new help on the farm

[billonthefarm]

His name is Wrigley. I really havent figured out if he is help or not. Seems like I spend alot of time entertaining him. He is a purebred australian heeler. Got him last wednesday, he will be 8 weeks old this thursday, and it sure has been fun this past week. Planning on putting him in the tractor with me when I start planting corn, that should be interesting! At least we can keep each other company on those long days in the field. I hope he enjoys listening to baseball games!
bill

 

[730 virgil]

bring him up here we'll introduce him to my cows and bull

 

[n8terry]

looks like a good buddy to me.

Reminds me of the time I was helping my brother windrowing alfalfa with a air conditioned swather. My brother came out to the field to see how I was doing, he had his dog in the back of the pickup. When he got ready to leave I started to get back in the cab of the windrower. I noticed his dog start to follow him, but he turned around and jumped in the cab with me. I guess he remembered that it was air-conditioned! It surprised me cause I hardly knew the dog. My brother loved that dog and he was a little bummed about the thing.

 

[billonthefarm]

He will get his chance to be with cattle soon enough but he's a little young and he needs to learn some things first so in the meantime he can just be my sidekick, when he isnt napping!
bill

 

[Anonymous-0]

Bet you won't stop at one....... I can't see the picture, but are you talking about an Australian Sheperd or the short haired cattle dog? We've got Sheperds and a couple of friends have the cattle dogs. My Sherherds love the tractor and pickup. People get a kick out of it when I drive around with one on each fender. We have 3 dogs and it's a riot when they all go with to see them race for the fenders (last one has to ride on the back platform). Of the 3 friends that have the cattle dogs, only one has anything that's worth anything IMO. Not the dog's fault, but the people. These little dogs seem to take on the characteristics of the owners and react IAW how they are kept and responsibilities they are given. My favorite one has the run of the place along with a Rottweiler and a Jack Russell. They all have jobs (or at least think they do) and tickled to death to work a few minutes and rest a few hours on the porch. The others spend the majority in a kennel.

Haven't had any experience with Cattle Dog puppies, but the Shepherds learn extremely fast, sometimes just by watching something done by another.

Either way, you made a good choice. At 8 weeks, he's ready to learn. If you pay attention, you'll see when something is too much.

Good Luck,


Dave

 

[Fergienewbee]

Cute pup. Take him everywhere you can as often as possible. Let him learn new sounds, sights and people. It's call socializing and is very important in the pup's development.

I've traveled 900 miles to Kansas with three dogs and not one of them got car sick ever.

Larry in Michigan

 

[Mitch Furness]

Hi Bill

Had 6 cattle dogs in my time, they are a hard biting animal and will move stubborn cattle that most others will not touch. They have a characteristic bite low on the beasts hock, they duck out of the way so as not to get kicked by beast. Hence the name heeler. They are also a very possesive/one man animal and like one other post says will become hard to manage if not treated fairly. They have a habit of hiding when people come to from door and sneaking up behind them and not letting them get away.

All round good dog, but do need to be managed well. Reds more temperamental than the blue variety.

Mitch (in Australia)
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj147/1210mitch/DSC_1191.jpg[/IMG]]blue cattle dog

 

[Mitch Furness]

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Try again.

Mitch

 

[omahagreg]

Very handsome guy! Greg

 

[Anonymous-0]

Don't forget the "How yer goin mate" to make him feel at ease.

 

[gpuller]

Nice heeler, I'm kinda partial to the reds too. Second one we've had, male first and now this female. She's a year old now, pictures were taken when she was just a pup. Quite a hand full, can't wait until she's over her chewing stage, maybe she wont, running out of air hoses, extension cords, tire valve stems....

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[Walt Davies]

I don't know I'm kinda partial to Border Collies.
Walt

<a href="http://s77.photobucket.com/albums/j50/WaltDavies/?action=view&current=Sammy.jpg" target="_blank">

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[Nancy Howell]

Very cute. Only thing better than a good dog and a good horse is a good husband. I am blessed to have all three. James and I are softies when it comes to an animal in distress. Other than the horses, all of our animals were thrown away by an uncaring person. Here are before and after pix of the last one I saved.

 

[Anonymous-0]

People are something.... Here in the State of Bavaria (Germany) dogs are listed in categories (hunting, sport, fighting, herding, etc). Then, the fighting breeds are categorized as cat 1 and cat 2. Cat 1 pitbull, staffordshire, bull terrier, and a couple of others. Can not have them in Bavaria at all, when the law passed, animal shelters started overflowing and soon these dogs were just turned out. They are allowed in the other States and a lot were rescued, but a lot were killed by police if they were lucky and starved to death, etc if not. Cat 2 is Rottweillers, "Hooch" dogs and the big bulldog/gaurd dog breeds with bulldog roots. They have to pass lengthy and pricey temperament tests and wear a muzzle and stay on a leash. A lot of people couldn't afford the test, so dumped again. For about a 10 month stretch, sights like your "before" picture was pretty common.

 

[John A.]

Bill, Surenough a good looking Red Heeler! Looks like you will have a lot of "string time" teaching him the commands you use. I don't know if this is your first Rodeo with Heelers or are you a seasoned Veteran, Like myself having Heelers for over 20 yrs. They are absolutely the hardest headed dogs I have ever seen, and Fiercely Loyal, and One person dogs too!
Good Luck, Have fun
Later,
John A.