- Apr 15, 2011
- 2,957
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I'm sorry, I don't usually post things like this, but this one really got to me. I used to be wary of cattle dogs, but since owning them, I've gone head over heels for the breed. Definitely a huge, huge difference between meeting a cattle dog, and living with them, since they tend to be all about their owners and no one else. At any rate, my husband is interested in getting a puppy in a year or two (I tend to get adult animals only, so it's his turn XD ). We are pretty sure we have a place picked out, but I came across a breed specific rescue website today. They are charging rates that are high, but perhaps acceptable for purebred dogs. What bothers me is that most of the dogs they have for adoptions are obvious mixes. Now, don't jump on me for not liking mutts, behind cattle dogs and podengos, they are my favorite dogs. My problem with that, is that this group is acting as if they are purebred. The descriptions say things like, "he is a great example of his breed" on a dog that is obviously a border collie/heeler mix. Another says, "this is the littlest blue heeler you'll ever see". Well yeah...because it is obviously a mix (looks like terrier to me)! My issues with that are:
-Charging prices that might make sense for purebred dogs but not mixes of unknown background
-Claiming mixes are 'great example of the ACD breed' when they are mixed. They aren't great examples of the breed in conformation and probably behavior...ACDs are pretty odd balls. I can see a dog going to a home and having issues completely unrelated to the breed, but people thinking that is typical of cattle dogs because they are told the dog they got is one
-It's just dishonest in my book. What is wrong with just saying it is a heeler mix? Heeler mixes can be great, because sometimes the cattle dog energy and protectiveness are toned down in mixes.
I don't know why this ticked me off so much, but it did. It reminds me of some guy who was (and I think still is) selling chihuahua/cattle dog crosses, and calling them mini cattle dogs. The dogs look so obviously chihuahua like, it always surprises me that anyone can make a buck off of something like that.
<End RAGE>
-Charging prices that might make sense for purebred dogs but not mixes of unknown background
-Claiming mixes are 'great example of the ACD breed' when they are mixed. They aren't great examples of the breed in conformation and probably behavior...ACDs are pretty odd balls. I can see a dog going to a home and having issues completely unrelated to the breed, but people thinking that is typical of cattle dogs because they are told the dog they got is one
-It's just dishonest in my book. What is wrong with just saying it is a heeler mix? Heeler mixes can be great, because sometimes the cattle dog energy and protectiveness are toned down in mixes.
I don't know why this ticked me off so much, but it did. It reminds me of some guy who was (and I think still is) selling chihuahua/cattle dog crosses, and calling them mini cattle dogs. The dogs look so obviously chihuahua like, it always surprises me that anyone can make a buck off of something like that.
<End RAGE>