Obviously, you haven't worked with either unmotivated obedience dogs or highly driven herding dogs, or you wouldn't make that statement. Some herding dogs LIVE for herding. They care more about that than anything - including their people. It is the one thing in life that they adore.

I have a highly driven agility sheltie. He LIVES for agility, seriously. About two years ago, I injured myeslf quite badly. I was out of agility for a year. My agility sheltie went into deep depression. Normally a bouncy, spunky, barking dog with a huge, constant twinkle in his eyes, he became a sullen, depressed animal. He wouldn't sit by me like he normally does at night. He would just lay at the end of the sofa and look emptily off into the distance.

As much as I didn't (and don't) want to admit it, my companionship couldn't lift my dog's spirits. Games, toys, Kongs - all the things that usually make him happy - weren't working. He was in deep depression.

My solution was simple. I had my friends train and run Aslan at agility trials for me. I didn't rehome him, as I was going to return to agility in a year. Once he returned to the sport, his spirits immediately improved, and I had my dog back. If I were never to return to agility, I would have had a desperate choice on my hands.

Moral of the story: Working dogs LOVE their jobs. They can't live without their work. Giving a herding dog a herding lifestyle is a blessing. You're right. We OWE it to them to provide them what they need, and these working dogs NEED their work. Depriving them of it is nothing short of mental abuse. Those who have never owned such dogs understandably do not know the drive for work behind these animals. Those of us that have owned them understand it perfectly.


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In the case of the obedience dog who turned herding dog, I'm not sure if I would agree with that. It's clear that the dog loves herding, but I'm sure the dog would love companionship much more. This is why I don't agree with some breeders who purchase a dog in hopes of showing it and then rehoming it when they realize it can't be shown. Dogs are our lifetime responsibilities. Not breeding machines. Not obedience machines. They're ours for life. We owe it to them to provide love and stability.[/QUOTE]