What is your ideal pack?

[Linds]

I really don't know.

I mean, I think I'm always going to want two-three Koolies and I'll get back to you after I get my greyhound but I do think/hope having a few herder brains and a sighthound will work really well for me. But again, it's an unknown.

I know I'm always going to want one male Koolie because I can't not have my mushy, in love with me, boy dog but I think for the rest of my herders I'll take females.

 

[Elrohwen]

I know I'm always going to want one male Koolie because I can't not have my mushy, in love with me, boy dog but I think for the rest of my herders I'll take females.

I feel exactly the same. I adore Watson and love how cuddly and into me he is, but I kind of want a girl next time. It's not a coincidence that the woman with the most obedience and agility titles on Welshies had only females. lol The boys are a trip though!

 

[Dizzy]

Oh, easy we will always have a gsp from now on. How can you not live with that level of hilarity, Velcro and General funny on a daily basis. And they're so athletic. I call Fred a land penguin... All legs and clumsy, but get him in the woods and he is graceful!!!

I am not overly interested in other breeds at the moment. I like boxers, always have. I would like a small dog!! Because I've never had one. A fun, happy go lucky small package of fun. No breed identified... I like poodles! But grooming...

I'd be happy to have a gaggle of random weirdos

 

[Linds]

I feel exactly the same. I adore Watson and love how cuddly and into me he is, but I kind of want a girl next time. It's not a coincidence that the woman with the most obedience and agility titles on Welshies had only females. lol The boys are a trip though!

Yeah, I like Didgie's work ethic a ton but god I love knowing Traveler does something just because I asked :rofl1: Girls just seem better overall for sport but there is something about boy dogs that I just love so much. If I was only going to have one dog it would be a boy.

But, I think Traveler's heart would break if I added another male Koolie.

 

[SaraB]

Herder side: Border Collie or Koolie.

Yes... yes.... come to the dark side.... yes....

 

[Red.Apricot]

I just want one for-me dog at a time; a smallish herder-brain with tons of sass.

I like living with other dogs in the house, but that's someone else's business.

 

[SpaceMutt]

2 dogs sounds about right, and a maybe-third dog. I like the idea of alternating breeder pups and rescue pups for myself, so I think it's going to go Astro, breeder Girl Puppy in 2014/2015, with a possible third rescue in 2016 or beyond if I have the finances and feel like shaking things up. I don't like much more than 2 years difference between ages (because I'm a glutton for punishment!).

Size-wise, all medium/large but not giant, or within the range of 30-90 pounds. As to what they'd "do," somewhere in my ideal pack would be a dog I could do dock diving with and take on lake trips - and that dog is not Astro, who is offended by the very idea of touching water.

After a lot of breed deliberation, I doubt I'll end up with another herder - I think my perfect little Sheltie was the final one There are things I just love about herders as a group, but then I try to picture my "ideal pack" with a herder and it just doesn't fit, they're not the right "type" of dog for me, as much as I try to make it work and want it to work. I'm iffy on hounds and toys too. I think I'll wind up with some eclectic mix of sporter, working, and wonky rescue mixes, and that's fine by me.

 

[momto8]

I already have it

I have my beezers to show and course. My aussie's i've done some herding with and will be starting Rally this coming year. My pyr, boston and 2 aussies ( Kiley and Dutchess ) are my stay at home dogs they are pretty content with their lives as dogs that go on hikes and the dog park My Collie and Courtney ( Ibizan) do juniors with my boys and love it and Courtney and I have done a little Rally
And best of all I have an amazing pack of loving dogs <3

After alot of mine pass on, my ideal pack will just be my Ibizans and Aussies, but we are all having fun and enjoying our whole pack till that time is here, which hopefully is along time!!

 

[Laurelin]

I dunno. Summer is a total gooby mush dog with no 'edge' to her at all. She's fun and dorky and super friendly. She's almost more boyish than the boys. Although she's still a touch snarky with other dogs and also is well above the rough housing the boys do.

I do like that beau thinks playing rough is hilarious. But he has more temper on him than Summer by far. Nard wins for biggest mush though. I'd steal him in an instant.

I do prefer my snarky bitchy girls though. For some reason they crack me up.

 

[sassafras]

I do love my goofy boys, even if their work ethics could use a little spit-polish.

There are certain groups of breeds I never though were really for me that I've grown to appreciate. Like hounds. And northern breeds. So I don't know. Probably some completely random dog will drop into my life at some point and make me love them, too.

 

[DJEtzel]

I don't know what breeds for sure, but I do know that I'd like 3-4 males, small to large in size (small / medium / medium / large) and quiet around the house. No anxiety. All can go outside together. All great recall.

Perfect world, right?

 

[Slick]

I am going to assume that I can also have my ideal living situation, in order for this to work

Currently I live in a small apartment, so one dog (especially one border collie!) is about all this place can take.

However, ideally, I will be living in a house with a backyard in the future. In that case, my ideal amount of dogs would be 2. Definitely one border collie, but honestly, I could see myself with 2 border collies as opposed to two different breeds.
Leo is a BC/Aussie mix who I adopted from the shelter at 9 months old. I can easily see myself getting a purebred BC puppy from a reputable breeder as my next dog. That is probably several years in the future however.

