show dogs vs perfomance dogs

[prospective owner]

is there a difference between dogs bread for show and those bread for performance? i know i dont want to do conformation shows with my dog, but would like to do other things, specifically lure coursing.

i guess there is a price difference for show dogs, but im not too picky, though i would like a nice looking one.

what are the differences though?

eta: i do realize though that show dogs can also be performance dogs

[CA in TO]

I'm going out on a limb here.....

There aren't many ethical breeders that don't hope for the perfect conformation pup to present itself in a mating. After all, if you are breeding only the best to the best that should be the result. Of course health and temperament too. And all of those should result in a dog that meets the original purpose of the breed.

There are however breeders that are more interested in conformation and others that are more interested in performance than other breeders. As you peruse breeder websites you will notice the "achievements" of their dogs. When looking at performance databases you will notice that some kennel names appear more often in the listings. Those are the breeders that most will consider to be the performance breeders.

That doesn't necessarily mean that they "breed for" performance specifically .... they may just have an owner or two that love that aspect of dog ownership. They may love it too. But if you are looking for a performance pup, they are an obvious place to start. And there ARE breeders that do consider the performance aspect in their breedings. At one point, when looking for our second dog we inquired with a few breeders we know, if they knew of any dogs needing rehoming (returned pups or retired champions) Just our luck, the ones that came up where with breeders that wanted their pups to have lure coursing opportunities -- however RRs cannot course in Canada so we where out of luck following that route.

Having said that.... we have a ridgeless bitch from one of Canada's better conformation kennels and she (of course) is not conformation material without that ridge. Sara has shown herself to be very successful in a variety of performance and companion events.
She is currently holding the following: HRA - Senior Hunter (birds), Junior Hunter (small game), Herding Instinct Certificate, CGC and is temperament tested by ATTS (one of the youngest ridgebacks ever to pass). She straight races in Canada with CARA (ridgebacks cannot lurecourse in Canada) and we'll be going out in a couple of hours for a therapy visit. Sara's just past her second birthday.

A coursing dog will typically "look like a coursing dog" and be prey driven. That's difficult to tell in an 8 week old puppy. Maybe you should be looking at approaching some "performance" breeders about rehoming. That way you will know what that dog's abilities are and you can be sure of a coursing career. You could also bask in the warm and fuzzies for giving an older dog a forever home.

[Skeet]

Great post, Carol Ann/CA in TO, you chose a good limb.

Congratulations on Sara's accomplishments. Performance dogs are great! 

I agree, rescue dogs make wonderful companions. And your heart feels really good when you take them home.

Regards,
Sandy B.

 

[prospective owner]

thanks for all the info, and it all does make sense.

on a side note, i would kinda prefer a dog with a ridge because it is an interesting and distinguishing characteristic, but i do feel bad that i am basically discriminating not wanting one without because the dog could be just as good or better.

thanks for setting me straight.

[CA in TO]

thanks for all the info, and it all does make sense.

on a side note, i would kinda prefer a dog with a ridge because it is an interesting and distinguishing characteristic, but i do feel bad that i am basically discriminating not wanting one without because the dog could be just as good or better.

thanks for setting me straight.

You DO want one with a ridge. Ridgeless dogs cannot lurecourse in the US. (Believe me, I know this all too well.)

[Skeet]

thanks for all the info, and it all does make sense.

on a side note, i would kinda prefer a dog with a ridge because it is an interesting and distinguishing characteristic, but i do feel bad that i am basically discriminating not wanting one without because the dog could be just as good or better.

thanks for setting me straight.

There's nothing wrong with wanting a 'ridged' dog, afterall it is the characteristic of the breed (ie. like a Dalmatian with spots). Whatever dog you choose - a mature rescue, a rehomed breeder's dog, a reputable breeder's pup, ridged dog or not - you'll most likely fall in love it.

Regards,
Sandy B.

[caro]

I am not sure you can breed for coursing.  Example:  In one litter I had one coursing maniac and one (my dog of course) who wouldn't course to save her life.  Go figure!  She would chase deer, rabbits, birds and anything that was live, but that plastic bag held zero interest.  I think you have to decide on the "type" of dog you want.  You've already said you want a ridge, would you be willing to take a dog with an extra crown, or a short ridge?  Does the amount of white on the legs matter?  Do you want a big heavy boned dog, or would you prefer a smaller boned whippety type?  Do you want one with a broad deep muzzle or would you be willing to settle for a more snipey type head.  What about the amount of black in the coat?  These are all things you need to think about.  Your dog will course or he won't.  I don't think you can ever be sure.  You can, however, train them to like chasing a bag on a line by putting hot dogs and good smelling things in the bag and then running with it across the field while your puppy chases it, but be sure that the puppy gets what's in the bag or he will lose interest very fast!

Caroline

[prospective owner]

thanks caro and everyone else.
i think i would get over a dog not wanting to course because my real draw to it is that its interesting but more that the dog would enjoy it, but if they dont i'll just find something else 

but thanks guys, i guess i never really thought it all through that breeder breed for the best, but sometimes less desired qualities pop up. a little more white or little black wouldnt bother me, neither would an extra crown, though i do want the ridge. but i am wondering what a little extra black looks like. is it the darker red rather than wheat or is it actually blacker?

[caro]

Sometimes the black on the muzzle is too much.  The standard allows for a black muzzle but it can go up over the eyes and that is a fault.  There needs to be a break between the black muzzle and the mascara that often outlines the eyes.  Some lines tend to have a lot of black flecking through the coat and while this is not really a fault, it makes the dog look like he has been playing in the coal shed.  In countries other than the US it is actually considered an undesirable fault, but here in the US people tend to accept it.  Puppies will often have a lot of black hairs in their coats but these should disappear as they grow with black on the tail being the last area to lose it.  As you are not planning to show, I wouldn't worry about this and just consider if it is something you don't mind seeing in your dog or if you want the clear wheaten coat.  Another wierd marking that I personally can't abide is the widow's peak, which is a dark marking on the head and often gives the dog a rather puzzled expression. But dogs with widow's peaks have finished in the showring, so this is entirely a personal opinion.

Caroline