Everyone has an opinion I'm sure so lets here it? I love my heelers. But only if you can find the good ones. Took me several years to find one I felt was the quality of my old dog but he is starting to shape up and listen nicely.
Whats your favorite ranch/farm dog???
- Thread starter LRAF
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jodywy
Well-known member
been told finding a good heeleris like seeing a UFO :lol: :lol:
per
Well-known member
We have a couple of Huntaway/Boarder Collie pups from good working parents. Now if only I was smarter than the dogs.
hillsdown
Well-known member
A dog is only as good as the human behind it . Nikki is phenomenal with me and works very well. With the other , not so much. BTW yelling does not mean they will listen ;-o
I like border collies ,but I know other herding dogs that do exceptionally well also.
It is the same as in breeds of cattle, what ever you like the most that is what you should work with.
Btw LRAF , nice looking dog
I like border collies ,but I know other herding dogs that do exceptionally well also.
It is the same as in breeds of cattle, what ever you like the most that is what you should work with.
Btw LRAF , nice looking dog
jodywy
Well-known member
like my border collies, never see anything else at a sheep dog trial. mine work cows and sheep.
oh My Pyrenees x Akbash works 24/7/365, in the summer the sheep fallow her of the bed ground to where she wants them to graze
the garud dog bonds good with the replacement hiefer when we winter them with the ewes.
oh My Pyrenees x Akbash works 24/7/365, in the summer the sheep fallow her of the bed ground to where she wants them to graze
the garud dog bonds good with the replacement hiefer when we winter them with the ewes.
Faster horses
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We've had many good dogs through the years, a lot of them were
blue heelers or blue heeler cross. We found, for us, the females
were the best.
However, the best dog we ever had was this one:
Her name was Zip. She came from the Ruby Valley in SW Montana
where they were known as "Bierrer's Dogs" since the people who raised them were Bierrers. We have no idea what kind she was, and neither do they. They raised them for 40 years, (when they saw a yellow dog
that was similar in type, they bred them to the females they had). The dogs had excellent reputations. Zip had a natural bob-tail and she never barked at a cow, ever. She was double tough and minded extremely well. She was a partner to the end. We still miss her.
Neat thread. I'm glad you started it. Thanks.
blue heelers or blue heeler cross. We found, for us, the females
were the best.
However, the best dog we ever had was this one:
Her name was Zip. She came from the Ruby Valley in SW Montana
where they were known as "Bierrer's Dogs" since the people who raised them were Bierrers. We have no idea what kind she was, and neither do they. They raised them for 40 years, (when they saw a yellow dog
that was similar in type, they bred them to the females they had). The dogs had excellent reputations. Zip had a natural bob-tail and she never barked at a cow, ever. She was double tough and minded extremely well. She was a partner to the end. We still miss her.
Neat thread. I'm glad you started it. Thanks.
I personally never had any luck with any other breeds. But when you have one exceptional dog you tend to raise the bar for all the others. My old one listened better than most peoples children. But it takes time dedication and a little smarts on both parts to get there!
Thanks for the compliment hillsdown "Poncho" is turning out well.
Thanks for the compliment hillsdown "Poncho" is turning out well.
jodywy said:
Figured you was a border collie fan. I've just never had any luck with them the ones I've seen work were exceptional in their duties.
Speaking of Pyrenees the last one I had was a great guard dog but decided that every baby born one year she needed to eat??? Never figured out what the deal was with her?
per
Well-known member
Low and behold the kids took a picture of those new dogs.
We run New Zealand Heading dogs. Tougher than boiled owl turds.
We find they aren't as "sensitive" as BC's but work much the same.
In NZ, if a dog doesn't work well, they don't keep it around and would never use it for breeding. As a result, NZHD all look quite different (much the same way Huntaways do) but work. They have not been raised for chasing frizbees or doing agility (yet). We also have a Huntaway and he's real handy too.
Just my two cents.
We find they aren't as "sensitive" as BC's but work much the same.
In NZ, if a dog doesn't work well, they don't keep it around and would never use it for breeding. As a result, NZHD all look quite different (much the same way Huntaways do) but work. They have not been raised for chasing frizbees or doing agility (yet). We also have a Huntaway and he's real handy too.
