25/01/2026
BEING AN ACTIVE PERSON IS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO GET A WORKING LINE DOG 🐕 💨
Whilst at the climbing centre, a friend approached me and asked for advice on getting their first family dog. He told me he was thinking of getting a Working Cocker Spaniel.
They're a super active and fit family, but upon learning what breed he was considering my first bit of advice was "DON'T GET A PUPPY FROM FIELD TRIAL CHAMPION STOCK" (Caps lock for emphasis, I didn't shout at him! 😆)
Now the nuance here is that different dogs have different working styles. Not just spaniels, but Border Collies, Labradors and of course all other working breeds too. Some dogs 'work' more steadily, whilst others operate on the environment much more quickly.
Not all working line dogs struggle with impulsivity, but a heck of a lot do! Although note, impulsivity isn’t exclusive to working line nor pure bred dogs.
There is always going to be variation within a breed, within a line and even within a litter. Genetics will not dictate the dog you have for their whole life, because their environment matters too.
But we mitigate having unwelcomed surprises and navigating steep learning curves if we carefully consider a dog's ancestry prior to acquiring them. (Note, not always possible with rescues).
Too many owners aren’t even aware of there being such a thing as ‘lines’ in dogs. Show or working line isn’t just relevant for pure bred dogs either, it very much applies to mixed breeds too.
I’ve met too many owners who aren’t able to tell me if their cockapoo is from Working or Show stock. Of course, I can tell by observing the dog 😆
Sticking to Gun Dogs- you could get stock from a steady Field Trial Champion whose got enough working drive to be the best of the best, but who naturally regulates themselves that bit easier.
Or you could get stock from a really high drive dog who is a Field Champion because they've been trained and handled by someone very experienced in raising and training a dog with such high drive drive and subsequent high intensity behaviour.
I’m afraid to say, most inexperienced dogs owners do not have the skills in place to train really high drive dogs.
Training mechanics take time to develop, and the dog's behaviour can escalate whilst the owner is trying to learn and put into practise managing their highly impulsive working stock puppy > adolescent.
Most families struggle to find the time to put the extra training in for dogs that are bred from top class, high drive working stock. Heck, some struggle to find it with non working breeds.
🏆 I get it, Field Trial Champion sounds like the dog comes from well cared for and well bred stock. It sounds impressive.
The same could be said for getting your Border Collie from a Farm. Farm bred sounds like a 'proper collie', right?
Sure...... and Farm Stock collies often struggle with city life or living without their brains being exercised to their full potential.
🏃♂️ 🚲 Being an active person is not a good enough reason to get a working line dog from working stock. Walks are rarely enough, regardless of their duration.
Dogs with unmanaged drive are a risk to wildlife, livestock and themselves. Inadequately managed behaviour can even escalate to the point where people or the dog's family members can become at risk of harm (being pulled over, bitten).
⏰ You have to be ready to dedicate a lot of time training and managing working stock dogs, and I'd recommend you learn how to do that with a much easier breed/type first.
🩻 There is a myth that working line dogs are automatically healthier.
This is false. We see plenty of Hip Dysplasia and Luxating Patellas (plus more) in Working Line Border Collies, Shepherds, Spaniels, Labradaors, Goldens, Vizslas, GSPs etc etc.
Whilst some show line breeds have unhealthy, exaggerated features, not all do and some breeders don't select for the extreme.
Even show line X with working line can be a good balance for most dog owners whose primary reasons for getting a dog is companionship at home and on walks.
Although this is no guarantee. You still need to apply the same caution, being mindful to consider the most challenging traits and features in both dogs paired and that their hip scores and any other health tests are compatible.
If you have found a Working Line litter of puppies you’re interested in- before you commit- observe the parents (both of them, pre pregnancy for the bitch). Watch their behaviour in a range of environments.
Perhaps these particular working line dogs are a little less turbo. It’s possible. But don’t assume, get as much observation in as possible- even if by video.
🐕 💨 Fast may look fun, but a tendency for turbo requires a lot of extra input from you. People think they can handle these dogs, until they realise they can't.
Then what? Sadly some dogs end up being rehomed or even worse....euthanised if their behaviour has escalated and a home can't be found.
Develop your training skills with a dog with lower drive. If you decide you LOVE training and you want to do more and more of it and can commit to it for the majority of a dog’s lifespan, then you can consider whether you're ready for a higher drive dog.
🫵 Oh and breeders, stop selling your working stock pups to first time dog owners. Seriously- it’s so irresponsible!
Grill prospective adopters on whether they can meet the dog’s physical and mental needs across the dog’s life.
Picture by Cathy Cassie. You can learn more about Cathy's shepherding work with her Border Collies at Collieology, she has some published books on Border Collie's too.
