Working/working Line Dogs As Pets

[aussielover]

I'm interested to know why people people choose to get "working line" or working dogs as "pets".

By pet I mean, the dog does not have to perfom a function that is essential to the owners job or ability to be independent (eg service dogs).

I consider performance/dog sport dogs to be essentially pets and not working dogs.

Is it common to get a working-bred dog with the intention of competitng in dog sports, in the hope that the working dog will perform better?

Also, is it more effort to own a working line dog than a show/companion bred dog?

[MonElite]

Most unexperienced/lacking knowledge peoplethink that if they get a working line dobe, mal, dutch shephers, working (pref black) GSD, rottie their dog automatically will perform a role of a personal protection dog. With no training, they are just born that way.

Edited September 24, 2010 by MonElite

[RallyValley]

Also, is it more effort to own a working line dog than a show/companion bred dog?

I am in the minority here but I come from a breed with only one line. There are a few dual purpose breeds around. My boy had a huge drive to retrieve and has lines working tittles, actual working dogs on both sides of his pedigree as well as show dogs including several all breeds BIS winners.

His litter mates have gone as pets, exclusively show dogs, exclusively working dogs and my boy is destined to be a show and sports dog (and retrieveing if I can ever figure it out!). ;)

[Staranais]

I got a WL since I wanted the best chance of achieving operational status for SAR. Also, you can do obedience/agility/tracking with a showline mally successfully, but I'm keen to dabble in schutzhund if we don't make it in SAR, and most showline dogs won't successfully do schutzhund (although there are, of course, exceptions).

So I got a WL because I want to work her (but volunteer work, not part of my actual job, so not sure if you'd call it "work"), and also compete in dog sports. She is also my pet, though.

Is it more effort? Depends on the breed, I think, and of course all dogs and all lines will be slightly different. My girl is definitely very high maintenance compared to most dogs. She needs a lot of exercise & stimulation in order to settle in the house. And not just a walk around the block either. She will go for a 5 km run beside my bike, and it doesn't tire her out at all, she will be just as eager to run or train when we get home as when we started out. I take her out tracking, and she will yell in the car all the way home (unless I ask her to stop!) since she still wants to work.

I guess the bottom line is that she is a working animal - she is designed to do a full days work, 8 or 12 hours of work every day. So when I get home from uni, I may be tired from my day, but she isn't, as far as she is concerned her working day is only beginning. There's no neglecting her for the evening and expecting her to be OK, because by the second day of that she's so fidgety she will just run in circles around the house and can't keep her mouth off my things! She'd probably make most dog owners bloody miserable, but if you can cater for her needs, she's an awesome animal.

Hope that all makes sense.

[Agility Dogs]

From a performance POV I'm thinking it would come down to three things:

1. Drive

2. Biddability (is that a word?)

3. Structure

Wikki, my new little girl is from a show/performance home and has all three of the above. (Oh, and she is dead cute.) BUT, if I couldn't find a pup like her then I would be more than happy to look at 'working lines' BC's. Personally I just don't think they are quite as pretty as the show style borders, but if that was where I had to go to get what I wanted for a performance prospect then yes, I'd go there.

[Agility Dogs]

Most unexperienced/lacking knowledge peoplethink that if they get a working line dobe, mal, dutch shephers, working (pref black) GSD, rottie their dog automatically will perform a role of a personal protection dog. With no training, they are just born that way.

ARe you saying Rotties, dobes etc ARE that way or they aren't from birth? Just curious - not having a dig.

[Aidan]

I fell in love with a working-line GSD owned by a friend. Otherwise I would have got another gundog.

[aussielover]

What is SAR?

There are a few breeds where I prefer to "look" of the working type, obviously that is nowhere near good enough reason to actually go and get a WL dog though!

[MonElite]

Most unexperienced/lacking knowledge peoplethink that if they get a working line dobe, mal, dutch shephers, working (pref black) GSD, rottie their dog automatically will perform a role of a personal protection dog. With no training, they are just born that way.

ARe you saying Rotties, dobes etc ARE that way or they aren't from birth? Just curious - not having a dig.

They are not born as fully trained personal protection dogs.

Those that pretend they are are most likely not stable enough and to reactive to be placid family pets.

Im not saying that a working dog cant be a family pet, but there are plenty of people there looking for their first dog and getting a working line one, they read about sharpness and calm deep full mouth grips and want one.

Usually for wrong reasons and usually with no knowledge on how to bring up such dog.

[Staranais]

Search & rescue.

[Agility Dogs]

Most unexperienced/lacking knowledge peoplethink that if they get a working line dobe, mal, dutch shephers, working (pref black) GSD, rottie their dog automatically will perform a role of a personal protection dog. With no training, they are just born that way.

ARe you saying Rotties, dobes etc ARE that way or they aren't from birth? Just curious - not having a dig.

They are not born as fully trained personal protection dogs.

Those that pretend they are are most likely not stable enough and to reactive to be placid family pets.

