dog around.

A border collie puppy is more likely to be close to harleys size when its ready to come home. So ill have an easier time introducing them.

Also I need a dog that can bully me into doing things when I get stuck. I wanna go hiking more. Get back into photography. And I love chewby but shes more my dads dog and it would take a lot of work to get her to a point where she'd be comfortable going out for extended periods of time just the 2 of us. And I dont have the opportunity to work with her as much as she needs cuz of how glued she is to my dad. I want a dog I can start working on those things with from the get go.

Ive wanted a dog I could do agility with for years

I love how smart and driven border collies are.

Also I miss having a puppy. I havent had a puppy in almost 17 years.

And ive never had a dog that was 100% MINE

The problem is

Trying to find breeders i like is proving to be a lil overwhelming

Like I have an idea of what to look for in a reputable breeder.

Idk. Maybe once im like. Actually READY for a dog I'll feel less overwhelmed. Theres too many unknowns rn.

[ali3nboyfriend]

exhibit a) mixed coat type

groomer's worst fucking nightmare. owner's worst fucking nightmare as well, because most doodle coats are a twice-daily brush, but most doodle owners either don't know this, don't care enough, or don't have the energy to brush twice daily. this means even with regular grooming doodle coats become just absolutely covered in mats, especially goldendoodles and labradoodles, both of whom are mixes of two breeds that fucking love getting wet.

this also means the majority of doodles aren't actually hypoallergenic. if you want a hypoallergenic dog you'd have better luck with a purebred poodle of your size preference.

another reason they are a groomer’s (and other pet professionals’) worst nightmare is

exhibit b) behavioral problems

there’s two reasons for this.

one is that they’re very overbred, which means people purposefully breeding them don’t really take temperament into account 9 times out of 10 (which i’ll go into more detail later). when it comes to dogs, while every one has their own personality and a lot of it breaks down to early training and socialization, a good chunk of it comes from their parents. parents of a nervous or reactive disposition tend to throw pups that are equally nervous and reactive.

the second comes down to owner mishandling. i blame a lot of this on the lack of public education around pets in general, especially dogs. here’s the simple facts: the two most popular types of doodle, labradoodles and goldendoodles, are both mixes of two high drive, working breed water dogs, one of which (the poodle) is known for its high level of intelligence. the vast majority of casual pet owners are simply not equipped for a working breed, let alone an intelligent one. they cannot put in the time, usually because they simply don’t have it, to wear out the dog and give it the enrichment that it needs, or to socialize it properly to try and negate any reactivity that might be inherent to it due to poor breeding.

the people that do have this time and want to put in the effort are not buying doodles. they’re buying labradors, poodles, golden retrievers, and, tbh, border collies. casual pet owners usually don’t know they’re not going to be equipped to handle a doodle, because they’re sold as being good family pets and hypoallergenic above anything else, two statements which are usually false.

think about a bored toddler. now think about how that bored toddler would act out if their parents were neglecting their emotional needs. that is how most doodles behave.

exhibit c) poor breeding/overbreeding/lack of purpose

doodles are popular. they’re stupid popular. when a dog is stupid popular people that don’t really care about the health and well being of their dogs are gonna see dollar signs. this is how you end up with that reactivity and those nervous dispositions.

good dog breeders exist and are vital. this is not an anti-breeding post.

a good dog breeder has a breed or breeds they’re passionate about and want to improve through breeding. that is why someone should want to be a breeder in the first place: they have a goal in mind for what their lines should accomplish, and they want to improve the quality and standard of health of their breed through the breeding of those lines. a good dog breeder knows their breed’s purpose, whether that be working or guarding or companionship, and strives to produce puppies who can not only function, but thrive in that role.

good dog breeders do not breed doodles.

i’m sure some doodle breeders have a goal in mind for their dogs, and i don’t doubt that many doodle breeders really love their animals. but the sad truth of the matter is that the vast majority of them, even the ones that love them, are backyard breeders who started breeding them because they know people will pay good money for a doodle due to their popularity. a doodle is (usually) a mix of two working breeds, and it’s sold as a hypoallergenic companion dog. this is a huge red flag.

