55 replies to this topic

[sea4th]

This reminded of me a day I was walking through an AKC "Meet the Breeds" with my BC. One of the handlers shouted out to me "Hey look, this is a real Collie" and pointed to his giant fluffy barbied Collies. I didn't respond then and, two years later, still have no idea what the right course of action would have been (aside from rolling my eyes and walking away). Does the "Your dog hasn't ever even tasted sheep poo," argument typically work on the AKC enslaved?

I got kicked out of the "Meet the Breeds" venue at a big show cluster here because I guess my dogs and I offended the barbie collies. One of the handlers --- long time ACD breeder with her first OZ barbie collie, called my dogs "crippled pieces of crap". My "crippled pieces of crap" would and could wipe their feet on the feeble attempts to "work" that her dog attempted. Nothing against the dog --- ever, but some of these breed dog handlers need a sock shoved in their mouths.

PS. My "crippled pieces of crap" and I got our revenge at a clinic with a mini trial at which she showed up with her Ch. Oz collie, saw what the raggle taggle group of border collies there could actually do, and gracefully exited. Hope she learned a lesson of some sort there.

[geonni banner]

This reminded of me a day I was walking through an AKC "Meet the Breeds" with my BC. One of the handlers shouted out to me "Hey look, this is a real Collie" and pointed to his giant fluffy barbied Collies. I didn't respond then and, two years later, still have no idea what the right course of action would have been (aside from rolling my eyes and walking away).

If I had such a rude remark leveled at me I would probably respond in one of two ways.

If I was in a good mood I'd probably say, "Yeah, real fluffy."

If I was in a bad mood I'd probably say, "Well, at least he's polite, which is more than I can say for his owner."

Either way, I'd keep walking.

[njnovice]

This reminded of me a day I was walking through an AKC "Meet the Breeds" with my BC. One of the handlers shouted out to me "Hey look, this is a real Collie" and pointed to his giant fluffy barbied Collies. I didn't respond then and, two years later, still have no idea what the right course of action would have been (aside from rolling my eyes and walking away). Does the "Your dog hasn't ever even tasted sheep poo," argument typically work on the AKC enslaved?

As far as the term "working line"- it makes me thing of the breeders who use "championship lines" to advertise their breeding stock. For a good example, one can check their local Kijiji listings. The number of people who claim to own "championship" dogs is staggering. I often wonder exactly what they think their dog's parents were champions of.

Halfway through "The Dog Wars" and loving it!

Reminds me of my former neighbor. She asked what kind of dog Mick was, and I said Border Collie. She snottily replied, "he doesn't look like any Border Collie I'VE ever seen." I told her that he was working bred, not an AKC Border Collie.

BTW, she breeds and shows Shiba Inus. Her dogs go to Westminster. I'm sure she's only been around the fluffy sort.

[Christina]

I'm not really fantastic with witty comebacks, so stuttering and walking away while thinking "Gee, what a jerk," was about the best I could do. I went back this year (they hold one yearly at the Pet Expo here in CT) and walked through the area sectioned off for barbie breeds. I was happy to not see any BCs, but there were a few Spaniels and a Setter that had me shaking my head. All pretty and primped, obviously none of them have ever even seen a field, nevermind game.

PS. My "crippled pieces of crap" and I got our revenge at a clinic with a mini trial at which she showed up with her Ch. Oz collie, saw what the raggle taggle group of border collies there could actually do, and gracefully exited. Hope she learned a lesson of some sort there.

It's those moments (among others) that make it all worthwhile. I wonder if she actually did take anything away from the experience, of if she justified what she was doing to herself, as most people tend to do.

Going back to the OP, I walked by a guy today while hiking with my dogs. He saw them and exclaimed "Oh, sheepdogs!". I noticed he was an older gentleman, and realized that, where I live, the term "sheepdog" is typically used by very specific groups of people and very rarely are any of them women. Of course, that isn't to say anything about anyone here. But there must be some relationship between the term used to name a dog, and the age/gender/upbringing of the person who is referencing said dog.

I, for example, am a young female, brought up in rural southern Florida and eventually made my way up north to Connecticut. My experience with dogs was limited to AKC breeds, and AKC registration. I wasn't aware of other registries until I started doing some more reading on the subject. Given what I thought I knew about dogs from the beginning, I have always called different breeds by their AKC registered name. "Border Collie" rather than "sheepdog". Looking back on it now, I do believe "sheepdog" makes more sense, especially since the goal is to breed for working ability. A good working breeder is not breeding to produce Border Collies- s/he is breeding to produce sheepdogs.

[Carson Crazies]

I think the whole "working lines" thing is an attempt to just try to validate a breeding, and rake in more money. It's right up there with "championship bloodlines". It is, IMO, an admission of guilt and greed, and the general public doesn't know any better. It's really too bad.

On the other topic... I've had people try to argue with me that my dogs couldn't possibly be border collies.

[Sue R]

We all know that Nick is a purebred Noodlehound, a very rare breed (and therefore more valuable) directly descended from the purebred German Spatzlehund. Pun intended. Let's hope someone other than myself thought it funny!

