So ummm... Hank the cow dog
- Thread starter Laurelin
- Start date
Just to give an idea DJ the shelter I got Hank from has 10 heelers/mixes right now and the other shelter I was looking at has 7. One looks like a hank with a black body. Another is only 25 lbs.
It is good to know we are not alone an other people have overcome this!
Hank is seeing my vet tomorrow. I'm anxious to get a real weight on him.
It is good to know we are not alone an other people have overcome this!
Hank is seeing my vet tomorrow. I'm anxious to get a real weight on him.
I swear Hank's sit is already better and more snappy and consistent than Summer and Mia's. and papillons are really trainable dogs. He just seems to put two and two together. And he really seems to be trying to figure me out and my thoughts on everything. He is very alert and very observant.
He is such a good boy. I mean that very genuinely. This dog is a gem. A wild mouthy gem but he is fantastic. He is so so sweet with me. The paps have relaxed almost totally now that Hank is tethered around them. Things are going well but I am trying not to get complacent. We will continue the tethering for quite a while.
I think the name is stuck though. Lol. My trainer is gonna kill me.
And I haven't told family yet. I know they'll be scolding me since it was only a week since moving. But as my trainer pointed out if it is the right dog then it's the right dog. It would be better to get that dog now versus wait and get something less suitable.
He is such a good boy. I mean that very genuinely. This dog is a gem. A wild mouthy gem but he is fantastic. He is so so sweet with me. The paps have relaxed almost totally now that Hank is tethered around them. Things are going well but I am trying not to get complacent. We will continue the tethering for quite a while.
I think the name is stuck though. Lol. My trainer is gonna kill me.
And I haven't told family yet. I know they'll be scolding me since it was only a week since moving. But as my trainer pointed out if it is the right dog then it's the right dog. It would be better to get that dog now versus wait and get something less suitable.
Official weigh in is 15.3! Boy is teeny tiny. Vet's breed guess was ACD/JRT. At any rate I think heeler x terrier is a good bet.
He handled the vet very very well. Very friendly and happy with everyone but did try to jump on the counters and all over everyone. He also wants to tug his leash. I need to get him a tug leash i think. My vet commented that he was very very different than my past dogs. Lol
We had to do a vet exam per shelter rules.
Anyways now he's eating in his crate... or supposed to be. He is pitching some small fits when I kennel him and am in the house. It is mostly pathetic howling. I have timed him when I left for work and his howling is only a minute or two. Now it is non stop... But I think it's because he knows I'm here and the papillons are loose. Trying to wait him out.
I notice he is more motion sensitive at night. I am wondering if it is because he's tired? Anyone noticed anything like this?
He handled the vet very very well. Very friendly and happy with everyone but did try to jump on the counters and all over everyone. He also wants to tug his leash. I need to get him a tug leash i think. My vet commented that he was very very different than my past dogs. Lol
We had to do a vet exam per shelter rules.
Anyways now he's eating in his crate... or supposed to be. He is pitching some small fits when I kennel him and am in the house. It is mostly pathetic howling. I have timed him when I left for work and his howling is only a minute or two. Now it is non stop... But I think it's because he knows I'm here and the papillons are loose. Trying to wait him out.
I notice he is more motion sensitive at night. I am wondering if it is because he's tired? Anyone noticed anything like this?
You know all things considered hes not as bad as I would expect for his breeds. He is very very very high energy. He has a lot of drive an can be bitey an pushy. But he's a nice dog with a very stable core temperament. And he really wants to please and learn. He even ha an off switch...
I ran into my Belgian friend taking her new pup to the vet. She and Hank hit it off. My friend thought he looked very rat terrier but after watching a while said 'no, I think you've definitely got some herder in there.' She said he a very nice dog. But when I mentioned that he's been easy overall she told me to wait another week then get back to her lol.
I ran into my Belgian friend taking her new pup to the vet. She and Hank hit it off. My friend thought he looked very rat terrier but after watching a while said 'no, I think you've definitely got some herder in there.' She said he a very nice dog. But when I mentioned that he's been easy overall she told me to wait another week then get back to her lol.
He is teeny tiny! How tall do you think he is?
I'm totally convinced that Crossbone is ACD/Rat Terrier and I'd be willing to bet, just from the little I've seen of Hank, that he is too. Rat Terriers vary a lot in size and it'd be common for them to be around farms with ACDs. Sometimes I tell people that Cbone is a Mini ACD, and other times I say Roan Rat Terrier
He can be whatever you want, whenever you want!
I do think we need a million more pics and videos though.
