Not defensive ... just sick of repeating myself time and time again and it STILL not filtering through some thick skulls

No I dont work, and yes spend most of all my time with my dog , unless doing something else.

Why???

Or a bit like some dogs shoved in a crate, or a room in a house or a flat and left for 8 or 10 hours a day while their owner works ...

Exactly

Because unless you spend all your day with your dog I don't see how you are in any position to have a go at someone whose dogs are lucky enough to be able to not just spend all their day with their owner and handler but to be also able to fulfill their inbuilt need for mental stimulation and exercise.

I am quite amazed at you being surprised at someone getting defensive when you have thrown so many low blows at Moobli on this thread and when you've virtually accused her OH of being 'cruel'.

Still; this thread has really been quite revealing in terms of the behaviour of some of the posters on here.

And don't forget in addition to that, another 8 hours at night when the owners are sleeping.

Where did you get that impression??

What is ideal? And what is a long period?

rune

Ah you mean an affinity? Why didn't you say so!!!

No. I believe that a working dog has a selected genetic trait called biddability which, when coupled with the selected genetic trait for a form of work results in a dog that loves to work with humans, but for the end result of the work. In fact I do believe that one of the traits bred into WSDs is to always keep the sheep between it and it's handler. This is not something that is trained, it is instinctual IME.

In essence I believe that you are trying to make out that the WSD would rather spend it's days following around it's Human looking lovingly into it's eyes, but the reality is these dogs are bred specifically to stare lovingly in to the eyes of Ovis Aries.

Really?!