Theres no more "wonder" dogs as folk put it than there ever was before I reckon, its just before the advent of forums like this, you only knew about dogs in your area.
For all the "bad" side of forums like this, the upside is that it has opened up the whole country and lads are free to meet up, travel, see other dogs working and generally educate yourself in ways that may not have been possible before.
Its a treat to be able to talk dogs with sensible lads and also to meet new folks who you would never otherwise have got to meet, it can open up a whole world of houndwork that you would no