We Got A New Dog Today!

Discussion in 'Pets & Critters' started by Yvonne Smith, Oct 22, 2017.

  1. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,870
    We have been talking about getting another dog so that we can have a guard dog to protect Bobby’s shop from any more burglars.
    I wanted an adult dog and he wanted a puppy. We compromised and got one that is about 5-6 months old. He is a Red heeler mix, and still has that straggled-out puppy look; but his body should fill in to be a nice blocky heeler look by the time her is a year old.
    Heelers are one of the best watch dogs you can have, even though they are not as large as a Rottweiler or pit bull, but between him and Tootsie (who is part Blue Heeler), they should do an excellent on of protecting us.
    C6703AA6-1FFF-4A6C-BCDB-14B0955165CA.jpeg
     
    #1
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2017
  2. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2016
    Messages:
    8,565
    Likes Received:
    12,083
    So will the new dog live inside or outside @Yvonne Smith? He looks like he has some pretty coloring on him. :)
     
    #2
  3. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2015
    Messages:
    19,089
    Likes Received:
    18,917
    So that was a text from you! I got a text on my phone with a pic of a dog but didn't recognize the number. :)

    I asked "Yvonne"? But you didn't reply so I thought someone texted me by mistake....I knew the area code was yours that's why I thought it might be you but was surprised you got a dog. :)
     
    #3
  4. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,870
    Yes, that was me. Since you have an iPhone, you can see the animated picture, which I can’t post here on the forum. I didn’t see any response from you for some reason, so I didn’t know if you got it or not.
    We intended to get a larger dog for a guard dog, but most of the bigger dogs out here are Pit Bulls, and we didn’t want one of those if we could find a different kind. Tootsie is a good little watch dog, and with another Heeler , they should do an excellent job of protecting Bobby’s shop.
     
    #4
    Chrissy Cross likes this.
  5. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,870
    He will be inside/outside just like Tootsie is. Now that she has company, they can be out together more on nice days, and we are going to get a warm dog igloo to put in Bobby’s shop so they will feel very protective of that area. In bad weather, they will be inside where it is safe and dry.
    The people who gave him to me said that he sleeps in his crate with one of their other dogs at night and then goes it in the morning; so he has been used to being outside.
    He is not thin, but definitely a little skinny for a heeler, so plenty of food and a safe place to eat and sleep, and he should start putting on some weight and filling out. He has a skinny body right now, but Heelers are usually blocky, so we expect that he will start getting more body mass as he matures.
     
    #5
    Babs Hunt likes this.
  6. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2016
    Messages:
    8,565
    Likes Received:
    12,083
    I felt kind of dumb asking whether he would be inside or outside @Yvonne Smith but there's so many "rules" for having pets now. I think that's part of the reason I don't really want to be responsible for a pet on a full time basis. I might do something wrong unintentionally and someone will report me to the "pet police."

    So much has changed since I grew up with pets...now it seems having a pet is more like having another child to raise. And probably cost as much to raise as a child does too. But it would seem if you wanted a guard dog to guard Bobby's storage building then the dog would have to live out by it. So I thought I would ask and see how these things work now. Thanks for your explanation.
     
    #6
  7. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2015
    Messages:
    19,089
    Likes Received:
    18,917
    I did reply...I asked "Yvonne"?
     
    #7
    Yvonne Smith likes this.
  8. Ann George

    Ann George Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2017
    Messages:
    822
    Likes Received:
    117
    I've never heard of this breed before but from what I've read, he should make a very good watchdog indeed. Also a companion for your other dog as well.
    .
     
    #8
    Yvonne Smith likes this.
  9. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,870
    The blue/red heeler is an Australian Cattle Dog, and was developed by crossing a herding dog with a dingo. They are a working dog, and can easily tell a 1,000 lb. steer where they are supposed to go.
    Although not a large dog, they are very protective of their home and their people, and would not think twice about nipping a stranger on the leg if they were prowling around where they are not supposed to be.
    I think that Rusty is going to be larger than Tootsie once he is full-grown. He is already as large as she is, and he still has some growing to do yet.
    So far, he seems to be adapting to being here really well, and he and Tootsie are getting along fine.
    They spent most of the afternoon and part of the evening outside, and then came in and slept in their beds for the night. He has already barked a couple of times when Toots was alerting at people walking through the yard next door, which is great for his first day here, and as young as he is; so I think that he will be a fine watch dog once he grows a little more.

