> > I find it sad that a special type of speed demon is the only type that > wins at top level. > Why?
It is simple. Over-focus on one thing. I don't think it is good to put so much focus into speed and drive, just as it isn't good to put so much focus on heads in the conformation ring. Life should always try to attain balance. Focusing on speed and drive is putting things out of balance. > I would imagine that most of these dogs are probably rather > > hard for the average person to live with! > Maybe some are, but certainly not all. The dogs you have met may well be easy to live with because they are trained and campaigned in agility and therefore have something to do. But how many of any breeder's puppies will go into agility as compared to how many end up going as pets? If you breed for drive and get it, you are going to make the agility competitor very happy and the pet owners very unhappy. The average pet owner isn't going to give their pet a job or do agility with it and the temperament will become difficult. > Don't know why, as all of these dogs have far more stable temperaments than > many others I have seen of their respective breeds. Again, probably because they are *working* dogs. Try putting that same dog into a regular family as a pet and see how stable they remain. I know, I know. Shelties and Border Collies shouldn't be pets--I can already hear it. This is an argument I can't win. However, I don't think it is fair to throw out an entire breed as good pets because some people want to focus on speed and drive to attain top agility titles with just a few dogs. Again, over focus on a trait cannot be good for any breed. If something is good--more doesn't necessarily mean better. Balance should be the goal. A correctly temperamented Cavalier should be an excellent agility candidate. They are after all, a spaniel, a sporting type breed. Maybe there are not that many Cavaliers with an active, fearless, sporting character who can excel in agility--but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be that way. As for excelling at MACH level, well that is a lofty goal just like a Best in Specialty or High in Trial is. Not every dog can attain that goal--even from the breeds who seem to be born with speed and drive. But given an even playing field with more Cavalier breeders who breed for the correct temperament, a larger number of Cavalier puppies to choose from, and a larger number of exhibitors who choose to get a Cavalier for agility--I think we would find them very competitive with BC and Shelties. Right now there are not that many to choose from and very few exhibitors even consider the Cavalier for agility competition--but I think that will change. Laura Lang ========================================================= "Magic Commands": to stop receiving mail for awhile, click here and send the email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20NOMAIL to start it up gain click here: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?body=SET%20CKCS-L%20MAIL E-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] for assistance. Search the Archives... http://apple.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ckcs-l.html All e-mail sent through CKCS-L is Copyright 2002 by its original author.
