blue heeler or australian sheperd?

[wbvs58]

Yeah, isn't that the truth...

My last dog was an Australian shepherd and a great companion dog. She might have been a good herding dog for someone that knew more about how to use a "header" when what I wanted was a heeler. If I took her out with me to get cows into a corral, invariably she would be sitting in the open gate just when the cows were headed for the opening.

She would have been the right dog for someone else that knew how to use her.

Those sort of dogs like to have their own job to do, they like to work opposite to you.

Ken

 

[Warren Allison]

My experience is I typically prefer male dogs, but no dog anywhere held a grudge worse than my male Border Collie and he was sensitive too.
Our female Heeler is somewhat sensitive but tough as nails and doesn't hold a grudge. It's just an individual thing I think.

Yep. Males are easier to train. All the "lassies" on TV and movies, were male. I had an Irish setter bitch, though, about 50 years ago, that was one bird-hunting fool, I tell ya. She'd out hunt and out point my [ointer males. Back then around here, it was always cold during bird season. These days, I wouldn't be able to use her most days, til around February.

 

[Warren Allison]

A guy with a dog can solve or create just as many problems as a guy on a horse. All depends on pair.

I agree. I have seen a guy on a horse...a cowboy... a time or two that I had to tell to get out of there or I would leave. However, I will take a horseman that understands cattle, over any dog or dogs, every day and twice on Sunday. And in my half century or more of working cattle on horse back, I have found I can teach a horseman how to handle cattle, a hell of a lot easier than I can teach a cattleman or cowboy how to be a horseman.

 

[Silver]

I agree. I have seen a guy on a horse...a cowboy... a time or two that I had to tell to get out of there or I would leave. However, I will take a horseman that understand cattle, over any dog or dogs, every day and twice on Sunday. And in my half century or more of working cattle on horse back, I have found I can teach a horseman how to handle cattle, a hell of a lot easier than I can teach a cattleman or cowboy how to be a horseman.

Methinks you haven't been around enough good cowboys with good stock dogs.
In either case, a herd works much better when 'horse broke' or 'dog broke', as the case may be.. I don't have any patience for a guy coming in a horseback to show how things are done, he'll get chased off pretty quick. And I don't let most people bring a dog unless I know them and how they work. I have a way I like to work cattle and because it's my place I get to call the shots.

 

[gcreekrch]

Yeah, isn't that the truth...

My last dog was an Australian shepherd and a great companion dog. She might have been a good herding dog for someone that knew more about how to use a "header" when what I wanted was a heeler. If I took her out with me to get cows into a corral, invariably she would be sitting in the open gate just when the cows were headed for the opening.

She would have been the right dog for someone else that knew how to use her.

You should have been opening the gate and letting her bring the cattle.

 

[Travlr]

You should have been opening the gate and letting her bring the cattle.

LOL.. I guess. She was a great dog but I wasn't smart enough to know how to use her. Never used dogs on cattle before.

I trained obedience and showed dogs for a couple of years but never had any experience with working cattle dogs. We go to a local herding competition once in a while and it's fun. Lots of talented dogs.

 

[ppsinoia]

need a dog sometimes to push cattle....already have a german shepard for home protection ..my cows are calm, and can call them to barn in general when needed...got into my hay pasture today and had a 2 hour time getting them out...reminded me of when my dad had a blue heeler to drive cows...dog would need to get along with my home dogs but i would train him on driving cows..had some experience with border collie, blue heeler in the past...love to halve any opinions

If you cross an Australian Cattle Dog (heeler) with an Australian Sheppard you get what's called a Texas Heeler (makes sense). You might consider splitting the difference and get such a dog. I am no dog expert, but I have heard that some Australian Sheppards have some genetic problems, while heelers seem pretty bullet proof from a veterinary stand point. But a cross may cancel those problems out, and in fact result in more robustness due to cross breeding vigor. (I asked my semi-retired vet about genetic problems with Australian Shepards and he said he never noticed that being a problem. Maybe it's just certain lines that have problems.) If it were me, I'd make sure both parents were good working dogs and both had good temperaments, and I wouldn't pick up the pup until he's been with his mama and siblings for at least 8 weeks.