UKC

has any one owned an acd?am thinking of a dog and 1 of the few breeds i do like is these.but never seeing 1 or knowing any one thats had 1 dont know much about what they are like to live with.
cant seem to find any pups on the interweb either.

In reply to mark s: I presume you are either talking about the Australian Kelpie or the Queensland Blue Healer. Neither are recommended as house-pets, even in Oz. They are both strong-willed and a bit cantankerous and the Healer is also totally fearless, they were bred to herd seriously big bullocks and the like. I have to say I have never seen either breed in this country but that doesn't really surprise me.

In reply to Dave C: yeah blue heelers another name.when i first saw mad max 2 i wanted 1.can imagine them being a bit like a collie but not as timid

In reply to mark s: Not really as smart as a collie. No dog with brains would actually have a born-instinct for facing down 1/2 ton longhorn bulls. American cattle ranchers apparently pay thousands of dollars for pure-bred healer pups from Oz!

In reply to mark s:
Sounds a lot like having a dog as a fashion accessory and a penis extension. Probably better stick to inanimate objects for that sort of thing, then the animal and the rest of the world won't have to put up with the consequences of your decision.

In reply to Dave C: Kelpies are great dogs, OK not as wiley as a collie, but a bit more physical, have to be given the opportunity to run, but that is the same with collies and most hounds.

The GF has one in Aus, it turned up on christmas day, just a stray walked upto them, and decided to stay, been with them 8 years now, great temperament.

I wouldnt get any dog, like a kelpie, hound, collie, unless I was prepared to work it properly, its cruel not to, they are bred to work 8 hours plus a day, you have to run them, and run them off the lead, or they'll be so much trouble due to pent up energy.

In reply to Iain Ridgway:


Absolutely. The best pedigree dog for most people is probably a whippet - bone idle, not much brains, small, easy to live with. Greyhounds are pretty much the same only bigger and so more expensive at the vets, and there are lots of ex-race greyhounds needing new homes. Poodles *look* stupid (those hair cuts!) but I remember one (a blue bitch) winning overall obedience at Crufts a few years back.

In reply to Cats:
bloody clever dogs poodles, if I was going to have a dog it would be a mutt or a standard Poodle. Kelpies are nice, the few I have met.
Cats are far supperior

In reply to Dr.Strangeglove:
Cats are not superior just different!

I would agree about the standard poodle - a much maligned breed, afterall they don't need a silly haircut!

In reply to mark s:

Your best bet is to forget getting a pedigree, and go look at all the lovely rescues waiting for new homes at the RSPCA and so on. Cross-bred dogs (which most of them are) tend to have better health and very few genetic problems. Plus, you are usually getting an adult so no need to house-train it (cats come ready trained unless they are too young), and it may well have an idea of what walking on a lead and coming is about. Of course it also may have an idea it doesn't like those things, depending on the previous owner!

If you are *serious* about a pedigree dog, find a breeder (or three) and talk to them about the breed and it's needs. Remember that a reasonable size dog in a large field seems twice as large in a house.

Whatever kind of dog you get, make sure you have a dog-proof garden (back or front) so it can enjoy the fresh air without going walk-about, and be prepared to take plastic bags to gather poo whenever you take it for a walk. And to clear up after it in the garden.

In reply to Dr.Strangeglove:

I know.

Dogs have owners, cats have staff (on a good day) or slaves.

In reply to SouthernSteve:

And I'm sure I'm seeing some these days without a docked tail. They seem to leave the fur longer on the tail so the dog has something like a venetian blind brush attached to it's rump. A former friend got a black standard poodle from a rescue - she had spent ages looking for the right dog to fit in at home. Saw a wonderful photo of the dog on it's back on the sofa with her cats all cuddled up to it. Sadly the dog became ill & died from cancer at a very young age - not much over 5 I believe. She was heartbroken.