Suggestions For Breed?

[RiverStar-Aura]

I think a better way to approach this question is to first find YOUR breed. The one(s) you love over all the others and that you couldn't imagine life without.

I've been lucky in that my true heart breed has just happened to be the same breed I grew up with as a child. Even though I haven't had much experience with other breeds, the Aussie Terrier is one I won't live without.

I'd love to eventually get into showing and breeding, however I'm enjoying my start in agility for now. I also know I'll have other breeds in my life too (Salukis and Norwich Terriers) but my heart truly belongs to Aussies.

Until you feel this strongly towards a breed and protective of it to a certain extent, I wouldn't even begin to contemplate showing.

[Trisven13]

I think a better way to approach this question is to first find YOUR breed. The one(s) you love over all the others and that you couldn't imagine life without.

I've been lucky in that my true heart breed has just happened to be the same breed I grew up with as a child. Even though I haven't had much experience with other breeds, the Aussie Terrier is one I won't live without.

I'd love to eventually get into showing and breeding, however I'm enjoying my start in agility for now. I also know I'll have other breeds in my life too (Salukis and Norwich Terriers) but my heart truly belongs to Aussies.

Until you feel this strongly towards a breed and protective of it to a certain extent, I wouldn't even begin to contemplate showing.

BUT it doesn't have to happen that way. I knew I wanted to show before I found my breed as I knew I wanted to get into breeding and that meant I had to get into showing. I loved dogs, all dogs, and had never found a breed that "fit" until I went to a show and saw a Basset Fauve De Bretagne.

Its great that it worked that way for you but it doesn't work that way for everyone else. For some the chicken comes before the egg, for others the egg :)

[Dogsfevr]

Until you feel this strongly towards a breed and protective of it to a certain extent, I wouldn't even begin to contemplate showing.

I have to totally disagree .we like many people started showing on the suggestion of the breeder,friend ,vet or family members.

We where encouraged by our vet who was also a dog judge & felt our dog was a great example & it turned out she was ,

The breed i started with as a family isn't the breed i have stuck with ,i have enjoyed showing/owning numerous breeds & yet to breed any of them ,Breeding isn't a must have for me & i have great breeders that support me & i support the by owning & showing there dogs .

I also don't now of any showies that didn't stumble into showing & learnt the ropes along the way certainly no one in the 30 plus years i now waited to show for the reason you mentioned & if they did they would never show or never learn after all learming & being protective comes with knowledge but you have to start at the bottom & work you way up to gain that knowledge ,hands on experience & being around people who can share there knowledge is where we all started .

It would be like saying no one should do agility unless they where a set age & fitness.many people give agility a go with no idea where it will lead them & it either grows on you or they hate it .

[Rebanne]

I didn't stumble into showing. When I decided to show a dog I got a showbred greyhound on purpose having already had 2 greyhounds as pets.

[RuralPug]

There is room for people who just love to exhibit as well as people who exhibit because they just love the breed.

Some do stumble in - perhaps not so many these days though.

As long as they are promoting the breed or breeds they are showing, whether they also breed or not is not an issue.

[spoilt lab lives here]

I agree with Tris- it doesn't always happen that way. I've trialled in obedience with my lab and had wanted to get into showing for a few years just couldn't with my lab. I ummed and ahhed about what breed for a few years and all of a sudden I was at the right place and it was the right time and a field spaniel became available to me. He is a great fit in my yard and our first shows last weekend were great fun! I will be continuing in obedience with him but am having fun learning the ropes in the show world. Would never have picked a field myself before now, but so glad I've been introduced to this breed!

[Blackdogs]

Smooth collie.

[thowra]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. I am going to write down a few breeds that I particularly love and go see some at some shows when they are on local to me. There are some great suggestions on here so will do some research into them and then hopefully narrow that down!

[Amben]

It's funny how many horse people cross over to dog showing. I have found it hard to get to horse shows since having kids and thought I might try dog showing instead, I did have a go years and years ago but was at that age where I was more interested in spending every spare second with my boyfriend so didn't really commit to it. I've narrowed down my breed (IG) now I am just waiting for the right pup to pop up!

[WreckitWhippet]

Lots of current and former horse people in sighthounds.

Yours truly is one of them.

Yep another horse person. It made the transition easy, I came prehardened and ready to roll, I could also recognise a decent dog when I saw one. I didn't come with breed standard knowledge but could see good balance and movement and it made getting the first show dog a successful experience.

[Kirislin]

Lots of current and former horse people in sighthounds.

Yours truly is one of them.

Puts hand up too. :D some of my best memories are riding through the bush with whippets running alongside or up ahead, forging rivers, brave whippets going where ever I went.

It also makes you practiced in spotting uneven movement.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Kirislin

[Snippy]

Interesting reading so far, thanks all.

I too (before I adopted a shelter dog) was interested in showing a dog. In fact a few years ago I was very close to having a gundog to show (until the breeder decided he turned out far too nice and decided to keep him)...Don't get me wrong, I understand if you get to the point of having bred that 1 in 100 dog you are going to want to hold onto him, it was just the way they handled the situation.

I went to quite a few shows and helped with their dogs and setup, minding the dogs etc. I met mum, dad and my puppy, signed forms etc. named him and was waiting for the exciting day to arrive where I could pick him up. Never happened. Apparently all that counted for nothing and the only response I got from them over the phone to me being absolutely gutted by this was "Don't cry" and "You didnt lose money."

Like THAT was the point!

Anyway I originally started to reply because people are mentioning horse show backgrounds, I have a cat showing background. I know it is quite different, but I can sympathise with the long hours and preparation required to keep an animal in (winning) show condition. It's really a longterm commitment and you have to love your pet for your pet first and foremost, because as others have said there will be days they will test your patience no end.

I think one day I might like to try showing if I found a supportive breeder, but for now I am happy with my lovely rescue ball of fluff.