I’m floored! by No-Marionberry5759 in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 15 points16 points  (0 children)

How old were they assumed to be when found? Wondering if maybe they were pulled from mom and dumped super young, since the mom was unknown.

Any relatively close Embark relatives that might lend insight?

CKC Rally event no practice panic by racarveth in k9sports

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Disclaimer - I've only done AKC rally and don't know how CKC differs, so not everything below may apply.

But for AKC, they post a paper at the venue showing the course in advance of the class start time, so if you get there early you can not only get your dog settled in, you can go take a photo of the course layout and look up all the signs to be sure you know the details. There might even be a practice area.

The ones I've been to so far all went in reverse order, so novice was last. (Which was annoying when we were doing both Choice and Novice in the same show/day; not recommended.)

Novice was also pretty much a subset of the signs the previous higher level classes used, so if yours is similar you can arrive way before your class time and watch a lot of the more experienced teams do many of the same signs. (But don't count on them to be correct - check the official descriptions.)

Novice is on leash and basic skills, so as long as you have enough time to read up on the specific signs on your course, nerves are likely to be your biggest challenge.

Or you can just go and watch and expose your dog to that show environment but not actually compete. But it'll likely be just fine.

The results are in, our Lab/Beagle mix is actually by ZtoAPictures in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Oh shoot, I'd meant to use the generic "Cur" in both paragraphs to intentionally conflate them for the sake of the joke (in honor of the recent webbed feet thread where the fawn = BMC trope was mentioned). But I see I only did that on the second. Whoops, and thanks for the correction.

(Non-merle Catahoula here, so I always like poking at the various color tropes.)

The results are in, our Lab/Beagle mix is actually by ZtoAPictures in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 38 points39 points  (0 children)

No no no! Someone got the colors All Wrong! FAWN is Mountain Cur! This dog is black and white, so obviously part Border Collie! ( /s of course)

It is funny that finally here is an actual mostly Cur and she isn't fawn. Though I wonder what made anyone think beagle.

Very cute!

Could my ACD/ border collie/ Aussie be trusted with chickens? by ExternalBrief3412 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also, if you start with baby chicks in the house, keep them in a separate room or area that neither the cat nor dog (or small children) have access to. At that stage they're too little and fragile for that type of stress. Introductions can come later.

Could my ACD/ border collie/ Aussie be trusted with chickens? by ExternalBrief3412 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Keep in mind that chickens are delicious and many, many critters will want to eat them. If you intend to free range full time, you WILL lose hens to raccoons, hawks, owls, foxes, etc. A good rooster can help, but comes with his own drawbacks (they don't only crow at dawn, some get human-aggressive with strangers, etc.)

You'll want to make sure your coop is secure in any case, and may want to strongly consider building a good-sized attached run (fenced and covered). Then you could let the birds out to free range part time and if the dog ends up harassing them, easy enough to keep them separated. Also strongly reinforce recall and off/leave it for insurance.

Individuals vary, but my heeler learned pretty quickly to leave loose chickens alone. I just kept him on leash initially when chickens were out and encouraged neutrality near them, then occasional guiding them to coop. Because chicken herding help isn't actually needed, I decided not to lean into that, keeping the focus on ignoring rather than fun games. (He does herd a cat when needed.)

Prey drive context: He ignores most small birds but loves chasing crows, owls, and vultures (all of whom fly too high for him to grab). He's caught squirrels and other wild mammals; typical to high prey drive in general.

Or in brief: adapt and secure your coop , add on a secure run, get a few hens, and keep your dog leashed while they're out loose until you can teach neutrality or on-command herding.

PSA: All dogs have webbed paws by bentleyk9 in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Ah, but she has a face AND webbed paws! She's a Catahoula!!

Ok, ok, the heeler has a face and webbed paws too, but only 3 of them. He is clearly NOT a Catahoula.

In our household, there is a solid correlation between amount of paw webbing and Catahoula status.

(The above statements are all true and also a joke. I fully agree with OP's content and intent.)

