Q for dog owners-info please

[crazycanuck]

Hi kids,

Ian & I are looking at adopting a dog from the Shenton Park dog refuge http://www.dogshome.org.au/index.html and would like to ask a few questions.

After wandering around at the refuge on sat & noting down the dogs that we were interested in,we filled in the questionaire then spoke to one of the head staff about the ones specified. We were introduced to Emma the Kelpie cross http://www.dogshome.org.au/emma.htm#up
Yes, they know we want to take the dog on our bike jaunts etc & keep the doggie busy
The dog refuge normally matches a dog to the person. It's not up to us either-the head animal trainer at the refuge will decide on Wednesday.

My questions are:
1-Does anyone have a Kelpie Cross?? Can you give me your thoughts on this breed? What about a foxhound or greyhound?

2-Has anyone ever adopted a dog from a refuge? If so, what was your experience.

3-I know there was a thread about biking with dogs. We'd eventually like to take the dog we adopt out mtn biking with us (and hope they don't catch any snakes or bother any roos ). Does anyone do this & what suggestions do you have? How did you build the dog to do distance?

4-Any good ideas on names for a dog? Any websites?

Thanks for your help.

C

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

If you take a foxhound biking with you you might not ever see it again- he'll probably just take off! They are not interested in staying on a trail with people- at least the ones they use for foxhunting...most of the hunt is spent trying to find and round up the hounds!
Are Kelpies shepherding dogs? If so, might not they love to chase after other bikers? Honestly, I don't know anything about kelpies. But I have a friend with Belgian shepherds. Nice dogs, but she's had problems in that every time anyone's kids start running around outside, her dogs take off after them, growl, and nip at their heels. Not too good of course.

[KayTee]

I agree w/Lisa that most hounds have a strong instinct to go after scent trails. I suggest that you do some research on characteristics of Kelpies and other herders, fox- and grey- and other hounds -- especially what these dogs were bred to do. That should let you know how they might be expected to behave and why. For a number of years I worked with a sporting breed rescue group, and the no. 1 reason we encountered that people wanted to give up their dogs to the rescue system was that they hadn't understood and could not handle the intensity and certain characteristic behaviors and instincts of the breed. Forearmed is forewarned! Read up, Google websites for the breed clubs and rescue groups for the breeds and/or crosses that interest you, and feel free to take your questions there as well as to the dog refuge contacts you're working with. Rescue/refuge workers do try very hard to match up the right families and environments to the dogs they are trying to place. Good luck and have fun with your dog search.

As to cycling with dogs, some of our fellow sporting breed fanciers swear by the Springer - http://www.springerusa.com/ - for "roading" (really off-roading) their dogs. We've not tried it, as we exercise ours in a different way and are mostly distance road cyclists.

[spazzdog]

I have an Aust Cattle Dog... a bit like the Kelpie. He is unsuited as a cycling companion, BUT a great running or hiking buddy... where he can be on a lead and not "herd" cyclists and children.

Other folks have had good luck with training a herder to ride with...

The herders are REALLY smart so training and activity is very important, otherwise they'll find something creative to do on their on

spazz

[SJCzar]

We have an Aust. Cattle Dog - Bordie Collie mix from a shelter. She is a really sweet dog but probably wouldn't make a great cycling companion. She is very well behaved around cyclists, runners, and passing children ..... but if she was off leash running along side me I know she would take off after any squirrel or rabbit that she spotted. If that meant crossing right in front of me to get to them she would.

[KnottedYet]

I tried to adopt an Aust Cattle Dog (adult dog). She was wonderful in the house, but growled and lunged at children and bikes (really anything that moved). I couldn't take her out for walks safely, and had to give her back to the shelter. It broke my heart.

They had already been to my apt and done my background check, and they asked that I consider taking another adult dog. I chose a puppy instead, as I decided the risk of an adult dog with an unknown background was just too high with my kid and the kids in my neighborhood.

My puppy is an Aust shepherd/setter mix. And maybe some collie. From the start I worked with him so he could be a therapy dog. He's wonderful and easy-going and friendly. Despite his herding and hunting breed mix, he stays with me when we go out in the woods. (now he's almost 5 years old)

I strongly believe that shelter dogs are the way to go, but be very careful with adult dogs and learn as much about them as you can before you adopt them.

[LBTC]

We stopped riding with our border collies a few years ago, after they proved they could not resist jumping into the smelly swamp and rolling in smelly fresh cow poop while we were climbing. They were otherwise reasonable riding companions.

Later I read that IMBA (I think it was IMBA) recommends never riding with a dog as, during the ride you are not as able to keep the dog in control, regardless of breed, and the encounters which may happen on the trail with other riders, hikers, horses, wildlife, motorized machines, etc, can end up being unpleasant for either party.

Although they don't get the highest level of exercise in our care, they do not misbehave as we had been led to believe they would. They really are very sweet and cuddly. Just the other day, a neighbourhood gramma commented that our dogs are so gentle, as Diva licked her grandsons face over and over and over and over again.

I love border collies and other super smart dogs, but, as you can see, having them as a riding companion is no longer part of the equation.

You'll find your next furbaby in exactly the right way!

Hugs & Butterflies
~T~