Barbie Collies

[Betsy R.]

Hey, I was just browsing those horrible breeder websites looking at their pictures of Barbie Collies after reading the archieved threads this evening. Yep, they all really do look exactly the same. Anway, check out this website because it gave me quite a chuckle. Their prize winning bitch goes by the call name "Barbie". OMG, I laughed for about 5 mins after reading that.

 

www.omegamtn.com, click on the girls when you get there.

K,

Betsy

[Betsy R.]

Sorry about that, the webiste is actually

 

www.omegamtn.com

[Brandon M]

They have since nice looking dogs. I like the picture of "Boo", one of the boys, swimming after the geese lol. But since they have no pictures or info on their working dogs, they probably dont have any. They just have pretty dogs.

 

Believe it or not, my pups mom is a working dog who has also done well in shows. I think she's done ok at least. His dad is a working dog that doesn't do the show thing. His mom doesn't look so cookie cutter bc though, and the breeder doesn't breed for conformation. I think Dayze (his mom) is the only one they have that goes to some shows:

 

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

I hate to tell you, but if your dog's mom "does well in shows" then your breeder DOES "breed for conformation" whether she likes it or not. Did she keep a pup from the mom? Does she show the pup as well?

 

Cookie cutter is what cofnroamtion is all about and if her dogs don't seem that way to you now (the mom looks pretty typical to me, sorry), they will be eventually if your pup's breeder continues on in that venue. The pressure to conform is too great. It's CONFORMation, after all, right?

 

I'm not saying good, bad, or ugly - just be aware that you might THINK your breeder is sitting a fence here, when in reality she has dropped squarely on the other side.

[Geoffrey]

The dog in the picture doesn't look quite as...barbie-ish as most though.

 

Lots are much fluffier, heavier, larger boned, etc.

[prosperia]

Just a bit of insight from someone who has been there. Be prepared because when you link to a specific site, the owner just might find their way here to battle it out.

[Geoffrey]

Ahhh, I forgot about that.....EDIT!

[Anda]

If you look on that site, under "Girls", there are some pics from the Eukanuba 2006, and all the show dogs are IDENTICAL! (there is one tan dog amongst them, but still)

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

This is from http://encarta.msn.com/media_461539511/Bor...lie.html" target="_blank">Border collie image Encarta - a generic Barbie collie, I believe OK to link, though not to use (copyrighted). This one's great, because it's got a particularly "duh" look (this is where the owner of this dog's going to come out of the woodwork and lambast me for insulting her dog).

 

[Pearse]

Originally posted by Rebecca, Irena Farm:

I hate to tell you, but if your dog's mom "does well in shows" then your breeder DOES "breed for conformation" whether she likes it or not. Did she keep a pup from the mom? Does she show the pup as well?

I don't think you can say that based on the evidence you have. The dam of the pup in question may have been working bred ( or sport bred, or randomly bred) and still done well in the breed ring. There are people out there with dogs from solid working lines, some competing at Open level in USBCHA trials, who are AKC registered and have Ch after their name.

 

At best, you can say that the breeder, directly or indirectly, supports the AKC and at least the idea of breeding for conformation, but you have no evidence that this particular litter was bred for conformation.

 

I don't get the whole "OMG, OMG, go to this website and look at the piccies of dumb Barbie Collies so we can all make fun of them and feel superior" thing.

 

It's infantile.

 

If you want to discuss how to support the breed fine. You can do it without posting web addresses of conformation breeders just to insult them (and give them free publicity in the process).

 

A more useful discussion would be how to raise the profile of workng bred dogs.

 

Pearse

[Betsy R.]

Sorry if I insulted anyone. I just thought the name Barbie was funny.

 

Betsy

[Eileen Stein]

>

 

Actually, there are none, since CH goes before the dog's name. But leaving technicalities aside, there are very, very, very few dogs competing in Open level with conformation championships, so few as to make negligible the odds that any Open trial dog has a conformation championship. And the odds that any conformation champion is truly working bred are almost equally negligible. Believe me, I know this, because I go through the AKC list of conformation championships awarded every month.

 

Long may it stay that way. The more acceptable the idea of AKC registration and conformation showing of working border collies becomes, the more working ability will be diluted in our dogs. That is of a lot more concern to me than my failing to "get" why others may choose to post the topics they do.

 

If you have ideas for a more useful discussion, feel free to post them. I doubt anyone will take it upon themselves to reprove you.

[prosperia]

lol Becca. Yea you might be safe with that one. I learned the hard way. Unless of course you are prepared to either fight it out, or grovel and apologize profusly to some highly insulted owner. I swear, they've either got spies or their clairvoiant.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

You didn't get my point Pearse, possibly because it was not well stated. I'll try again. The point is, that if one shows in the breed ring, achieves a title (finishes), and breeds, that person is buying into breed ring mentality (acceptance of evaluation by a breed ring judge). Ergo, that person, no matter what stock they might have started with, is now breeding a conformation dog. And the longer they do it, the more their dogs will conform, whether they like it or not. This is some of the reasoning, I believe (still not satisfied with the way I put this, I'm not quite myself these days) behind ABCA deregistering conformation champions.

