Talk:Australian Cattle Dog
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article is within the scope of WikiProject Dogs, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to articles on Dogs on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion. | ||
| ??? | This article has not yet received a rating on the Project's quality scale. Please rate the article and then leave a short summary here to explain the ratings and/or to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the article. | ||
 |
Australian Cattle Dog is part of WikiProject Australia, which aims to improve Wikipedia's coverage of Australia and Australia-related topics. If you would like to participate, visit the project page. | ||
| ??? | This article has not yet received a rating on the quality scale. | ||
| ??? | This article has not yet received a rating on the importance scale. | ||
|
Article Grading: |
|||
|
WikiProject Australia To-do:
|
|||
Contents |
[edit] Replacing photos
Replaced perfectly good photos removed during frenzy of editing. With the variety of coats & markings & activities, I don't think it hurts at all to have them all here. Took puppy out of main box because it doesn't show what the dog looks like very well, which other shots do much better. What on earth caused this sudden frenzy of editing this page, anyway? Elf | Talk 00:21, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
- That was my doing. Appologies if you feel I was a bit to enthusiastic with my delete key. I still think that there are a few too many images (and oddly positioned ones at that) relative to the text in this article and I would advocate removing at least a couple. I will leave it to those more knowledgeable than myself, though. --DaveC 00:35, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Ah HA! So it was YOU! :-) I think that actually the article is probably too short and could have more info, which would spread out some of the photos nicely. They could probably be rearranged a little better here. Maybe I'll try. Elf | Talk 00:50, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
- More to it than that, Elf. It turns out there's been a discussion of the page on our 1000-member email list, Australian Cattle Dog-L (ACD-L). Most did not understand the Wiki concept. But there are strong objections, well-founded I think, to the conformationally imperfect specimen at the top of the web page. In particular, the docked tail is troubling to many. OK to solicit a proper replacement? Jimhutchins 03:28, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Yet there are quite a few cattle dogs out there with docked tails and the markings are not uncommon. IMHO if someone wants a "conformationally perfect" representation in all photos, they can go to the AKC or FCI or whatever site. I would hope that this article is about real dogs, not just show specimens, despite the fact that we highlight links to the various breed standards. But I am showing my extreme anti-show-breeding bias. I am also not in favor of cropping or docking. So how about using the red speckle that we've already got up into the table? But I would definitely leave in the photo of the docked dog because I think it is representative of a small but significant number of ACDs today. Elf | Talk 17:45, 9 Mar 2005 (UTC)
- Jim, is it just the tail? or are there other significant differences between the photo and a show-type dog? If the later, it would be good to have a show dog for comparison (yes, I know, more photos, but they do give so much info). Moving the un-docked photo up sounds good to me - such a fine tail :) -- sannse (talk) 12:48, 21 Mar 2005 (UTC)
Article Consistency
Hey, I've been trying to organize the dog breed articles into the same structure. Where do you think the section on dog activity should go? Health? Temperament? Should it be it's own cateogory?
- More at Wikipedia:WikiProject Dog breeds/General - it's own section looks right to me -- sannse (talk) 20:47, 21 Mar 2005 (UTC)
[edit] Thanks..!!
Thanks Ellen, building a better ACDWikiPage...WikiDon
[edit] ACD's in the Movies
I think this is a hoax: "*Dog in Benji's Return: Back Again, (1993)" cite the source or yank it. WikiDon 04:16, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
- I'm going to yank it, since I couldn't find a reference anywhere when I looked earlier, but figured I'd give it a little chance. Elf | Talk 05:07, 15 July 2005 (UTC)
[edit] Benji Movies
I found this article on the Internet ([1]) that says there was a 17-year gap in the Benji movies, from the creator of the series, Joe Camp. So from 2004 MINUS 17 = 1987:
Benji’s Return A big comeback to the big screen for a mischievous mutt, By Steve Dale Benji is back. The feature film “Benji Off the Leash!,” which hit theaters earlier this year, will be released on DVD and VHS on December 28. And in the true spirit of the season, the movie’s success is a miracle: Creator Joe Camp produced and distributed it independently, without Hollywood’s help—a feat almost unheard of.
However, Camp, who is Benji’s original producer and creator, is barking up against an even bigger challenge. He explains that three studios expressed serious interest in producing a new Benji film. The problem is that industry bigwigs wouldn’t do the deal unless they could have complete control. The studios also made it clear they’d give the kids who watched Benji what they want, or at least what Hollywood perceives kids want. “That would mean poop jokes, four-letter words, and excessive violence,” says Camp. “I’m sorry, but I wasn’t about to compromise what Benji stands for.”
