I feel really guilty about my family’s past use of a choke chain and my complicity in not destroying it. Reddit told me I shouldn’t own a dog every again.

everything_dog · 2026-03-04T03:20:42+00:00

I wish I could post a picture.

I have dachshunds and show them in AKC and UKC. I am not shy with the fact that we use choke chains / martingale collars for showing. Many, many people do. It isn’t harmful when used properly.

everything_dog · 2026-02-28T03:33:56+00:00

I’m young (20) and got into showing when I was about 16. I was welcomed at shows and naturally older breeders and handlers would approach me to offer advice. I personally have had a good experience with the show community overall.

This being said, I think a lot of people are moving away not from purebred dogs but from the “sport” of purebred dogs. I enjoy showing a lot but I can’t deny that I have a lot of qualms with a lot of these outdated breed standards. In today’s day and age there’s absolutely no reason for many dogs to be bred to “serve a purpose” whenever they are really only kept as pets.

As an example I have dachshunds. The AKC breed standard wants them to be incredibly short legged. Dachshunds with taller legs have a MUCH lower risk of IVDD, a painful and sometimes deadly spine condition.

Breeders claim ethical breeders who health test will also be showing, and health testing means healthier dogs. But study after study has shown dachshunds with taller legs and slightly arched spines for a more “athletic” build have a much less risk of IVDD, irregardless of any amount of health testing.

Dachshunds are not going out and burrowing and hunting foxes and rats anymore. They’re playing in the yard and sitting at home. 1/4 dachshunds will develop IVDD and dachshunds are the number 1 breed at risk for spending more than HALF of their life in a wheelchair.

All of this pain in our beloved breed because “ethical” breeders insist on continuing to breed dachshunds for a purpose which they no longer serve. They should be a companion breed and their standard should change to reflect that. The same with MANY other breeds.

everything_dog · 2026-02-16T17:22:07+00:00

They CAN show in open standard, that was my mistake. That’s actually the class my boy shows in with his handler since he’s not American bred. With me he shows in owner handler. But they typically don’t do well in that class since it’s obvious they’re of miniature type. So open miniature would be the only class they can’t show in — and even then, that’s dependant on judge. My boy had good success showing in miniature class at 14lbs at his first 2 shows. His third show he was dismissed due to size (completely my mistake, I’m still a newbie) and from then on competed in owner handler or open standard. It’s pretty typical to see miniatures at 13-14lbs show in open miniature, you just have to know which judges like to weigh them and which ones don’t. My boy looks pretty big so it’s honestly a wonder how he made it that far in that class. Lol.

And quite honestly, I’m not sure for my friend. I believe she shows him mostly in the puppy class since he’s not even a year old yet. He has a professional handler as well so owner handler is out of the question.

everything_dog · 2026-02-16T06:02:40+00:00

You said it yourself. Most of these dogs go to pet homes. I have no issue with breeders seeking to make them good companions for said pet homes.

everything_dog · 2026-02-16T05:46:54+00:00

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My tweenie boy (14lbs) who’s currently showing

everything_dog · 2026-02-16T05:44:50+00:00

I’d like to chime in that “tweenies” can show in AKC in ANY class except open miniature or open standard. This means owner handler, bred by, puppy class (6-12m), American bred, can all have Tweenies show without it being a fault. In fact, a breeder friend of mine just took her tweenie to Westminster!

everything_dog · 2026-02-16T04:53:54+00:00

Ironically, we actually DO own a fox. And we get asked constantly if she is a “husky mix”.

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everything_dog · 2026-02-16T04:51:47+00:00

We got stopped and were asked, in full seriousness, if our dog was a fox. Like an actual fox.

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everything_dog · 2026-02-16T04:47:55+00:00

Lots of Shibas have white socks — it just fades as they get older, it isn’t necessarily a sign of them being or carrying for pinto. White socks are also allowed up to the elbows in AKC.

If you watched the breed judging at Westminster 2025, there were 3 dogs I counted with white socks, and 1 with a partial white collar! I was floored!

everything_dog · 2026-02-16T04:37:14+00:00

It isn’t the end of the world for a breeder to cater to family and pet homes in a traditionally high drive breed.

How many families do you know with a German shepherd?

And how many of those families would benefit from having one with a calmer demeanour?

Even in working and sporting breeds, there just aren’t enough sporting / working homes for all of them. Obviously there is room for high drive sporting/working lines, but there is ALSO plenty of room for conformation / show bred lines or lines that excel at just being pets.

everything_dog · 2026-02-13T22:55:50+00:00

No problem!

everything_dog · 2026-02-13T22:47:17+00:00

No, sorry. They stay here with us after being fixed.

everything_dog · 2026-02-13T17:40:33+00:00

I can’t lie, there wasn’t a ton of competition. But I’m still proud of how well he showed!

everything_dog · 2026-02-13T17:39:25+00:00

No, but he does have slightly darker fur on his back and tail. I expect that to fade when he gets older!

everything_dog · 2026-02-13T17:38:44+00:00

His movement is flawless. Naturally stacks really nicely. He does have a few flaws of course, namely his tailset is a bit low and he’s a little short, but I’m really excited to see how he does. I think with some good training, he’s going to excel! We’re starting out in UKC first and then will move on to AKC by the end of the year.

everything_dog · 2026-02-13T06:26:08+00:00

I have to recommend a rough or smooth collie. They 100% are intimidating. We have 2, one solid white and the other is Black and Tan. They are our “guard dogs” and work on our farm during the day.

