AgileGSD
Posted : 4/25/2008 3:56:44 PM
brookcove
he AKC line is that these dogs aren't capable of being "normal" - that bringing a dog from these lines is a disaster (or eaten couch) waiting to happen. But in fact I know three people who live with pups of the above dog - in normal, suburban homes, and nothing's been eaten yet. Think about it - how would we ever get work done if we had to constantly be making sure our high-strung dogs were not freelancing on the sheep or cattle? An off switch isn't just "nice" when you breed working dogs - it's required.
The first BCs I knew were all working bred, although they were performance dogs. These dogs were all normal house dogs, nice dogs to be around and with proper training/exercise needed for an active, smart breed they were good pets. The first no off switch, bouncing off the walls, hyper BC I knew was from a breeding done for performance dogs. The second was from a pet breeder. In my experience over the years, it pretty much holds true that the BCs who are the most "normal" dogs (not hyper, easy to train, easy to live with) are work bred. Despite a lack of a farm and livestock, I will some day have a working bred BC :)