Question
Roxy
Hi there. I recently adopted a dog from animal control. They claim it is a seven month old Australian Shepard/cattle dog mix. She is around 35 pounds and a doll :) I've been doing some research on this type of dog, but I am slightly confused/worried. A lot of websites are saying she needs a lot of exercise and will be aggressive for "top dog" position. I have not witnessed this, however. She seems pretty laid back and just sleeps wherever. We introduced her to a friends dog and she played very well. She is very friendly with everyone she meets and plays nice, unless you lay down on the floor then she tends to nip. Anyway, my question is- with this type of dog..should I be worried about aggressiveness in the future?? What characteristics should I be worried about or watch out for?? and how do I control her urge to herd??
AnswerDon't lay on the floor if she nips - that way she won't practice any inappropriate behavior;-) Every dog is different, and I would tell you to ignore anyone who talks about "top dog" or "alpha" or "dominance". It's a bunch of hooey, frankly. Read this: http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/domina...
To prevent aggressiveness or poor manners, train your dog positively in ways she understands. There's a really neat site with free lessons here: www.clickerlessons.com. Herding dogs need a "job" and if you train, you can keep her busy that way, plus you can feed her from puzzle toys (www.activedogtoys.com or www.premierpet.com) or play frisbee, etc. These dogs need a lot of exercise, both physical and mental, but if you think she is laid back she probably is, and at this age, I would not expect to see much change in her attitude toward you. At some point, she may be less likely to enjoy physical play with other dogs, but that is certainly not a given. I say just enjoy your dog and don't expect any problems. You can't control her urge to herd, but you can satisfy her urge to herd in appropriate ways. Get a herding ball, or throw a frisbee, but interrupt her if she chases something else, and redirect her to the frisbee, for example.
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