Im not saying that a working dog cant be a family pet, but there are plenty of people there looking for their first dog and getting a working line one, they read about sharpness and calm deep full mouth grips and want one.

Usually for wrong reasons and usually with no knowledge on how to bring up such dog.

thanks. I thought that's what you meant.

[DerRottweiler]

Because in some breeds, the 'working' element is now a bonus in showlines, where it should be a key factor in that dogs makeup.

(Show GSDs for example...I've seen so many fail working temperament tests its not funny).

[aussielover]

what exactly are the breeds that would be considered to have a seperate working and show line? Obviously it could be argued all breeds should only have one line , but when you're counting on you're dogs to make a living or your life depends on them, i think it is inevitable that a seperate working type is developed.

So far i can only think of

GSD

Malinois

Border Collies

Kelpies

possibly labradors- I know in america they have seperate working dogs (Marley style lol) and also many service dog orgs breed their own labs, resulting in dogs that have higher successs rates but are possibly not show-worthy.

[Vickie]

I'm interested to know why people people choose to get "working line" or working dogs as "pets".

I got working line dogs because:

I believe that my breed should ONLY be bred for work,

I wanted to do some sheepwork with a dog who was going to be able to do it well after trying it & seeing what I did not want in other lines

I totally fell in love with the lines I have when I met them, they are everything I could/have ever wanted in a dog

I like the consistency that working lines (when bred correctly) produce & I am not seeing that same consistency in other lines

I prefer the structure of working lines & feel it is more suited to dog sports

I prefer the temperament of working lines & feel it is more suited to what I want for competition

The look of working dogs in my breed is generally more appealing to me

I find the working lines I have much easier to live with than the the lines I have & know

Obviously many will disagree & I don't mean to offend the owners of lots of nice dogs I know, but these are my reasons.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Vickie

[megan_]

Most of the people in this thread "work" their dogs even if they don't get paid for it!

I think some pet homes buy working lines when they shouldn't. I have a cousin that bought a w/l border collie because they are "very smart". They didn't seem to realise that "very smart" means "a lot of work to manage".

Breeders who sell W/L dogs should be very careful who they sell to - because a lot of dog buyers don't really know what they're getting in for.

[Staranais]

what exactly are the breeds that would be considered to have a seperate working and show line? Obviously it could be argued all breeds should only have one line , but when you're counting on you're dogs to make a living or your life depends on them, i think it is inevitable that a seperate working type is developed.

I suspect it was the other way around - if you don't need your dog to make a living, you have the luxury of concentrating on the appearance of the dog more than it's working ability, and a showline can develop. In other words, if you don't rely on the working ability of the dog on a daily basis, then you may be more likely to prioritise prettier dogs who are easier to live with regardless of how good they are at working, than to prioritise breeding great workers regardless if they are a PITA or butt ugly.

[Kavik]

I got working line dogs because:

I prefer the structure and appearance of working line dogs and feel it is more suited to dogsports

I prefer the temperament of working line dogs

Agree with Agility Dogs - Drive, Biddability, Structure - I prefer those of the working line dogs.

[aussielover]

what exactly are the breeds that would be considered to have a seperate working and show line? Obviously it could be argued all breeds should only have one line , but when you're counting on you're dogs to make a living or your life depends on them, i think it is inevitable that a seperate working type is developed.

I suspect it was the other way around - if you don't need your dog to make a living, you have the luxury of concentrating on the appearance of the dog more than it's working ability, and a showline can develop. In other words, if you don't rely on the working ability of the dog on a daily basis, then you may be more likely to prioritise prettier dogs who are easier to live with regardless of how good they are at working, than to prioritise breeding great workers regardless if they are a PITA or butt ugly.

Yes, you are right...

That what i was trying to say ;)

I agree that the people who posted here do "work" their dogs, but that is different to a working dog imo.

So can a WL dog be happy in a "pet" only home- no dog sport or competition work, but regular exercise and basic manners-type training?

What about in a "performance" home?

[Remarkabull]

I have a working line Dobermann pup and he is definately alot more work than my other dogs (although they are JRT's and crosses of, MalteseXShih Tzu and RidgebackXAmstaff so can't really compare).

I have never owned a show line Dobe, so can't really comment on the difference in personality or trainability. Personally I really like the look of the working line Dobes and I researched breeders (both show and working) for 2 years before getting my boy. I would love to show Dobes but as I prefer the working line 'look' I would probably not do very well in the show ring (even though I think he is the most handsome boy ever!)

[Staranais]

So can a WL dog be happy in a "pet" only home- no dog sport or competition work, but regular exercise and basic manners-type training?

What about in a "performance" home?

Maybe it depends on the dog & the breed. For a WL mally, I'd say no, the dog would in most cases not be happy in a pet only home. To keep happy they need things to do with their bodies & with their minds. In a regular home situation like you describe, my girl would probably become quite destructive. As my girl's breeder said to me, if you don't give a WL mally a job to do, they will make one up - and most times, you won't like it.

A true performance home, where the dog was trained extensively & regularly, & allowed to use its natural drives, would be OK.