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Kathleen[_4_]

wrote:

> Kathleen > writes:
>
>
>
>>Borzois are gorgeous dogs but I know my own limits. Training one to the
>>standards I expect from my dogs falls well outside what I could
>>reasonably expect from a sight hound.
>
>
> Having raised Afghans, I can relate. But, I was intrigued by an
> episode of Dogs 101 on the APL channel. It profiled whippets, a breed
> I never gave much thought. Very interesting.
>
> Seems whippets are an almost ideal sight hound. Said they have two
> speeds, 35mph and zero. They love to exercise at least once a day and
> are Hell on wheels, as to be expected. The surprise: the rest of the
> time they are born couch potatoes, perfectly content to lie about like
> ....well, like me! Also, easily trained, loving, and long lived with
> no genetic downsides. Sounds like my kinda dog. I've been
> researching them further.

I've heard whippets described as 40 mph couch potatoes. Which is fine,
if that's your thing.

But I'm a brain bigot. I love being able to have an actual conversation
with my border collies. I love that they'll attempt to perform the
Vulcan Mind Meld in order to figure out what you want them to do before
you even ask. OTOH, this can pose a challenge in obedience competition
since you can lose points if your dog anticipates a command. The point
is moot, however, because we don't show in obedience onnacounta it be
boring.

The neighborhood kids believe the BCs can actually read minds when in
fact they are simply so tuned in to me that they are cueing off things
like a glance, a nod or a minimal hand gesture. To get Cooper to focus
on me that intently, I have to have food and even then, the only thing
he's watching for is any possible loosening of the grip.