Bandog Opinion by Chello (Speciality Schutzhund, Predominant exp. in AB's, GSD, mals)

"I don't think a bandog owner would say "we know they can do sport", because hello, 'sport' is designed for herders and isn't something bandogs excel at..."

I will disagree with your statement...

...herders were never initially created for anything other then herding.

...herders excelled at Sch., Ring, etc. because they were worked, and systematically bred to produce the specimens that can work.

...herders are not crazy and the ones that are and can't relax I will suggest are neurotic.

I think the greatest influence in bandog’s not being worked, similar to your neo's, old english mastiff, or other mastiff breeds downfall is the failure of their owners and breeders. No one else left to blame.

"Kadi; bandogs don't excel at sport."

Let's face it...

...if you were a picking a team would you choose people who were excited and competitive, with experience or would you choose people who failed before you even competed?

...I first went on Bandog Banter first and fore most because I liked the concept of Bandog’s and being an American Bulldog owner I too was snowed into believing the concept that American Bulldogs and Bandog’s were created to work...I mean that's what their written standards show.

The truth is the majority (and I'm being conservative here...it's likely higher then the majority) of the breeders of AB’s and of Bandog breeders don't breed working dogs.

Especially Bandog’s...a mix bred dog chosen and produced from two breeds of dogs for (utilitarian) work.

Let's look at the facts: the dogs used...

Mastiffs - Not utilitarian dogs X Pitbull’s - soft to biting people usually bred against man work.

Where does utilitarian come in either of these two mixes? Then they go on to lay claims, without proof.

Well as I learned and understood more about working dogs...I found the same owners and breeders who "claimed" to be producing working dogs were not.

What they were producing were aesthetically appealing dogs, weak in nerves and useless utilitarian dogs.

Aesthetically appealing dogs who's sum of the total, is weaker then the individual dogs that were used to create it.

If Bandog and Mastiff breeders were serious in producing dogs for work ie. SchH, Ring or any of the globally recognized programs, from their own stock, with consistency and not "one offs"....they'd produce proof and not hype.

Cheers,
Chello...

Email: Mr_Chello@hotmail.com

Originally posted on Longwoods Working Dog Message Board