Best Breeds For Obedience Training, Agility And Dogs Sports

[RallyValley]

Once you have a dog that was 'designed' for routine work (i.e gundog or herding breed) you can't go too far wrong. BC's are obviously the number one choice for the general population due to (in my own expirence I have found) thier willingness to do one activity agian and again. However if you look at the competitors at international or even top US agility competitions you will find a variety of breeds. I have seen a GSD run mediocre at a comp then under a different handler put in a brilliant run.

Half of it is attitude .

[JulesP]

I think that you should get a breed that you like rather than one that you think would be good at sports. I do sports because I have borders, I don't own borders so I can do sports You need to live with them the rest of the time that you aren't doing the sport.

[trifecta]

Yes the obvious breeds are BC ad Kelpie. Surprising that there aren't more Belgians around really.

Belgians excel at agility & love to jump. However they do not like drill, it is too boring for their agile minds, which is perhaps the reason why they are not as numerous in the Obedience ring.

Nobody has mentioned the Australian Cattle Dog, Sheilaheel springs to mind immediately, she has multi-titled & multi-talented dogs!

[RallyValley]

I think the OP is looking at which breeds are good then if she likes one she will get it. I don't think she is taking what we say as the bible .

I think that you should get a breed that you like rather than one that you think would be good at sports. I do sports because I have borders, I don't own borders so I can do sports You need to live with them the rest of the time that you aren't doing the sport.

[Got Spots]

Whipitgood my younger dog will happily chase and retrieve a "squirrel tail" thing at home but just looks at you blankly if you get out a ball. Also they stalk and hunt bush turkeys, water dragons, skinks, geckos, flies, moths and cockroaches. Oh and cane toads. Little buggers.

Loveable and fun but just not what I am after

I am seriously looking at a viszla - love the short coat and the colour, but am partial to a kelpie as well

[Robbi]

I have Kelpies and a Whippet and before the Whippet had a Greyhoundx and Kelpies They make a wonderful combination of dogs living together and I find the Kelpies much more trainable than the sighthounds but more independent. At night when Yogi Whippet wants to be in bed with me the Kelpies want to be outside sitting on the verandah, although my dogs all have their baskets in my bedroom the Kelpies are more on patrol at night.

[OSoSwift]

My Whippets are avid ball retrievers and will retrieve until they are plum exhausted!

They are also food motivated and easy to training using treats. I did get Rommi's weaving faster by throwing a ball after she had weaved correctly.

Edited January 24, 2010 by Rommi n Lewis

[Whipitgood]

I think that you should get a breed that you like rather than one that you think would be good at sports. I do sports because I have borders, I don't own borders so I can do sports You need to live with them the rest of the time that you aren't doing the sport.

Oh yes, of course. Although i am showing mostly every second weekend - my dogs are my family members first and foremost, they ae inside with us and are basically family dogs that i happen to show. I dont believe in having multiple dogs in kennels only to get them out to show ocassionally.

But i would like a dog that i can do sports with, one that might be better suited to it, before i extend my whippet population! As i am on acreage, a working breed might suit our family just as well in the home as it would on the field.

I would never get a breed i dont like just for the sake of competing - i am not that keen on competing! I have a very busy life outside of the dogs and i have to be able to love it as a family member too!

I am not keen on anything bigger than a Kelpie/Whippet size, i dont want a coated breed either so that narrows down my options! Off to look in last nights show catalogue to see if there are Kelpies entered!!

[RallyValley]

Just something to think about:

2009 Winners - AKC Agility Invitational

8-INCH

1.Pembroke Welsh Corgi - MACH5 Hawk Hill's Tobi Bear MXF - Darlene Paul

2.Pomeranian - MACH5 Cheris Popeye The Zailor - Gena Zglinski

3.Havanese - MACH Alderon's Surfer Girl RN NF - Trisha Koetter

4.Cardigan Welsh Corgi - Ch. MACH2 Corwynt Tayken Crushed Ice HSAs HIAd - Susan Stephon

12-INCH

1.Cardigan Welsh Corgi - MACH3 Dobcar's Cavaletti XF - Michelle Permann

2.Pomeranian - MACH5 April May Wicket Moxon - Gail Donaldson

3.Miniature Schnauzer - MACH6 Rock-A-Doodle-Do - Steve Moon

4.Manchester Terrier - Ch MACH7 Burmack's HVN Hi V Bobi CD RN MXF - Vivian Vidoli