When it comes to movie stars with paws, only Lassie may be better known than Benji. Camp literally gets tears in his eyes as he tells a story about one little boy in France who lit up as he met Benji in person, then got a big wet kiss from the canine star. Of course, Camp has hundreds of stories just like that one. Well, not quite like that one. He says, “That little boy was me and how I was moved by Disney’s ‘Song of the South.’ I knew that when I grew up, I wanted to make movies like that—movies people remember—movies that touch people.”
The dog who actually inspired the Benji movies was Camp’s own Yorkshire terrier, Sir Benjamin of Courtney. Watching his dog’s interesting facial expressions one day, Camp had an epiphany: “The thing about Lassie is that while the audience liked Lassie, their heart was with Timmy. Those stories were told from the point of view of people. I realized right then and there that dogs have a point of view.”
Try pitching that to a movie studio. Camp did, and they laughed. Several years later, in 1971, he had formed his own production company. He never lost his determination to make a Benji movie, and began raising his own funds for just that purpose. “Benji” made it to the big screen in 1975, and 21 million people were touched, just as Camp hoped they would be. It was the surprise movie hit of the 1970s.
A second feature film, “For the Love of Benji,” followed. The scruffy star also appeared in several of his own TV specials. In 1980, a third Benji feature film was released by 20th Century Fox, “Oh Heavenly Dog,” starring Chevy Chase, Omar Sharif, and Jane Seymour. And in 1987, the fourth Benji flick, “Benji the Hunted,” hit theaters.
Certainly, there have been all sorts of reasons to explain why mixed-breed dog numbers have gone up since the 1980s, but arguably, Benji is an influential factor. To this day, it’s not unusual for people to go into a shelter and ask for a “Benji-type” dog. In fact, for the filming of the new “Benji” movie, Camp searched shelters nationwide, determined to use a homeless pet. One of his goals in creating the movie was to increase awareness about how wonderful shelter animals are.
Public popularity of Benji never diminished. But there were some behind-the-scenes issues that slowed the Benji machine. In 1988, Camp’s first wife, Carolyn, suffered a stroke. They decided to step out of show biz for a while to enjoy one another. Camp signed a partnership to keep the Benji name and image alive while he spent time with his wife until her death in 1997. But the business partnership went sour.
After his wife’s passing, Camp, determined to save the Benji name from languishing, wrangled back control of the company. Camp says it took four years and $1 million in legal fees, But in 2001, he and his second wife Kathleen were determined to roll out Benji all over again. When it was released earlier this year, the movie didn’t exactly make the splash he anticipated on the big screen. In fact, each of previous Benji movies outdistanced this one. Camp says what’s really sad is that “Benji Off the Leash!” might be the best of the bunch.
Of course, the movie landscape has changed since the last Benji movie 17 years ago. It is rare to find a producer who goes it alone on both production and distribution and succeeds at reaching a mass audience. “Well, Mel Gibson did it,” says Camp.
But the audience who did see the film, and many critics, including Roger Ebert, loved this Benji film. Joe and Kathleen now spend months crisscrossing the country with the famous pooch, living out of a suitcase to hype the movie the old-fashioned way. They get friendly receptions wherever they go.
Was bringing back Benji worth all this? Camp says, “Just say Benji—and people know who he is, and they still smile. That’s because Benji has always stood for certain values that we were never willing to compromise on.” For more information: http://www.BenjiReturns.com.
This matches IMDB ([2]):
- Benji (1974)
- For the Love of Benji (1977)
- Benji at Work (1980) (TV)
- Benji Takes a Dive at Marineland (1981) (TV)
- Benji, Zax and the Alien Prince (1983)
- Benji the Hunted (1987)
- Benji: Off the Leash! (2004)
- aka "Benji Returns: The Promise of Christmas" - USA (working title)
- aka "Benji Returns: Rags to Riches" - USA (working title)
[edit] Appearance
I uploaded a great pic of a blue heeler (here), and then saw that this page already has seven pictures. And they're good ones, too. Should I fit my new blue heeler pic somewhere, or should I not bother? – Quadell (talk) (help)[[]] 22:14, Oct 2, 2004 (UTC)
- It's a nice clear shot, and shows the dog's face, too, which is good. Did you take the photo? Elf | Talk 23:44, 2 Oct 2004 (UTC)
I have also uploaded a good pic of a heeler. This is my parents' dog, and I took the photo. I thought this one was remarkable as she's a very "petite" dog- she's only about 18 pounds and about a year and a half old. She has very fine facial features, but a stocky body typical of heelers. I thought maybe this picture would help show more variety in the breed. Should I try to place the picture somewhere in the article as well? -jmootz20 19:17, 9 June 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Light blue color, obesity and arthritis in dogs
Ok I know there are many many acd pics up in the article but my Yoda is a very unusually colored dog for the breed so I have uploaded a pic of him. We didn't think he was a blue heeler at first because of the color. There wasn't a pic of an acd like Yoda so I added him in. --Starladustangel 04:27, 4 September 2005 (UTC)
- Star, This is a "reverse blue." About 10% of ACD's are reverse blue, and another 5% are reverse red. This is the Dalmation gene becoming dominate. They don't quilify for show, but they can be great buddies. P.S. You should put your buddy on a measured diet.
