BCs easier than Aussies?

[Dogdragoness]

I haven't seen too many Aussies in these parts (don't know about other states) who have no desire to work & by work I mean herding/moving stock. I never saw an Aussie move stock (cattle which is what they were bred to do) like a good ACD does.

I think that over breeding & popularity pleagues both BCs & Aussies nowadays. Also the introduction of show lines & deviating from the working lines.

[OwnedByBCs]

Originally Posted by Dogdragoness

I haven't seen too many Aussies in these parts (don't know about other states) who have no desire to work & by work I mean herding/moving stock. I never saw an Aussie move stock (cattle which is what they were bred to do) like a good ACD does.

I think that over breeding & popularity pleagues both BCs & Aussies nowadays. Also the introduction of show lines & deviating from the working lines.

Ok, what? I have had my fair share of experience with both Aussies and BCs (obviously), and I totally don't understand what you're trying to say. One, what does herding ability have to do with temperament? She said herself that she finds the working/sport line Aussies to be too hard headed/ reactive for her taste. Two, how much experience do you actually have with either of these breeds? I see plenty of Aussies (from a variety of lineage by the way) that are very talented cow dogs. There is a great working BC/working Aussie breeder who has shown her dogs in conformation and they are very strong on cattle/sheep.

I love working line BCs, but to be entirely honest their temperaments are not always suitable for mainstream society. Their bred to be highly alert, they were never required to be good in public as they were at their farm 90% of the time- and they are not bred to be friendly and outgoing like a Golden. Of course that is not true of every working BC, but the simple fact is- they were not bred to handle our high stress environment originally. Most working breeders have adapted their lines to be suitable for more urban environments, but those underlying issues may still be there.

Temperaments are still a fairly big issue in BCs, because no one can seem to decide what a "proper" BC temperament is. 80% of the Aussies I know are from show lines, and I find them to be very pleasant... so I'm not really sure what that has to do with how "easy" they are. If anything I'd say your average Aussie was a more laid back dog than your average BC.

[Dogdragoness]

I was referring to the show lines that have come up in recent years not the old foundation working lines.

I just don't understand why someone would want any working breed if they need a less intense version? It kind of is counterintuitive to the essence of owning a herding/working dog.

Even Bear, the calmest, most well adjusted dog in like .... Ever has a LOT of drive & if he finds prey he will go after it til it's dead, simple as that, hence why he has been to the E vet four times for rattle snake bites, but all four times he killed that snake.

I would describe bear as being an intense high drive dog, even though on the surface he doesn't seem so, which is the way I would describe most of the "ranch bred" Aussies/BCs I have met.