 

Lol, that's my last try.

 

And we like to make fun of the conformation people because they take themselves way too seriously. I enjoy watching the toy and terrier classes particulalry on TV - what a hoot. But the juxtaposition between what passes for a Border collie in the breed ring and what we use to work stock has to inspire either hilarity or deep depression - pick one. Or ignoer the whole thing and start a new topic on - what'd you say? - raising the profile of working dogs. I think I already commented on that somewhree esle, did you notice?

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Maria, I learned the hard way too!

[Kat's Dogs]

what passes for a Border collie in the breed ring and what we use to work stock has to inspire either hilarity or deep depression - pick one.

That stuck me as funny! (I guess I go for hilarity!)

[Brandon M]

I hate to tell you, but if your dog's mom "does well in shows" then your breeder DOES "breed for conformation" whether she likes it or not. Did she keep a pup from the mom? Does she show the pup as well?

They way I understand the showing of Dayze was that a friend of theirs breeds and shows britannys and suggested that they take Dayze to a show or two, because they though that maybe she would do well. Dayze isn't a champion show dog and I'm not even sure if they plan on going to more shows in the future. Also, no they didn't keep a single pup from the litter. Also, I met this breeder at a sheep dog trial in massachussets when I was working at the "Big E" fair there. I spent a lot of time around them and their dogs who were competing for the 15 days I was there. They also had a booth in one of the buildings to answer questions about working dogs.

 

At best, you can say that the breeder, directly or indirectly, supports the AKC and at least the idea of breeding for conformation, but you have no evidence that this particular litter was bred for conformation.

It is true that showing Dayze may support conformation breeding. But one thing I'm certain about is that they dont breed for conformation. The sire of this litter would be the laughing stock of a conformation show, but he's one hell of a good sheep dog.

[Alicia]

Brandon said that his dog's dam was a "working dog who, believe it or not, has also done well in shows. I think she's done ok at least."

 

That to me doesnt sound like the breeder is breeding for conformation. If the dog is a Working Dog who just happens to have the looks, conformation and ability to compete at Conformation as well, then what's to say that the Conformation has anything to do with her choice to breed her? Maybe she bred her because she's an excellent working dog and the conformation is secondary, I mean she did breed a Working Dog to a Working Dog who happens to be ok at Conformation.

[Alicia]

Oh and to add.

 

To me that's like saying that someone who's dog is a Working dog, but also does ok in Agility(or flyball or obedience), is breeding for Agility(or flyball or obedience), rather then herding, just because their Working dog happens to do well at Agility (or flyball or obedience)

[Betsy R.]

Thanks for the warning, never again will I say a word about anyone else's dog(s) in an attempt at a joke. I wil stick with simple knock knocks and how many dogs does it take to change a light bulb. I learned my lesson. BTW, Don't ever post at 2 in the morning 'cause your mind just isn't working well at that time.

 

Later,

 

Betsy-Human to Tucker and Jester

[border_collie_crazy]

Unless of course you are prepared to either fight it out, or grovel and apologize profusly to some highly insulted owner. I swear, they've either got spies or their clairvoiant.

lol been there,twice actually... first when random people I know suddenly appeared to defend a breeder they dont even like then there was the barbie threat in the politics section lol these people just show up all upset and are never heard from again. I think I will go with your spie theory lol

[Brandon M]

I wil stick with simple knock knocks and how many dogs does it take to change a light bulb.

I for one was not offended in the slightest by your post and though I kinda feel bad about the dogs being made fun of because of their owners, I understand it's all in fun. And some ppl here probably do find it humorous

[Betsy R.]

Thanks Brandon M, glad that you knew I was just joking! I know how much we all love our dogs and any owner whether of a working border collie, lab, poodle or just plain mutt will go to any lengths to defend their "kid" no matter what the odds!

[Brandon M]

here's a pic of Lance's dad working sheep. He has won many trials and is a top-notch dog.

 

 

and another of his close relatives (sire's brother) who lives on another ranch, also working sheep.

 

 

I dont have any picks of the dam working stock but I have watched her. She's awesome I cant wait to get Lance in training as he is showing a lot of potential for working livestock.

[Betsy R.]

I am so ready to start herding!! I got to see both of Tucker's parents working on the home ranch before I picked him out. Pretty cool to watch them bringing in the cattle for branding and immunization. Only thing stopping me from starting Tucker's herding career is money and time. Hopefully this summer when I get a break from school.