what to do with a dog

[Tabitha]

last friday a dog showed up and I was home by myself. (this area is great for people dumping their unwanted dogs). In the meantime I have found out it is half Australien Blue Heeler, I knew they were working dogs. I also found out it is a dog that attaches itself to one person. I am devastated , I am that one person. It likes my husband but follows me around, if I stop it runs into me. it is an adolescent and needs training badly. thanks to Maura it sits when told and it will also come, some of the time. but not when it is chasing a chicken.
I looked in the internet on how to train that kind of dog and came up with lots of people wanting me to buy their training course which is better than all the others, but nothing that I would say, yeah, that is it..
can someone stir me in the right direction or give me some hints? I want the dog to keep the chickens out of the garden but not kill them and to "stay" unti lI say come. Also it is just terrible about barking and snarling when someone comes to the house. I have no idea how to teach it to stop once it's initial job is done. I just have no experience with dogs and you all will hate me, I really do not like dogs that much. we never had a dog, when i was a kid hardly anyone had one, only if you needed one for a purpose, as they were an extra mouth to feed. so I was not used to dogs and very much afraid of them. Yesterday a guy stopped by and the dog carried on like it was going to eat him, and the man asked if we have insurance for it. So you all carry insurance in case your dog bites someone? I know we need a dog and this seems to be a God sent, but I feel so ignorant and helpless. I do not want to treat the dog wrong and I wish it had picked some one else than me, but here it is, looking in the kitchenwindow when I cook, sitting at the edge of the garden when I am hoing, following me every step I take. thank you for any advice, what to do, which books to get, whatever.

[turtlehead]

The insurance is liability insurance, which covers anyone injured on your property. Be sure they know you have the dog and what kind of dog it is. Most insurance folks (around here, anyway) want to come out and meet the dog before they'll include it on the insurance policy.

To be honest, I think you sound like you aren't ready for a dog. I may be wrong and if so I apologize for mis-reading your tone. If that's the case, though, do yourself and the dog a favor -- don't do this if you're not 100% enthusiastic about it. Dogs can be a lot of work and they can be quite trying.

[dezeeuwgoats]

I agree with turtlehead - don't keep the dog if you aren't ready. Dogs are a lot of work, and a huge commitment. If the dog was dropped off, it may have been due to behavioral issues the previous owner was incapable of dealing with. Adolescents usually do have some behavioral issues, in any species! lol

The things you are wanting to train this dog to do, aren't just simple, run of the mill for an older dog to pick up. Training a dog to not kill chickens, or chase them, but to keep them outside a garden area seems pretty specific to me - The only thing I can think of would be to put the dog in the garden - if it is fenced. Then he'd only kill the 'intruders'.

The snarling/barking thing sounds pretty intense for a dog that just started living there. You need to establish yourself as alpha - in order for your dog to listen to you. Find a local breeder of blue heelers in your area (any type heeler maybe - I'm not familiar with the breed) who seems knowledgeable. Preferrably a breeder who breeds working dogs - they'll know more about behavior hopefully. Even finding one with a good website online, or through a heeler rescue would be good - providing they are willing to help you.

That said - unless you have fallen in 'love' with this dog and are now a dog 'convert' I think you are inheriting someone else's problem and should pass it on to someone more knowledgeable. The dog can just as easily 'attach' to someone else - if it bonded that quickly with you. FYI - my husband is a landscaper - he comes across dogs of all types and kinds - he has found heeler/heeler crosses most untrustworthy when it comes to biting. Take that aggression seriously.

niki

[Freeholder]

Heelers ARE bad for biting -- not because they are necessarily mean (although they do get quite protective of their people, which can be a good thing under control), but because they are bred to work cattle. Cattle often need a good hard nip to keep them in line, and so Heelers have been bred to be rough and strong enough to handle them. All herding breeds can be nippers or biters -- it's part of the type of work they've been bred for.

Working breeds, especially any of the herding breeds, generally need WORK to do! They will get into all kinds of trouble if they are left to their own devices for hours on end. Chasing and killing livestock is one of the more serious problems they can have -- it will get them shot in short order if they are caught at it, and it's difficult to break them of it once they get started. But they don't make good town dogs, either, because they need a lot of exercise and, again, they need work.

I would agree that this dog is probably way too much for someone with little experience to handle. It will bond to someone else, if you can find another home for it with a more experienced person. You might try the breed rescue people, and see if they can help.

If you would *like* to have a dog, do some research and pick one that suits your situation and your personallity. But Heelers are best with a farmer or rancher who has a job for the dog to do.

Kathleen

[chris30523]

I have 2 blue heelers.They are very different dogs.Not the loving licking tail wagging kind.They will be very loyal and can be protective.Mine are the same wherever I am they are.Once they learn a command they don't forget but it takes time to teach them.I wouldn't think they would make a good first dog unless you are very patient.