Hey guys,

So after being without a pup for a while now due to restrictions at PCS destinations I will be back in the wonderful world of dogs come this xmas.

I have always had a strong liking for ACD's (Heelers). Having had to give up my last when they said I could not PCS with her.

I WILL not make that mistake again. PCS be damned I'll do whatever it takes as if it were one of my children this time.

While I have had 2 very good ACD's in the past, they did require a lot of training and admittedly are NOT the best suited for small children. Though with training this was never much of an issue. However, the best dog I ever had was from a pound in Jacksonville and she looked like she came straight out of a dumpster. She was with me 10 year before diabetes got her but damn she was a fine dog.

Another reason I like the ACD is that not many breeds can keep up with my level of exercise. I like having the dog with me and being able to run them, I don't like limiting my routes to 1 mile so that I can drop the dog back off when its winded. The cattle dog is the only breed I've personally owned that can keep up on a 5K. I let them rest after a 5k and they were always ready to go again 30 minutes later.

What do yall think? ACD again or Rescue? Another good breed for running and children?

Children are currently 12,11,9,4,4,1.

I run 20-25 miles a week so all breeds will get enough exercise.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: OttoSig,

ACD rescue.

What is an "ACD"?

ACD - Australian Cattle Dog

I looked at ACDs when looking for a dog. My research took me to a breeder 1000 miles away and after talking with her, and others, I decided that the ACD, while a great dog, probably wasn’t the best breed for me. This had to do with the breeding of the dog from its origins, not necessarily from the breeding traits you can get from good bitch/stud breeding.

Based on the input I received from several breeders and ACD owners, I decided on getting another breed, an Australian Shepherd, which is of the herding mentality and very good with children. I have absolutely no regrets in my decision; we now have 3. They are smart, loyal, very loving and love kids. I do agility with my dog while the wife jogs and does agility with hers.

Another option to consider..

Austrailian Cattle Dog I assume. AKA Red Heeler or Blue Heeler.

I would’ve trusted my ACDXJRT with any child of mine. She was SUPER high energy but knew when to take it down. She trained all of the rescues I brought home (I worked with a breed specific rescue and brought home fosters regularly). Very patient, took no shit. I did do a fair amount of training with her, and agility, too.
She was great with my son when he was very small. She was 17 when she passed. Best dog ever. Lots available as rescues (she herself was) because of their high energy level. They are damn smart.

ETA: be cautious of getting one around Christmas. Many breeders and rescues look at this tine frame with a jaundiced eye, and for good reason.

It would be damn hard for a human to wear out a Belgian Sheepdog / Tervuren, if a larger breed might interest you. Seriously, those dogs are constantly in motion and I swear they scan their surroundings even when they sleep. Absorb training like a sponge and my brother’s Terv is cuddly with the kids, yet fiercely protective of his family... just the way he wanted it. He bikes 15 to 16 miles a day with Cinder running alongside and swears his pooch looks at him after each outing, like “that’s all?”

I have a hard time getting used to the Australian Cattle Dog breed name. They were always Queensland Heelers when I was younger.

Smart, tough as hell, stubborn as hell, affectionate, often one person dogs.

I still remember when I was a teenager working with a trainer cutting while his Heeler turned back for us. This one cow kicked him and he flew about fifteen feet, hitting the ground and rolling. He got up, shook his head, and ran right at that cow without a second’s hesitation. CHOMP! Duck. CHOMP! Duck. CHOMP! Duck. CHOMP! Duck. He drove that cow all the way back to the herd, through the herd, and out the other side. You could hear him thinking, “And don’t you ever even think about screwing with me again.”

Heelers are a dog I wouldn’t recommend to just anyone. Kinda like Australian Shepherds, but more challenging. However, if you’ve had success with Heelers/ACDs, you clearly have what it takes to get another. You’ll have a hard time finding a smarter, more loyal dog than a rescue Heeler. Around here there is a “Herding Dog Rescue” group. They get Aussie Shepherds and Heelers mostly, probably more Shepherds than Heelers, but they do get Heelers. Maybe there’s something like that in your area?

