working dogs

[ShadyLady]

Was resently told that a horse , namely cutting horse , would pass on more cow instinct the older and more experience he is. If this is true wouldnt it apply to dogs also ? It seemed a little far fetched to me ,I thought it would be that the older the sire the more chance to see his working potential ( and give you an idea if it has the working qualities you are looking for )Interested to hear other peoples thought on the matter :popcorn: I started thinking about this after reading the post on the silky dog (2 yr old)

[bk_blue]

Yeah it sounds a bit farfetched to me... it's all in the genes or so I believe :wink:. Can't understand how the sire can pass on his experience to his offspring until they're born! :roll: :wink:

[Poofy]

Ability, instinct, and drive are genetic...the actual lesson is not. The first three are the result of selective breeding, of certian behaviors. I think that the dog's ability to go the distance, as it ages, is a display of its genetic predisposition....I doubt going the distance effects it genome.

[Black GSD]

WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!!!! What about the fact that some of the best racehorses AND performance horses have a sire and/or dam that have NEVER done anything? I think the person that told you that has beed doing a little too much :popcorn:

[Kiger]

Secretariat was pretty much a dud as a stud.

[Black GSD]

[quote name='Kiger']Secretariat was pretty much a dud as a stud.[/quote]True. BUT his daughters are pretty good producers. And one of the better QH studs around here couldn't out run ME. But his offspring sure are runners!

[ShadyLady]

Mmm thats what I thought just thought I'd pass it on and see if anyone had heard of it before. As with any animal age affects performance some improve some dont

[Poofy]

Sure...some improve some don't. Some dogs have the drive and skill to be incredible athelets....and sometimes they pass on that ability and sometimes they don't. However if you are looking for a dog with working ability, you *usually* don't go to the comformation litter, who is sired by the current #1 dog and the dam is the #1 b&tch...where their brothers and sisters and ancestors were all nothing but show dogs.... You tend to go to a pedigree where there is some proof of ability, where parents have displayed working ability, preferably for many generations. Depending on how serious you are, you may look for Ch performance titles for working dogs...look at labradors and goldens, it does not take very long to create a rift in a breed...where you have ability and you have looks.
Ability is in the genes....the stronger the pedigree in the area you desire....the better chance you have at obtaining a dog that can do what you want.

[ShadyLady]

With herding poofy one of the common faults is over excitement and this tend to settle down with age .A freind of mine had a kelpie 2yrs old that was an absolute maniac but with constant work by the age of 4 it was unrecognizable I couldnt believe it was the same dog . I totally agree about the seperation of showies and working lines .Personal I wouldnt even look at a dog unless I saw the parent physically working. Does any one have opinions on physical looks of pups and parents (color build ect) ? I have found that the pups tend to take after the parent that they physically look like (not all way but it is too many times to dismiss it ) any ideas? :lol:

[Poofy]

Its very possible that there are genes that affect ability located on the same chromosomes that effect apperance...it happens all the time with all sorts of genetic traits... Nothing is *impossible* only improbable :)

[Guest Anonymous]

Okay guys this is from HOBBIT:(he still cannot get on) :(


The age of the stallion does not matter concerning the amount of instinct he passes on. Genetically, he either has it or he doesn't. He passes 1/2 his genetic code on to his progeny --- rather he's 2 or 20. It is up to the handler to nurture the colt's ability (if he inherited any) and afford him every opportunity to be the best he possibly could be.