Rosettes to Ruin

[Denise Wall]

An interesting article on the showring and working breeds:

 

www.terrierman.com/rosettestoruin.htm

 

This http://www.terrierman.com site has other interesting articles, including one citing the efforts of the working border collie people to fight AKC take over of the breed.

 

http://www.terrierman.com/AKCindex.htm

[Bill Fosher]

Very interesting, Denise.

 

Thanks for putting up the links. I've just been having a discussion with a lady who breeds Australian shepherds who is conviced that a conformation standard is not only okay, but needed to preserve working ability.

[J.E.S]

"I've just been having a discussion with a lady who breeds Australian shepherds who is conviced that a conformation standard is not only okay, but needed to preserve working ability."

 

I was just reading that discussion. She still doesn't get it. She still puts importance on the "correct conformation for the breed"

I have 4 Border Collies, all of them look different. They all have different conformation from each other. So which is right? Answer? All of them because they all work.

Joan

[PennyT]

Where was the discussion about conformation?

 

I'll be curious to see what happens with ASCA's threatened working standard which was designed to include how an Australian Shepherd should look working stock into how they are evaluated during an ASCA stock dog trial. In other words, Aussies that have eye or any suspect border collie characteristics will not be viewed as working livestock in the approved Aussie style in ASCA trials.

 

Don't get confused and think that ASCA means to incorporate a working standard into its requirements for a conformation championship because that is not being considered. Put one way, the intention is to preserve what is called the old-fashioned, working Aussie. Put another way, the intention is to give less talented Aussies an edge in stock dog trials over more talented Aussies, most of which work cattle for a living, from certain suspect lines.

 

I haven't heard what has happened. Maybe some compromise document has been agreed on.

 

Penny

[Deacon Dog]

Thanks for the link. Interesting article.

 

In a similar vein:

 

Description and Origin of the Alaskan Husky

 

"In fact, to an Alaska musher it would be silly and absurd to define a work animal such as the Alaska husky in purely mechanical and descriptive terms. How could you guarantee that an animal of this build or that description would be a good sled dog?"

[Denise Wall]

Tony,

 

Thank you for your link. I enjoyed reading about the Huskies.

[Oreo's mom]

Thanks for that link. My husband was a musher for years in Alaska. His dogs, unless they came from the same litter, varied a lot in looks, working ability and temperament. His lead dog(and beloved doggy friend) Freckles actually looked amazingly like our Oreo.