This is why I admire the Australians. Even their dogs are tough!

[OldManC]

The plucky pooch was separated from her owners when she fell overboard in choppy waters, but swam five miles to an island, surviving on a diet of wild goats for four months until miraculously being reunited with her family.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30088069?GT1=43001

[Barklessdog]

Thats just amazing.

[eb2]

I think once a dog develops an appetite for freshly self-killed wild goat, you may have a problem in the neighborhood.

[Dave W]

The original Sophie Tucker would be proud.

[rahock]

I think once a dog develops an appetite for freshly self-killed wild goat, you may have a problem in the neighborhood.

Just tell the neighbors ,"the dingos ate your baby".
Rick

[Freuds_Cat]

Ironically one of the original breeds that the Blue Heeler was developed from was the dingo.

They are incredibly tough dogs. Not tough as in violent or vicious just hard. They have an amazing level of understanding between what is "Fair game" and what must be protected at all costs.

The funniest thing you can do to a Bluey is try and  kick it in the head. In 9 years of rough house playing with Gordon below I have never landed one. I guess it comes from being bred to muster cattle and having an innate sense of dodging cow kicks. They dont even seem tomove their heads very much at all, just a slight shift left or right.






These are my most recent pics of him. He is 9 years old now and they generally live to about 14 or 15. Poor ol' bugger is finally starting to slow down a bit now and also slowly going blind due to degenerative retinal disease. Its genetic and probably caused by the breeders themselves.

My 4 year old son is so damn rough on him but he just takes it like water off a ducks back. Luckily Nicholas will soon be old enough to understand that his "mate Gordy" is getting old and blind and that he must go easier on him.

He is just a brilliant dog. love him to bits. He has never put a foot wrong in the time I've had him.

[OldManC]

Ironically one of the original breeds that the Blue Heeler was developed from was the dingo.

Funny you say that because when I saw the picture of the dog in the story I thought it looked a little like a Dingo in the face.

[Dave W]

The late, great Skidboot was half Blue Heeler, half unknown.



(the clip is from about 2003, he passed away in 2007)

[Freuds_Cat]

Soundslike poor Skidboot had the same blindness issue that Gordon has.  Just watching that vid, Gordon has a very similar temperament. He isn't as good at all the detailed commands as Skidboot but then I've never trained him to be. That guy is a very good trainer. I trained Gordon for 5 years and he is very obedient and understands a lot of commands and nuances in my body language and tone of voice. These dogs are working dogs and just live to have a job to do. Thats when they are happiest.

[Barklessdog]

They are incredibly tough dogs. Not tough as in violent or vicious just hard. They have an amazing level of understanding between what is "Fair game" and what must be protected at all costs.

Also very smart & loyal. They need to keep their mind occupied. A very rewarding dog to own.

[Freuds_Cat]

Oh I nearly forgot. Maybe one foot wrong.  If you want to own a Bluey then understand that you can never own chickens. You will never take the dingo out of the dog. Its only now that he is older and blinder and that my coop is like a chicken run version of Fort Knox that we have been able to have Chickens again.

This pic was taken last winter.

[Highlander]

My daughter has been after chook's for a long time (as pets) but as we have a fox that pops into the sun-lounge every so often...

[GonzoBass]

Looks sorta familiar-