|
|
 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| I want a puppy really bad, and I have my heart set on a Blue Heeler. But I have seen some really crazy ones, and wanted to hear your experiences with them. Is it a bad idea to have a blue heeler and horses? I know if it would try and "herd" my barrel horse, bad things would happen. He has a bad reputation for killing cats, and my current dogs don't go near him. Also, we like our cats and I have heard that blue heelers like to kill them. We have a huge yard surrounded by fields, so he would have plenty of room to run. I am wanting a sweet, companion dog to travel to barrel races with me, and be my buddy while I do chores, and stuff. I like protective but, I don't like them scaring off the mailman, or visitors. We have cattle, so it would get to occasionally chase cattle, but I don't want him messing with the horses. Help! Maybe I should just get another Golden Retriever. |
|
| |
|
 Namesless in BHW
Posts: 10368
Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | We love our heeler female. She doesn't herd or chase the horses nor the cats. You have to start their training very early and let them know that all that is not allowed. Males we have found are more on the stubborn side than the females. |
|
| |
|
 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | We have owned 2 and this one will be our last.. LOL |
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: Texas Big Country | Our heeler is a teddy bear. I adopted him, he was a stray dog. At first he tried to snap at our kitty, but 1 good butt whopping and he never ever tried it again. Now they cuddle. Also he will still try to nip heels on a horse if I cluck at it and he thinks I need help getting it to move its feet. He must have been "sicced" on them in his former life when you cluck. But the rest of the time he leaves them alone. He would love to chase in a heartbeat, but he is so obedient and wants to please. He is just my bestest buddy and I do not know what it would belike without him now. Love him to pieces.
 (blue compressed.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
 blue compressed.jpg (70KB - 246 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| total performance - 2015-03-17 6:13 PM
We love our heeler female. She doesn't herd or chase the horses nor the cats. You have to start their training very early and let them know that all that is not allowed. Males we have found are more on the stubborn side than the females.
Luckily I am looking to buy a female! |
|
| |
|
 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| The trick to heelers is you MUST be a strong leader that understands dogs. I was raised around them, I'll always have them. You also must socialize them heavily if you don't want them to get ugly to strangers. When life is a little more settled, I won't mind having a tough dog around, but for now it just doesn't fit.
There's two types of heelers:
1) the one that is very active and needs to be entertained.
2) the laid back dog that's fine with tons of pickup/house time.
And also:
1) the one with no remorse that needs more discipline
Or
2) the one whose world ends if you so much as take a tone with them.
Anyway, I love them ALL. There's a ton of good heeler behavior books out there, I recommend them if you've never had one before!
The grey heeler is named Frosty, and the dead bug wannabe is Rudy. They're both quite large for heelers, at 60 and 70 lbs. Both are registered.
 (image.jpg)
 (image.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
image.jpg (24KB - 173 downloads)
image.jpg (29KB - 164 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| Awwe, love the pictures! I will definately have to buy a heeler book on training! |
|
| |
|
 A Bit of a Grammar Nut
Posts: 1788
Location: floating down a river | I have two red heelers. I love them and am hooked on the breed, however you must have the area for them to get their energy out and you also need to be very disciplined with them in training. They are extremely smart- probably too smart for their own good. Mine are amazing hunters and good with other dogs and people. They help with the cattle, and occasionally need yelled at with the horses, but not very often. |
|
| |
|
 Love Me Some Robert Redford
Posts: 2335
Location: WV | Mine just turned a year old. I have had him since he was a little feller. He loves his family and everyone else. lol He does not bother our cat much, just when he wants to play. These are very smart dogs and you have to have a little patience and a firm hand sometimes. Give them and inch they take two miles. Mine is also a lap dog.. He does bark when cars pull in or tries to protect me if we are playing around, will lay in bed with me until I get up, outside the door when I take a shower, or in the shower with me if your not careful. We came back from vacation and he was so afraid he was gonna get left again. This guy will stay up in the house a good bit and does not need hours of running to be happy. He loves to be with his people. Good luck and post pic's if you get a pup. |
|
| |
|
Love Me Some Robert Redford
Posts: 2335
Location: WV | Mine just turned a year old. I have had him since he was a little feller. He loves his family and everyone else. lol He does not bother our cat much, just when he wants to play. These are very smart dogs and you have to have a little patience and a firm hand sometimes. Give them and inch they take two miles. Mine is also a lap dog.. He does bark when cars pull in or when trying to protect me if we are playing around at the house, will lay in bed with me until I get up, outside the door when I take a shower, or in the shower with me if your not careful. We came back from vacation and he was so afraid he was gonna get left again. This guy will stay up in the house a good bit and does not need hours of running to be happy. He loves to be with his people. Good luck and post pic's if you get a pup. Posting from my husband's computer so I can not post a pic but he is also a little bigger than normal at 10 months he was 61lbs. I was a little worried when I first got him he would have some of the bad traits but the breeder told us that he never had an issue with his being too aggressive or just plain mean.
