Hi ramble i agree my dogs can have their energy zapped by mentally stimulating them - they can have it zapped by me putting them on a treadmill - but i wont its totally unnatural - half of exercising my dogs is the pleasure of watching them running freely and when i was in my previous house I got a dog knowing i would have to drive every day to get to a park to allow them to. Were I not be able to do this it would have certainly changed the type of breed I went for - that MO.

I disagree that you cant live your life on what if's - i totally see your sentiment on than and where youre coming from - but some things need an element of what ifs - we protect our possessions and our children precisely living our lives by the what if approach and dogs similarly.
Its risk reduction in this case and the ifs are small but still there and I think Sallyinlancs is just trying to reduce one of them.

I don't think the main reason he chases sheep is his breed. I think it has more to do with his compulsive obsession than an innate prey-drive. Looking at the way the problem developed I think it was LEARNED through self-reward rather than BRED into him. He could just as easily have developed a problem with chasing his tail or being afraid of skateboards in the same way.

Yes I have.... 3 of them in fact (2 now though)

He WAS born with it... it just takes them a a little time to realise it!!

here we go again with the old..its a Sibe x Mal X GSD but the GSD makes it trainable..What rubbish!!

He used to be fine as he was younger..MANY Mals are walked off lead without problem when they are young.. then they get to an age where they go deaf and start chasing things! He may "look" like he wants to play..but then how quick can play change to something else?? Quicker than you can stop him thats for sure..

and you dont think the dogs want to run free or rather do you think there are breeds that may be happier with the exercise situation - toy breed, st bernard or something like that?

Is this directed at me?

I know nothing about toy breeds or st bernards etc..and would never get either..

My dogs are happy, they are worked on a scooter and rig, walked on lead, play off lead in the garden whenever they want..They get an off lead run for an hour every Tuesday & Wed night in a large enclosed area.. and they veg out on the settee watching the latest films.. I am sure they are very happy..
They don't chase sheep, don't get zapped by ecollars or sprayed with citronella, or run on the roads or attack other dogs etc..

For 3 years my CKCT has had a bigger prey drive than my staff who now aged three has just got one and my GSD has always had one in her meagre 10mths - arent we just talking about dogs wanting to chase animals here and some realising they want to do it at different times to others?
So because a malamute has these urges its happiest permanently leashed - I think that sounds as cruel as responsibly using an ecollar...isnt that just satisfying a personal whim to have a beautful dog like a malamute rather than having a breed with these bubbling breed characteristics pulling at it underneath?

Got lots of Mal experience have you??

It's SAFER to have them leashed when on walks (they are OFF lead in the ENCLOSED area)
So keeping my dog SAFE and livestock safe is as cruel as an ecollar??

A WHIM??? yeah.. I waited 18 years to be in a position to get my first Mal so yeah it was a whim

They don't get the chance to WANT to chase livestock as we aren't near any and don't walk near any

Ever owned a northern spitz nickyboy?

no are they nice?