anyway, everyone really knows rotties are the smartest dog on the planet, they just hide it very well which is just another sure fire sign of how smart they are....

From what you sometimes say about Vinnie, this must mean that he is really a member of Mensor.

One incident that springs to mind is Raymond Macpherson's dog, Tweed, at one of the OM&HD trials in the late 70s. Tweed was bringing the flock, out of sight of his hander, through a wood when one of the ewes broke away and went up the hill. Raymond was whistling for Tweed to bring the flock through the wood and into sight, but Tweed stood for a minute or two, hesitant as to whether to continue to bring the depleted flock, or whether to fetch the errant ewe back to the rest. Really interesting to watch.

On fairly regular occasions up here (on a hill farm), hubby has to send his dog or dogs out of sight to gather and there is much trust put in the dog to work on his own initiative and gather the whole flock and bring them in. Not sure how many springers could be left to work without direction and command from a handler?

lol if he was a member, he would forget...lol

if Im being honest, hes more of a closet springer, lol

Now that I can see, the bum waggle, the exhuberance/daftness/friendliness. Plus of course his love of rabbits.

BUT if he really wants to be a springer he's going to have to learn to like the rain

In fairness though lots of breeds can be trained to work away from the handler and actually question a direct command from the handler in some cirumstances. Guide Dogs have to refuse a command if they feel it endangers...they use many different types of breeds and in fairness have found that collies are not suited, not necessarily because of the questioning commands part though

I don't think your average springer would work away from a handler and on his own initiative though, to be fair

I would imagine most collies would be too energetic and reactive to make good guide dogs.

i do agility with a guide dog trainer and she says collie and many gsd fail on adaptability, they tend to not like switching between trainers and are more a one person dog
i deff see that with mine, work with me, like other people but if someone else asks them to do something they check in with me first, not good for a guide dog

Harry (BC) is dozy and Dillan (springer) is an absolute plank!

make of that what you will!