Help find the breed for my family..

I'm going to bet that just about any breed can be taught to chill in the house.  If I can do it with my very drivey gsds, I'm guessing anyone could!

 Point! I didn't think of that when I posted my topic. I've got an off switch in Maze for in the house. *goes and edits her post*

Personally, I think a Shepherd would be right up your alley.  And so few compete in agility.

Get a nice Shep and you won't have to compete against the BC's for ribbons in agility, because your dog will be running 24 instead of 16/20 xD!!!

 

Shepherds are on my list of breeds I fell in love with since finding this forum!  I've just never seen on doing agility ( I live in a REALLY small town and don't have cable) I think I'm going to Youtube and see if I can find some videos on them.  *adds shepherds to her ever growing list*

If your wanting something more uncommon..you could always research the beauceron as well :)  Dont normally recommend it, but for an active/ agile dog..they are rather similar to the GSD..just uncommon. Though get ready to pay quite a bit more than for your average GSD...although if your going to a reputable breeder for a german shep...price may not be much difference.  Just a thought.

I'd never heard of the Beauceron before coming here.. Lol. Are they hard to handle? How big do they get? 

You wanna see a Shepherd doing agility?  Ohhhh I can show you a Shepherd doing agility xD

http://s169.photobucket.com/albums/u222/Xepherya/?action=view¤t=agility-1.flv <--my dog, Strauss, running like a maniac through a tunnelers course xD!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0ojlfZZPpA <--A GSD named Tang

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Xrz9iXOIZ8&feature=related <--Diesel. The handler has some timing issues, but it is a GSD xD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDlRY06KgeY&feature=related <--Konig (Longhair, running NADAC)
 

JEEZ! Look at them go! Hmmm... Thanks for the videos! 

How about a.... Finnish Lapphund! *giggles with glee*. The boy we had our eye on has been sold to someone else, but sometime. Sometime in the next 6 months I'll have my snugglebum frisbee dog (if I can convince him to get into frisbee). Some Finnish lappies can be real lazy, but I hear Swedish Lapphunds are more drivey (and more noisy, I think).

Or a kelpie cross. A kelpie would cane a BC in agility. My mother's kelpie cross is pretty drivey and will perform some really nice leaps and twists while playing fetch, but she's not crazy active. I always thought a Dobe would be a good larger agility dog.

I don't know what she wants to run, but I believe the OP wants to run AKC, and Kelpies aren't accepted at this point (to my knowledge...I couldn't find anything) 

There are breeds not allowed to run??!! I did not know that.. Shame on me! Lol.

When I here the breed Kelpie, I always think of the stuff in the sea..  

this isn't agility per se, but here is my GSD...he is a jumper!! and extremely fast!

The beauce I'd say is similar to the GSD, or even Malinois (though id think not quite as high drive, tho ive never worked a Malinois personally)  They are a high-drive working dog though, and they need a job.  Although they are new to the U.S. (very popular in their home country of France) many have already proven the breed can excell at many sports from herding, tracking, obedience, agility, and ring sports.   Tessa (my beauce pup) has been great.  She is quite laid back, and can calmly rest in her crate or stay in a long down stay when i need her too, but at the same time she'll glady go on a 2 mile walk for with me without tiring.  We havent done any extensive sports yet (no jogging/hiking, no agility, no herding on our cattle) sence she is only 6 months old, and i do not want to stress her growing joints and bones, but im sure she will be ready for all of those activities when she gets older.  They are used to drive cattle/sheep, and should be able to go many miles without tiring.  Talk about endurance!  The AKC standard list females between 24 1/2"-26 1/2", I think males are 25.5"-27.5", weight between 80-110 lbs..so again very similar to the GSD.  She is 55 lbs at almost 6 months old, and plays well with my 110lb akita, and with a friends 6 lb brusselsgriffon/maltese mix.  The standard also list that the beauceron should never be timid or aggressive.  We've had no problems with aggression with any animals or people.  Of course socialization is important wtih ANY breed to insure that.  As for grooming..definatly a wash and go dog.  After having a long haired breed (golden ret) and a breed with alot of White (akita) , Tessa always seems so clean compared to them!  Short coat (a little fringe along the legs, tail, and head), so she doesnt pick up dirt/junk from the pasture, and dark colors, so all i have to do is brush her down and she looks clean!  If your ever interested in showing a dog in conformation, there is NO trimming done to the beauce for the ring.  Just bathe, dry, brush, and trim nails. (all 22 of them!)

Hmmm.. I think I'm going to do some more research on these two breeds..