# Showing/Working/Breeding/Pets



## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

Just for curiosity sake... wondering how many of each we have here on the forums. 
I hate using the words "just a pet" though, although I don't know how else to word it. If you have a show/work/breeder, please don't include it as a pet also.


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

My guys are "just pets". If you don't like how that sounds, we can refer to them as "companion dogs" . I do dog sports with them to keep their brains working.


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

Yeah, companion would have worked. I like that better!


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## DanielleOttoMom (May 11, 2010)

Circe is my working dog but also "pet" at home.
Otto started off working and we plan getting back into working this fall. For now he is a great "pet". I hate saying pet bc by all means he doesn't just lay around the house. Both dogs are with us 24/7 and hold important rolls in our home "pack" aka "family".


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## wolfstraum (May 2, 2003)

I also hate the phrase "just a pet" - like it is a low quality animal! so many buyers use it and I ask "why do you want a poorly bred dog for a companion??? (ie - $300 sunday paper ad puppy!)"

My dogs are all companions - that I work/ed and title/d them and they were bred is beside the point - they are not inventory - they are family!

Lee


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Daisy and Lucky are just pets ,not very well trained but my kids and my best friends.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Alexis is my only dog that is just a pet. The rest have either worked in some capacity or are in training. Nike and Vala were also breeding dogs. All of them, though, are pets too.


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## Andaka (Jun 29, 2003)

Jag and Belle are show dogs, Jag is a working dog, Natty is a retired show dog and breeding dog, and they are all pets n my house. And I like it that way.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

"Pet" here, although he is already my hiking companion, my extra "alarm" system, and hopefully will be my visual deterrent when I run (when he's old enough). 

And yes, he has my heart 100% already.


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## robinhuerta (Apr 21, 2007)

All dogs that we share our lives with are *companion dogs*.....whether they have *jobs* or not.
This is how I see our dogs.....show, breeding, working or anything in between.
They are not inanimate objects....they are loving, feeling *companions*.
JMO


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## Discoetheque (Nov 2, 2011)

Reba is mostly a companion, retired for the greater part from work and show but still doing both occasionally.
Discoe is a show and working dog who also happens to be a companion and my furriest bestie


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## cassadee7 (Nov 26, 2009)

Well, if you do dog sports for fun are they still "just a pet" or are they "working"? I would vote "sport dog" for saber if it was there. I think working implies SAR, police, etc. Sport dog = active in at least one dog sport regularly, IMO.


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## koda00 (Apr 27, 2009)

My two: Ryker: Is/did show and he now is working doing obed. training.
Zorro: Is doing Obed. training.

They both are also my 24/7 companion kids:wub:


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Can't they be all of the above?

Stark is a companion, a working dog and may do some show stuff this year for fun/experience.

Zefra is a working dog, will be shown this year as well (breed survey and some other things), she may be a breeding dog later in her life (she is only 7 months old at this point) and she is most definitely my companion and baby girl.

Why do they have to be in a category?


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

We've had a couple similar polls recently:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/take-poll/167599-does-your-dog-work-he-she-strictly-pet.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/take-poll/168305-you-active-dog-sports.html


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## Rott-n-GSDs (Jul 7, 2010)

Mine are pets that work for fun. We're training in several different sports, but haven't competed. Maybe someday!


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## PaddyD (Jul 22, 2010)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> We've had a couple similar polls recently:
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/take-poll/167599-does-your-dog-work-he-she-strictly-pet.html
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/take-poll/168305-you-active-dog-sports.html


Yup, this look like deja poll all over again.
Abby is a working pet. Her job is to accompany me everywhere: Every room, every car, every walk, every run, every day and every night.
She is also employed to play whatever games she or I come up with and to chase any squirrels that might attack us in the woods.


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## Kittilicious (Sep 25, 2011)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> We've had a couple similar polls recently:
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/take-poll/167599-does-your-dog-work-he-she-strictly-pet.html
> 
> http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/take-poll/168305-you-active-dog-sports.html


Yeah, I saw those, but breeding & showing were not included so I thought this would be different. Sorry if it's still considered a duplicate thread


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## Germanshepherdlova (Apr 16, 2011)

Why is that poll options (not just yours) that want to know if your pet has a job put "just" in front of a pet. As if being a companion is not anything of significance. To me there is nothing "just" about my dog being a pet/companion. My dogs are part of my family, I love them like my own children. They are my best friends, they are of the most loyal, dependable, and consistent of friends that can ever exist. That is why I never vote on a poll that says are they "just" a pet.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

i have a show dog that's been in 2 shows (as a pup). 
our dog is our well trained and highly socialized pet.


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## Jessiewessie99 (Mar 6, 2009)

I put Pet/Companion.


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## Hercules (Aug 1, 2010)

Zeus and Juno are both my service dogs. When they are not working, they aren't just a pet to me, they're family.


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