What is it with horse people and their dogs?
I was commenting to Rachel about how our dogs seem to be very similar in build, breeding and temperament. I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to her and all of her wonderful glory.
Stella is a 7 (almost 8!) year old Catahoula Leopard dog/Aussie/goat cross. She weighs about 38-40 pounds and is very intense and full of energy. I often describe her as aggressively friendly. She is very dominant, hard headed, and a one person only kind of dog while still managing to be very affectionate laid back and trust worthy. I honestly never did spend too much time with her on formal training. She is the kind of dog that just naturally follows, comes etc. Not spending enough time laying down the law has really gotten me into trouble with things like destructive behaviors, other dogs, and house training. She is now a well behaved canine citizen but I took the long way around to get to this point for sure! I am currently taking a clicker training agility class to get pointers on my training technique and to spend some much needed time with my little dog. She is doing scary well in the class. She is one smart cookie! It is amazing what can be accomplished when you harness her energy for good instead of evil.
Alright enough gab here are some photos of The wonderful Stella B!
She has one blue eye and one light brown eye. She always has red eye in pictures!
If you look closely you will notice my hair matches Stella's collar. I dyed the tips of my hair a dark blue this weekend.It is subtle and the picture is bad lighting but it is there. Dying my hair always cheers me up
Stella hiking with us in the mountains.
What a cutie! My sister has a spaniel goat cross. . . lol
ReplyDeleteYour hair looks good. I have always wanted to do something like that. Too much of a chicken I guess.
Aw Daphne's twinsy. Except for Stella is well behaved and Daph is bat-shit-crazy. Daph is a bit shorter (34lb and the vet just told me slightly overweight). I can def see resemblance. Thanks for sharing. I have been waiting to see the (in)famous Stella B :)
ReplyDeleteHow old is Daph? You may still have hope. Stella was pretty much nightmare for quite sometime... gives you hope right?
ReplyDeleteAaaaaww, I ♥ Catahoulas! Your is certainly a cutie.
ReplyDeleteShe's really adorable. I have two Aussies and the girl Maggie is sounds a lot like Stella. I don't know what to do with all that energy sometimes. She drives her brother Murphy crazy...he's a couch potato and can't be bothered.
ReplyDeleteIt's so cool that you are doing agility with her.I bet she'll be a star with all her energy for good.
Daphne will be 3 in August.
ReplyDeleteI think her issues stem from:
a) being raised at my friend's farm for the 1st 8 months with 4 brothers always around.
b) me getting her during a fragile time in my life and her feeling the need to constantly protect me (read: i was not the pack leader).
c) Australian Sheppard-- i need a job and hate to be alone breeding.
This all results in a what my friend called her "personality disorder". She is fine at my friends farm when I'm gone but gets protective and starts fights when I'm there. and shes normally good at my apartment when I'm there but loses it and cant be left outside of her kennel when I'm gone.
soooo frustrating!
I got Stella at a bad time as well which really cemented the same thing--clingy protectiveness.
ReplyDeleteShe has gotten better over the years but is still dog aggressive and she still cries the whole time I ride if I have to keep her on the leash (which I do or she would be under the horse!)
The herding breeds really do need a job you are so right! Where to fit in their job when you have yours to consider is another story though!
I LOVE my agility class I just started. I know we have no time as young professionals with horses but I found a class that starts at 7:30pm and 45$ for 3 1 hour classes. So very affordable.
As riders we all agree that lessons and trainers are a necessary part of horses. I had never taken a "dog lesson" before but I am starting to think they maybe a integral part of dog owning too. Especially for these high maintenance pooches. Stella LOVES agility (her new job) and my instructor has already given me amazing tools to work with her dog aggression and separation anxiety.
Good luck with your hell hound :) I have a feeling if they met it may mean the end
of the world as we know it.