Edited by mam0329 2015-03-17 7:57 PM
|
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| I can hardly wait to go puppy shopping now! Thanks guys |
|
| |
|
Location: South Dakota | I love my little Blue Heeler...so loyal, devoted..fun...well behaved.
She can get a little high strung and excited around cattle, but listens really good.
Good with cats, chickens, and kids, but as others have said, make sure they are taught manners and obedience. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 656
| I think the trick is to spend a lot of time with them. The best one I ever had I got at 4 weeks of age, I was able to take her to work with me. They are very smart |
|
| |
|
  Sock eating dog owner
Posts: 4557
Location: Where the pavement ends and the West begins Utah | Very intelligent. If your not going to train to stay with or come when called don't get one. They prefer to be the"boss" . Really Really really easy to train they can even be comical.When we had ours she would act like a cat at times cause she thought she was one. Never would go with me out on the horse. but would go hiking with the kids anytime. they need play time, attention and always in your back pocket. Fun fun dogs. |
|
| |
|
 Heeler Hoarder
Posts: 2067
| My family has 5 all together. I personally have two females, my husband has a female and my parents have a male and female. We will NEVER be without one, no other breed compares. We work ALOT of cattle though and most of these dogs NEED a job if not they will find one. They have a HIGH prey drive which means some have a tendency to kill small animals or will pack up and go after other dogs. You have to establish yourself as pack leader and have a very firm hand. They are not for everyone but if you want to put the time into one they are wonderful. |
|
| |
|
Location: Texas | We absolutely love our heelers! I probably will never own another breed. Very loyal, protective dogs with HUGE hearts. We have had many heelers and they have all been great with kids, cats, goats and horses. They are the best for working cattle, but do know the difference in horses and cattle.
 (FB_IMG_1426657935885.jpg)
 (FB_IMG_1426658025001.jpg)
 (FB_IMG_1426658089702.jpg)
Attachments
----------------
FB_IMG_1426657935885.jpg (40KB - 186 downloads)
FB_IMG_1426658025001.jpg (52KB - 181 downloads)
FB_IMG_1426658089702.jpg (74KB - 175 downloads)
|
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1561
Location: North of where I want to be | I feel your pain. My heeler aussie cross is both comfortable chilling with me & in need of loads of entertainment. She is MY dog...protective of me from EVERYONE/EVERYTHING......she heards everything...including quads. I love her & she is a great dog, but that part gets OLD. |
|
| |
|
Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| I have had 2 - the best dogs EVER! My current is 5 years old and this winter when it was cold, I was bored, so I taught her to put her toys in her toy box in the living room. Within a WEEK, she had this trick down - in fact, so much so, if there weren't any toys out and I told her to put her toy away, she'd get one out of the box, turn a circle and put it back! - Pretty much anything for a "cookie!" - I love her to pieces. Every week, she rides 120 miles with me to go see my dad in the nursing home - she has her own "fan club" there! - HOWEVER, she is a little "snappy" around kids, she does NOT like them to move fast, I think they are too "busy" for her. She will bring the horses down to the barn in QUICK order if they don't come when I call them and she did this naturally, I never taught her. I just couldn't say enough good about the breed - love them!  |
|
| |
|
 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | mine was very protective of my daughter, he would sit right next to her and if another dog came around her...he would chase them, nip their hind end, then come back and sit right next to her. Same went with strange people, he would nip their feet if they got too close to her. Absolutely loved him. |
|
| |
|
 Super Bumper
Posts: 3392
Location: At the Brownderosa | Socialization is the biggest thing on heelers that I've found. My pup is a year old now & I've had him around the horses as soon as I got him at 7 wks. He doesn't pay them much attention at all even when they are running. I don't let him run around loose as we live too close to a neighborhood but he doesn't mess with them. We didn't have our heifers when we 1st got him so he does tend to bark at them or watch them very closely. Cats, he barks at them but he just wants to play with them. I socialized him very well starting at a very early age. We have a doggy daycare between work & home that he frequents so he is very good with other dogs as well as people. He is super smart & learned everything very quickly. Went to 3 levels of obedience classes, he's not perfect but he is smart & minds well. He's also a house dog & goes with us to barrel races. If you don't have a lot of time to spend with them to teach them things, they can be a big pain especially if they are an only dog. I love my heelers & he is my 3rd one to have. The other two died of old age (they were 15 when they died) & were the best dogs anyone could ask for. |
|
| |
Folks on-line