Just my two cents.
jodywy
Well-known member
Cindy2
Daughters abby (1/4 heeler so abby normal)
abby working
trailing
jodywy
Well-known member
my old stud dog got a I on his papers, he was inside his momma when she came over from Scottland
hillsdown
Well-known member
All of your dogs are beautiful and unique. I am a total admirer of anyone that loves their working animals and makes them a part of their family .
highlonesome
Well-known member
Our Australian Shepherds of course :wink: We have bred them for years...first my folks, now us! People rave about them and have told us they want to listen and work at 6 mos old!! Pretty happy with them, but we also breed the old lines...Hangin Tree Blue Bear and Chulo Rojo of Fairoaks....so they are not all full of fluff and show :lol:
I Luv Herfrds
Well-known member
Love our Corgis
gcreekrch
Well-known member
We've had a couple of Aussies way back when our boys were small. They were decent stock dogs, excellent family dogs and watchdogs that bore watching when we weren't home.
One we had was named Sniff, he would drag our eldest away if he got a little too close to the creek.
Since then we have stuck with the Border Collies, all are the best friends you can have. I have been fortunate to have had two great stockdogs.
Hopefully the Lord will decide to give me one or two more.
One we had was named Sniff, he would drag our eldest away if he got a little too close to the creek.
Since then we have stuck with the Border Collies, all are the best friends you can have. I have been fortunate to have had two great stockdogs.
Hopefully the Lord will decide to give me one or two more.
badroute
Well-known member
McNab Heeler cross. If you can find a good one that doesn't have too selective of hearing they are tough to beat. They have the inteligence, agression and stamina to cover miles and miles. I have been around some neighbors dogs that played out and my dog still had lots of miles left on him.
As far as working dogs go they will work the energizer bunny.
As far as working dogs go they will work the energizer bunny.
I'm pretty partial to this girl. This is the first Aussie I've had and I sure like her. I won't claim to be a great dog trainer, but I can always call her back regardless of how hot and heavy the action may be and never have to rise my voice to do it. To me that's a big deal so as a result we get along just fine.
burnt
Well-known member
Well right now dogs is kind of a touchy subject around here cuz we've had one heck of a tough run with them lately.
We had 3 dogs here a year ago and they were all unbeatable for personality and wanting to be helpful, not that they always lived up to their good intentions! Our dogs have never been well trained and usually have more try than actual skill around cattle.
But I had to put the youngest one down last summer because she got into taking a convulsion or two one day, only to get much, much worse the next. She was the world's winningest dog personality ever. Except when it came to cats . . .
Then a few weeks ago, Cassie, my daughter's 11+ year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel got beyond point of healing and any help and made her last trip to the vet's. Never knew that a whole house could be so attached to a dog but it showed up bigtime. That dog was born without a mean bone in her body- she just loved people and they all loved her back. If I'd wake up unable to sleep at 3AM, I could always count on two things - somebody would be on Ranchers and Cassie was always glad to see me anytime time of the day or night! The house is pretty different without her . . .
And now we are down to one dog, Sadie, a Collie/Heeler cross and she too, at almost 12 years old is beginning to deteriorate very rapidly, unable to eat much of anything and turning into skin and bones, not responding to any treatments we have tried with her. Even in her failing condition, Sadie is always ready to work or play, never missing a trip to the barn or field, although she is clearly running out of energy. So, soooon . . . .
A time like this past year shows us how much dogs are truly our best friend.
We had 3 dogs here a year ago and they were all unbeatable for personality and wanting to be helpful, not that they always lived up to their good intentions! Our dogs have never been well trained and usually have more try than actual skill around cattle.
But I had to put the youngest one down last summer because she got into taking a convulsion or two one day, only to get much, much worse the next. She was the world's winningest dog personality ever. Except when it came to cats . . .
Then a few weeks ago, Cassie, my daughter's 11+ year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel got beyond point of healing and any help and made her last trip to the vet's. Never knew that a whole house could be so attached to a dog but it showed up bigtime. That dog was born without a mean bone in her body- she just loved people and they all loved her back. If I'd wake up unable to sleep at 3AM, I could always count on two things - somebody would be on Ranchers and Cassie was always glad to see me anytime time of the day or night! The house is pretty different without her . . .
And now we are down to one dog, Sadie, a Collie/Heeler cross and she too, at almost 12 years old is beginning to deteriorate very rapidly, unable to eat much of anything and turning into skin and bones, not responding to any treatments we have tried with her. Even in her failing condition, Sadie is always ready to work or play, never missing a trip to the barn or field, although she is clearly running out of energy. So, soooon . . . .
A time like this past year shows us how much dogs are truly our best friend.