16-INCH

1.Pyrenean Shepherd - NAC MACH2 Luka De La Brise XF - Ashley Deacon

2.Australian Shepherd - MACH Toprock's La Femme Ewe-Nika - Elicia Calhoun

3.Italian Greyhound - MACH4 Amore's Cedar MXF - Karena Kosco

4.Bedlington Terrier - Ch MACH7 Serendipity's Heartbreaker OF ME - Melody Guiver

20-INCH

1.Border Collie - MACH3 Bluefire What Was I Thinkin' XF - Lisa Carol Ross

2.Golden Retriever - MACH2 Fast-Trak's Laser Flash XF - Elizabeth Bronson

3.Belgian Tervuren - MACH Sprite's Full-Tilt TD XF - Marie Ashbaugh

4.Portuguese Water Dog - Ch MACH2 Cutwater Wine and Dine Me - Lori Chambers

24-INCH

1.Doberman Pinscher - MACH4 Thornwoods Flare MXF - Yvonne Mancino

2.Weimaraner - CH MACH Regen's Rocket Launcher VCD3 XF - Steve Jenks

3.Siberian Husky - MACH5 T'ai CD RA MXF - Desiree Snelleman

4.Belgian Tervuren - MACH Montage Works Like a Charm XF - J Rusty Pearson

EUROPEAN OPEN CHAMP 2009

Medium

Agility

Polona Bonac - Sja (SVN) Mudi 33.42

Stephanie Tiemann - Chilly (DEU) Manchester Terrier 33.76

Silvia Trkman - La (SVN) Berger des Pyrenees 33.77

[Tiggy]

For me my breed is Staffords. I love the breed and could never be without one. I'm hoping to start trialing Banjo in Obedience this year. I actually like the challenge of not having a herding or gundog. I'm going to be so proud when he does hit the ring and show what a great little breed they are.

[Staranais]

Silvia Trkman - La (SVN) Berger des Pyrenees 33.77

Off topic but she is one of my all time favourite trainers. I love her website! ;)

www.silviatrkman.com

Interesting to see a husky in one of the top agility spots, I don't think I've ever seen a husky doing agility before.

Also, people haven't mentioned this yet, but since you don't specifically say you want a puppy or a purebred, I'd say don't discount pound/SPCA dogs. One of the SAR groups in this country get most of their dogs from the pound, since they find a lot of nice but drivey dogs there, who come from families that just weren't prepared to deal with their energy level. They like it because don't have the pot luck of growing a puppy and hoping it will have a suitable temperament - they can specifically adopt a dog that's already suitable for the job.

[Daisy]

I also really like Kelpies but am not into the the build of the bench Kelpie these days so would have a working line Kelpie. - yes I know others will disagree!

I will agree with you I grew up with working line kelpies, and the show lines just look a little 'odd' to me ;)

I have 2 greyhounds and a whippet, but am looking at getting into showing at some stage. the big problem will be choosing a breed. At the moment I am tossing up between a greyhound, a Borzoi, or a Ridgeback. If I did go the Ridgie I might like to have a go at dog sports too. Does anyone know of any Ridgies that are good at obedience or agility?

[poodlefan]

If you want to know what does well in these sports, look at the results.

In agility, the sport is dominated by 500 dogs.. BCs, the odd Kelpie or Coolie. But to handle a high drive working dog WELL, is not easy. There are a lot of barking, spinning frustrated working dogs around, handled by people who thought that simply getting the right breed would put them in the winners circle.

In height trials, the utility gundogs, poodles, Papillons and fast shelties hold their own. But they can't compete against a fast 500 dog if it keeps the bars up.

Obedience.. I think its easier with a larger dog. I'd go Golden Retriever, Labrador, working dog or Utility Gundog.

There will always be exceptional breed individuals trained by great trainers but that doesn't make a whole breed a good sports dog prospect. Look to where the numbers are.

Then it comes down to selection of the right pup, the right training and the right handling.

However, if you wouldn't want to own one of these dogs and not compete with it then don't buy a dog for the job. What happens when that dog becomes unsound or can't compete - do you still want to live with it? If the answer is no then buy the breed you love and do whatever is possible with that.

