Heelers

Training and Work specific to the farm and ranch. Or brag about what you and your dog were able to accomplish today

Heelers

Postby heelerdog on Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:56 pm

Does anyone here use heelers?
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Re: Heelers

Postby heelerdog on Mon Oct 22, 2012 6:28 pm

This seems to be a board for collies so dont guess I fit in.
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Re: Heelers

Postby Linda Johnson on Wed Oct 24, 2012 5:03 pm

I don't have heelers but I do have three of them taking lessons so I am very interested in others comments on them.
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Re: Heelers

Postby springfarms on Sat Nov 03, 2012 9:48 pm

I love cattle dogs and have 2 myself. I first saw them as station bred dogs working on a station cattle that I was a Jillaroo on. My first dog was station bred and she was pretty good.

The dogs I have now are bench bred as true working cattle dogs are hard to come by over here, they do exist up on Northern stations, but a lot of their jobs have been mechanised on stations. My current dogs although awesome dogs I defintely wouldnt use one of them on my sheep. One is way to predatory. The other is old now and never got the chance so I dont know. I also know what you mean about hereditary diseases. I have had 2 with elbow dysplsia and cruciate problems are not uncommon. My first station bred heeler from 28 years ago never had any of these problems at all and was physically and mentally one of the soundest dogs I have ever owned.

To be honest I have my BC and kelpie to work my sheep. They have better skills for sheep work and it is easier to source good working bred collies than heelers. The station bred heelers are true cattle dogs, bred for working cattle not sheep. There is an occassional one working sheep but it tends to be unusual. Having said that I will always have one or two, their loyalty is unsurpassed and they really are very quirky dogs. I always feel safe when I do longdistance remote travelling when I have a couple riding shotgun with me and they did once get me out of a very scary situation when I became stranded once and was approached in a very threatening manner. My collies would have been totally useless in the situation.
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