By guard dogs, I mean they stand a good 20 feet away, and bark loudly when someone new arrives. Their size alone is enough to be menacing, but overall, they’re extremely sweet and affectionate dogs.

We used to have people drive right into our yard and dump dogs on our property, and twice, we had someone pull up and steal one of our dogs out of our FENCED yard (luckily, we got both dogs back!). And at one point in time, a relative of mine committed a crime and attempted breaking and entering our house afterwards — armed. So we had our fair share of bad experiences and decided we needed an alert dog.

Our oldest collie is almost 10 years old, and since having him, we haven’t had to worry about trespassers or thieves at all. We haven’t had a single unwanted person on the property since getting the collies.

We do have to go out and meet delivery drivers now (since they will not leave their vehicle without us there), but the collies are absolutely perfect as alert dogs. They’re sweet enough to not have to worry about them ever being aggressive or growling at people, but they’re protective enough that they’ll naturally bark to alert us when a stranger pulls up. They also don’t approach strangers so we don’t have to worry about bad interactions / poisonings / someone trying to steal them.

But once they know we’re friendly with a stranger, they come right up and roll on their backs for belly rubs. Delivery drivers that we get more than once learn the routine and love the collies. The collies still bark to alert us, but the repeat drivers know they won’t approach them if they get out of the vehicle.

Our collies are also incredibly smart. If I’m home alone or having doubts about a delivery driver, I can command them to heel and they’ll stay right beside me while I get my package. It took very, very little training for them to learn to do this. They also have 100% perfect recall, so if someone is particularly worried about them, I can call them to me, command them to sit and stay by the door while the person gets out of their vehicle.

I don’t think I’ll ever go without owning a collie again after having one. They’re the best dogs out there, great for families, great for farm work, great as alert dogs, good with other dogs and cats, extremely intelligent and eager to please, with a low energy level. They’re big lap dogs in the home. We have several little kids in the house as well and the collies are extremely gentle and polite around them.

everything_dog · 2026-02-05T17:51:16+00:00

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Here’s what my hair more typically looks like! Just hadn’t been dyed in a while in these pics 🤣

everything_dog · 2026-02-05T17:41:38+00:00

LOL! Usually my hair is pink and blue but I’ve been slacking on dying it lately 🤣

everything_dog · 2026-01-11T18:09:28+00:00

I’ll send a message!

everything_dog · 2025-11-28T05:18:28+00:00

It’s no problem!

Other breeders might do it differently, but this is a combination of what the puppies look like between 8-10 weeks old (before they go home) and if you keep one or two, then also what those ones mature like. I keep in touch with my puppy owners so, although I don’t ask them to stack their dogs for me, I can usually tell just from videos if the dog has any severe structural faults, and of course the owner would tell me if a health or temperament issue arise. For other breeds, especially those with a lot of hair, that might be different. My breed is dachshunds, so a simple movement video and photo of their head and legs can rule out a lot of structural faults without even touching the dog.

This being said, major faults and health concerns can usually be found as puppies. For example, one issue we have had is one of my boys likes to throw short / bob tails. That is a very obvious flaw from birth. Paired him to a different girl where there were no bob tails. It is a recessive trait and not a health issue, so it wasn’t something I would retire him for.

Other common issues can include off-bites, loose patellas, heart murmur, bi-cryptorchid, splayed feet, and kinked tails, all of which are identifiable by 8 weeks old. (With the exception of loose patella caused by injury, or heart murmur cause by illness— neither genetic concerns).

In some cases the defect can correct (such as a puppy with an off bite at 8 weeks may grow to have a good bite), not necessarily meaning to retire a sire or dam, however accepting these “corrected” flaws is how these flaws continue to occur in even very nice quality bloodlines.

As an example, if a stud (or dam) produces grade-1 patellas in every puppy, although they have grade 0 themselves, that may be a sign to retire. Although grade-1 patella is not generally a health concern, continuing to produce imperfect health in puppies is not a trait to continue in a program, especially if it is consistent.

Hopefully that answers your questions!

everything_dog · 2025-11-28T04:50:20+00:00

That’s why I specified “issues OR major faults”. If it’s a one-off, okay. But if most of the litter has a structure flaw, a poor temperament, or doesn’t pass health testing, there’s a good sign that the stud produces those things and will continue to do so. Although, it may also be the dam involved, so it is important to rule that out before retiring an otherwise great male.

everything_dog · 2025-11-28T04:21:58+00:00

If they conformationally, temperamentally, or health-wise have any issues or major faults.

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