Sports people- Choosing your dog

[Laurelin]

I thought this might be interesting to discuss.

Disclaimer: Don't think there's any 'right' or 'wrong' just something I've been curious about. Sport could be whatever sport you are involved in.

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

Just thought it might be an interesting conversation.

 

[GatorDog]

I thought this might be interesting to discuss.

Disclaimer: Don't think there's any 'right' or 'wrong' just something I've been curious about. Sport could be whatever sport you are involved in.

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

Aiden - I did not get for sport. I got Aiden because I fell in love with him when I "temporarily" fostered him. I became involved in the sport when I was looking for something to build our training upon and found that it was mostly specific to dogs of his breed. I loved him because of his size, looks and temperament more than anything else.

Carma - I got specifically for sport, hopefully to compete with Nationally. I wanted a large black and tan stock coat male dog, and ended up with a tiny long coat sable female, so originally, looks had nothing to do with it (even though I think she is absolutely breathtaking now). I chose her for the sport based on her drive and stability when I tested her and her brothers at 8 weeks. She has developed into a wonderful working companion and pet as well.

Tulah - I got specifically for sport, also aiming for National level competition. I pretty much knew exactly what she was going to look like, so that had nothing to do with it really. I picked her, with help from the breeder, based again on her drive and nerve stability that I saw at 7 weeks as compared to the rest of the litter. She still has a really great temperament as far as that goes, although she is still quite young.


Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Aiden - No. He's from someone I would consider a BYB who had kept him in the hospital where I was working. He's a working line/show line cross bred mainly as pets.

Carma and Tulah - Yes. Both parents are trained in sport work.


Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

Aiden - Well, most show lines are not known for being successful in IPO, let alone a dog out of "show lines" that were really just BYB/pet line dogs. It wasn't a factor taken into consideration when I began training/trialing, but it made a huge impact overall. The general opinion is dogs of his breeding is that they can't work, and he definitely didn't make the training easy on me. Aiden is the reason that I fell in love with GSD's, but I would prefer to train working lines vs show lines in this sport specifically.

Carma and Tulah were both chosen because I had the opportunity to test them for the qualities that I like in a dog at a young age. I chose Carma because I wanted to train a working line GSD with the drive that I prefer, and I chose Tulah because I wanted to try training a Malinois for the same reasons. Both breeds are very often used in the sport specifically and are well known for their sporting abilities.


What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

Aiden - Club level titles for fun. I may continue to dust him off and trial him at other clubs as we go.

I hope to trial Carma at the regionals this year and the Nationals next year. Tulah still has to grow a bit But aiming for the same goals as Carm.

Just thought it might be an interesting conversation.

Answers in bold

 

[Laurelin]

Answer my own questions

So far I have not chosen a dog for sports yet. I got Summer from a pet/show breeder and Mia from a show breeder. Mia did not pan out for sports due to health and Summer is good but old, lol. I'm definitely placing a lot more value on sports this go around.

I have not decided how competitive I want this dog to be but I do want a breeder that has produced sports dogs or competes themselves. I've been bit by the bug pretty hard so I do want a dog that can train and compete at least moderately competitively for a long time. It has been a dream of mine to MACH a dog someday. We've got a ways to go haha.

 

[Beanie]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog?

Auggie was picked to be my best friend. When I bought Auggie I had no intentions of competing in agility. I wanted to learn how to do it just to play in the backyard with my dog and stuff. HA HA. Yeah.
Pepper was supposed to be my second agility dog but I don't find her temperament right for it (although I do still often think about trying it with her. I could probably put novice titles on her, it just might take a lot longer than any of the other dogs, and I don't know how much she would enjoy it, so I'm a bit torn on the whole thing.)
Payton I definitely wanted to be a good agility dog. I already had Pepper who was not what I hoped for. I knew no matter what dog I got next, I would love the dog, but I really wanted a second dog to do agility with. I was actually a bit nervous about him because he's Pepper's half-brother, and I was worried the things that make Pepper unsuitable for it would be the same with him. But Auggie's breeder told me he had the right attitude, and once I met him and tested his attitude myself, that worry all went away.

