Breed for Working Trials? General Chat

The next discipline that I really want to get into with a future dog is working trials. I'm answering the points below based on my current situation but that obviously may have changed by the time I get another dog!

Whether you have had dogs previously
Grew up with collie crosses, currently own 2 BC's and a HPR.
Your circumstances - do you work etc?
I work full time but in reality my hours are only part time as my job involves me working alone in my own van and is therefore flexible, allowing me to pop home regularly and finish my day when i've completed my workload. I currently live with parents and my Mum is at home during the day so the dogs are never left alone.
How much time you have for exercise
The 'norm' is 2 hours off lead for my current lot in rural locations during the week and I drive quite far to take them different places. Weekends are spent going further afield, visiting new places and spending more time exploring.
Whether you have children, other pets etc
I have no children of my own but my niece and nephews visit often (ages range from 3 to 10). There are 2 caged birds in the house.
What characteristics you are looking for
Plenty of drive to work, eager to please, intelligent and I want something I find pleasing to look at. I also need a dog that i'm not bending down to all the time to train it so something medium to large.
What breeds you have already looked at and your thoughts on them
Aussie Shepherd - prefer the look of the show type but would they have the attitude I want?
Doberman
Labradoodle (don't shoot me down, I think they are lovely dogs!) My thoughts on the Labradoodle is that they may not have the drive I want. All the ones i've met have been a bit airheaded!
Anything else you think might be relevant or important
I'm not looking for a gundog breed as any gundog I have in the future will be used for that purpose only. Bull breeds arent for me so no suggestions along those lines neither!

I cant really think of any other breeds that I like that would fit the bill so any suggestions would be very welcome.

Schnauzer? (probably giant?)

Working line German Shepherd

i have had shepherds before and now have collies but my next will def be another shepherd from working lines. my OH back in the 70's did work a Weimaraner in trials I have seen alsorts worked in trials I'm surI can remember (70's) a doctor working an Irish wolfhound(think her surname was Milne) but at the other extreme there was dear Miss Moffat who worked a Papillon..so you really have a lot to choose from
Good luck and happy training whatever you choose

I'm afraid to say i'm not keen on GSD's. I know they would be the perfect dog for WT but, although I can appreciate a good one, i'm just not taken with them.

Giant Schnauzer is worth a thought...

Whatever breed you eventually choose, one thing that should come first is that the parents & the dogs behind them should be fully health tested, not to do so can & often does lead to getting a dog that cannot physically do working trials.

Some breeds have few if any of the basic health tests done like hips, elbows, etc tested because there is no perceived problem in the breed, but when the dog is required to do the physical work in WT their failing are only too obvious.

This is one reason that working line GSDs are so popular along with some lines of BCs

the beauty of Working Trials is that you can be successful with ANY dog of ANY breed.

Obviously you need to consider size re WD and TD stakes as small dogs would need to negotiate full size jumps in these stakes.

Giant Schnauzers, only been a handful in trials, not terribly successful and you may wish to consider the size and weight of a dog when looking at the scale.

Having said that as has already been said an Irish Wolfhound competed successfully with the Vet Mrs Milne and recently a Great Dane got to WDex.

ASDs have been successful with Suzane Jaffa making up a WT Champion with a male and more recently a dual Ob and WT Champion again with a male.


Most people who used to work Dobes have gone on to "other breeds" although a couple of WT Champions have been made up in the breed several decades ago.

What about a Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) the most successful of the BSD group in Working Trials.

What is the problem with Dobes then? Are the working lines poor?
A Malinois is worth a though too, not terribly keen on the other BSD's (yes, i'm very fussy and as shallow as it may seem, my first consideration is with a dog I like the look of. I've got to live with it for 14 years or whatever!)

Malinois? (or other type of bsd)

edit: ooh beaten to it!

I fully agree with your last statement!

There are not really any working lines in the UK, there are some affixes you might look at Aritaur, Chancepixies but, like Weimaraners, there is not the market for working lines only.

BSD there are some good breeders of working line Malinois in the UK; the best of whom is probably John and Sue Rumble.

They have bred the first Malinois to become a WT Ch, another who has qualified PDex TDex, the first Malinois to win a ticket in Obedience and even one that has won in the showring.

John himself competes and wins in the sport of Mondioring abroad in Belgium and France and, in the recent World Championships, was beaten by only .5 of a point and plenty others he has bred have been succesful in this sport in other countres, FCI obedience as well as being sought after police and prison dogs.

The Groans, Turds and Lakies have nowhere near the level of success as Malis.

I find with the "Groans and Turds" (LOL!) the ears are set too close together for my liking, and the coats are a bit fluffy looking.

What about Aussie Cattle Dogs and Kelpies?

There have been a couple of ACDs with TDex, they can be a bit short on the leg for long and scale.

Kelpies, there are a couple working, not in ticket though I do not think though I could be wrong.

My good friend has a kelpie, he is lovely. I also know quite a few on the agility circuit, most are high drive and very biddable, but personally i wouldnt recommend one of the most 'popular' breeders if you did go down that route (dont want to name them on here).

The woman who runs the kennels i use, and also competes in obedience has recently aquired a briard, he is proving to be very trainable so far!

Hovawart?

I Love Hovawarts

Yes there have been one or two in the lower stakes, they have never set the world on fire...........

Hovis = better bre(s)d? hmmmmm although they are on the FCI list of dogs that can compete in Schutzhund, go figure!

Lakinois are nice!

Spelling??

rune

You rarely see them on the Continent in working disciplines such as French, Belgian, Mondio ring, Schutzhund or KNPV.

Or....you could always stick with collies

My third choice (after GSD & BC) would be a rottie.

You can get some nice ones now if you to the right lines, athletic rather than big bears.

Kurt Schwentek's Eylauerhof kennel for example.

Rhodesian Ridgeback?