Crossbone was under 20lbs when I got him at a year and a half, I'm pretty sure, but around his second birthday he filled out a lot in the head and chest. He also just started chilling in the house now at 3 years old.
Glad you got two important things--Off switch & stable! Crossbone isn't either of those He isn't a hard dog, just has some challenges. He's super sensitive and soft with a really good memory. One bad experience and he will remember it forever. He's also really good at picking up the mood in the room/other dogs--if a dog is excited, he's excited. Nervous, he's nervous. Confident, he's confident. You can image that this is a good and bad thing. But mostly, he's a spinning, happy, crazy fast, silly dog.
I'm totally convinced that Crossbone is ACD/Rat Terrier and I'd be willing to bet, just from the little I've seen of Hank, that he is too. Rat Terriers vary a lot in size and it'd be common for them to be around farms with ACDs. Sometimes I tell people that Cbone is a Mini ACD, and other times I say Roan Rat Terrier
He can be whatever you want, whenever you want! I do think we need a million more pics and videos though.
Crossbone was under 20lbs when I got him at a year and a half, I'm pretty sure, but around his second birthday he filled out a lot in the head and chest. He also just started chilling in the house now at 3 years old.
Glad you got two important things--Off switch & stable! Crossbone isn't either of those
He isn't a hard dog, just has some challenges. He's super sensitive and soft with a really good memory. One bad experience and he will remember it forever. He's also really good at picking up the mood in the room/other dogs--if a dog is excited, he's excited. Nervous, he's nervous. Confident, he's confident. You can image that this is a good and bad thing. But mostly, he's a spinning, happy, crazy fast, silly dog.
I am uploading lots of Hank photos now! Yay internet connection!
I would GUESS he is 16". I am so bad at estimating height but he feels a couple inches taller than Nikki and Trey and they were 14/15". Then again I'm still amazed that he weighs less than the shelties did so I may be full of it.
We are doing mostly good today. He is figuring these papillons out, I think. That they really are dogs but not dogs to bite. He is very concerned when they run fast and he will hit the end of the tether screeching but he is choosing to ignore them a lot of the time. He and Mia even sniffed a bit with no growling from Mia! Summer is still worried about him and so is Mia from time to time. It is funny how Mia seems to be overall doing better now with him around whereas before she was more worried.
I am hoping! If it stays like this, it's definitely doable. I hope it gets better but it is so so much better than the first 48 hours. Lot of management though.
He is not soft really at all but not too too hard tempered. He is definitely a lot harder tempered than my papillons and the shelties too.
His off switch is dubious. If he's out loose he's pretty much doing something. But he seems fine crating up and going to sleep. Sometimes he gets in a dog bed and goes to sleep too. And he's perfectly fine to sit out on the porch and just hang out.
My vet guessed his age at 6 months vs the 10-11 months the shelter had. If he IS 6 months he could grow some. My belgian breeder friend thinks the 10 months is more accurate. She said he fits his paws well.
I would GUESS he is 16". I am so bad at estimating height but he feels a couple inches taller than Nikki and Trey and they were 14/15". Then again I'm still amazed that he weighs less than the shelties did so I may be full of it.
We are doing mostly good today. He is figuring these papillons out, I think. That they really are dogs but not dogs to bite. He is very concerned when they run fast and he will hit the end of the tether screeching but he is choosing to ignore them a lot of the time. He and Mia even sniffed a bit with no growling from Mia! Summer is still worried about him and so is Mia from time to time. It is funny how Mia seems to be overall doing better now with him around whereas before she was more worried.
I am hoping! If it stays like this, it's definitely doable. I hope it gets better but it is so so much better than the first 48 hours. Lot of management though.
He is not soft really at all but not too too hard tempered. He is definitely a lot harder tempered than my papillons and the shelties too.
His off switch is dubious. If he's out loose he's pretty much doing something. But he seems fine crating up and going to sleep. Sometimes he gets in a dog bed and goes to sleep too. And he's perfectly fine to sit out on the porch and just hang out.
My vet guessed his age at 6 months vs the 10-11 months the shelter had. If he IS 6 months he could grow some. My belgian breeder friend thinks the 10 months is more accurate. She said he fits his paws well.
Motion sensitivity is an extremely common issue with ACDs and herding dogs in general. Ma'ii has the same issues with fast movement, mostly when we go for bike rides. When getting on a bike, he will bark like crazy and try to bite our legs. Once we get going, he's fine until we stop. I've never been able to figure out how to curve this, so I ended up buying a bike leash to attach at the back wheel so he can't reach my leg.
ACDs are a challenge, but such amazing dogs.
ACDs are a challenge, but such amazing dogs.