On the whole, though, I don't get a dog "for sports," I get a dog because I want another one. I want a puppy right now because I want one, not because I feel the need to get a new sport dog. But I do want the dogs I have to be able to do sports... if that makes sense.

How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

I don't really have a ranking system... sports is on the list but it's really toward the bottom. Do I like this dog? Is it a dog I can actually live with? Can it play sports? That's probably how it goes. I'm not a fan of people who get really cranked up dogs and then just leave them in crates whenever they're not actively doing agility or flyball or whatever because the dog is not a liveable companion. I will never get a dog just for sports without actually WANTING the dog to begin with.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport? Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

I picked the breed I liked, it happens to be good at agility. The line I picked is good at everything and that's why I picked it originally - and why I wanted it again when it was time for Payton.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

I want to enjoy my dogs. I'm competitive about it but really just with myself. I don't really care that much about nationals, DGAF about world team, rankings in popular breeds are more about who has the most money to trial the most, I don't really care about placements, only Qs... so... yeah. I want to do well for me and my dogs.

 

[elegy]

I bought Steve specifically to be a sport dog. I had visions of agility, but really I just wanted to play a sport, whatever he liked. That turned out to be mostly flyball with some agility thrown in, and occasionally rally because I like it

Health and temperament (hahahaha) were more important, though. I found his breeder as a result of internet-stalking Leslie McDevitt to find out where Easy came from. Steve's breeder is not that breeder, but her foundation dog (and Steve and Bean's grandpa) is from that breeder.

Kelli was excellent about answering all of my health questions even though there were some health issues in some of the dogs in the lines, and Steve's mama had produced one dog with OCD. It made me even more interested in buying from her because I felt she was being honest (and years later, I still believe that without question).

Bean came from the same breeder and he has the off-switch and friendliness with strangers and stranger dogs that Steve doesn't.

 

[Red.Apricot]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

It was pretty important; it was more important than size or looks. Because I want to do obedience, the qualities that make a dog a good companion for me also make the dog a good obedience competitor (being able to go everywhere, willing to work/play with me, being energetic and smart--those are things I want in a dog whether I compete or not, so).

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Tervs are pretty common obedience dogs, yeah, and Elsie has many relatives competing, so it was def. on my mind when I picked her.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

Mm I didn't spend a lot of time trying to buy a puppy out of the top obedience tervs of all time end of story because I think training/the handler have a lot to do with success there. I like herding dogs anyway, and most herding dogs are perfectly capable of doing rally/obedience, so it wasn't really a struggle.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

I want to get Elsie's UD. I might continue on after that; we'll have to see how much she enjoys trialing. She loves competing in rally, so we're going to start getting RAE legs after we finish her CD (one more leg!) and then start working on her CDX. If Elsie ends up enjoying obedience more (right now I'm very nervous, so we'll see where we are once we're both more seasoned) we might shoot for her UDX. When I got her, my goal was a UD.

 

[BostonBanker]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

For Meg - not at all. I wanted a dog to do agility with, but when I met Meg and fostered her, she was such a good, good dog that I kept her, despite thinking that her fears and soundness would not allow her to ever do agility.

For Gusto - sport was a big part of it. Granted, he was basically a fetus with one unknown parent, so there was a lot of gambling involved. But I definitely got him thinking he would make an agility dog.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Meg is the only Mountain Cur registered with the USDAA...so no there. Gusto is half BC (and we thought probably half staffy at the time), so sort of. But again - I knew I was gambling.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

Not important at all to me. Having Meg as my first sport dog really opened my eyes to what is possible. I had a fearful adult rescue cur with a gimpy elbow and serious confidence issues, and she got her championship and took me to Cynosport. Pretty much any thought that you need to have a "sport dog" to do well in agility has been wiped out of my brain .