Leo is still very new and shiny for me right now, so I am not going to add another in a while. But I think 2 would definitely be my ideal number. That way they can also keep themselves entertained by playing sometimes

 

[Linds]

I do love my goofy boys, even if their work ethics could use a little spit-polish.

That sums it up perfectly.

When I'm training with Traveler and Didgie, Traveler is all about the moment. He's doing everything with grand gestures, a grin and a wink to the "crowd", a strut and a big flourish. Didgie is like "Point A to point B. Got it. Done. LETS DO IT AGAIN!"

 

[xpaeanx]

I don't know if it's because I haven't really gotten out into the competition world or what... But I will never seek out another female again. I won't say I'll never own one... Bc who knows... But I will never seek one out. I just click so much better with my fun-loving, goober boys. I find living with them to be so much easier and they make me laugh during training(and I need that).

As far as pack, I only ever want 1 puppy/young adult at a time(the actual age will depend on how the dog matures... But we'll say on average under 3-4yrs), then 1-2 middle agers and 2 seniors. At this point I think I will be alternating between corgi and Aussie with a few other flavors thrown in. Also, I'd like to start adopting senior rescues when I have space for them. I like having a pack of dogs watching TV with me, walking my yard, checking on the farm, and sitting around the fire pit... but I can only deal with one "idiot" at a time. LMAO. So I will be heavily swayed to the older less energetic side.... It will also give me time to really train and socialize the pup right.

 

[JacksonsMom]

I don't know if it's because I haven't really gotten out into the competition world or what... But I will never seek out another female again. I won't say I'll never own one... Bc who knows... But I will never seek one out. I just click so much better with my fun-loving, goober boys. I find living with them to be so much easier and they make me laugh during training(and I need that).

This is so me. I don't know how to even pinpoint exactly why... but I probably won't SEEK out a female again. Not to say never, because, well... you never know. But, yeah, I just like my little boys. <3

 

[xpaeanx]

This is so me. I don't know how to even pinpoint exactly why... but I probably won't SEEK out a female again. Not to say never, because, well... you never know. But, yeah, I just like my little boys. <3

HaHa. Boys are just the awesome. <3 <3 <3

 

[Laurelin]

Maybe it's breed but my girls are hilarious and constantly have me giggling during training. Summer is just completely wacky in agility (which cracks me up because she's a little old dog)- running on tunnels, getting way into it, etc.

Mia is probably the funniest dog I've ever had. And she's intentionally funny. Oh she has a major goofy streak to her. Ornery goofy but still really goofy. Nikki was also pretty funny. Trey had no sense of humor at all- he was just very stiff about everything.

Beau is a typical guy... If he was a person he'd be cracking poop jokes all the time and doing slapstick humor. Mia's humor is a lot more sophisticated and also seems the most intentional. I swear that dog knows what she's doing

 

[xpaeanx]

Maybe it's breed but my girls are hilarious and constantly have me giggling during training. Summer is just completely wacky in agility (which cracks me up because she's a little old dog)- running on tunnels, getting way into it, etc.

Mia is probably the funniest dog I've ever had. And she's intentionally funny. Oh she has a major goofy streak to her. Ornery goofy but still really goofy. Nikki was also pretty funny. Trey had no sense of humor at all- he was just very stuff about everything.

Beau is a typical guy... If he was a person he'd be cracking poop jokes all the time and doing slapstick humor. Mia's humor is a lot more sophisticated and also seems the most intentional. I swear that dog knows what she's doing

Maybe I just have poopjoke, slapstick humor and that's the problem? I find females too serious and bitchy, but maybe I just don't get their humor. Either way, I still find I just click so much better with the boys.

ETA: and I've dealt with quite a few breeds between babysitting and foster work, and I always seem to like the boys best.

 

[Elrohwen]

I do think boys seem very unintentionally funny. Watson is hilarious, but I think most of the time he thinks he's acting normal and doesn't know why I'm laughing at him. Though he will absolutely continue naughty behavior if I laugh or crack a smile so I guess that's intentional. Most of the time he sits there with a stupid look on his face like he doesn't quite get the joke.

The females I've owned never had much of a sense of humor and very much wanted to do the right thing all the time. The Welshie girls I've met are all very sweet and gentle, maybe funny at home, but not out in public. Much more reserved than males. Watson is like Linds described - wild and showy and ta-da! I often have people come up to me in obedience classes and say how much they love his personality, even on the days I think he's being the biggest idiot and not listening to a single thing I say. I might be frustrated sometimes, but he's so exuberant about everything and "wheee!" all the time that it's infectious.

Sometimes I wouldn't mind a female who is more toned down and actually thinks things through.

 

[krissy]

I do think boys seem very unintentionally funny.

The females I've owned never had much of a sense of humor and very much wanted to do the right thing all the time.

I don't think my dogs got this memo. Summit is very laid back and generally very serious. My co-workers call him "Eeyore". He can be a goof sometimes but mostly he's really serious. Actually, the times he gets the most goofy and bouncy is when he's happy to be training. He just loves it.

Kili is a total goof and drama queen. She takes absolutely NOTHING seriously. She thinks everything is a big game.

Go figure.