(in before someone checks me on this: working dogs can be companion animals, yes, but they’re more care-intensive than companion breeds. a labrador being kept as a companion animal is going to need more exercise and entertainment than a maltese, who was bred to be a lap dog. i don’t think a lot of people that aren’t capital d Dog People are aware of how much a dog’s breed affects their needs.)

and that’s not even starting on doodles that aren’t labradoodles or goldendoodles. what purpose is there for the existence of a great danoodle? a sheepadoodle? when we breed dogs without any reason or goal in mind except money, and then sell them to unequipped owners, those dogs end up flooding the already strained shelter system. purposeful, ethical breeding from people who care about homing their dogs with people who are ready for them and can provide them with a good environment for them prevents this from happening.

—

i’m not saying doodles can’t be good dogs. please do not get offended on their behalf. but the practice of breeding them is unethical, and buying them creates more demand for them, which means they’re bred even worse, and they have become a huge problem for most dog and pet professionals because of it.

if you want a hypoallergenic, intelligent dog: consider a normal poodle. the people that breed them are passionate about them and they’re wonderful animals, and their coats actually require less work to maintain than a doodle (weekly brushing for shorter kept coats, rather than twice daily) because they’re not mixed type.

if you want a high energy companion animal: consider a labrador, a golden retriever, or a shelter mutt. labs and goldens do have an overbreeding problem because of their popularity, but you can still find breeders passionate about maintaining good lineages who have wonderful animals they’re happy to home. shelter dogs often have unknown histories and may require extra work to train and socialize, but they can be perfectly good companions, and if that’s all you want or need and you don’t have specific needs irt temperament, then you will be perfectly happy with one.

if you want a highly trainable or working dog: look into a breed’s historical functions and how they might play into what you require in your dog, as well as how the dog is typically used in the modern day, and go from there.

just… don’t get a doodle, unless adopting from a shelter. don’t continue the demand for them.

honest to god funniest thing in the world is how ubiquitous doodles (poodle mixes) have become among dog owners and how much everyone who works professionally with dogs absolutely fucking hates them as a concept

[maisietheyellowlab]

My Dog Breed Selection Process

Yesterday I got this message from an anon:

“I saw your getting a Koolie!! Nice!! They're such pretty dogs. And actually if you don't mind I have a question for you? Feel free to not answer. But you have a lab and are getting a koolie, two different breeds obviously, so do you have any tips for someone trying to find a breed? It'll be my first purebred dog and going to the shelter is hard enough because all the dogs are so cute so how do you narrow down the list for the perfect dog? Idk if you had a list - but how'd you decide on a koolie?”

and I quickly realized this was gonna be a long post, so here it is. This whole thing:

This is the general procedure that brought me to my breed choices:

First come up with a list of “must haves” “nice to haves” and “must not haves” for the type of dog you want (size, coat type, shedding, energy level, trainability,..) (as @katieisstilltumbling / @winedogs already pointed out in the original ask).

Be very honest with yourself and consider that while the dog has to be a good fit for you, you have to be a good fit for the dog as well!

Then go through a list of dog breeds and/or take a few “what’s the right breed for you” type quizzes OR if you really like a dog sport check out the breeds that usually do well in that sport (e.g. mushing: Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes,..)

→ see which of those you like and check their breed descriptions

→ check blogs, forums, videos, fb groups of owners and breeders of that breed, see if you still like what you see

→ if there are any events where you might be able to meet the breed irl (dog shows, trials, breed meet ups…) go there and talk to owners! (this step is not always possible but it’s very helpful if you can do it!)

→ check if the dogs of that breed fit your “must haves” and “must not haves”

→ look up breeders

→ contact a breeder, ask about the breed, their dogs, what kind of owner they like for their dogs, ask if you can meet them and their dogs

→ when you meet irl, see if you like the breeder and their dogs

→ if you’re now sure you want a dog of that breed, tell the breeder you’re interested in getting a puppy from their upcoming litter

→ be patient and respectful

→ get puppy

→ done!

So, here’s an example of my personal breed-selection journey:

Dog breed selection process 1 - Labrador Retriever:

The first step at all was trying to think of the dog breeds I'm generally drawn to/think they're cute and looking them up, checking out youtube videos where owners talk in depth about the breed and being real honest with myself if the breed would fit into my lifestyle. For example, I always liked Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Labs and Dalmatians.

Second step was going thru breed lists online and checking them out, trying to see if there's more breeds I like, but maybe haven't seen or heard of before.