I actually had a fun chat with a friend at the trial this weekend; we were standing outside the ring watching, and she said "Do you think you'd ever want a BC for agility?", and I said (honestly) "I don't know that I'd ever want one for agility, but the kicker is I think they are a dog I'd really love to live with outside the sport." And of course got the weird look, because it is the opposite of what everyone says. It is convenient that the type of dog I like to live with is a type that does well in agility - but I'd never get a dog that I didn't think I'd love outside of the sport just to competed.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

My goals with Meg grew along with her; I thought that if I got her competing a bit locally at the low levels, I would have really accomplished something. Obviously she went far above and beyond what I expected.

With Gusto, my goals are pretty similar to what I achieved with Meg. I'd like his PDCH; we may start doing more AKC in the winters, so maybe I'll eventually try for a MACH with him as well. If Meg's still going as strong this winter as she is now - it's a distant possibility for her as well, I guess. I don't know if I'll do enough AKC really. She's go the skills for sure. I'd kind of distantly been hoping to take Gusto to Cynosport in 2015 if the rumors of its location pan out; but maybe we'll put it off another year or two after that. I'm not getting him in the ring enough right now to really fix his stress issues. We will see where we are at. I don't expect to get up on the podium or anything, but to go and do well and be in the middle of the pack like I did with Meg - that would be nice.

 

[Sekah]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

Cohen was purchased as a family dog. We had a wonderful, laid-back Aussie previously. After his death we wanted another dog. My father said he was considering a border collie, but I talked him down. We got Cohen with the expectation that she would stay with him when I moved out.

So, sport was not an important factor when I chose Cohen. I liked the breeder. I liked that her dogs had at least a few rally and agility titles, as well as conformation. She was one of the more outgoing, rambunctious puppies in the litter and I tried to talk my dad into another one, but Cohen was the pup we came home with. I moved out of my family home shortly after my dad died, and Cohen came with me.

Looking back, I'm curious what would have happened if we ended up getting a border collie instead.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Aussies are obviously decently competitive in a lot of fields. They strike me as a Jack of All Trades, Master of None type of breed. Both Cohen's sire and dam had some beginner sport titles but that was it. The breeder is not known for producing sport dogs and I only know of one other that has gone on to excel in agility.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

I got Cohen before I knew word one about dog sports. So, being the best has never entered into my mind. If I were to get another dog, I'd want a dog from proven sport lines, but I wouldn't necessarily demand the best. I'm not sure I could handle the best, quite frankly.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

Just for fun. I'm hoping to put an ATChC on Cohen. Maybe if somehow I find an excess of time on my hands I'll try for a UDX too. That's the extent of it.

 

[Elrohwen]

I got my current dog to be a pet and companion first, but I did have plans to dabble in sports. I'm not a particularly competitive person, except with myself, so I've always been more interested in training for sports vs actually competing. It would be cool to get some low level titles, but I don't have goals beyond that. I haven't been to trials but I have shown in enough conformation shows to know that it's fun once in a while, but I will never enjoy going to dog shows every weekend (too exhausting!)

In general, the things I like in a pet are things that work well for sports - moderate athletic build, fairly biddable, no reactivity or DA, confident go-anywhere-do-anything dog. I wouldn't get a dog for sports if I didn't want to live with it and I will always put the temperament I prefer in a pet above sports ability when choosing dogs/breeds.

Most dogs in my breed have conformation titles but no performance titles, so it's not really possible to get a dog from "sport lines", though I did request a dog for obedience/agility when I talked to the breeder (and his mom has her RA so it's not like Welshies don't have any performance titles ever). In the future I may be more picky and go to one of the breeders producing dogs with titles, but I don't want to limit myself to that if someone else is breeding for the temperaments I like. If I go with another breed in the future that is more well known in performance (like an Aussie) then I would be more picky about finding a breeder who values performance venues. I don't need or want the driviest and craziest dog, but it would help narrow down breeders by looking for those with performance titles in the sports I like, vs only conformation, or herding, or whatever.

 

[Shai]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

Kim/Web -- Not at all. Wasn't even a consideration. Didn't know dog sports existed when Kim came home, didn't care they existed when Web came home. They were chosen for their pretty faces

Mira/Lodin -- It was a factor but not the top one. Mental stability, athleticism, health, and just overall personality ranked above projected sports success. But at the same time I did bring them both home with performance hopes and dreams attached.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Kim/Web -- No. No family history on either of them whatsoever...parents, sibs...nothing.

