Steps to find a good agility dog?

I will try to answer a question that I'm hearing over and over again for last 10 years… »What are PyrSheps like? I'm searching for a good agility dog and don't want a BC or a Sheltie because everybody has one«.

I think this is a completely wrong way to find your breed. Why do you think you would get along better with a breed that not-everybody has? I think it’s a totally wrong perspective, I think you should be searching for a breed that suits YOU best, no matter how many other people have this breed…

I guess you didn’t expect to hear that from me, being known to compete with off-breeds, but my reasons to get one or another breed were never that I wanted to have something special. My dogs are special enough anyway, just because they’re mine. I got a Samoyed because it was my childhood dream. And despite all the problems I had with Aiken, I wanted another Samoyed then, but my parents were of course against it. So I was thinking it would be easier to make them say yes to a small dog and decided to try a shepherd, but didn't want a Sheltie because they look too serious to fit in with my chaotic temperament. I think every real Sheltie would think I’m crazyJ. On the other hand, PyrSheps’ funny mongrel look looked chaotic enough to totally impress me. I didn’t know the breed at all at the time and I must admit that I fell in love with them because of their looks. But then, I still always decide for a dog based on their looks…

So here is the answer for everybody, asking me which tests I do to decide for a particular puppy… None. What I study before I choose particular line? Everything. But then never decide based on my findings… Then I see one particular dog and want a puppy. You probably all know my famous story about how I got La, my perfect puppy… I learned French, studied all the pedigrees, found a puppy that fit all my ideas about good dog, but then saw La’s mother and reserved a puppy without even asking for her pedigree… X-ray? Of course not. Any other health checks? No, why? She had everything. I chose La on the only picture of all three puppies that I got – to learn later that she was the only one not reserved yet anyway… Yeah, to tell you the truth, I never really chose a puppy… Aiken was bought in pet shop, Lo was the only girl, La and Bu are left-overs from their litters…

Yes, I do take it easy. Why? Because I believe in training. So my answer to a question in the first paragraph is: “You can’t buy good agility dog. But you can train it.” Of course, you can’t win WC with a Samoyed. But if winning WC is your goal, you probably won’t win it anyway.

I do like to see off-breeds in agility – as long as they like to be there too. I do NOT like to see dogs of any breed that don’t like to be there, be it because they’re too heavy to find it fun to jump or because of lack of motivation. But I also don’t find it a problem if people decide to change their breed to another breed that might share their passion for the sport more as their original breed. For example: let’s say you like some of the 80kg breeds, but then get passionate about agility. In my opinion, it’s more fair to your breed to get a dog of another, more athletic breed to do agility with as to persist with your breed and make them do something they don’t like to do – IF they don’t like it. If they do, then sure, just go for it!

What leads to an answer to another old question of why I went to the dark side and got a BC… I realized that from the breeds I like, BC will most likely enjoy my lifestyle. I think every 80kg dog would be miserable with me. So I just don’t get one. Maybe when I’m 80 (just joking), but for now, PyrSheps and BCs suit me best. And yes, to all the PyrShep fans: no, I’m not changing breeds, of course I’ll always have PyrSheps, who could live without little trouble-makers anyway?!? PyrSheps are certainly my Breed.

To return to the original question: how are they? - Shy, barky, hyperactive… Not easy at all to live with, but way too charming and funny to be able to live without them… But definitely  not a safe choice for an agility dog. Unfortunately, more and more breeders are breeding for “user-friendly” PyrSheps and end with dogs with no drive… Even those with drive can easily be shut down, because they’re so sensitive. They’re also rather shy and if they don’t get enough socialization as puppies, they might never feel comfortable around other people, dogs and noises. So… If all you want is good agility dog… Don’t get one! On the other hand, if you want a crazy hyperactive dog that is able to fight all laws of physics, being on 1001 places at the same moment, offering 1001 behaviours per second and climb any mountain (to not even mention your kitchen desk – especially if there is some food on it…), then it might be the right breed for you… One is sure: they won’t leave you indifferent. You either love them or hate them.

But, one way or the other, with that or any other breed: if you want a good agility dog, you will need to train it. Careful choosing of the breed, the breeder and the puppy might help and shorten a process, that is true, but… I’m always ready to put all the time in the world in puppy training, so I don’t particularly care about that. I love puppy training and don’t mind if a process is a little longer, so I guess left-overs are good enough for meJ. So… No steps here, sorry, I just see&buy. I guess I have only one useful advice on this topic: don’t choose dogs as I do if you’re not ready to put just as much time as needed into puppy training. But then, if you’re in search for instant and guaranteed success, you might want to reconsider getting a dog in a first place…