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Posted on 06/01/2005 7:34:38 AM PDT by HairOfTheDog
They are nice, good dogs, except for the wanting to "heel" everything. The SIL's gets tied up when we lounge horses. He just won't quit.
We have a heeler and it took a very long time and lots of beatings before she would quit herding when she wasn't supposed to be. She's a great dog now.
My friend Tiffney and her son.
The boy is actually the little kid my pony was bought for when he was only 6, and she threw him every time he ever got on her. The kid is tough, and fearless, like his mother.
If Rusty is acting fine any other time, then the only thing I could think of is, he is lazy or there is a tack problem. You said he was shaking his head, might be a tooth/bit problem.
Heh I have to laugh at your choices in dogs... beating a labrador because it kills birds, and a heeler because it herds.... You like to fight nature!
See all of you later, we are off today to visit the beach house, take dad out to breakfast, and have a nice early dinner for our anniversary.
Have a great day! Tell your Dad, I like the bear skin, and Happy Fathers Day.
Good morning everyone, Lovely puppy, great breed, easy to train with whistles! : )
Honor those of greying muzzle,
Those of unquestioning loyalty,
Devotedly giving their best,
Asking only for love in return.
Of course he is talking about all dogs, not just labs, but it is so touching.
His brother was smaller and not as muscular. PLUS, he had 'boogers' in his eyes. Ick
But, I have desperately wanted one, ever since the FIRST time, one of our horses got loose. LOL!!! And every time AFTER THAT, it made me even MORE determined to get one. (call me lazy, outta shape, whatever....but chasing/hunting down horses sux)
Did you train him to do the heeling thing? I know they're hardwired for the herding instinct. But, I'm trying to figure out how to channel that instinct into rounding up horses on 'command'.
Tuffy, have you seen any of the western paintings by Robert Summers? I saw a river crossing at of all places DQ. I really liked it and just looked it up on line. I can get a print for just 175 dollars!!!! Evidently he's from Glen Rose and there is a museum there and in Kerrville. I would like to go see. What caught my attention were the riders feet though. Becky had mentioned once that she takes her feet out and I was looking and his guys have them up high beside the horse. I was wondering if that was just the artists prerogative or if his subjects really rode that way. Is it legal to copy if I can?
>>>>easy to train with whistles! : )<<<<
SURE....but I can't whistle. LOL!!!
Is all I can say is good luck:) We tried everything to make those dogs stop herding. We have had 2 full blooded ones, and Grizzly is half, and just as bad as the full blooded ones were. I mean NOTHING makes them stop that I found. If you find a way to channel that to "on command" you have my deepest respect in your abilities to train dogs.
One of my full blooded ones finally did heeled a horse one time to many. Belle, kicked her (not the first time either), good and she was DRT. (dead right there). She was about 10 years old when it happened. Before that she had her cheek fractured, and had been knocked out cold several times. Our other one has had a broken leg, and her face stiched up. They are very hard headed stubbon dogs.
Becky
He wasn't really "shaking" his head, more like swinging it from side to side slowly. It was more "I don't want to do this,,,groan,,, type swing of the head:)
I think he has just gotten lazy. Been off too long.
Becky
My husband is LOL...he thinks your pup is cute, but you have no clue what you've gotten into:). We really like heelers, they are good, loyal, friendly, and have loads of personality, they just don't mix well with horses, IMO. Reality, they were bred to be cattle dogs,not horse herders, but if horses is all they have to herd that's what they herd. But horses react different then cattle, and kick harder.
When we had the roping cows here, Josey, the one that got killed use to herd them poor things around all the time, and you could hear her getting kick, but it never did the damage the horses did.
Becky
ALL our horses are USED to having dogs chase them. The horses have never tried to hurt/kick/stomp those dogs.( however, there's Jake. He's CONVINCED his JOB is to KILL anything that looks like a coyote/dog/wolf. And he HAS done that to many pups)
I'm wondering if there's a way to have this heeler go out/track down/herd BACK 'loose horses'.(on 'command')
Does that make more sense?
I think I did understand your question the first time. I do not believe that heelers, could herd back a loose horse on command. But I'm not a dog trainer:). I've just had a little experience with heelers and horses. I've watched the dogs working cows and working the horses. Horses just don't herd the same as cows. And thinking about it you never see contests of people using dogs to herd horses. They are used to herd cows and sheep, but I can't recall them ever being used to herd horses.
But, please, don't take my word for it. And they are wonderful dogs. I could just never get on to stop no matter what I did to them or shouted. The only thing I didn't try but have always wanted to is a shock collar. That might at least get them to leave the horses alone
Every heeler I have had, and the ones that my friends have that have horses, whenever anyone drives up the driveway, walks out the front door, or a horses lays down to roll, or anything out of the ordinary happens the dogs immediatly run to heel a horse. Even Grizzly does it, and he is only half heeler. He's really dumb, he even jumps to bite them in the face, and has been stomped on a few times but just keeps doing it. Here he is skiing behind Dot:)
I just remember tho, someone on the Hobbit Hole thread has heelers, and I think is more knowledgeable then I am about training them. Maybe Hair knows who I am speaking of, and can give them a ping to here. I'd welcome any advise. I had hoped Grizzly wouldn't go after the horses so much.
Becky
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