- ALL; I suppose we should write something in the article about reverse blue's an red's. WikiDon 07:30, 4 September 2005 (UTC)
- I agree, i have never heard of reverse blues and reds before, I think it would be interesting to add.
- I also agree that the s/he needs to go on a doggy diet! No offence to the owner, but if you want to keep your little buddy alive and happy for as long as posible, it needs to be done! Tekana | Talk 09:54, 4 September 2005 (UTC)
- I oppose mentioning this dog as its colour is very unusual and wouldnt add much relevence to info the breed. 'Culverin? Talk 08:01, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
He's an older dog and has gotten lazy in his old age. He also has athritis in his legs so getting him to exercise lately has been hard which is when he started to gain weight.
Should we change the type of dog food he is eating or give him less? He eats 2-3 cups of soy based dog food daily. The soy food is new within the last 2 months. He was eating another kind of food before but we thought the soy food would help his weight problem. Sometimes he eats less. He can't have table scraps due to a sensitive tummy.
Is dog athritis treatable? He is 11 years old now and the athritis began showing in his back legs the past few years. He still tries to run but he wears out much easier now. He used to enjoy going on 2 hour walks daily but the older he got, he got tired quicker.
He used to do herding and agility trials during his younger years. He could never be a show dog but he did do herding at a place called Ewe-topia and he loved sheep and ducks. We used to take him every saturday before his athritis started.
We know he's gotten chunky in his old age. Just not sure what to do for him. He's been an awesome pet and is one of the most friendly dogs I've ever met. Before we got Yoda I hated all dogs but he's such a sweetheart that he grows on you.
I had never heard the term reverse blue heeler or known how rare he was before though.--Starladustangel 19:02, 4 September 2005 (UTC)
-
- "He also has athritis in his legs so getting him to exercise lately has been hard which is when he started to gain weight" The viscious cycle! The more weight a dog has, the harder it will be to cope with the arthritis, but its hard go give them more excercise to be rid of the weight because of the arthritis! Poor little pooch!
-
- Does Yoda like swimming? swimming is the best excercise to give a dog with arthritis, as there is no strain on the joins to hold the dog up off of the ground.
-
- I have never heard of soy based food before, so its new to me. I would suggest stop giving him treats of any kind, period! If you must give him a treat, take it out of his daily food ration. Also, you could very gradually reduce the amout of food you give him. But i would strongly suggest seeking vetinary advice before changing anything in his diet! Tekana | Talk 19:16, 4 September 2005 (UTC)
- I hope I'm not giving offense but I used Yoda's image in the dog health article as an example of obesity. I'd like to have text in the article that describes the reverse blue, but I don't think that Yoda is the best example of a dog to show that on this page. Wouldn't it be cool to be able to do a comparison photo of Yoda in a few months as an ideal weight for an ACD?
- As for his weight, I agree that he just needs to start eating less and I strongly agree with Tekana's advice to see a vet about food, exercise, and treatment for the arthritis. Definitely adjust any treats that he's getting. If he usually has access to as much food as he wants, typically they recommend cutting back to once or twice a day feeding with a measured amount of food each time, then it's so much easier to cut back, say, 10% of what he's normally getting. Otherwise, you just don't know how much he's eating. (E.g., if he gets 1 cup 2x/day--which would be a lot, I'm thinking, since my very active dogs get that--if I needed to cut back 10%, that's 1/10 of a cup but I'd estimate that by giving 2/3 plus 1/4 cup. I bought measuring cups specifically for my dog food.
