A Very Good Question!
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A potential Australian Cobberdog breeder asked me this question on social media. It's such a good question that I'm re-publishing it here together with my reply.
A VERY GOOD QUESTION! Cross Posted
Lisa Foster Hi Beverley, as a prospective ACD breeder Im suprised to see intentional crossing by a pivotol breeder of a cobberdog to another breed that was rejected by the mdba as a breed to be infused (please correct me if im wrong) . With the ACD as a breed in development I would have thought breeders would be doing everything to preserve the integrity of the breed to further the chances of the ACD becoming a recognised breed in its own right. Your thoughts Beverley Rutland Manners ? |
Beverley Rutland Manners Hi Lisa Foster thanks for the question, it's a good one. To put it in perspective, it might help to remember that if I had not followed my hunches (combined with long experience) long before I ever approached the MDBA, the Australian Cobberdog as we know it today, would not exist. Some of my decisions were hotly criticized and still are in some circles, even though time has shown what an incredible breed has been developed.
Breeders don't make this too widely known, but some of them struggle with hyperactivity especially in the smaller Cobberdogs they breed and I'm aware of this due to their prospective puppy buyers asking me if it's true that Miniature ACDs don't make good Therapy dogs. Their breeder/s have told them this!
When the "oopsy" litter was born, the puppies had a bad start because they were not born with me, but with the owner of the Beagle mother. They came to me unsocialized at about 8 weeks old. I was literally amazed at how quickly they responded to proper care and love and because I'm a research freak, I went deeper to understand why this could be.
At first my ego was happy to accept that my home bred pure Australian Cobberdog sire had swamped the genetics of the Beagle emotionally as well as physically, but I rather reluctantly told Ego to be quiet and kept searching for another reason. I found it.
Breeders don't make this too widely known, but some of them struggle with hyperactivity especially in the smaller Cobberdogs they breed and I'm aware of this due to their prospective puppy buyers asking me if it's true that Miniature ACDs don't make good Therapy dogs. Their breeder/s have told them this!
When the "oopsy" litter was born, the puppies had a bad start because they were not born with me, but with the owner of the Beagle mother. They came to me unsocialized at about 8 weeks old. I was literally amazed at how quickly they responded to proper care and love and because I'm a research freak, I went deeper to understand why this could be.
At first my ego was happy to accept that my home bred pure Australian Cobberdog sire had swamped the genetics of the Beagle emotionally as well as physically, but I rather reluctantly told Ego to be quiet and kept searching for another reason. I found it.