Ten on Tuesday

Taking an idea from Sweet Tea Serendipity, I thought I would post a list of ten things. And, I think my list is going be to dog breeds that I really wish I had, or want to have in the future. I always look at a variety of breeds and think, man, I want one of those next. But I really can't decide.

So, in the order that strikes me today, but possibly not tomorrow and probably not what I would have picked yesterday, the dog breeds I really want to have:

1. Silken Windhound. These dogs are medium sized sight hounds with an amazing silky coat. I keep seeing a puppy around town from a Silken breeder up in the Portland area, and I so so want one. There is one Silken listed in the NAFA database for flyball titles.

2. Border Collie. I think everyone who has ever done flyball seriously has wanted a Border at some point. Luckily for me, I can go out and visit Possum, who is staying with my mom while her owner searches for a dog friendly place to live down in California.

Border Collies also have the benefit of being a breed that Koira loves to death, and will put up with almost anything from. She can be a little testy with dominant female dogs in her house normally, but Possum (and every other Border Collie out there) get away with anything.

3. Swedish Vallhund. These dogs are kind of like corgis, with the short legs and history of being a herding dog. They are a bit longer in the leg and shorter in the back, and from what I know about them, they seem to fit my personality preference in a dog much more than corgis. And, I have to believe they would be awesome height dogs for flyball.
Picture from the Wikipedia article about Swedish Vallhunds:

4. Greyhound. Because they are gorgeous, relaxed, amazing dogs. They look super noble. And, because greyhounds have not, for whatever reason, achieved any of the higher titles in flyball yet. I know they can, and think that with the right hound, they would be amazing with it. Plus, all these blog friends of mine with greyhounds are just feeding my desire for one of my own.

5. Belgian Malinois. The power these dogs have, the drive, the energy, the focus, all makes me really want one of my own. On our trip to California in January for the flyball tournament, there was a team with a ton of Malinois, and I just loved going and watching them compete. In fact, there was one at the Salem tournament this past weekend even.

6. Whippet. Because they are like a smaller version of the greyhound. I like having a dog I can pick up if needed (I have had to carry Koira about 1/2 mile back to the car after she cut her foot open really bad). And, aside from any greyhound connection, whippets are spunky little speed demons, and when trained right, they are doing some amazing things in flyball.


7. Staffordshire Bull Terrier. An actual Staffy, not a APBT labeled as one. These dogs are small, tough, driven, and great flyball height dogs. They have energy that can be easily funneled into desired activities, and have an off switch. They are big cuddlers, and love people.

8. Border-Jack. Not that I actually think I would every bring one of these home, but I see them at flyball tournaments all the time, and whenever I see them running, thats when I really want one of my own. The Jack energy is just a bit much for me. I like my dogs with an off switch.

9. Border-Staffy. The world record holding flyball team's fastest line-up is made up of these wicked fast little mixes. They can be a combination of the best of two worlds between the Border Collie and the Staffy. But, again, I don't actually see myself ever getting one of these in the future. Though with these, rather than a lack of an off switch, it is more my objection to sports breeding dogs than anything else. I just can't see myself buying a sports bred dog when there are so many rescues out there who can excel at flyball.

10. Border-Whippet. Another sports mix bred for flyball, the Border-Whippet is appearing to be the new big thing in the sport. They have the speed and muscles of the whippets combined with the drive and trainability of the Border Collie. My objection to one of these is the same as to the Border-staffy above, the difference being that a border-whippet is a mix I might find in a shelter some day.

Well, that is my list of ten for Tuesday. Thank you to Delaney over at Sweet Tea Serendipity for the idea.

I'll hopefully be pulling my videos of the tournament onto the computer soon, and post them up in the next couple days.