Belgian Or Aussie For Trialling?

[Earthdog]

and maybe showing.

[Parkeyre]

Which one do you like the most?

[Earthdog]

I have had a lot to do with Belgians but nothing whatsoever with Aussies. I do like the look of them.

[Parkeyre]

Obviously I love Australian Shepherds and can recommend them, but maybe go and see some. Meet some Aussies.

There are a lot of different "types". One bitch here is an australian champion and very full of herself.

Another was born for agility. My boys are both lazy sods.

[Kavik]

Trialling in which sport?

[Earthdog]

Obedience

[Kavik]

I've seen both breeds do well in obedience

In agility there are more Belgians around than Aussies.

I like the Belgians, but then I am partial to my prick eared dogs

[Nevafollo]

Both would suit what you want to do.

Showing wise I would say generally theres more competition in aussies (higher numbers at most shows) around then there are belgians and sometimes it can be eaiser to have breed where the numbers are lower. I started showing with pugs which have 20-40 pugs each show and it tkes its toll entering all the time and losing, we are getting there now but we have stuck it out for almost three years.

I think really you need to look the temperment of each breed and decide which you'd prefer to live with as both would suit obedience agility and showing.

Personally I LOVE belgians but then also have a soft spot for aussies as one of my show friends that we sit with has them!

[Tay.]

Then you'll have the question of what sort of Belgian...

[Gayle.]

Then you'll have the question of what sort of Belgian...

Or what colour Aussie.

[poodlefan]

Buy the breed you want to live with. They're trialling dogs for only a very small part of their lives.

If you want an obedience dog, look for a breeder who puts obedience titles on their breeding dogs. Not only is there demonstrated potential for dog sports but the breeder will probably be more knowledgeable about helping you select a suitable prospect.

Edited August 29, 2010 by poodlefan

[kat99]

i think you need to get witch one suits you best , like any breed a belgian may not suit you .

i would go and meet so aussie and then decided from there i personally love belgians and i had 3 currently two atm i have tervuerns , you need to do you reseach when buying one , lines maybe pick one from working lines i have 2 belgains here one is calm nervy boy , he was a show dog most of his life , and my other boy comes from working lines he is outgoing loving with alot of drive .

like most people have said get the breed that suits you , its very important that you get a breed that suits you .

there a saying someone told me and its very wise and ture ,

you dont get what you want , you get what you need

good luck

[Parkeyre]

you dont get what you want , you get what you need

I don't agree with this in regards to dogs.

They are a lifetime commitment most of the time.

your "requirements" might change and the dog might no longer be "needed".

[Nevafollo]

you dont get what you want , you get what you need

I don't agree with this in regards to dogs.

They are a lifetime commitment most of the time.

your "requirements" might change and the dog might no longer be "needed".

So you ghet what you want even if it doesnt fit the requirements?

So a person that doesnt have time to groom should get a poodle cause they are pretty and they want one?

I definately think you get what you NEED in otherwords you get the dog that fits your requirements.

Theres no point someone getting a breed they cant live with!

[Staranais]

Definitely pick a show line if you pick a belgian. Doing obedience trialling probably won't be enough stimulation to stop a working line eating your garden & barking at your neighbours until they call the council. Working line dogs want to work.

[trifecta]

Both breeds are super smart & many individuals may not be suited to obedience trialling because they find the regime boring..... particularly heel work.

My advice is to therefore look at the lines that are competing successfully & also consider what else you want to do with your dog.... herding? agility? tracking?..... & as others have said look for a puppy with the temperament & drive that you can live with for up to 14+ years.

Find a breeder who is ethical & with whom you can form a good relationship so that you can get the puppy that fits your lifestyle &, with luck thrown in, your goals. The MDBA is a good place to start.

[kat99]

Definitely pick a show line if you pick a belgian. Doing obedience trialling probably won't be enough stimulation to stop a working line eating your garden & barking at your neighbours until they call the council. Working line dogs want to work.

If you are getting a belgian or any breed in that fact i think it also depends on how much training , i have a working like dog here and even though he was a horror puppy , i put the time and effort into training him , if you not going to train a dog and leave it for long periods of time then of course there goes ur garden and holes in ur yard ect .

i also found from my experience of belgians that like human company alot they don't like to be left alone for long periods i'm a stay at home mum and they spend all day with me , but i have a friend who works who has a 3 year old same age as my boy and he is very naughty until she gets home .

you will get alot of opions on here but these are only opions , take it all in maybe talk to a few breeders don't rush take your time , i love working lines but i like high drive changeling dogs , but yet again that's what i like in any breed

[Staranais]

It's not just the initial training though, it's the ongoing daily exercise they need, ongoing daily mental stimulation they need, and the fact that they are by nature very alert and very noisy and sometimes dominant dogs.

My girl is very well trained. She is just high maintenance, and gets bored very easily. If she doesn't get her training and exercise in every day, she will pace incessantly all evening and get into everything unless I order her not to do so, simply because she's frustrated and bored.

When I get home in the evening I can take my girl tracking, then do an obedience session, and then take her for a 5 km bike ride, and five minutes later, she will be jumping around saying "what's next?!" That's not abnormal for a WL. It is exactly how many experienced owners told me a WL would be before I got her! Most homes would not want to deal with that level of energy.

I stand by my statement that doing obedience alone is not enough work for most good working line belgians. They want to really work. Some people get lucky (or unlucky) and get calm WL dogs that might cope with only a walk and an obedience training session per day, but I feel it's borderline irresponsible to suggest a person get one simply for obedience work.

If you are only doing obedience competition, you can get a show line belgian, and still probably be very successful. A show line from a good breeder is still going to be smart and drivey enough to do well in the obedience ring.

Hope this explains my position on the subject a little better.

Edited to add, I have just noticed that you have Tervurens, and am now thinking that your idea of WL may be a little different to how working dog people use the term (no offence intended). We are talking WL as being dogs with a strong Sch/IPO/KNPV/Ringsport heritage, right? These are what I am talking about as being often "too much" for an obedience or pet only home.

Edited August 29, 2010 by Staranais

[Kavik]

I think it also depends on how you are training your obedience. I know someone on this forum who has a WL Malinois and plans to compete in obedience with him. He is very drivey and a lovely boy (lots of us would love to steal him for agility ) and the way she is training him I think he will be spectacular at obedience and certainly not bored as he gets lots of work and stimulation and exercise. If you want to get the kind of attention and behaviour that you see in the SchH obedience routines, you also need a good level of drive.

[wuffles]

I can't speak for Belgians but in my experience, most Aussies will only do something if they deem it "fun". They don't work for the sake of working. You need to get creative to train Aussies in obedience, but they most definitely have the intelligence and are biddable enough to do really well with the right trainer.