Anyone ever had a Aussie cattle dog (heeler)

[Cooter]

he's talking about an Australian cattle dog/heeler, not a shepherd...

My australian shepherd is uncharacteristically calm. He's awesome. I have a love of for all herding breeds. I don't know why, I've just always been drawn to them.

Heelers are awesome dogs

I have two Australian Sheppards, one akc registered and mini-Aussie that we got at the humane society and is completely deaf. Our Akc dog is super smart and obedient and our deaf aussie is more obedient than most the dogs in our training class. They are both really loyal to my wife and I. My wife has had dogs in the past and when we decided that we wanted a dog, she wanted one that is smart. We looked at our options and chose the aussies. Granted we have spent alot of time training the dog, I think they would of learned the basics commands to please you. Their inner herding skills are still there cause they will round up our cats when we tell them its feeding time and we never have done training for that. If I had to get another dog it would definitely be another Aussie

[slow99]

And according to svo855, better than his wife...

Poor dog.

[franks]

I've got a queensland heeler, sweetest little dog ever. Extremely smart.

We treat him like he's just a buddy, he will hang out with us with no problems anywhere. I didn't train him to do anything, I got him to stop chewing expensive stuff quickly too.

[Cooter]

imma get me a beagle for myself, or if not somewhere in the heeler range

beagles suck

not sure how you come to decide between those two dogs

[SlowLX]

he's talking about an Australian cattle dog/heeler, not a shepherd...

My australian shepherd is uncharacteristically calm. He's awesome. I have a love of for all herding breeds. I don't know why, I've just always been drawn to them.

Heelers are awesome dogs

I'd be cool with an aussie shepherd as well, it's originally what I began looking for. Just found a couple heelers at various city shelters and I'd hate to not save one if they fit what I'm looking for. From what I've read/experienced they're fairly similar in temperaments as far as activity and energy levels aren't they?

[Cooter]

my experience is that heelers are wound a little tighter, higher engergy, etc. but I really like them

[Cheezebandit]

had a blue heeler/ lab mix and he is awesome.. listens very well and very protective of the property .. also he had been around as many as 3-4 other dogs without any problems ..

[Taylor]

My cousin has one and he loves it, it obeys, listens and is very loyal. And according to my cousin, better than his wife...

svo?

[Taylor]

Poor dog.

Damn, beat me to it.

[exlude]

I've got a 6 y/o Queensland Heeler, best dog I've owned, hands down.

They are highly intelligent and VERY energetic. He was kind of a pain when he was younger, tore up a lot of shit in the house and would freak out with kennel training. But as he matured a bit and got used to the kennel, he stopped being so destructive. They do need energy outlets, regular walks and runs.

He's very good with other dogs, we take him to the dog park 1-2 times a week. Only issue I've seen is he will herd (run alongside and push dogs with his body) and he'll nip at heels, which owners obviously don't like. But he's never actually injured another dog doing that.

He tends to get agitated around people he doesn't know, especially if it's just my wife at home. But he's really good at big social settings.

[Baba Ganoush]

Widely considered the smartest breed. Just be ready for high energy, but you mentioned a jack russel, so you're familiar.

[exlude]

Also, as for the training, he's always been fairly difficult to train. He tends to find the smarter way to do things as he gets older.

When he was a puppy I was trying to teach him to fetch, using my Pit as an example. After a couple rounds of him constantly being beat to the ball by the Pit, he found that he could just bite the Pit's heel, get her to turn around, then release and beat her to the ball.

[dee]

Also, as for the training, he's always been fairly difficult to train. He tends to find the smarter way to do things as he gets older.

When he was a puppy I was trying to teach him to fetch, using my Pit as an example. After a couple rounds of him constantly being beat to the ball by the Pit, he found that he could just bite the Pit's heel, get her to turn around, then release and beat her to the ball.

Sounds about like my Ridgebacks, throw something they'll bring it back do it again and they look at you like you're stupid. I never would have thought a hound would be that smart to figure stuff like that out.

[unkoricky]

Don't forget to crop the ears so a policeman can shoot it.

[Saleen781]

I just got a 12 week old Catahoula/Austrailian Sheppard mix from a buddy of mine that runs a 14k acre ranch. He is very chill and smart already. has the Catahoula hair and body and the Aussie short tail. They use the dogs for runninjg down hogs and corraling cattle.