Our pound rescued “Cinnamon Sugar” Heeler enjoys herding our two Aussies. He “trained” our rescue Anatolian Shepherd/Great Pyrenees x <International Man of Mystery> pup who started out a third of his size to think she is a Heeler too. She’s twice his size now. Fun to watch them all play, especially the 90# “Blond Heeler” chomping on everybody else. Not meanly, no blood drawn, she just thinks she’s supposed to heel, so she does.

Very good points I didn't think of with regards to buying around Christmas time and the Herding Dog Rescue.

Mine went to a gentleman in Kauai that owned about 14 of them on his farm so a rescue for adoption isn't out of the question I suppose, never thought of it though.

I'll check the area.

Another good point is that Heelers do extremely well in the heat of Hawaii climate, where I'll likely spend quite a bit more time after Maryland before settling somewhere.

quote:

Children are currently 12,11,9,4,4,1.

Six puppies aren't enough?

I am soo exited for this choice in your and your families life!! We are the owners of two Aussie’s and I LOVE herding dogs. They are not for everyone though. Then again,some people don’t even deserve dogs. Congratulations friend!!!!!

Please consider adopting a dog. The kind of attention and activity you'll provide are outstanding.

I recognize your needs are pretty specific but I'd trust any medium sized short haired hound mix could keep up with you.

My vote would be to adopt a rescue. So many great dogs out there that really need a good home.

I just can't imagine projection that far into the future.

Bob

We recently lost our BC and I'm going through the thought process of what to do. I love the herding dogs but at 76 I'm not sure I have it in me to raise one from a pup. I've started thinking rescue but it's still to soon to replace Kokopelli. I hope you find the perfect dog for your family.

The choice is clear

Cattle dogs herd and nip (like a Border Collie, Australia Shepard, etc).

An Alaskan Malmute were bred to watch over and protect kids - something I've personally seen with ours.

I'm not sure of the climate you are in but you should probably consider the coat and color of the dog if you are going to run them a lot.

My smallest dog (9 lbs) has a thick black coat and she will go lay in the snow on a sunny day and if the temp is under 60 you can't get her inside. Once it gets over 80 degrees she hates hanging outside unnecessarily. The bigger heavier but lighter colored dog can be out in the heat all day with no problem.

There's a 4 mile concrete path around a lake near my home that we run and there are two guys that do this path on mountain bikes while having their dogs follow on a leash at a constant run. One has a Visla and one has a Weimaraner. I'm sure a German Shorthaired Pointer would also be capable. Just keep in mind that athletic dogs do need a bunch of exercise which doesn't seem like it would be a problem for you.

My mother-in-law is an ACD breeder & currently has 3 females (1 too old to breed now, 1 that just had a litter last year & a pup from that litter).
All 3 are good with our kids (9, 6 & 7mo)

We have a shelter rescue, a Border/Dalmatian we think. She's high energy, but really chill in the house, and very good with out 7 month old daughter.

Prior to that we had a Catahoula that was the best dog until cancer took him from us.

I'm not a runner, so I can't comment on that. I've taken our Border for a few jogs around the neighborhood, but that's just a bit over a mile. I think I'm more worn out that she is (I'm a cyclist, not a runner).

What area of the country will you be living in?

We had a Heeler and she was a great dog. Unfortunately she recently had to be put down way too early at 9 due to what we believe was a stroke. She was a rescue we brought home at 8 months old ands an absolute handful to retrain. She originally was with an elderly couple who did not spend any time training or socializing her. She was absolute hyper protective over us as her family. We literally had to leash her whenever someone was in the house. But with some dedicated training and socialization she became one of the best dogs we've ever had. She and my daughter literally grew up together and were very tightly bonded.

Heelers are fantastic dogs but you have to put the time in with socialization and training. Smart, stubborn and playful when they want to be. If you're going to be anywhere close to Arizona let me know and I can hook you up with Arizona Cattle Dog Rescue. They're a great rescue organization for Hellers and they are who we adopted Mattie from.

My current dog, Bandit sound perfect for you, but you can't have him. He's a rescue and the doggie DNA test came back as 50% German Shepherd and 50% Karelian Bear Dog. He's smart, protective, and absolutely loves to run.

Of course I'm going to say rescue for a dog. We've rescued before and spent time volunteering with both Cattle Dog and Akita rescues. I'm also a strong advocate for letting the dog pick you rather than you picking the dog.