Tips/Tricks to raising blue heelers

[Hardcortex]

Timely thread for me as I picked up my third on Friday, an 8 week old fuzzy alligator.

All of the above is true. My advice, get to know your dog, he will give slight cues before doing something, especially bad behavior. Be swift in punishment. Once you know the cues, stop him at first sign, and then stay consistent. Jokers will test you. One of my previous would nip everyone, but would stop on a dime if called out getting into position. I will second racquet balls, I always switched my dogs to racquet balls when old enough to hold them, and guarding the ball became their jobs. Gave them something to chew, something to chase, and something to focus on.

As others stated, get past the games and get each other figured out, and he'll be the best dog and companion for you and the family.

[Trumpkin]

We have a very strong willed mini aussie, who also likes to nip. I'm guessing he's not nearly as much a handful as heelers can be, but it's what I have to go off of. We find he gets really sulky about his kennel if we use it as a punishment, and it's harder to convince him to crate up.

[tdwinklr]

We have a blue heeler, mostly blue anyway. Got her from a guy here on TBH when she was about 6 yrs old. Evidently he had trained her well, a very disciplined dog. She was very shy around us for a day or two but when she realized that we were dedicated to her, it was a 180. Absolutely the BEST dog we've ever had. Even my wife is very fond of her, and she's normally not fond of dogs.

[Smithwr]

Im admittedly pretty hard on dogs. Not abusive but quick and stern with low tolerance. I bought a $30 shock collar off amazon. Ive only shocked him once when he tried to strong arm my 5 year old over some food. Now he only wears it a day or two every couple of months when he needs a tune up. And even then i dont usually even have to use the vibrate function, just the beep will stop him in his tracks.

[mikem]

as stated exercise

ours loves antlers..

a small eight pt shed will last about a week..I think it helps keep him from destroying other things...??

[bloodstick]

Tips/Tricks to raising blue heelers

ours loves antlers..

a small eight pt shed will last about a week..I think it helps keep him from destroying other things...??

Yepp. Gunner loves a little shed i found few years ago. I got a pile of them for decoration over in the corner and we picked out a few for him to chew. Little sucker played with it for at least an hour just tossing it around and fetching it himself.


Update on the nipping. I tried the audible “ow”, lost eye contact, and ignored. It set him off lol. He bit me harder.
So i simply upped the ante. He got a loud “NO BITE” and a swift pop. He looked stunned. Took a few times for him to start to get the picture but last night and this morning has been pleasant. When he goes to nip or chew/play with my hand, i use an inside voice “no bite” and he turns into a big baby and just licks. I’m going to stick with this and see where it takes me.


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[BrandonA]

Yepp. Gunner loves a little shed i found few years ago. I got a pile of them for decoration over in the corner and we picked out a few for him to chew. Little sucker played with it for at least an hour just tossing it around and fetching it himself.


Update on the nipping. I tried the audible “ow”, lost eye contact, and ignored. It set him off lol. He bit me harder.
So i simply upped the ante. He got a loud “NO BITE” and a swift pop. He looked stunned. Took a few times for him to start to get the picture but last night and this morning has been pleasant. When he goes to nip or chew/play with my hand, i use an inside voice “no bite” and he turns into a big baby and just licks. I’m going to stick with this and see where it takes me.


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I have tile floors and when mine is acting a **** I stomp my foot real loud and a point to his spot under the table. He goes and lays down until I call him.

[geauxgruene]

When our Heeler pup started the nip thing with me, I would grab her like you hold a largemouth bass and repeatedly say NO while looking her directly in the eye. Would not let go until she stopped struggling. Didn't take more than 5 or 6 of those for her to learn. They are some smart!

[waffles]

This is the direction we want to go with Gunner. A dog with responsibilities, but still a family and truck dog.


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Loves the golf cart to

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[bloodstick]

Just thought i would bump this one back up. Glad to report Gunner is right at a year old and is a great dog. A shock collar did wonders and we didnt have to use it a lot. We didnt follow any real program, but just kinda winged it on introducing him to cattle and he picked it right up and follows commands. He will “push” or “leave it” as directed.


Now we begin with his soon to be girlfriend, Red. Shes even smarter than Gunner at this age and with more grit and instincts. 10 weeks old, ears not fully pointed yet, loves her kennel, and is nearly fully house broken. She will be a good one

Heres a pic my wife took for Christmas cards this year.







Trip home with Red at 8 weeks old






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[bcmuzzy]

Because biting can NOT be tolerated, the next time it happens your reaction needs to be swift and terrible! Then, after you’ve unloaded a little “shock and aw” on him, he needs to be put in a corner, metaphorically speaking. Not only should he be banished to his crate, his crate should be placed in the most boring room in your house, a room with very little visual interest. Just like over-active, headstrong children, lack of stimulation is punishment in his own right.

If he’s as headstrong as others suggest is typical of the breed, you may have to do this more than once.

This!! Once I shock and awed mine one time she was a changed dog for the better. After that I swore she understood every word I said.


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[dclifton]

Same with me. Mine listens to me and i put the fear of god in him a few times and he wont bite me or my wife. But he's nipped alot of other people generally when im not there.

Its kind of funny. Everybody is scared of our lab because he barks at everbody that shows up but wouldn't harm a fly. Usually while there focused on him the dang heeler will sneak up and nip them. Its not a bad thing.... But my wife is worried one day someone will make a huge deal out of it. Luckily everyone so far just understands thats how they are.

[TexOddball]

I have a heeler X border-collie mutt. It’s almost creepy how smart that dog is, how fast she’ll pick up on an idea, and how well she’ll remember it. They live completely in the moment, though, any discipline for unwanted behavior has to be instantaneous, or they won’t associate it with what they did to prompt it. Exercise is another thing to remember, if you don’t give them enough exercise, they’ll make their own, and it probably won’t be activities you approve of. When my dog was around a year old, we lived in a garage apartment (with a backyard) and she became my exercise partner, we did ten mile walks (5 out, 5 back) at least four nights a week, and if we missed too many walks she was a holy terror.

[erikm1981]

This “Texas” heeler I have is one smart dog! She is very mouthy but gentle with it. I taught the kids to pop her on the nose when she does it to them, she learned pretty quick. She has done some tracking, I’m sure she would pick up cattle with ease. She rides good, just a dang all around great dog,,,, with the exception of being too protective. Not sure where she got that from but doesn’t take too well to strangers (adults not kids) We have to make her sit and watch her around others until she warms up. That’s my only complaint.

Also looking to breed her this next heat, I’m considering breeding her with a good friend of ours pit. He’s a family dog but they would make some good looking pups and I had a heeler pit mix when I was a kid and was the best dog I ever had. Also considering another blue heeler.




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[Kingfisher789]

Do your Heeler want to be outside? Where do yours sleep? I’m looking forward to what “psycho “ thinks about 17F....