Mailbag
Sarah here! Last week’s podcast thumbnail sparked a lot more conversation than I expected. One short quote from a long discussion turned into a lively debate about mixed breed dogs, language, and what people thought was being implied.
Full disclosure, I picked the quote.
Choosing a thumbnail line is always tricky. It needs to be interesting and accurate, but it also has to be short. Really short. I usually have room for about 24 words, which doesn’t leave much space when the actual conversation lasts 30 to 40 minutes.
I liked that quote because it showed something I see as thoughtful and intentional. Jenn was explaining how she uses different terms depending on the audience. Sometimes she says “mixed breed.” Sometimes she says “BorderPap.” Not because she’s uncomfortable, but because she’s trying to be clear.
Some readers took it very differently and heard embarrassment about owning a purpose-bred mix. That honestly surprised me. It’s a good reminder of how easily meaning can change once you pull a sentence out of its full context. If you haven’t listened yet, the full episode adds a lot of clarity and depth.
One example we didn’t get to talk about on the podcast is the Alaskan Husky. It’s not an AKC-recognized breed, but it was developed intentionally for performance over many years. It’s a great example of how function and purpose can exist outside traditional registry labels.
We also heard from a listener who pointed out that this isn’t new at all in the horse world. Purposeful crossbreeding for sport has been normal there for generations. When you look at it that way, sport mixes in dogs don’t feel radical. They just feel new to our space.
New Podcast: Puppies with Friends
Esteban here, and I have my own full disclosure to make: we recorded this episode late at night, and I was exhausted. Like head-tilting-toward-the-microphone exhausted. At one point I had to get up while Jennifer was talking to grab a drink and some candy in a desperate attempt to stay awake. It did not work.
If you listen closely, you’ll notice I contribute almost nothing for most of the episode. Then suddenly, near the end, I pop in with commentary that may or may not feel connected to what was being discussed. I’m not entirely sure I was conscious.
Fortunately, Jennifer carries this one beautifully.
The episode dives into what happens when two friends, spouses, training partners, or family members get puppies at the same time, whether they’re littermates or just close in age. The training stage can be incredibly helpful. You share ideas, troubleshoot together, and feel like you’re in the trenches as a team. But once you hit competition, that same side-by-side journey can quietly turn into comparison, pressure, and stress.
In agility, we have deep faith in genetics and purposeful breeding. Yet even within the same litter, there can be enormous differences in personality, confidence, and natural affinity for the sport. When those differences unfold in parallel, it can test even the healthiest partnerships.
It’s an honest look at comparison, expectations, and why sometimes it’s actually easier when your training partner gets a completely different breed. That’s how Sarah and I did it, more than once, and we’re still married!
Listen to the Podcast Here: Episode 381: Puppies with Friends
New Bridgerton Episodes
Who’s binge-watching with me this weekend? Part 2 of Season 4 drops on Netflix this Thursday February 26 at 3:00 a.m. ET, which basically means I will be aggressively avoiding spoilers all day until we can sit down and press play. I’ve loved this season so far, but what’s really pulled me in is how we’re getting a little more peek behind the curtain—more of the lives of the workers who actually keep these grand households running. Teenage Esteban wouldn’t have watched this series, but apparently, it’s now my cuppa.
Email me at team@baddogagility.com with comments or questions!
Happy Training,