Mira -- None of Mira's relatives have done agility beyond the novice level to my knowledge...just dabblers. But the same traits that make them great field dogs tend to make them great all-arounders, and an all-around (emphasis agility) was my goal. I think it worked out well . Both parents were imported and titleless but Mom is a gorgeous dog with truly monster drive and Dad is an athletic guy with lots of drive who is also very biddable. Both from nice lines...lots of history there.

Lodin -- Is from a blend of very well known agility dogs in one corner of his lineage, and herding dogs in the other three. I know various members of his family well, and they are the reason I brought him home. Drive overfloweth but they are also tactile stable snugglebugs with basically sweet personalities who make great house and dog-household dogs from what I've seen.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

Not a factor. That said, dogs that suit ME best also tend to be reasonably good fits for sports, as Kim and Webbyroo can attest.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

That is in a constant state of development . But I do hope it is always very, very fun for both of us.

 

[DJEtzel]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog?

How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

I would say about 50-75% of the dog is sporting ability for me.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

For Frag, we didn't. For Recon, I did. For Patton, I wouldn't say "Well known" - but from a solid competing breeding.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'?

I got a border collie because I liked them, not because I realized how "good" they were... I did get a GSD to compete in IPO because they are "the" breed for it.. but I got Patton because I love the breed first and foremost, and he'll also be competing alongside Recon in Agility.

Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

I got a Border Collie and GSD to lure course and dock dive with!

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

Recon's goal is a MACH. Patton's goal is some IPO titling. I'd love to go above and beyond with each - but it's not something I'm anxiously striving for.

Answers in bold!

 

[FG167]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

Extremely important although I want a dog that can do it all: Kastle, Jentry

Fairly to very important: Limit

Not terribly important: Eden

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Yep: Kastle, Jentry
No: Limit, Eden

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

Yes: Kastle, Jentry
No: Limit, Eden (both considered "off breeds" for agility)

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

Nationals: Kastle, Jentry
Club/mid-level titles: Limit, Eden

I wanted a fun little dog to dabble in a variety of sports with - that's Eden. She's healthy, fun, consistent, but will never be "top level" lol Her legs are 3 inches long and she's slow as molasses. She's a failed conformation prospect from a reputable breeder.

Limit is turning into the dog I was hoping for after about a year of a rough patch. He's fast, agile, competitive, drivey, and the perfect size for what I wanted. I am having a blast with him. However, IPO is my priority sport so I don't have any lofty goals with Lim, just want to get him out there and get him titled. He's got Border Collie Collapse Syndrome so I have to be cautious with how much we do at once. With breaks though he's pretty solid. He's from a working cattle farm in Oregon.

I wanted a high level IPO competition dog that would perhaps be breeding material and be titled in multiple sports venues, along with conformation. I got pretty dang close with Kastle but he's a little over the top/crazy and thus we have some injuries and set backs. Still hoping to title in club level with him but then he'll most likely be retired (he has elbow dysplasia in one elbow, and one "fair" hip, along with numerous missing teeth). He comes from a well known IPO sport breeder.

Jentry is Kastle's replacement haha. I hope to do it all with her. She's 8 weeks old, time will tell. She's from one bang-up pedigree and has a load of potential...

 

[Ozfozz]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)
Cobain was actually bought with flyball in mind (before I knew about the wonderful world of agility). That said, the goal was for him to be better at it than Oz lol. I wanted quick learner and fast runner.

At the time, sports were the main goal. We had owned a Border Collie when I was growing up and totally infatuated with the breed. I figured "Border Collie size and looks" as an average - well before I knew about the different lines and sizes etc.


Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?
Breed yes, line not so much. The breeder had stated that many of the dogs in her line had been successful in sports, but she did not actively compete with her own dogs. Her goal was for a combination herding and confo dog. Cobain's dam was a proven proficient herder with a few legs in confo and his sire was more confo with a bit of herding.