Third thing I did, was take some Dog Breed Selector quizzes online, to see if I'd like any of the dogs that would come up as recommended to me. Ofc this is not to be take too seriously, bc you can be a perfect home for a border collie, but the quiz results won't match you to Border Collies, just because you didn't tick the box that said »I have an enormous yard.«

So at that point I had somewhat of an idea what I would want in a dog, and I had a list of traits in my mind that I applied to my top ~10 breeds.

It was something like this:

Must haves:

Medium size

Tolerates cold&hot weather

Easy coat maintenance

Easy to train --> biddable or will to please

Medium/high energy

Suitable for hikes&canine sports

Playful

Good around older children

Good for first time owners

Not very sensitive

Okay with being left alone for a few hours regularly/not prone to separation anxiety

Good with people and dogs

Average lifespan longer than 10 years/as long as possible

Breeder in my country

Cute!

Nice to haves:

Doesn’t shed a lot

More of a quiet type of dog

Litter in the next 6 months

Likes water

Longer than average lifespan

Must not haves:

Guards people/property

Very large or very small

Prone to health issues

Very independent

Very sensitive

High maintenance coat

Prone to DA or HA

Pure working line

Ideas: Australian Shepherd, Toller, Border Collie, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Brittany

I started looking for breeders of those breeds in my area and looked through all the websites I could find. I looked at their dogs, their breeding practices, the offspring and of course, litter plans.

At that point I felt like a balanced Aussie might be the way to go, so I contacted and met up with a breeder. Turns out we didn't really click and the way that she described the breed and her personal requirements for her puppies' owners left me feeling very overwhelmed, so I decided agains getting a dog of hers. I looked at some other breeders websites, but the more I researched the more I also started realizing that an Aussie might not the the best choice for me any the household I was living in at that time.

So here I learned a very important lesson. Not only do you have to find a suitable dog, you also have to find a suitable breeder. A responsible breeder will stay in contact with you for the res tof the dog's life, try to point you in the right direction, will be a source of help regarding the dog's development, health and training, so you need like them and they need to like you back. So I added another bullet point to my puppy search list:

a breeder that is helpful, friendly, nice to be around

Dog breed 1, try 1: Aussie →  not a good fit.

I eventually narrowed my selection down to Goldens and Labs, because they were generally easier for first time owners than the rest of the breeds, less prone to sensitivity and there were announced litters in the next few months.

In the end I went for a Lab, because they seemed a little more sturdy and had slightly less health issues, as far as my research showed. Then I contacted two breeders, I think, and I went with the one that felt more right. Oh and also, I thought the parents of the litter looked better, bc that's honestly a big factor too. You're gonna live with this dog for 10+ years, why not choose the one that fits your criteria as much as possible.

So that was it, this is how I chose Maisie's breeder. She's great, helped me a LOT during the first few months when I needed it most, and we're still in touch, I visit her every year. It feels like she's my aunt or smth, she's really nice.

Dog breed 1, try 2: Lab → WIN :D

Dog breed selection process 2 - Australian Koolie:

The second time around I approached the breed selection a little differently, since I had already met more breeds of dogs irl by then and also had an idea of what I’d like in a second dog from experience with Maisie. A part of my decision to go for a herding dog came from what I want to do with them - I want to try more canine sports that include jumping, so a dog with a lighter build and more will to please. That kind of dog will enjoy those activities more and be able to do them more safely than Maisie.

Must haves:

Medium size, lighter build

Tolerates cold&hot weather

Easy coat maintenance

Will to please

Medium/high energy

Suitable for hikes&canine sports

Suitable for jumpy sports

Playful

Okay if sensitive, would prefer less sensitive tho

Okay with being alone for a few hours if needed

Good with people and dogs

Isn’t bothered by obnoxious Lab behavior very much

Average lifespan longer than 10 years/as long as possible

Working/ working x mixed line

Cute

Breeder in Europe

A helpful, friendly breeder

Nice to haves:

Doesn’t shed a lot

Not noise sensitive

Not very sensitive in general

More of a quiet type of dog

Litter in the next 6 months (hahahahhaha I’ve been waiting for a little over 2 years at this point)

Likes water

Likes snow

Likes toys and food as rewards

Longer than average lifespan

Must not haves:

Guards people/property

Very large or very small

Prone to health issues

Very independent

High maintenance coat

Prone to DA or HA

Pure show line

Ideas: Aussie, Border Collie, Rough Collie, English Springer Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Toller, Koolie

