Bailey the Watchdog – German Shepherd/Cattle Dog Mix

I think I have mentioned in previous blogs, that our rescue dog, Bailey, is a German Shepherd – Australian Cattle Dog mix. As a mixed breed, she exhibits characteristics from both, though many of their characteristics are similar. Both breeds tend to be loyal, intelligent, watchful, and territorial to strangers. Bailey exhibits all of these characteristics. Physically she resembles the German Shepherd coloring except for the white blaze down her nose. At 52 pounds she is larger than most cattle dogs and smaller than the GSD. She sheds twice a year, April to October and November to March. (All of the time.) I have never seen a dog shed so much. She also has what I call Teflon fur, it never seems to get dirty or stay dirty unlike some of our previous dogs.

She has a natural herding instinct and will herd smaller dogs, though I have not had a herding instinct test performed. I take her to a local park several times per week, and she has made friends with some of the dogs we have met. Like cattle dogs, she is wary of strangers whether they are dogs or people, especially if they approach too fast. One of her friends is a small mixed breed dog named Millie. Millie looks like she is part Chihuahua and part Dachshund. They have known each other since they were young and will run and play if they are off their leashes. Millie is usually walked by her ‘mother’, but occasionally by her ‘father’. The first time I saw Millie with her ‘father’, they started running and Bailey began herding Millie. Eventually, Millie lay down and submitted. Bailey stood over Millie and put her mouth over Millie’s head. Millie is small enough, her whole head fits in Bailey’s mouth. Millie’s ‘father’ had never met us and I thought, “Oh no! She is going to hurt Millie.” But she did not, she let Millie up and they played some more. Bailey, like cattle dogs who were bred to use their mouths on the wild cattle of Australia, is a mouthy dog, though she has learned excellent bite control.

Bailey is constantly on the alert. Her two favorite places in the house during the day are on the loveseat looking out the front window, or on the chair in the back room looking out the window for birds and squirrels in the back yard. When she watches out the front window, she will bark at anyone, especially if they have a dog, that walks by the house. I am trying to train her not to bark so much, but it may be a losing battle because of her breeding and her age. Cattle dogs are quick to sound the alarm and can be stubborn, and both cattle dogs and GSDs are protective. In this regard, Bailey is an excellent watchdog. Unfortunately, the postman is a prime target for her barking and protective instincts. I asked the trainer one day about training this out of her and he said it would be difficult. It seems the immediate feedback, of the postman coming to the house and leaving immediately after she barks, reinforces her behavior. She is doing her job by chasing him/her away. Lately, if I am in the room and can talk to her, I can reduce the amount and intensity of her barking whether it is the postman or someone else walking in front of the house, which is progress.

If you enjoy reading about Bailey, please subscribe and comment. I am still trying to figure out how everything works to ensure there are notifications for new posts. My website mentions Christian Science Fiction. I am currently writing my first novel and do not have enough material for writing a blog about that, though I will tell of my writing journey on occasion. Writing the blog is one way to help me improve my writing, and Bailey seems to be the most popular topic. Thank you for taking the time to read this.