I also chose Rigby heavily based on the description of "Australian Kelpie Border Collie mix" I assumed she would be a great addition to the agility work....And she may be one day if she ever gets over her fear issues.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?
Not at the time of Cobain. I was a kid, I figured a Border Collie is a Border Collie. I didn't know a heck of a lot about specific lines and everything. I just knew the health tests and certifications I wanted done.

My next Border Collie will be from an agility breeder.


What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?
Ideally before he retires I'd love to have the time and money to get him to his ATChH. Being a student and working mostly weekends hasn't been the easiest to get him to trials.
But really, it's casual competition, mostly for fun.

Next dog might end up a bit more competitive just because I'll have the time (hopefully)

 

[yv0nne]

Kelpies are definitely not off breed for agility around here! Lots of them floating around, competing with and beating the Borders

I'm on my iPad so can't copy the original post but.. I didn't have a sport when I got Penn. She was going to be a half-marathon/ hiking buddy. She excels at that as far as agility, Vizsla is definitely what people think of when they think successful agility dog!

I didn't pick a well known agility V breeder.. her parents are amazing hunters though and so is she. Sadly, I don't hunt aha

For goals with Penn.. I'd just like if she'd stop running away at trials. Please..

 

[SaraB]

Zuma was adopted with agility in mind. I needed a dog to trial because of my job, not just trial but get a MACH on and go to national competitions. She was in a foster home that has dabbled in agility and disc, so they were able to give me a pretty good idea of her capabilities. She was not purposely bred for sports as far as I know, and was adopted without me knowing her breeding.

Zinga was purchased with high goals in agility and disc. World level disc and national level agility to be exact. She is from lines that are not completely proven in those sports but has enough relatives competing in agility to make me feel comfortable with her potential. I chose her breed because I wanted the best fit for me and my household as well as the sport potential.

Zip Tie is pretty much the same as Zinga, except he was purchased as my husband's dog. So national/worlds level was not a requirement.

Renegade was adopted with performing shows in mind. She is a rescue, so I don't know her lines or if they are well suited for disc or agility. However, her previous home did a ton of work with her, so I pretty much knew exactly what I was getting.

Mighty Mouse and any future dogs are adopted with performing in mind as well. It would be cool if these dogs turn into world qualifiers when I start competing again, but it's not an expectation at this point. However, they must do well in the shows and that is an expectation. Very few dogs are able to do what my dogs do, preform in the shows and then get pet by hundreds of kids every day, so it is rather difficult to find the perfect ones that fit. I won't be looking at lines or potential in sports for these future dogs, rather at individuals and how they measure up.

 

[wildo]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

Doing well in my sport of choice (agility) is/was one of the most important factors in getting a second dog to me. Well, ultimately, it was the only reason for me to get a second dog. I was quite comfortable as a one-dog owner, and still doing well in competition. That said, I think things like size are hugely impactful on a great agility dog. Looks and livability- well, if I'm getting another dog, I'd prefer it to look good and not be too much of a freak.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?
As a matter of fact- no, I didn't. I tell myself at every class and at every trial that I should just break down and get a Border Collie. But there's something in me that just insanely loves doing super well in agility with a NON-BC. I tried to choose a breed that would still have an edge, but just not be a BC. If I'm being honest, I didn't want anyone to say about me- "yep, just one more person who got addicted to agility and went out and bought a BC." I chose a small, agile, Malinois.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?
As mentioned above, I specifically and purposefully did not choose the "best" breed for my choosen sport. That said, I knew from experience with my first dog (a larger sized GSD) that I needed a change. I knew I needed something much smaller in order to be competitive with the BCs. I knew I needed something that could be more agile. And I knew I needed something that was, perhaps, just a little bit crazy. I had limited it down to three very different options: 1) a very small working line GSD, 2) a Malinois, or 3) a Kelpie/Koolie. I think all three options would have fit my needs without me having to "take the plunge" and buy a BC.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?
Well- my goal will ALWAYS be National/Worlds!!! Always! I get it that some people aren't that competitive, but to me- competition is competition. I do it to win. I do it to TRY to be the best. Whether we make a World Team or not is irrelevant- what is relevant is that I'm always pushing to be better. I'm thrilled to report that I'm competing in CPE Nationals with my GSD- and she's 8 years old. I have the same aspirations/goals for the Mali pup (19 months old- Mal/GSD cross). We will always strive to be the best. It doesn't matter if we get there or not. That's not the point.

