waffles Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 A border collie can harass cats as much as a chihuahua, pit bull type and so on. Don't let the dog mistreat the cats, teach the dog to be respectful of their space, give the cats high places to escape to. Were you having problems with the pup and the cats before the test came back? I have known many pit bull type dogs that were well under 40lbs. She could easily have many breeds in her, say her parents were mixes and their parents were mixes. Her personality could be anything. Do you have more recent photos? Her puppy photos look almost toy dog and boston terrier like. It is really anyone's guess! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateh Posted April 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 Oh do I ever! I mean, I definitely do see the "pit bull" in her now that I've seen other pits. Mix, for sure, but it's starting to get more pronounced as she gets bigger and older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 I have known "pit bull" type dogs to live with cats peacefully. It is all in the training, and since you have this dog as a young puppy the cats will have the opportunity to train her. Some breeds are more notorious for being unsafe with cats, notably the breeds that are bred to hunt small game, but some of them can be fine with cats as well if they are started young. Bully breeds, to my knowledge, do not have a particularly bad reputation when it comes to cats. I have had dogs and cats most of my life, although no bully breed dogs. It is always up to the cats to train the dogs, more than it is up to me. Not that I don't reinforce their boundaries, make sure the cats have a safe place to get away if they need or want to, and insist that the dogs respect the cats, but mostly it is the cats who do the training by simply refusing to run and giving a good nose-scratch once or twice if treated disrespectfully. You have not mentioned any problems so far with the puppy and the cats. So don't borrow trouble and assume there will be a problem based on a DNA test of dubious accuracy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 Oh do I ever! I mean, I definitely do see the "pit bull" in her now that I've seen other pits. Mix, for sure, but it's starting to get more pronounced as she gets bigger and older. From those photos, I would not have guessed that there was any bully breed in this dog, myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateh Posted April 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 You have not mentioned any problems so far with the puppy and the cats. So don't borrow trouble and assume there will be a problem based on a DNA test of dubious accuracy. So far, she's definitely INTERESTED in the cats - one gave her some really good hits and she mostly leaves him be, but the others run/jump away and she really wants to play with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D'Elle Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 So far, she's definitely INTERESTED in the cats - one gave her some really good hits and she mostly leaves him be, but the others run/jump away and she really wants to play with them. Doesn't sound like a problem to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cass C Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 Even if she was a border collie she would still be interested in cats. My border collie is a chronic cat stalker, but with some training and the cats having high places and a safe room with a gate Lily wouldn't hurt them. She just follows them and observes now even when they run she doesn't nip or paw them. The cats also learned she is a friend and rub on her and even groom her sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 FWIW, I would be less worried about a bully breed bothering my cats than a border collie (assuming the average dog). What would really scare me with regard to the safety of my cats would be some terriers and sighthounds. Your pup sounds like she is displaying normal puppy curiosity towards the cats and just needs to learn to tolerate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommy Coyote Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 The Boston I take care of is really interested in the cats but she doesn't hurt the inside cat. She goes up and snarfles on it trying to get it to run. The outside cat teases her through the door so she tries to chase her. But we don't let her and the cats know to run. I think the bully breeds can learn to get along with cats just as well as any other breed. She doesn't look pitty to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waffles Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 The photos are not that clear but the last photo, her head shape looks reminiscent of a Boston Terrier. Her snout is pretty short and square looking in some of the photos. It is always harder to tell by just still photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateh Posted April 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 The photos are not that clear but the last photo, her head shape looks reminiscent of a Boston Terrier. Her snout is pretty short and square looking in some of the photos. It is always harder to tell by just still photos. Haha, you'd think as a film actor I'd have better picture taking skills!! Here are a few more recent ones - I'll have to try to get a video too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfisher7151 Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 The only picture when I maaaaybe see any bully breed is the last one. And only because I'm looking for it. I actually see more border collie in these newer photos than the older ones. She's definitely short haired, but if you look up BCxPit/Staffy mixes they almost all have super slick coats like a pit. I think a Boston would yield the same. It may just be puppy coat, but I think your dog will have a coat like a smooth border collie. If you could get a video, that would be awesome! (Definitely not begging for a puppy video here...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateh Posted April 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 Here we go! https://www.instagram.com/p/BEiD34GC_2q/?taken-by=hackettkate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted April 23, 2016 Report Share Posted April 23, 2016 What a brave girl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teresaserrano Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 She's lovely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Be aware that stairs are not generally recommended for pups so young because of the risk of joint problems such as hip dysplasia. Normal exercise of the pup's choosing is best for bone and muscle development. Nice pup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oerash11 Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 the liking to runaround with her toys instead of gather them may be a Aussie thing... mu AussiexBC used to have a little squeaky duck toy that she would run in circles around me and squeak incessantly it was both annoying and cute somehow... either way good luck you have an adorable little guy can't wait to see how he turns out, but remember to enjoy right now because he will never be this cute and small again lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highway61 Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 Be aware that stairs are not generally recommended for pups so young because of the risk of joint problems such as hip dysplasia. From the video, at least this little guy looks to be very careful negotiating those steps going down. My own house is three stories so needless to say, we have many steps and when I brought my BC puppy home at 8 weeks, there was no stopping him. Pet gates were used but my boy even as a young pup has always had long legs so the gates were just a brief challenge before he was jumping them, they didn't last long. For better or worse, he's three now and still flies up and down the stairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted April 27, 2016 Report Share Posted April 27, 2016 And there are people in their nineties who've smoked all their lives but it isn't to be recommended. Not everyone is aware of the risks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katilea Posted May 2, 2016 Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 Oh lord. This lil DNA test said german shepherd & ..pit bull. And some herding / possible "companion dog" breeds, but that American Staffordshire Terrier terrifies me. :/ unsure emoticon Wasn't Black Dog DNA was it? I got a DNA test done for my older girl by them, who I'd been told was a lab x collie, they come up with GSD X Maltese x Pug!!! This was Inca! Can't see Maltese or Pug in there, though could possibly see a similarity to a black GSD, she always looked like a slim black lab with a bit of white but had a high curve under tummy and more whippet like in body. I would have guessed at lab or collie X with a whippet. I asked them if they'd got right results when they told me and sent them a photo of her, I got my money back! I think that second pic where can see her eyes really well she looks like she has some type of toy breed in her due to shape of her eyes also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateh Posted May 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2016 Re: the stairs -- I didn't know! No need for sarcasm about it though. I also live in a 3 story condo, so at some point... she's gonna need to handle stairs. We'll make sure she's not tearing up and down the things. Thanks for the concern! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateh Posted March 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 So, Niamh's about a year old! Figured I'd update! She is WONDERFUL. She has a fantastic recall -- even when she's running around playing with the cats, if I say "Niamh LEAVE IT" she bolts to me. She learned so many tricks -- she can roll over, jump up, do circles, hold my hand, sit, stay, come, leave it, bounce, crawl... My favorites? "Stay out of foreign conflicts!" for when the cats are going after each other & she wants to jump in & "Go be happy over there" when she's too excited near me-- she walks to another part of the room, sits, and wags her tail. She's the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 That's great. Any recent pics of her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateh Posted March 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Totally -- scroll on through: http://instagram.com/hackettkate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaquick16 Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 She sure is cute! I love you cute little commands. "Stay out of foreign conflicts!" and "Go be happy over there." How did you train "Go be happy over there?" That sounds like something my Fisher needs to learn! How big is she now that she's a year old? Do you have any better "hunches" on her breed(s)? She does look like Border Collie to me, but I just have a 12 week old one myself, so I'm pretty new to looking at pictures of Border Collies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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