Cattle Dogs

[Cosmolo]

My youngest dog is an ACD who is nearly 11 months old- unfortunately confined after surgery for elbow dysplasia. While we're feeling pretty unlucky at the moment, we are lucky that she has come from a breeder who bred an excellent, true ACD temperament and that we've spent so much time training her- makes the confinement easier for everyone.

Interesting the thoughts on reds vs blues- it's not something i have noticed but i think you would need a really large sample of blue and red dogs, different sexes to see whether the reds are a bit sharper.

[Cosmolo]

We have ours in suburbia too- but we're not really the average home.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I love ACDs...

Yes they can be very protective - I do like that about them.

they can also be silly about machines like lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners, chain saws, electric screw drivers and moving things like bikes, cars, runners...

It's really really important if one is coming after you, stand still and wait, and watch out the corner of your eye not direct eye contact. If you run, an ACD will grab you by the ankle and some do not let go. And if you keep trying to run, they will start to shake... if you stand still - there's a good chance it will let go and wait for the boss to catch up and say...

they are notorious for letting burglars in with a happy smile and then not allowing the bad guys to leave (have heard the same story about Siamese cats...).

I've always allowed ones that I meet for the first time to approach in their own time. If you try to go after them for a pat - some of them take very badly to this.

they are also the smartest dogs I've ever met. Not in the way of border collies who (mostly) only want to please and get another job to do... More in the way of a dingo - how can I get what I want... Mine is brilliant at training me. But if I know what she wants in the moment, she will work very hard for it and she's super quick at learning new things.

My current dog when she was a puppy would roll over for every dog and person. She's had a couple of bad experiences being stomped on by rude curly coat poodle crosses, and now she will scold a rude dog. Something I'm working on preventing and teaching more acceptable behaviours... but it's hard with so many of those running loose...

She is most excellent door to door sales guy repellent.

And the one I lived with prior to her, was a most excellent car thief repellent... one time his owner left her wallet on the dash of the car... came back and the door was wide open, the dog who had been sleeping on the pedals was in the drivers seat - with a big grin on his face. And the wallet was where she left it... I always knocked to let him know I was getting in the car before I opened the door. He'd go off, and then go oh it's you... and be ok. We unfortunately accidentally trained him to go off at pedestrians and bicycles outside the car which made for interesting times when I got pulled over for a speeding ticket. I had to tie him up inside the car and then get out to deal with the policeman...

So yes, a cattle dog can be a scary dog. They're also scary smart. They do shed a lot of hair too. They are also the best fun to be around.

[Law]

My old Trixie is an ACD x with what we don't know. She is very much an ACD though. She's been difficult in some ways over the years (also I didn't know what I was doing) but she's been a brilliant dog in most ways. She's 18 now & has definitely settled since she was about 10. Insanely high prey drive, independent & will just go ALL DAY. I have never seen her tired...

I would not recommend the breed to the inexperienced.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Law

[The Spotted Devil]

Oh yes I forgot about the endless energy - my girl won a Top Trick Dog competition which had a bit of TV and radio coverage. People in the media were saying I'd dosed her up with red cordial first :laugh: At 17 you couldn't let her off leash as she'd run flat out and pull up so sore the next day. She pinched and ate an entire loaf of bread (including the bag) the night before I had her PTS for liver cancer. Crazy bugger she was :)

Edited August 5, 2014 by The Spotted Devil

[jemappelle]

I'm on my second now. I think they are the best dogs ever but I am biased. :laugh:

My first was a rescue girl - very soft natured and smart - and I'm sure she could understand English. Second is a boy from a registered breeder that breeds for temperament - extremely tolerant and very sensitive.

Not a dog for everyone though. :)

[Scottsmum]

We had 2 red and 2 blues when I was younger. 2 with papers, 2 without.

The Red dog (with papers) came from a produce place not far from home - big, chunky boof of a dog. Lovable and easy going.

The red bitch came home with us from a garage sale. The people were keen to get rid of her and the contents of their house. She was a nuggetty little thing. Turned out to be deaf and therefor had all the associated problems. Not actually sure what ever became of her.

The first blue was as crazy as a cut snake. Fearful of men from day one. She was supposed to be my step-dads but she hated him with a vengeance. She bonded to 11 year old me like velcro - hiding under the house when I'd go to school - or away to Dads at holiday time. It got to the point where I would have to put her in the run and all they could do was feed her when I wasn't there. To look at she was stunning and a lot finer then the either of the reds. She died very suddenly one day at the age of 4-ish. I'd locked the three "big" dogs and the foxie in the horse truck fr a few hours while some horses were coming and going and when I let them out, Jilly was in there, stiff as a board.

The second blue bitch we got... not sure where she came from - she just arrived one day while i was at school (as animals tended to do at our place, care of the grown ups...) she was medium compared to the others. She didn't have papers. Absolutely lovely dog. I was very very fond of her. She and the red dog both went with my step-father when he and my mum broke up.

We never worked any of them, they were all pretty good around the horses. Not great around the cats - attacking two at various times.

I'd own one again in a flash but I would avoid any with similar lines to Jilly - but that said, she was born over 20 years ago and the breeder was old at that time.

[Kavik]

They do seem much tougher and 'harder' than Kelpies.

Some friends of friends of OH had one - got him as a pup, a lively friendly thing. We only saw them occasionally with the dog, but as he got older he developed some difficult habits, probably typical of ACDs that have not had a proper outlet for their drives or proper boundaries - chasing and nipping people/bikes etc. Unfortunately this was not gotten under control, and one day he got out and bit a child which got him declared dangerous. The last time I saw him at a party, he was in a crate and overweight, and he went absolutely berserk when he saw my son, I am sure he would have attacked him if he had not been contained . What really scared me was that they then had a baby of their own! I was so scared of what that dog would do to the baby I found out earlier this year that they had him euthanased.

[J...]

I grew up with ACDs as Mum bred them when I was very young, they were all working cattle dogs and all really good dogs.

The first one I remember was a blue ACD dog, guard dog bred, you didn't get out of the car if he was loose. Incredibly faithful to Dad who could do anything with him, Mum was never quite sure.

The red ACD dog was a very full on dog who needed plenty of work. He was incredibly destructive even as a farm dog, but he had a lovely temperament. Not sure how he would've gone in a backyard unless the owner was very diligent about keeping him busy.

The blue ACD bitch we had was much more laid back, late bloomer in the working stakes but was a hard-ass when she figured it out. Way too hard on your average cattle beast, she got the job of moving the bulls. She also missed the "heeling" memo, her style was launch and hit them mid-thigh and grab hold. She was certainly effective Same as the red dog, really good steady temperament and was happy to welcome people to the house if she was loose.

In all the farms I'm on these days I rarely see them, but dogs in general are becoming less common for stock work on dairy farms. I can't think of one whose temperament I have an issue with, we have a few trialling in agility in Victoria and they are all ok.