Just thought it might be an interesting conversation.
Very interesting topic! Thanks for posting!

 

[Tortilla]

Well I'm not involved in a sport yet, but Paris is the first dog I got with sports in mind.

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)
Paris is my companion first, so her temperament and health factored more to me than her ability to do well in a sport (though it was still a consideration obviously, I went to a performance breeder).

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?
Yes, both breed and line, but it wasn't my only consideration.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the perceived 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?
I've always liked Border Collies and have wanted one since childhood (before I even really knew about dog sports). It wasn't really important for me to get 'the BEST sport dog EVER,' I was more sold on my particular breeder because I liked her lines, the dogs I met and she was super knowledgeable, helpful and generally awesome. Though yeah, her dogs do very well in a variety of sports.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?
Paris is still only a young pup, and I've never been involved in dog sports before, so we'll see where it takes us.

 

[PWCorgi]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)
I wanted a dog to do dog sports with, but it certainly wasn't my top priority. First I wanted a stable temperament and a dog from healthy lineage. I would never take a dog that I knew came from crazy lines, just because they have potential to be a good sporting dog. I do have to live with the dog on a daily basis

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport? Well, Lynn obviously does agility. And many of Siri's relatives are competing in upper level agility (her Uncle is going to compete in Norway(?)/Netherlands(?)/Somewhere at any rate, next week.) So yeah, they are playing agility. But it's not like the name registers with people when I mention it, if that makes sense.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?
No. If I wanted "the best" at any of the sports I do, I would have been looking at a different breed. I bought a dog that I knew would have an aptitude toward sporting events, but it wasn't *THE* reason I bought her.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?
Casual competition. I want to play, and I want to play well, but there's no nationals/worlds/etc. in our future.

 

[krissy]

I thought this might be interesting to discuss.

Disclaimer: Don't think there's any 'right' or 'wrong' just something I've been curious about. Sport could be whatever sport you are involved in.

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)

I chose the breed first and then decided I wanted to do agility. I liked the breed for its other qualities in terms of being a pet and that was the most important to me.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?

Breed? No. I chose a breeder who actually competes in sports though so that I knew the person choosing my pup would have a clue about the qualities important in an agility prospect.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?

I guess I sort of answered this already. I chose an individual for the sport within my chosen breed.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?

Casual competition

Just thought it might be an interesting conversation.

Answers in bold.

 

[SpringerLover]

How important was doing well in your chosen sport to choosing your dog? How would you rank sporting ability vs other desired traits in your dog (size, looks, other companion qualities)
Well, I got Gabby from rescue. I was able to track down her breeder and get her pedigree. I wouldn't have bought Gabby as a puppy from her breeder, but there are really nice dogs behind Gabby that I kind of assumed would be there after I got to know her. She became mine first and foremost because she is an excellent companion. Second because I realized she LOVES doing stuff.

Did you choose a breed or line well known for competing in your sport?
Springers are known for doing well in obedience and agility, which are two sports I really enjoy. I stuck with the same breed I've had, because I love their versatility.

Was it important for you to get 'the best' breed/line/whatnot for the sport or did you get a breed known to do well enough but maybe not the percieved 'best'? Or was that not a factor at all and you just chose a breed you liked regardless of sport ability?
Lol. Gabby's mom is also her grandma, which makes her dad also her half brother... so, haha, no. In the future, I don't know what I'll look for. But I love my ESS.

What level of sport was/is your goal with your dog? For fun? Casual competition? Specific titles? Nationals/worlds?
Casual competition. I'd really hoped Gabby would be my "finally get through Open dog" but with her eyesight, that's just not going to happen. So, we'll do what we can safely do. I just love training with her, it's so different from my other two dogs. She doesn't have that edge Bailey does, but she's just so different in such a good way.