What Would You Change?

Timidity. I see too many Welsh who are shrinking violets, or worse, just plain shy. From what I've been told it's much better than it was, but I also had a very famous lab handler say to me "A happy Welshie! You don't see a lot of those." Clearly it's still a problem in the breed. Watson isn't shy or timid at all and I want another like him.

They can be a little independent and stubborn at times, which I wouldn't mind tweaking, but it's not to the extreme.

BCs: The split between working and show.

While I do like one that fits the description of the breed standard (especially the tail part, I just prefer the dropped tail). The show bred ones seem to take that to an extreme, with weird posture and a massive coat. (Re the standard: "The rough variety is medium in length without being excessive.")

And of course the lack of drive I have seen advertised by some breeders. "We breed the show type of Border Collie which isn't suited to doing work" yeah...okay. So since the breed is characterized by it's love for work, what the heck are you breeding?

And of course the people that own them that clearly shouldn't. It seems so many think that "Most intelligent breed" means "So smart that you don't have to train it"
They tend to be the people who brag about the dog chasing their ceiling fan or something ridiculous :wall:


WOW I didn't think I had that much to "change" about the breed.

I'd be okay with this if it wouldn't affect herding drive. ETA: I don't want to see this dog go soft just because people don't want to deal with the DA/DR/SSA.

PRA
Temperament issues
ALL THE TAILS
Hypothyroidism, Addisons, and Cushings

Shedding in GSDs.

Dog aggression in Pitties.

I'd get rid of MDR1 & CEA, since those are really the only common issues you see.

Not much I'd change about temperament. As far as structure goes I'd like to see a move away from "sailboat dogs", as one of my breeder friends calls them - most LHWs I see have pretty good substance, but there are definitely some overly small, overly narrow dogs out there too.

This is going to sound a little strange, but the biggest thing I'd like to change is to increase the number of breeders. There are only four or five litters a year, max, and as they keep getting more popular it's going to be harder and harder for people to get a puppy. For the most part the breeders we have now are wonderful, responsible, dedicated people, but we need more like them.

The obsession with climbing everything and the taste for human flesh. Everyone with a border collie has these problems, right?

*sigh* This.

Brittanys aren't "my" breed but I love them and have one, so...

Hyperactivity. It's not a breed wide thing but common enough that it's become their reputation. I'm not saying they should be lazy, but they don't need to be tireless, pacing balls-to-the-wall to be good working dogs, either. I don't think it's correct for a dog to have a hard time settling down when it's time. To me it indicates a lack of stability.

For Staffords? Probably bad breeding. They are very popular in Australia and a lot are poorly bred. I think they are loosing some of their gameness that makes them so solid with humans. I don't really like any breed becoming watered down for the pet market. Cannot handle potential DA and want a dog park dog? Don't get a stafford. They are just an awesome family dog for the right family. My own girl is a byb and is not the best structure wise, but she has got a brilliant temperament and is just so confident. She is quite dog tolerant, but will not hesitate to respond to another dog aggressing. I just manage to keep her out of situations that bode ill. She has a set of doggy friends that complement each other with their play style and temperament.
I'm thinking that a good Stafford will be my next dog if I don't get a rescue mutt.

Flatcoats: Lifespan/proclivity to cancer is the only thing I would change. But it really needs to change.

Minor, but personally, I wish they were on average a bit smaller (or at least that the upper end of the size spectrum wasn't so very big), but watching one haul in duck after duck or, more impressively, Canadian geese out of water and up banks...I can understand how that 50-75lb range is a benefit. Bigger than that, though, and I just really can't see the benefit.

Well, I've been away from my dogs for 10 days so everything about them seems perfect right now haha.

Aussies are my breed of choice now, and I can't really think of anything major that I'd change. I hope I never end up with a supremely hairy one and I wish they played a tad less physically. Journey LOVES to body slam everything and I worry about her safety and also feel bad for other dogs when she does it to them, and I don't really appreciate the random bursts she inflicts on me either haha. Also, Journey is not a barky dog except in certain situations, but it would be nice if the breed as a whole wasn't barky. But yeah, all in all, I love them just the way they are and there is nothing about them that is a deal breaker. And physically, I don't like extremes at all (too heavy boned, too much coat, too big or alternatively some of the super slight, naked or curly coated, teeny tiny dogs barely recognizable as Aussies). I like a dog somewhere between extreme show and extreme working. I love Journey's build right now and hope she maintains her athleticism and leggy-ness as she matures. I'd be super happy just to have all the rest of my Aussies from here on out to be a lot like Journey. She's about as ideal as it gets for me in a dog.

And I kind of hope my next one has a tail. I love the look of no tail, but for the activities I like to do with my dogs, I'd feel more comfortable with a tailed dog. It's not a deal breaker for me, but when comparing Journ and other Aussies to the tailed Aussie I know, I sometimes really wish Journ had one too.

Other breeds...

I really love Koolies still too and want one for sure. The only thing I'd change is the barking. I feel like they bark a lot more than I am used to, but oh well. Barking is manageable.

And I still love Tollers, but I wish it weren't so hard to find a stable, solid nerved dog. I don't think I'll even have another at this point simply because of that. I've just been around way more spooky weird Tollers than nice ones unfortunately.

An Aussie would be NextDog but for this. Also, if they were bigger.