[Sayuri]

Actually, I didn't realize that was quote. The way it was worded certainly made it seem as if you espoused these opinions and ideas -

Greenleaf--I have to disagree.

Field bred spaniels are bred to WORK. They have to be more intelligent than your average conformation springer. Most conformation springer breeders only breed for looks-color and markings, right size, etc., etc. When you only breed for looks you also start to breed intelligence out of the dog.

Here's how I must have gotten confused. You said, "Greenleaf, I have to disagree." Afterward you jumped straight into what was wrong with springer conformation breeders. So I am assuming that this is all straight from "the horse's mouth", so to speak.

Us, as a working dog community, breed for nothing but soundness (correct build for moving which the dog must when working livestock, which is nothing like conformation dogs), health, temperament, and working ability. All of these factors are equally important to all working dog breeders for a all around should dog is the dog that is going to make the best working and trial dog. We do NOT breed unstable or unhealthy dogs because the dogs would be unfit to do the job we breed them for.

But when you breed for the show ring, anything goes. Because they don't care about the dogs body's ability to withstand life, its ability to work, temperament, or how intelligent it is in the show ring. They want the color, stack, correct shaped eyes, and ear set that will make their dogs a champion and bring them in millions of dollars for pups and stud fees.

Then we get to this point - this is the exact section I was addressing. Is this where you were quoting someone else? If so, I would be remiss in not pointing out that it still seems as if it is you talking, rather than taking words from someone else. Is it your dog that is the herding dog, or someone else's? Are you the one that's been involved with Border Collies for around ten years? The quote says, "Us as a working dog community..." which makes it sound as if you're including yourself with the branch of breeders that breeds for working ability. Is this something you actually wrote yourself, or did you copy and paste from an article, another post, another person?

I really do hate to put words in people's mouths, and I hate missing information and wrongly attributing it to people. I reread your post several times and still can't find where it is that you were quoting someone rather than stating your own opinion. Also, it seemed to go along the same lines as your first post, which said:

They are great, energet, willing to please, and goofy dogs. If you get the field bred type of springer you will see that they are much smarter than your conformation bred ones.

I guess you can see why it is that I didn't have a problem believing you were continuing to state your opinion in the subsequent post.

So which person's opinions and generalizations are we talking about, exactly? I'm honestly sorry if I've mis-attributed them to you, but I've looked at it upside down, right side up, sideways, backward, and forward, and I can't for the life of me find where it is that you point out that it's not your opinion, and that those weren't your own words. Would you mind pointing out where it is that your opinion stops and another's begins? (I'm honestly curious - not trying to be rude or confrontational at all).

If it is the *link* we're talking about, however - the one that you provided at the end of the post we're discussing - well, I didn't read it. Were that the case, it remains that I would still be taking issue with words that you voluntarily wrote of your own accord, without saying "I don't agree with all of this but I'm posting it any way."

Again - apologies for misconstruing your opinion, but I'd very much appreciate clarification so that I can see where it was I may have goofed.