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border collie x cattle dog?


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We bought a pup 4 months ago,we were told she was bc, I'm now thinking maybe she is crossed with a cattle dog, maybe not all border collie as we thought. We already have a four year old border collie, so we know what to expect and that's not a problem. I was just wondering if she is cross bred if this will make a difference with her personality traits etc?? She is very smart and always on the go, but very scared of strangers or other dogs when we are out with her.

She doesn't even like it if someone comes to our house that she hasn't seen before and she will hide. But when it's just us and our other bc she is just fine, I wouldn't trade her for anything but I was just looking for some output on the subject of bc/cattle dog? We love her just the same.

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Peny,

It's hard to say what the breeder meant. I remember someone stopping by my house and asking me if my Twist was a cattle dog. I said, "yes," meaning that she works cattle. Later as we talked I made the comment that all the dogs in the yard were border collies. The guy looked at me funny. It didn't occur to me until later that when he asked if she was a cattle dog, he meant the breed and not whether she worked cattle (she's smooth-coated, ticked, and prick-eared). So, the breeder could have meant either breed or stock. Any way to call the breeder and ask? I would be inclined to believe that if he sold you the pup as a border collie and then later said the sire was a cattle dog that he meant the sire worked cattle, but of course that's just speculation on my part. The only way to know for sure is to ask him.

 

J.

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Most farmy types who are talking about ACDs call them "heelers" although I have heard them called cattle dogs. But usually "Those cattle dogs".

 

Most people, even people who own these dogs, have no idea. My neighbor has a cow/calf operation and sometimes his dad comes over and helps him. One day they came rattling down the fenceline in Mr. Johnson's work truck. To my surprise, there was a red border collie in the bed. I was moving sheep around and they stopped and watched for a bit. Then I went over to the fence and we chatted for a bit.

 

I pointed to the dog and said, "Nice dog." Mr. Johnson said he used to help a lot but he was getting too old now. "In fact, my dad is looking for a new dog - do you have any for sale?"

 

Well, no, I don't sell stockdogs - but I was eyeballing his dog and thought I could make him pretty happy.

 

"Where'd you get that dog?" I asked.

 

"Oh, no," Mr. Johnson's dad said. "That's a red heeler. I want a real Border collie."

 

Well, not only was his dog a real Border collie, but I could guess looking at him where he came from, or at least his parents. I said I thought I knew someone with good dogs for him, and asked again where his old dog came from.

 

"Oh, it was a guy in Danville who bought him as a pup from some guy near Lynchburg."

 

I told him I knew the guy and could get him his phone number. Even if Roy and Debbie Johnson didn't breed his dog, his dog clearly came from their breeding and they've still got nice working cattle dogs.

 

"Does he have Border collies too? Cause he's a red heeler and that's not what I want. I want a real Border collie."

 

Mr. Johnson himself argued with him for a while, apparently an old argument because the exchange sounded pretty well-worn. I assured his dad that if he called and asked for a Border collie pup, he'd get one with a pedigree and everything. I left it at that. It's hard to stand there with five classic-marked, rough coated Border collies and argue with a guy that his unregistered red dog was the genuine article. :rolleyes:

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Lunasitsnow7months.jpg

 

Like this dog? Rosco is her great grandfather. I had her tied to my truck at a trial and she stopped Roy dead in his tracks. He walked right over to her and said, "She goes back to my Rosco."

 

Of course, this is her niece, Freya, and he didn't recognize her as being related.

 

Keepstonewaiting.jpg

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Hey Liz,

Nice looking red dog! My Twist is a Rosco great granddaughter on her dam's side. And that means my Lark is a g. g. grand, also on the dam's side, since Twist's dam is her granddam. (Now you know why I expected a red pup in Twist's recent litter..no joy though!)

 

How is Freya related?

 

J.

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Freya's grandmother is Fieldstone Holly. Luna's sire is Holly's littermate brother. I sold Luna last summer, she and I just weren't right for each other (we couldn't seem to work as a team). I sure do miss having a smooth coat around.

 

http://www.fieldstonekennel.com/PedigreeFieldstoneHolly.htm

 

I know, I wouldn't be surprised if Freya has some reds in her litter, though I don't think anyone on the waiting list wants one. The sire's dam produced some reds in one of her litters. (Sam Furman's Fred)

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I went into the bc picture gallery to see how to post pictures and I'll try to do it on the weekend when I have more time. But I did see a picture of a bc named Tucker and I got to say, mine could be a twin to that one. I put a call into the breeder but she hasn't called back yet, but I think that's most likely what she meant about being a cattle dog. On her farm she had the sheep and I think just down the street was the father whom I'm sure would have had some livestock also, but I'll check. As I said it wouldn't matter either way as I think she's wonderful anyway. But if I find out anymore I'll let you know.

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