My puppies are usually different within "my" acceptable range of personality. Firey is not in the standard, and I don't breed for it, but like I said, I don't breed for lumps, either. Some of my puppies are "more firey" than others. But my dogs are certainly not wallflowers or weenies.
I did investigate a place to do herding instinct testing, and have that option should I choose to use it. Right now, I simply do not have the time to do so and honestly, am not that worried about it. It is not in my top twenty list of priorities for my family or my dogs. That does not mean, to me, that I am doing my breed a disservice or being irresponsible.
Most, if not all of my puppies are natural retrievers and I think that is one "hurdle" in seeing that they have some sort of instinct. You can watch them with the adult dogs and get an idea of what they "naturally" know.
I truly believe that instinct in my breed is either there, or not and dogs that do not have it, can produce dogs that do, and vice versa. So its not something that keeps me up at night, especially since I have a dog that is titled in herding from my 07 litter and the dam, IMO, would have little to no herding ability, though I have not given her the chance.
I am proud to say that many of the show dogs in my breed can do many performance events when given the chance. I haven't seen that change in 30 years, one of the things I have seen change in the dogs I surround myself with is temperaments: IMO, are more stable, calmer and easier to integrate into a family setting. Beauty and brains, it doesn't get much better than that.
MsB