Article written by Ashley Tanstrum – trainer at RHK9 Pet Academy – from a post on Facebook
Working at the animal shelter, we hear all different reasons why people need to surrender their pets to us. Moving, allergies, frequently escaping from the home, divorce, etc. But when it comes down to surrendering a heeler (Australian Cattle Dog), it’s almost the exact same reason every time.
“He’s biting us”
“Being very nippy”
“He keeps chasing my kids and biting their ankles”
“Too mouthy, and getting rough”
“Going after people and/or other animals”
These photos (credit to Jeff Jaquish) show exactly why the dog is displaying this behavior. They are bred to work. They are bred to herd and handle large livestock, even the mean, nasty ones. Not all cows are nice and go where you want.
They are bred to bite.
So you take this fluffy cute puppy, raise it in a pet home and not provide any drive satisfaction, that breed’s genetic make up of specific desires and needs come out. One way or another. Biting, destruction, running away.
Research the breed before you commit.
Know what individual breeds are bred to do, and within those breeds know what breeders breed for in traits because there are so many degrees of traits within a breed standard. Pet home vs working dog. (Note: pet homes still have variations of drive levels.)
And if you don’t have cows, or able to provide the sole purpose that dog was bred to do (hunting, racing, detection), give it another type of job (dog sports for example) that can satisfy the dog mentally and physically. Plus train, train, train!
Most importantly, it’s a life time commitment, so make it a happy one for you and your dog by getting to know your dog’s world better.
Update: my post is in regards of dog behavior, genetics and drive satisfaction. I’m not saying if a dog bites or “mouths” it’s meaning the dog is aggressive. In addition, a dog with working traits can still make a good family dog when their needs are met. Also if you own a dog that bites, seek a professional to determine the underlying reason.
(Feel free to share!)
For many years, society has been hearing “Adopt, Don’t Shop.” While the meaning seems to vary depending on who is saying it, the basic idea has always seemed to be to discourage people from purchasing pets from breeders and only obtain from rescues. This was designed specifically to lower the number of animals in the shelters. It was believed that if people only obtained a pet from a shelter or rescue organization, then it would help save unwanted pets from occurring. Sadly, this has not been the case, as it does not address the heart of the problem. It does not encourage people to buy pets responsibly, to own pets responsibly, or to breed pets responsibly. The “adopt, don’t shop,” mantra does nothing to teach people how to chose the correct animal for their home in the first place, which would in turn, over time, help to lower the number of animals who end up in less than perfect situations.
Buy Pets Responsibly 