Dog's Name & Age:
Jingle-Bob 2yrs
In a Word, My Australian Cattle Dog Is…
loyal
Best Characteristics of the Breed
Intelligence
Most Challenging Characteristics of the Breed
Strong willed
When, Where and How I Got My Australian Cattle Dog:
Jingle was born with me. Her mother and I were best friends. We also have her father who is my husband's best friend. We wanted to keep a male with a tail from the litter of mostly natural bob tails. Jingle chose me. She is female with a natural bob tail. Where I am, Jingle is near, she is even allowed at my work now where I am a seamtress. Her desire to be with me has won out. Besides work she is also well known in many of the local stores where she is now accepted except for food stores. My drive-up pharmacy even keeps bones for her. She rides in the front always, sitting next to me.
I'd Describe My Dog As…
Fantastic with cattle, she knows them better than me. She is over-aggressive with the horses and goats and works them only muzzled. Just her presence keeps them in the gate while I bring in hay and grain.I don't even remember housebreaking her, she became older and just went to the door. She helps with everything I do, from moving the water hose around, picking green beans (she eats a few) catching chickens gently, digging planting holes, carrying firewood, rides the tractor and 4 wheeler. She brings me my socks or shoes (not usually when I ask she just brings stuff to me all the time! even the toilet paper although she never tears it up.) She likes to play ball or milk carton or whatever it is she finds to bring me to try and tease me with it to get me to play. She is FULL of energy but will stay with me without ever leaving me if I am ill. She is a mother accidently below the age of a year. The male actually broke my house window when I was grocery shopping on a hot day (the only time she doesn't go with me. ) She had 8 pups that 4 were bob tail female and 4 males. She raised them all even at 8 months with calcium added to her food. I have since had her spayed, I left her with my Vet and picked her up undone the 1st time cause she was so upset he could not get to her. On the next try I went in with her and held her till she went out about 9 that morning, I picked her up when she woke around noon. I was told her heart has a murmur, But not bad and she is so vital and healthy. This year she seemed bad one night laying next to me in bed. I brought her to the Vet and he said it's a shame they don't have pacemakers for dogs cause she needs it. Her heart beats with her breathing and when sleeping sometimes she is bad. I called around and have not found help for her, but she is still so strong and full of life. I sure have fell in love with her I need her in so many ways. I plan to focus on the time we have neither of us know who would lose the other 1st but I know she feels the same about me, except I can say her way of loving me has made me a better person. I love my husband and family madly, but not since my mom died have I felt such unconditional love. I want to love that way now. It's a running joke with my husband to say "I love ya like a Jingle-Bob would"
She is tough.She is aggressive, and she takes work VERY serious unlike her father who it's all in fun fun. She like to control if she can and be apart of things if she cant. She is a BlueHeeler
Advice
- Get one. Let them be a part of everything, they will show you how they are needed.
- They will nip you and your children, so be aware, but don't over react, they do that till they know you wont allow it (or like mine it is allowed some times in play and she even knows when I'm playing just like I know she is.)
- Give them a job to do, make one up if you have to, even carrying something for you.
- They need to needed. They want to chase your squirrels or cats away from the bird feeders, or retrieve your bobbers for you!
- They take leashes and crates as an insult, but if your doing your part, your Heeler won't need either.