Now, Dan would probably be guessed "a who-knows-what-crossed-with-hound". No one (outside of working Border Collie circles) would ever guess "Border Collie". And the sheep would prefer no one called him a "sheepdog" either. Maybe I'll just refer to him as a Makohound or, on his more "determined" days, a Hammerheadhund.

I have drifted so far off topic that I can't remember what the topic was. Sorry.

[topnotchdog]

We all know that Nick is a purebred Noodlehound, a very rare breed (and therefore more valuable) directly descended from the purebred German Spatzlehund.

Mmmm, Spaetzle....must....grasp...at..topic at hand...from the haze of noodle thougths...

This has actually been a really helpful thread, as in the past I've had several confusing conversations with people that now make a lot of sense.

B.

[Carson Crazies]

So I've been rolling this around some more. I think that most of the time when we hear the "working lines thing that these people (before they have been educated) do not understand the difference between the phrases "working lines" and "working bred", and probably don't even know that there IS such a thing as working BRED. They know enough to think that the idea of working lines might draw in buyers (even though they have no concept of the work anyway) but again we're back to greed and ignorance. They think that adding in "working lines" will lend some sort of mystical credence to their breeding, and to the many times unwashed masses this sounds impressive.

Then there are the ones that just don't "get it", and it's not because they don't want to but because they just don't have the same point of reference that we do. I have friends with dogs of other breeds that they say are "working bred" even. By MY definition of working bred they are not, but compared to most of the breedings they have to choose from they're pretty close to working bred IMO. These people have not truly internalized the whole concept of a breed that has been and is bred with the work as the selection criteria. If the dog's parents worked stock in any capacity (or maybe their grandparents did) then by their definition within that breed the dogs are working bred (even when it might be a case of marginally working, or working badly). By our definition those dogs may not be, but it's the best they have now. I think that many people have THIS sort of understanding of things.

We all know that Nick is a purebred Noodlehound, a very rare breed (and therefore more valuable) directly descended from the purebred German Spatzlehund. Pun intended. Let's hope someone other than myself thought it funny!

Very funny actually, although it took me a second to get it. Spaetzle. LOL! The Noodle himself would appreciate this.

[Sue R]

"Spaetzle" - doggone spell-checker that had nothing to offer so I could spell it right. Rats, foiled again!

Maybe Dan should be a purebred German Spazzlehund - 'cause he's sometimes a spaz!

Back to our regular programming...

[PSmitty]

Sue, lemme see Dan!

(I like Makohound, though)

[stockdogranch]

OK, now wait...I have been thinking of names for my new little girl. And following in my "-le" pattern of endings for my girls' names, I had actually been thinking of Spaetzle (since I make homemade spaetzle fairly often and REALLY love them); then she could affectionately be referred to as "my little dumpling."
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[PSmitty]

*sigh*

I suppose I'm the only one who had to Google "spaetzle"?

[Gloria Atwater]

*sigh*

I suppose I'm the only one who had to Google "spaetzle"?

I dunno, to me "spaetzle" sounds like something my dogs just coughed up on the living room rug. :-p

~ Gloria

[Sue R]

OK, now wait...I have been thinking of names for my new little girl. And following in my "-le" pattern of endings for my girls' names, I had actually been thinking of Spaetzle (since I make homemade spaetzle fairly often and REALLY love them); then she could affectionately be referred to as "my little dumpling."
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Well, yeah, I know spaetzle is a dumpling but it's noodly enough for Nick the Noodlehound.

As for the baby girl, maybe this proves that "Spaetzle" was meant to be her name all along.

Obviously not yet back to our normal programming...

[stockdogranch]

I grew up outside of Cleveland...lots of Polish, Hungarian, German, etc. I first had spaetzle as a kid at this wonderful little hole-in-the-wall Hungarian restaurant. As an adult, I learned to make a really mean Chicken Paprikash (with spaetzle, of course!)

As for the baby girl, maybe this proves that "Spaetzle" was meant to be her name all along.

That's what I've been thinking...

Now, for a trivia question: Can you name the film with the line in it, "There is too much pepper in my paprikash"?

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[sea4th]

Now, for a trivia question: Can you name the film with the line in it, "There is too much pepper in my paprikash"?

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ummm. Lemme see. Dr. Zhivago. ????

[ShoresDog]

Now, for a trivia question: Can you name the film with the line in it, "There is too much pepper in my paprikash"?

When Harry Met Sally!

And she does look like a cute little dumpling ... for now! I imagine her becoming a bit more shark-like Raskle-like as she grows!

[MyTDogs]

As an adult, I learned to make a really mean Chicken Paprikash (with spaetzle, of course!)

We have a great polish restaurant up the street- in Florida of all places- & I love their chicken paprikash! the potato latkes with a side of sour cream & apple sauce are great too.

Is it spaat-zul?... spayt-zul? ...or spet-zul? It sounds cute either way.

[sea4th]

When Harry Met Sally!

Oh rats. My next guess was going to be Terminator II.

[stockdogranch]

Yaay! Jan, you win the prize--how about a piece of Pecan Pie

And it's spaat-zul. It's either going to be Spaetzle or Rustle...
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