[Laurelin]

I went to dinner last night with my old roomie. We had a good time but she asked about her other old roomie, Summer. I tell her Summer is doing great and that she loves Bernard (My sister's puppy)and loves to play with him. She was shocked Summer was actually playing. (Something Summer wouldn't do for the first year we had her) I told her I loved Nard and he was the best dog ever. She asked if he was like Summer at all personality wise.

I told her to remember Beau back when he was a puppy. Beau had left a real impression on my friends as being possibly one of the craziest dogs ever. He was just really excited (and a puppy!) when they met him. He's normally very calm in the house. I told her Nard was like him, only on crack. She got this look on her face and started talking. "I think of all the dogs I've known papillons have to be the most hyperactive. I like dogs that are happy to see you when you get home and play when you want to, but then curl up beside you and sleep the rest of the time.'

So I go 'That's what the papillons do. They really sleep most the day.'

"Yes, but that's because they're zooming around the rest of the time.'

So I'm sitting there thinking that's what she just described, a dog that plays but will veg out too. So I say, "Well, if it makes you feel better, the other breed I want is just as much energy only 6 times bigger."

She narrows her eyes, "What breed are you getting?"

"Well, I would really like a border collie."

*Look of utter horror* "WHY on EARTH would you want a border collie!? Do you actually LIKE spastic dogs?!'

Yeah, I guess I do if you call my dogs spastic.

 

[hulkamaniac]

I'm not a fan of high energy dogs, but that's because I'm not a high energy person. My idea of a good time involves a lot of couch sitting. Actually, a lot of my ideas of good times involve couch sitting. I wouldn't get along with a hyperactive dog as we would have a personality clash. You sound like you wouldn't get along with the low energy dogs that I like to have around so to each his own.

 

[nekomi]

I kind of enjoy both kinds of dogs... Willow definitely qualifies as "spastic", she absolutely must go out exercising every day, or she finds her own ways to exercise!!! She is a huge handful but I adore her, she has so much joy and enthusiasm. She makes me smile, even when she's hopping around the kennel on her back legs and leaping up onto my arm. She is one happy pup.

 

[KBLover]

I think I could like a high-energy dog.

Especially one that likes to play - could teach him all kinds of games, even making some up, not to mention the long training sessions you probably could get trying to burn off all that energy with mental focus.

While I don't mind lower energy dogs and there's certainly advantages, I think I'd like high energy just as much.

 

[ThoseWordsAtBest]

I like high energy dogs. I DON'T like dogs who are truly spastic, and probably got that way from no training or socialization. A pit puppy came into my salon for a bath once and there was no stopping that dog. You couldn't even get her to look at you. She was just flying every where, kicking and scratching when you reached for her, and jumping off every thing. We asked the owners if they were interested in entering her in one of our puppy classes, and they informed us they didn't have time as it is, and that she was fine at the house because she was in a crate at all times except to go outside because they weren't home.

 

[JohnnyBandit]

I like dogs that are over the top energy and drive wise.... Always have. I like the dominant puppy out of a litter. When I watch a litter, I am looking for the more dominant puppies

 

[Entwine]

I absolutely love high energy dogs. Although I'm not naturally a high energy person, I've found that owning a high energy puppy has gotten me out much more and helps to focus my extra mental energy via training. It's very beneficial to me, and I currently would prefer to own dogs with a more "spastic" nature to keep me on my toes than a low energy dog. ;S

 

[MrsJohnnyG]

I looooove high-energy-but-well-trained dogs. (e.g. I don't do "yappy.") Now that my puppies have the freedom of a fence (and over an acre to run freely around), they love playing outside 2-3 HOURS or MORE a day, and it's so much fun playing with them and hilarious to watch them play... but it would kill me if they were like that 16 hours a day!

 

[123fraggle]

We have a BC and 2 Border/Jacks that we do flyball with. I love their high energy and it suits what we want them for. However, Karma is really vocal when she does flyball and that is not so good. I still wouldn't give her up for the world...and that is the only time she barks alot, at home she is fine. Fraggle, our TT mix is very docile at home, but you should see him on the Agility field, he really lets loose. I guess when I am older I will prefer a less spasy dog lol.

 

[Shaina]

*raises hand sheepishly*

As much as I mock my dogs for being crazy-intense (especially Webster), I gotta admit...I wouldn't want them any other way.

Most other dogs I meet (most dogs I meet are at the kennel club) would put me to sleep...granted if my dogs were like that I would love them anyway but...I prefer them just the way they are

 

[blackrose]

I have to say, I don't like spastic dogs. A Labrador is just about as far down that path I will go, and that is because I know when they hit about four years old they mellow out.

But, then again, I'm a mellow person. I have my active bursts and I like having a dog that can keep up with me (if I want to go to a park and walk trails for the day, for instance), but for the most part I want a dog that is happy and content to just lay around. Chloe is a very good girl and while she is active and could definitally go-go-go, she can be satisfied by a few games of fetch outside (where I have her running full out after the ball for a few minutes).

A Clumber Spaniel is about my speed. lol

 

[wabanafcr]

Well, yeah, I do. Cakey would probably be considered spastic by most...she is non-stop go, crazy-obsessive over toys and retrieving. I adore her, but she is way too much dog for most people.

I wouldn't have Flatcoats, if I didn't like busy, intelligent, high-energy dogs.

 

[Shaina]

...would probably be considered spastic by most...

I guess that's the key...how most people would view them. I don't think of my dogs as all that intense or "spastic" until I see them around other dogs, since they are my standard. I imagine that's the case with most people.

The first time I was in a true agility class a few months ago, the instructor was talking about drives and such, and referred to Kim as "a perfect example of a really drivey dog." I was taken aback though...I don't think of her that way. I just thought the other dogs must be really really laid back...but apparently they were mostly "normal," by the standard of that particular instructor.

 

[nikelodeon79]

I am very seriously considering an Australian Shepherd as my next dog. I don't know that they're "spastic," but certainly high energy!

Luna's also very high energy (Akita x GSD/Lab). My mom actually just called me (she's at my house for the weekend) and asked: "Does she _ever_ stop moving?"

 

[sheltiemom]

People tell me all the time that my dogs are hyper and ask me how I stand it...I don't see them as hyper. I don't know if I just have some warped sense of what hyper really is, or if maybe these people are just seeing a snapshot of our life and not the total picture. My aussie...I might admit that she is hyper...if you are say, on the couch, and say her name, she will come running from across the room, hurdle the coffee table, and land on your face .

 

[Beethoven]

I think my puppy's pretty awesome, for me anyways. He has moments where he just goes absolutely nuts, and some days he just wants to be lazy and sleep all the time. I don't think I could deal with a dog that was hyper all the time, I think I'd go crazy xD

 

[Sammgirl]

I like dogs that can keep up with me, but I'm not a huge fan of spastic dogs. My boyfriend's dog is spastic, and I'm not a huge fan of that.