- And, just like people who need to lose a lot of weight, he just needs to *move*. It doesn't have to be fast or hard. If he likes going for short walks, just walk him to the end of the block and back a couple of times a day. Or even to the end of the driveway three or 4 times a day, anything so he can rest in between. If he does tricks, get him to do those several times a day (turning left and right, weaving between your legs, anything he can do). If he likes agility, set up a couple of fake jumps--like a broom handle on top of a couple of bricks and maybe two weave poles and get him to just do those, if even at a slow walk. If he plays tug of war, play it play it play it. Anything low impact to get him to move more than he's moving.
- The arthritis will probably not be nearly so bad if you can get him down to a normal ACD weight. You can try glucosamine/chondroitin supplements; they're over-the-counter and there's some evidence that they help some dogs (and some people). Vet might be able to prescribe antiinflammatories to use when he's at his worst, but most you want to be careful about long-term use because they can cause kidney damage, I believe. Still, you have to decide whether that's a risk worth taking if he can be more pain-free. Discuss with your vet. Good luck.
He's been on a doggy diet since September now. We originally had him on the dry soy based food but then we took him to a vet. The vet has limited him to only canned doggy chow. The vet says that the canned food has a higher protein content and less carbs than the dry kibble Yoda ate before. Of course Yoda now acts like we're not feeding him enough even after 3 months of the diet. The vet however says that he's getting plenty and says he's doing better. I don't see much of a difference but then again I see Yoda every day and the vet doesn't. Yoda's just gotten very pesky at meal time and will follow us around whining after he eats. If the vet says he's getting enough to eat then I guess he is but Yoda still doesn't agree. --Starladustangel 08:10, 17 December 2005 (UTC)
[edit] Replaced main photo
Well, Harry has never been shown, and maybe he wouldn't qualify. I couldn't get him to stand nicely, particularly after my neighbour threw a couple of delicious meat patties over the fence.
But, honestly, as an Australian, I was offended by the sight of a heeler with a docked tail taking pride of place in the info box. The Blue Heeler is an Australian icon, so to speak. It's gotta look like a real dog. I intended to move the other pic down to the gallery, but I seem to have lost it. I'll have another try at finding it.
--Amandajm 09:07, 7 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] The nature of the beast
I removed the word "timid" from the description of the Cattle Dog's temperament. I've known a lot of heelers, but never one that answered to that description. "Wary", yes, definitely! But timid, no! I've known cattle dogs that were morose, sinister, sneaking assassins. I've known dogs that were bloody-minded turkey-gobbling chook-pen raiders. I've known absconding cattle dogs that were always down a rabbit-warren at milking time. I've known a low-down, foul-tempered one-eyed brute that earnt himself the title "the Red Peril of the Western Plains". But I've never yet known one that was timid! That's Kelpies, Mate! Woosy little brown dogs with an uncanny ability to manage sheep.
--Amandajm 04:41, 9 August 2006 (UTC)
[edit] nice job
To everyone who contributed to this article, nice job. I really enjoyed reading it, it flows very well and seems to have about the right amount of information. One of my dogs is a dalmatian crossed with a cattle dog, so the dalmatian is strong in him, but reading this article tells me he does have some heeler traits. Anyway, congratulations on a job well done! — riana_dzasta wreak havoc|damage report 23:50, 11 September 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Justice?
I just saw the photo of the ACD in the infobox at the start of the page. Do you believe this photo does the breed justice. Personally I don't think this dog embodies the majour qualities of ACD's. Especially when its the main representive image of the breed in the infobox. Who here supports a image change? I know I do. 'Culverin? Talk 07:40, 19 October 2006 (UTC)
I don't think that this photo does the particular dog justice. I'm not quite sure what you regard as the major qualities of ACDs. This animal seems to think he's a pretty good ACD. By I am all for finding a photo in which the dog is both a good representative of the breed, and it is also a good photo, ie. it shows the dog to advantage, including face, tail and so on.
Problem is, what are the present options?
- When I put the pic of Harry up, it replaced the beautiful dog with the docked tail....righto? Definitely a no-goer!
- There's the beautiful red dog.... but he's red, not blue, and I think that blue is the most representational. They have always (where I come from) outnumbered red heelers as working dogs by ten to one.
- There's that magnificent show dog which is absolutely perfect,, but the photo doesn't show his face.
- There's little Cutesy-Pie with his tail turned up......, and Chubs, and some pics of dogs doing activities, and that poor photo of a very nice dark coloured doggie that doen't show any of the required ginger points!
What we require is a really good photo of a really good dog.
Meanwhile, I'll look for a better picture of block-headed Harry! If anyone can provide a better picture of a real cattle dog, I won't be offended in the least.
--Amandajm 12:59, 7 November 2006 (UTC)