I’d met enough Aussies by that point to realize they weren’t exactly what I wanted in a dog, but I still really liked Border Collies. This time around I wasn’t intimidated by higher energy level anymore, but I was still a bit worried about sensitivity and the fact that most BCs I’ve met low key hated Maisie. There were a few who liked her, but many didn’t so I kept looking for a better fit (I thought it wouldn’t be fair for the new dog to be stressed by Maisie just existing and being herself..it wouldn’t be fair to either). I was considering Tollers too, but there weren’t any litters announced at all, and I knew of literally one breeders, so I kept on looking. I had a hard time with finding Rough Collies without extreme show coat and had trouble finding non extremely showy Springers around here as well.

I think I found out about Koolies when I was going through herding dogs, and it was a new breed I’ve never heard of or seen before. They were rarely included bc I was mostly looking at very generic lists I think. I read the description, watched a few videos and really really liked them. They had all the traits of aussies and BCs I liked, but weren’t as sensitive as BCs generally are or as prone to guarding as Aussies tend to be. I found two breeders in driving distance, contacted both, one was kinda weird with replies and said she doesn’t want to sell pups outside her country, but the other breeder was very nice and helpful in her replies and that’s how I started talking to the breeder of my future puppy! I met her and two of her dogs about two years ago and loooved them. They also aced the “can tolerate a playful (obnoxious) Maisie” test, the main thing BCs struggled with.

So unfortunately I couldn’t get a puppy from the two litters that were born in 2017 and 2018 bc my life circumstances weren’t suitable for a puppy at the time, but now I am READY and basically just waiting for the puppy to be born sometime this year.

Dog breed 2, try 1: Koolie → win!

[smoothexpression]

@vilescorpio replied to your post “@ashzoi replied to your post “@onlybluetalk reblogged your photo…”

i could see wanting to use a rough/smooth collie over border collie based on energy levels alone. a lot of the time border collie lurchers still have ridiculous energy levels. or if you wanted a bigger lurchers, since bcs are much smaller than collies. bunch of possible reasons shrug emoji

i think so much of this depends on why someone want’s this mix/why it was produced. in these days most bc lurchers are bred for sports purposes, popular in agility, flyball, disc dog. all sports that you benefit from having a small/medium sized high energy dog. so why a large medium energy dog? why does that dog need to be a collie/borzoi mix? @snoots-and-whiskers brought up that borzoi was originally introduced into collies to establish breed type, specifically in the head piece, not because people were interested in the workability of a collie/borzoi lurcher, and also mentioned a collie/whippet cross as a lower energy sports prospect which I think could work. I assume using working line collies, you will still end up with a fast medium sized dog biddable enough for sports work but with less energy than a border whippet.(but also aren’t silken windhounds a thing for pretty much this exact reason?) If someone wants a large lurcher for coursing why not just get a borzoi? Why add collie? It’s not like borzoi are untrainable as is, or you need to add collie to tone them down in energy enough to warrant the risk of loosing speed and drive. And for hunting? Most collies have virtually no prey drive, and why cross two fairly rare breeds to make an experimental cross for hunting purposes when there are so so so many proven crosses that are big, cheap, and readily available? And if someone’s does want a large medium energy dog for sports, like agility, why not just get a borzoi? Or look at other breeds? It’s not like traits of speed, medium energy, and trainability are exclusive to herding dogs and sighthounds. I think it’s important to think critically about the breeds being used in crosses, even if the intention is just to create a companion. Like I said in my tags, if there’s someone out there who knows what they’re doing, who wants to create this mix, power to them. With out careful planning, you could just make a huge, fast, tangle of anxiety. And if you do succeed in breeding a stable dog with all the best trait of both breeds you still just sort have an answer to a non existent problem. Does the world really collie/borzoi cross? What niche does this cross fill that’s not already full? Not saying there’s no value to the concept of a smooth/rough collie lurcher, or borzoi being used to create lurchers, or even that a collie/borzoi mix couldn’t be a dog with a nice temperament and working potential. I just think it requires more thought than “that would be cool” because throwing shit at the wall to see if it sticks is part of what encourages backyard breeders to keep making designer mixes that no one needs. Sorry this got long and I hope it doesn’t come off as condescending, I wrote it on mobile so it’s hard to proofread