Good cattle dog and friend?

[johnday]

Thistle; Yeah that's I mean! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Never heard it put like that before. Spike is one the rescues, actually I went up and untied him from a clothes post. He had a 6' foot lead on a 5' post. He couldn't even get to his water dish that was a good 4' away. The previous owner had took him in on trade for a rock of crack. [img]/forums/images/icons/mad.gif[/img] The older lady that lived there told us this. We told her we'd take him and give him a good life. Really it's the other way around! My wife is an RN that was visiting this lady. He may be 100% Border but it really doesn't matter. He's just a great dog, tries to herd the cats and other dogs. I didn't know that sometimes they are timid. Spike can be, but I thought it was because he may have been abused, at any rate, he was definetly neglected, but not anymore, he's by far my favorite! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[ThistleKop]

I never did attempt to get Lady going on the frisbee. If the grandsons lived closer I'm sure they would have. So far the coated aspirins have worked quite well for Lady.

Lady is hardwired, that is she does everything the same way all the time. Example: this summer she got in her head that I had to "sit" while she ate. When my butt hit the chair she would hurry to begin eating. Who's got who trained? [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] With winter here, I am disobeying her.

TK

[ThistleKop]

Johnday,

Sounds as if you and Spike have a win/win arrangement. That's a great matchup. There seems to be a great deal of variability in Borders' dispositions. Lady in some cases is timid. Has a genetic snapping instinct which is useful with livestock. Doesn't bite humans but I still watch her around children. No children at our house on a regular basis. When she was young she would make a quick dash for my heel when I started to get on a ladder or tractor. I finally broke her of that. Like I said earlier she's not perfect but what a loyal and useful friend.

TK

[mfaley]

TK,
Very funny! They are no end of amusement.

Mark

[rookie]

We have an Australian Cattle Dog, (Blue Heeler), and she is the best worker and greatest friend we could ask for. She's tough, smart, loyal, and loving. She always knows what's going on around our place. She has never roamed, but just wants to be with whatever human is working outside. This dog can move cows like crazy -- doesn't matter how ornery the cows get, she'll move em. The amazing thing is, she has never given our horses a second glance. She leaves them alone. She's fine with the tractor and other equipment. You just can't have her around if pull-starting something, or she'll try to mix it up with the recoil. We never have figured that one out! At the end of the day, she lays on the couch and watches tv with us. I know a lot of folks don't approve of that, but that's how we like it. She's good to our other little mutt, and the cat, as well. All in all, a perfect dog!

[mfaley]

Well you sure cant beat that! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Anytime you can get a dog that fits you thats a good deal. I guess I am like you, I get attached to dogs and like having them around. Barn, house, truck, pool....it does not really matter as they tend to be good for a laugh.

A lot of folks sure like those dogs and I have seen some of them take a real pounding and not even seem to notice it.

Post some pictures if you have them.
Mark

[Hondo]

I don't know if you'll find this helpful, or not. A male Australian cattledog adopted us nearly three years ago. Tried to run him off, but he'd decided we were his pack, and as it turned out, he was right. Couldn't imagine a more loyal, interesting pooch. Doesn't roam, is always ready to accompany us anywhere, and is a great watch dog. He's not been trained to work with cattle, but he loves them - practically drools over them when we drive down the county road - but barely notices horses, goats and llamas. He's also an excellent scorpion spotter (they like the house in early summer) - he crouches and stares intently - and has done this with the only snake we've encountered together, as well. I haven't trained him to do this; it just came naturally. He also likes to, well, sing. He picked this up from our schnauzer, and whenever my wife breaks out her recorders, we're in for a canine duet. I'm ever so grateful that the dogs don't accompany mandolin and guitar, as I play them much more frequently...

[ThistleKop]

<font color="blue"> he crouches and stares intently </font color>

Hondo,

That stare is probably the best weapon that stock dogs have. It's referred to as "eye". They intimidate what ever animal they're working to get them to do what they want. The more "eye" the better when looking for a stock dog. I've put the Aussie high on my list to replace my border collie when she is gone. Thanks.

TK

[ThistleKop]

Hondo, in my last post I responded as if your friend was an Australian Shepherd. You stated it was an Australian Cattledog. Sorry about that. Both those breeds are on my list along with Border Collie. Lady, my border has been plenty aggressive to work cattle but that is not the case with all borders. The breed you have, I'm told is the most aggressive of the three breeds.

TK

[rockinmywaypa]

this post reminds me of the best dog I've ever had. Ben was 2 generations away from a north american sheepdog trials champian, Ross I think. His mother was imported from Scotland. The breeder I got him from is a neighbor that used to run up to 5 dogs at once using his own whistles for commands, no plastic fakes. He was getting up in years and I was shearing his sheep which were slated to be sold. He wanted this last dog to be around sheep so he traded him for a box of lamb for the freezer. That border collie had more smarts than most people I've met, he seemed to understand everything I'd say to him. I could let him out of his kennel and tell him where the sheep were out and he'd run straight for them, sometimes a half mile away.Thing was He had no use whatsoever for the wife or kids and could be quite nasty if they got into his area,although most of the time he'd go away from them. John the neighbor said that was typical with the best dogs. His best job was grafting lambs, If I had a ewe with a single and I wanted to double her up with a triplet I'd put her in a claiming pen with both and tell Ben to hop in, He'd jump over the gate, circle around the ewe and lambs and jump out. The ewe would panic, count her lambs to protect them and 9 times out of 10 would bond to both.