High drive dogs

 Thanks AgileGSD. That is really informative.  And shedding doesn't bother me. Lol I like to vaccum.

Hmm This is gonna be a hard desicion. I know I will be getting a GSD but now it's a matter of which order will I be getting the dogs. Lol.

This dog's hump was farther down his back, closer to his rump kinda. I realize that there's always the possiblity of getting a dog with problems from healthy parents. I was just shocked to see the hump. I've never heard of that before.

Hmmm....

There's this one: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~kelpie/kelpie.htm

I guess I should mention that a lot of places will say they are soft dogs with training. This is true in a sense as they are very sweet and hate it when they get in trouble, but I would expect them to rebound very fast if they are working. I've seen working Kelpies get in trouble for going in too hard and they just shrug it off and back up as they are told. You can't go around forcing them to do things, but they want badly to make you happy, so they need to be taught what to do more than what not to do. But I'm sure you'd do that anyway.  

I met one out running with her owner one morning and she came racing over to say hi, as most Kelpies will. She loved all over me until her owner called her name. He only called once and she was twisting herself inside out trying to stay to talk to me but follow his command at the same time. In the end she gave a whine and raced after him at top speed. They only need to be shown what to do and they are all over it for the rest of their lives. You don't know what workaholic means until you've met a Kelpie.  

 Good! I'm looking for a workaholic. And I need a dog with the energy to keep up with Maze as she is a high energy dog. Thanks for the link. I'll take a look at it now.

Is there anything specific about the Kelpie I should look out for?

Corvus thank you so much for that link.That dog is exactly what I'd like for my next dog.My only fear is I won't be able to find one and if I do it will be out of my reach financially.

Tena

 Unfortunately I think Kelpies are a bit rare over there. Over here half the dogs in the pound are Kelpie and Kelpie cross and the other half are ACD and ACD cross.

 If you were interested in one, it would probably be worthwhile doing a bit of research on working lines. Like any working dog there are different breeders with different ideas of what the ultimate Kelpie should be like. If I were in the market for a Kelpie, I'd pay attention to these subtleties because it can mean the difference between a dog that you spend half your life yelling at because it's too eager and a dog that will actually listen to you. My ex had two Kelpies when I was seeing him, one superb worker and one all but useless worker. In fact, the second was worse than useless because she always got over-excited and went in too hard and spooked the sheep. Tragically, the good worker fell off the back of the truck on the way into town one day and was dragged along the road by her chain. By the time they realised what had happened there wasn't much left to save. It was doubly tragic because apart from being a lovely dog that they were all fond of, she was also the only dog they had that could work the sheep.

Anyway, if you're not going to work sheep it won't make that much difference, but there are definitely Kelpies that will drive you up the wall with their constant need to be doing something and Kelpies that are capable of actually resting for a while. Working Kelpies are often kennelled or chained for months at a time if there aren't enough sheep to work and cope with that to a degree. I've met a lot of different Kelpies and I'm yet to meet one that isn't a sweetheart just waiting for you to tell them what they can do.
 

4HAND

Corvus thank you so much for that link.That dog is exactly what I'd like for my next dog.My only fear is I won't be able to find one and if I do it will be out of my reach financially.

Tena

 If you like Kelpies, have you considered a Border Collie? I didn't suggest a BC right off, as they tend to be "soft" much how the Kelpies are (which is what I meant when I said I preffered a softer dog). BCs are much easier to find obviously and come in all different looks. Many rescue BCs would be suitable for what you want to do with your dog. Good BCs should not be bouncing off the walls with no off switch and should not be "hyper" - just very work oriented and intense. http://bordercollie.org/

  If you like Kelpies, have you considered a Border Collie?

Yes, I've been catching up on this thread thinking - for agility and rally-o?  And intense dog that is ready to go, doesn't quit, is super trainable?  Uhhhhh. . . .

The Kelpies I've met over here are a bit less amenable to training than Border Collies.  And if the BC politics make your head spin, that is nothing to the Kelpie scene!  Oh my, it's World War III for dominance of the Kelpie in North America.  I seem to remember that in Canada it's the opposite of the BC - the only dogs that are bred are kennel club dogs, so working dogs can often be part show, part pet, part sport.  Sport Kelpies are huge up there.  Sport herding dogs are NOT GOOD.  Those are the hyper dogs with no off switch and in dogs like Kelpies and BCs, reactiveness and OCD.

Working BCs should not be soft in the sense that they melt when you ask them to do something.  If they were, they wouldn't excel at Rally and agility and, well, everything.  There are a ton of wonderful breeders in that part of the world.  If you are interested I can put you in touch. 

The current USBCHA champ and reserve champs are from Canada this year and pups from lines like theirs don't cost an arm and a leg - $1000 at the most for a pup from a World or National Herding Champion, raised in the home with all tests etc.  My grandson of a two-time International Supreme Champion (great grandson of the only three time Int Sup on the other side), only cost me $500. 

My dogs aren't nuts - including Ted.  They all know how to settle and be "normal."  There's no substitute for a regular routine of training for a well-bred BC, but such routines don't have to have anything to do with livestock.  Puppyhood can be, well, interesting, but it's no worse than with a well-bred working breed of any kind, from sporting to LGD to protection.

Anyway, good luck with your decision!  I'll be picking a pup in another year or so and I'm already a bit overwhelmed by the possibilities.  Do I have to pick just one?  And I know breed and even type of line within the breed!

It looks like you have made your decision. But....

Australian Cattle Dogs are Independent Thinkers but not really independent. In fact they are sometimes called vecro dogs. Very loyal, very devoted, etc.

 They are also very high drive. The term hard headed fits. But it is really that they are such excellent problem solvers. They are always trying to figure things out. They keep you on your toes.

American Foxhound

English Foxhound

English Setter

German Wirehaired Pointer (perfect)

Mini Poodles

Old English Sheepdog

Otterhound (perfect)

JRT

Standard Poodle

Toy Poodle

Any of the "Appalachia" hunting dogs - Treeing Feists, Mountain Curs ("Originals", Kemmers, and Stephens MCs are the most common), Plott Hounds, Catahoulas and Blackmouths (if you go more southern), and the like. Extremely loyal, almost to a fault, very willing to please - but hard as nails.

For one thing, once you have handled them, they NEVER seem to forget you!! They'll look at you, try to soft speak to you and such.

JRTs can be drivey but it depends on where you get them. I have one that was bred locally she she is drivey but soft because she thinks too much. The other one, is from a JRTCA breeder and is the opposite and a lot more drivey. Lots of confidence with the male and he thinks 'later'

 I need to work on Sandy's confidence as she's pretty timid right now. But once she's comfortable in a situation, she's all JRT. Lol!

What about a Novia Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever?