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spear
03-12-2009, 12:57 PM
Anyone ever used an ACD (blue, red or queensland heeler) for hunting.

Rod
03-12-2009, 04:19 PM
I have never heard of them being used for hunting but I am trying hard to convince my GF that we should get one.. she has a little white rat of a west highland terrier.. I want a companion for backcountry trips.

bsa30-06
03-12-2009, 07:02 PM
I had a australian blue heeler when i was a kid, the dog was lightning fast and could jump a seven foot fence with very little effort.Not sure what they would be like as a hunting dog, but they sure can run fast(just ask the cat that lived up the alley from me)

Everett
03-12-2009, 08:00 PM
My male cattle dog retrieves and flushes grouse taught himself. Only problem is if you shoot a double he brings back the first one and try's to eat the second.
I usualy bring him with me when hunting solo in the mountains after the first ten minutes he calms down and gets with the program.
Last year my wife and I took both our male and female with us on a fly in hunt with no problems.
If your looking for a pup with any luck I will have some puppy's to sell in May as we bred the female three weeks ago.

dirtybucker
03-12-2009, 09:09 PM
we have had heelers all my life and they are an extremely intelligent breed, very agile, super fast, very loyal and a beautiful dog to look at...we had one that loved to flush grouse but i wouldnt call him a hunting dog...honestly i beleive you can teach any dog to hunt and heelers definatly have the brains and the will to learn so ya i dont see why they couldnt be used to hunt...just my 2 cents

Brambles
03-12-2009, 09:54 PM
I have a Blue Heeler/ACD he's not your typical heeler, he's a male, pretty big for the breed, friendly, not your typical quiet and subdued but might "bite your head off for coming close to the truck" type blue heeler. Super friendly and good with kids He gets pretty excited when he sees wild game.

I have to make sure I see the game first or he'll probably freek out and start barking or whining. If you had to tie him up for some reason, perhaps to do a stalk on an animal he would surely bark and give you shit for leaving him behind. He can't stand being left behind.

Every one has a different personality so maybe you could find one that would be a good hunting partner, but mine doens't fit the bill.

Chuck
03-12-2009, 10:43 PM
I've got one living in my house. Handsome looking beast with a brindle short coat and white socks. Erect ears usually and very alert. Hates cats and other dogs, isn't sociable with others to a degree. Hellish fast and loves to run and run. Loves to go places and explore (sniff) everything. SPCA was going to put her down, so I reluctantly ended up with her. Rather have a hunting dog though if it were my choice.
I don't think she'd do for hunting , but then I haven't had her here for a year yet to try her out. Seems to be very loyal though. We're just only now getting comfortable in each others company, I think she is aware that I'm Alpha around here. Wish I could put up a photo, but I'm never going to be able to use this thing comfortably. This is definitely a dog for running 20 miles a day - no problem.

Hermen
04-08-2009, 12:25 AM
My neighbour was telling me stories of someone in Chilliwack running bears with two heelers. Were quick. Not sure if they treed them or not. Heresay, but perhaps someone on here knows him or if this is true.

leadpillproductions
04-08-2009, 12:30 AM
my dad used a blue when he was a kid he said it was the best he has ever use to track animals

Rod
04-08-2009, 08:56 AM
I will add to this thread as time goes on, I now have a 3 month old Blue Heeler named Bandit. Cute and from all indications very inteligent so we will see how he reacts to a dead bear if I am lucky enough to arrow one this spring.

Rod

newhunterette
04-08-2009, 09:19 AM
We have an ACD/blue heeler - she is 14 - these dogs were bread specifically for herding in the outback of australia - they are not ideal for retreiving but they are very good for flushing out game and herding it towards you - a natural instinct to them is like the Dingo - scavenger so that is why they arent the best for retreiving - a dead bird to them is food

they are however very tempermental and territorial to their owner so training is easy and very natural for them to want to please you

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x185/ioarana/animals/DSC_0383.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x185/ioarana/animals/DSC_0497.jpg

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x185/ioarana/animals/DSC_0516.jpg

7mag700
04-08-2009, 09:43 AM
Anyone see the news story last night? An Aussie couple lost their ACD overboard while sailing in a storm off the North Australian coast. It swam approximately 5 nautical miles (about 9 km) to a deserted island where it survived for 4 months before being captured by park rangers. The couple heard the story and have been reunited with their dog.

The news showed it in their back yard, staring dubiously at their swimming pool :-P

7m7

Ride
04-08-2009, 10:31 AM
We have two blue heelers and i think they are great. They both get very excited though when they see animals to the point where the young one will want to take off after them, no matter what it is. They have enough energy to amaze you though and will just go and go and go.

Our young heeler(she is about to turn 3) is a great flusher and retriever, but just wants you to throw it back out there so she can go pick it up again. I will have to see if i can find some pics.

spreerider
04-08-2009, 12:15 PM
My neighbour has a red heeler and she would be a great hunting dog but is very sensitive to noise and i doubt she will ever be trained to handle a gun shot.
She is a great dog otherwise, very smart and loyal just brimming to please people.

Dirty
04-08-2009, 12:21 PM
A friend has a heeler and it will retrieve until it collapses. It likes to play with balls or rocks. It will bring them and put them on your shoe. You throw it, and it will come back and put it right on the laces of your shoe. There is great variation in the temperament and activeness of this breed. I have seen aggressive, if not vicious dogs, that will run around like a pinball. On the other hand I have seen extremely friendly, laid back, and calm dogs. I guess it depends on breeding and stocks that they come from.

tactical308
04-25-2009, 03:00 PM
I have a female Border Colly blue healer cross, she hates guns but can't stand not being with me. I HUNT WITH A BOW MOST OF THE TIME and if I need to use her to find a blood trail shes all over that. I haven't lost an animal in the last 8 years, she grew up going to archery shoots all her life and can find arrows like no other. People at the shoots cook an extra steak just to show there appreciation for the returned arrows.She is a lot of fun to have and I when I say where are the Deer when I'M DRIVING down the road she just about comes unglued form a dead sleep. Shes almost 12 now and I'm desperet to find another.

lineofsight
04-25-2009, 03:07 PM
Had blue healer doberman cross, far too intelligent. Friend have a pure blue healer, its a little tireless indestructible tank. When they introduced a second blue healer into the house (first by a year and a bit was a male, second was a female), not work out so well, female returned to breeder - as stated, very territorial and protective.

husky30-06
04-25-2009, 03:31 PM
we have had our dog Sydney for six years... i am still trying to idenitfy the breeds that she is. some people have said that she looks a bit like a heeler and some like a collie or even on the vet charts she could even have features of an australian cattle dog.... but as for hunting! she is wound up something fierce but does calme down after a bit, she is a great early warning system for deer and other game that are close but i can not see them. she hates to sit to long (hehe just like me), she will go after anything i do and will only go till she can not see me anymore and turn around (but I ALWAYS have her on a 20' lead anyways). she is self taught and with a little guidence she can improve. i will be teaching her a bit about grouse and watching the shot and then chase to find not retrieve. she has led me on several tracks by airborn scent after deer, but as of late in an open clearing she always goes the opposite way :???:(not sure why), so when she goes nuts after a very close scent i look the opposite way and sure enough there he is.:-D.http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp87/swiftwatertech/100_2960.jpg
http://i400.photobucket.com/albums/pp87/swiftwatertech/100_2959.jpg

tactical308
04-25-2009, 03:46 PM
Husky 3006
Shes a good looking girl, brown is not a normal colour for a Colie,except in the Ausie brand. She looks very inteligent just like my girl http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww260/tikkatactical308/IMG_0222.jpgLove this dog. Great buddy.

husky30-06
04-25-2009, 03:51 PM
to frigg'n smart!!!!!! ya, I usually introduce her as being a husky collie cross (husky for the fur she has) there was a breed that i thought might be part of her (CANNAN HERDER)

Everett
04-25-2009, 04:56 PM
Here you go two heeler in a float plane headed caribou huntinghttp://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/dogs_in_plane.JPG (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=12480&size=big&cat=500&ppuser=892)

Pete
04-25-2009, 05:52 PM
Depends on what the dog wants to do and if encourged properly it will respond to do just about anything. I have an old boarder collie that in her day would retrive as well as just about any lab out there. Geese, ducks, pigeons didn't matter. I have a friend who has a choclate lab that regularly retrives downed coyotes. The dogs just work to please.