    Here is a picture of an adult red heeler. From what I have read, the coat can get more red hairs mixed in as they grow, so he might be darker than he is now when he is full grown.
    E138EF88-9570-4C75-9C51-18F1A50B9F60.jpeg
     
    #9
    Babs Hunt and Chrissy Cross like this.
  10. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina Isobe Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2015
    Messages:
    1,413
    Likes Received:
    1,496
    Your are so right having guard dogs for pets. We had a family run little grocery store way back in the day when my Grandfather and Grandmother started. Grandpa insisted on having guard dogs and we didn't have any break-ins and robberies. Since the dogs aged and died, we started to have break-ins and robberies till it almost broke us. Best is they are both pets and guard dogs so it's wonderful!
     
    #10
    Yvonne Smith likes this.
  11. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,870
    I agree with you , @Krissttina Isobe , and I enjoy having the dogs for watch dogs as well as pets. I can see my beloved Chipper going downhill healthwise, and he just mostly sleeps his way through life right now, waking up to eat and go outside and do his chores, and that is about all he does; so I do not think that he will be around for a whole lot longer.
    Tootsie has always been an inside/outside dog; but she comes in at night to sleep, and we did not want to leave her outside alone all night.
    Rusty has been used to being outside, and once we make them a warm dog house and bed with lots of straw out in Bobby’s shop, they can cuddle up together and keep warm, and stay outside except for in the cold or wet weather.
    They sleep right by the back door now, so if anyone does come in the yard, they will know it and bark and we can let them out. Bobby has a security camera set up out in his shop and he is going to put up some solar-power motion sensor lights next, and that way it will light up the outside area if someone does come into the front or back yard.
     
    #11
  12. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina Isobe Veteran Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 28, 2015
    Messages:
    1,413
    Likes Received:
    1,496
    :(It is so wonderful to have pets. We all age, and to go through the end of life journey is sad, very sad and an honor too. After we lost 2 of my dogs to the end of life journey, they just became too old and one unfortunately got the mosquito disease who I've had as a puppy was a time I'll never forget. We had the hard decision, at the time over 50 years ago, times were different than now, so we put them down to stop their suffering. We talked to them and prayed for them too but missed them so much. They are not only your pets they're your friends. It's a joy to remember them when they were puppies. I took pictures so I'll have their memories always with me. Sorry for the late reply.
     
    #12
  13. Babs Hunt

    Babs Hunt Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2016
    Messages:
    8,565
    Likes Received:
    12,083
    It seems @Yvonne Smith that your guard dog is working out well for y'all?
     
    #13
  14. Yvonne Smith

    Yvonne Smith Senior Staff
    Staff Member Senior Staff Greeter Task Force Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2015
    Messages:
    14,881
    Likes Received:
    27,870
    He is still a puppy, but growing fast. He was about the same size as Tootsie when we got him, and is now quite a bit larger, and starting to grow into those huge paws.
    Tootsie has been teaching Rust the fine art of being a watch dog, and thankfully, he is also quiet until she barks at something.
    I have started him on leash training, and got him a nice sturdy harness and a 20’ lead for training. The harness is still a little argue, but that is good because he has room to grow into it.
    He learns really fast, and I think that he is going to be a perfect watch dog once he gets a little older. Since Chipper is probably not going to be around a lot longer, it is good that Tootsie already has a new friend so she won’t be so devastated when Chipper goes to Heaven.
     
    #14
    Ina I. Wonder and Babs Hunt like this.
  15. Chrissy Cross

    Chrissy Cross Supreme Member
    Registered

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2015
    Messages:
    19,089
    Likes Received:
    18,917
    #15

Share This Page