Daisy there are a few local RRs that do agility. Personally I'd rate a Whippet as a better dog sports prospect than a RR.

Edited January 24, 2010 by poodlefan

[Kavik]

I also think obedience is easier with a bigger dog - hence why Diesel was supposed to be my obedience prospect ;)

Your timing and handling needs to be good in agility if you are handling a fast, drivey dog. We have yet to have a quallie in ANKC agility or jumping (partly due to a running off issue which is being addressed). However they are so much fun to run, the speed and adrenaline when running them, I wouldn't have it any other way I also just love the Kelpies, their size, their cheekiness, their energy and enthusiasm, their wiggly bums and licking

[Jumabaar]

If you are looking at a Kelpie for dog sports and showing there are a few show lines that are being bred specificaly for dog sports (still do well in the show ring) and look more like your working kelpie lines. As with all breeds there is a wide variety within the breed so you would need to do some research. I can recomend a few ppl to go to and a few to stay away from (NB I have nothing against the people that I recomend not to go to but from experince have found that they do not have the 'it' factor for dog sports) if anyone wants to PM me.

My ANKC kelpie keeps up with the working kelpies at flyball and will hopefully hit the OB ring this year, fingers crossed I will also sort out some running off buisness in agility and she should debut in that too.

I think Kelpies make an amazing sports dog and companion- they have off switches (mine are all couch potatos at home, big time- too lazy to even play with the puppy!) but take them off the property (or even say 'ready ready' NB never say ready ready to a Kelpie if you are heading into the show ring- it does not look pretty!) and they become little firecrackers. They are a little different to train compared to a BC but after whippets I think you will be more than ready for a Kelpie!!

ETA- LOL kavik we both have the running off issue. I would like to add that I have three others that have perfecft recall and dont run off. Abby was my first sport dog so am trying to undo some of my mistakes!!

Edited January 24, 2010 by woofenpup

[Keshwar]

I think that you should get a breed that you like rather than one that you think would be good at sports. I do sports because I have borders, I don't own borders so I can do sports You need to live with them the rest of the time that you aren't doing the sport.

Agree with this.

My first obedience dog is an Afghan Hound. The sense of accomplishment when we got our CCD title was awesome. It took us longer than it might have taken someone with a BC or Kelpie but we had a ball. My goal this year is to try to get a CD title on him.

I will also be starting agility with my Affie girl this year. ;) :grouphug: We may dot do all that well but hey we will be having a hoot while we do it.

Good luck with what ever you decide.

Bear

[poodlefan]

I will also be starting agility with my Affie girl this year. :laugh: :laugh: We may dot do all that well but hey we will be having a hoot while we do it.

And that's what matters Bear. Howie does agility intake on Wednesday night. Here's hoping he can resist the urge to zoom and passes.

I have no expectations. I figure he can't be any worse at it than Lily was initially.

Looking forward to seeing a big hairy sighthound to swell the numbers.

Edited January 24, 2010 by poodlefan

[Kavik]

I remember seeing a lady with Afghans when I was training Zoe in agility several years ago (Zoe didn't mind her dogs), so it certainly can be done

[Kavik]

woofenpup - Kaos is the first dog I've competed with, so a few little glitches to fix in terms of rewarding, not letting him self reward, and placement of reward outside of the ring, which I haven't done with other dogs. He is getting better, I certainly hope to get some passes this year! He is good at training. I have had passes in ADAC, just not ANKC.

[Whipitgood]

However, if you wouldn't want to own one of these dogs and not compete with it then don't buy a dog for the job. What happens when that dog becomes unsound or can't compete - do you still want to live with it? If the answer is no then buy the breed you love and do whatever is possible with that.

Thanks Poodlefan for the info, i will look at some results. I have been keeping an eye on the dog sports mag and results through our canine association too.

In reference to the above quote - see my reply page 2! I would never get a dog just for the sake of doing sports, like i said on page 2, it is a pet and family member first and foremost, of course i would get a breed that i love, rather than getting a breed just because it may excel at sports.

I have tried agility with the whippets without a lot of success. But my guys, like most whippets i think, have short energy bursts then sleep for 4 hours afterwards, lazy beggars!!

Well done with your Afghan keshwar :p

I realise that any dog can do sports, but my original question was what dogs were particularly suited to agility and obedience, if any.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Whipitgood