This is the Westminster challenge, where they groom dogs and show them, then say that they are also “good family dogs.” How many city folk do you know that have sheep? How about cattle which our family has. Zoe played with baby lambs once on the farm then ran from them because they were rambunctious teens so I took her out of the goat pen. So much for being a herder.
Some hunters may want a birder but I’ve an Australian Shepherd mix that herds… me. Especially with food or laundry.
I saw one new Italian dog in the competition that is a digger, now trained to dig truffles. I doubt s/he could find a truffle around here but will always have nose to the ground. My dog looks around at her area from all sides but cannot see upwards to save her old life. Yes, she does sniff but only to do her business or chase squirrels. Don’t worry, she’ll never catch one!
I’m wondering why folks have and train and have handlers and groom dogs like crazy just to see what a breed could look like and what it was bred to do. Our 12 year-old dog has never retrieved a bird or killed a rat, ok, two mice in winter when they came out of the snow. My husband threw them over the fence for local wildlife as he knew I would not want to do five loads of laundry after she vomited the remains on our bed.
These dogs are bred for show, not work or families. Our Zoe is a real dog who herds us and keeps us company. She’s an Aussie mix we got at a shelter 12 years ago as a pup. Ours is a good family dog, even though she tries to get into her “magic room,” the kitchen, and serpentines in front of me with laundry.
She’s kind of a mascot around the community as she’s beta so most of the dogs love her and all the people know her name. That’s my kind of dog show. Let’s go for a walk, Zoe! Cheers from Dee
Cooking with Dee 