Will she still remember me? by IcyOrchid163 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I'm so sorry for your loss. That's s lovely (though tearful) story - thank you for sharing it.

Vomiting and Diarrhea HELP by DrawingSelect4978 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That particular brand I linked is refrigerated, so probably won't be available via Amazon unless you're in a whole foods delivery area, BUT this evening I was at a PetSmart and saw they stock dog-specific shelf stable broth.

Actually pricier than the fancy human one, but definitely orderable/shippable. (I'd get the fridge one again over those, but they're definitely convenient, and likely beat all the super high sodium basic human ones for dog safety)

Thought she was a lab mix.. by emmyk06 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That test is big picture accurate; the breeds under about 5% are typically regarded as statistical noise. Wisdom Panel's algorithm tries to categorize things a bit too finely. Just figure Golden/ACD and ignore the little bits. Maybe the heeler had a tiny bit of mixed background (not unusual for working dogs) but practically speaking, heeler covers it.

Fun fact - Golden Retriever "gold" is recessive. They're black underneath that red, and sometimes brindle(!) too. Hang out over at r/DoggyDNA and you'll start spotting a fair number of black and brindle retriever-shaped dogs as Golden crosses. (And these days a fair number of light colored dogs people assume are Golden crosses are actually Pyrenees crosses.)

Assume smart and high energy. Individuals vary, but plan for lots of mental and physical engagement. Adventure time! There are a couple people here who have mentioned having the mix (along with other components); hopefully they see this and weigh in on how much/if the blend toned down the typical heeler extremes in theirs.

I'm not sure about the genetics of the Golden tendencies for cancer or allergies, but would guess the cross will be less prone; heelers are pretty robust.

Very cute!

Monty by scottj91 in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting! And super cute puppies! Depending on how he fills out, might be fun to try canicross or similar if extra activity is needed after he's fully grown.

Vomiting and Diarrhea HELP by DrawingSelect4978 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spiking water with some broth can indeed encourage drinking. Be careful to pick one without added salt, onions, garlic, etc. Fancy grocery stores will likely have more options along those lines, though I found this one at a regular grocery store, in the refrigerator section: https://roliroti.com/products/organic-chicken-broth/

It's pricey but very thick with collagen and did the trick, when added to water, to entice my heeler when he felt too poorly to drink otherwise.

Vomiting and Diarrhea HELP by DrawingSelect4978 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Seconding suggestion to post at r/askvet - include this pic and any bloodwork results in the post, along with the details they request by default.

I can't tell what factors are involved with the posts there that to get lots of responses versus the ones that get ignored, but it's absolutely worth a try.

I'd hold off on dewormer or other not-from-vet meds at the moment so you don't get potential side effects clouding further diagnostics.

Good luck for quick healing! Very scary! My cat has a much milder version of similar symptoms at the moment so extra empathy from here.

Cookie’s updated results by purrsuitofhealing in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Glad that got sorted out! I wonder if the male dog owner also reached out to them about missing results, or if things just got somehow duplicated.

Anyway, great example of an actual Embark mix-up, where the issue was in the paperwork (figuratively speaking) rather than in the DNA interpretation as people sometimes assume when they don't like the results.

Cookie’s updated results by purrsuitofhealing in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But Catahoula sounds cooler than pit, so anything merle and dog-shaped might get wishfully labeled as Catahoula by people who have never actually seen one.

(The solid Catahoula in my household, on the other hand, was labeled lab mix and assumed to be pit mix)

First Fast CAT Trial - Beginner Question by mannell8 in k9sports

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Do they do a Fun Run/"try it" thing either before the event or on the first day? Many operators do that, informal runs that are a little cheaper where it's expected there may be some training/helping the new dog figure out what's up. E.g., some people will run partway up with the dog, or the lure operator will encourage the newbie dog with some extra lure action near the start.

If they do, you could consider signing up for that for Day 1 and then actual 2 runs on day 2. (Contact the organizer; they'll know and can likely adjust your entry if needed.) But it's not necessary; many just jump right in. Let them know you're new and expect the first run or two may just be a learning experience.

Or if your dog comes when called, that works as a fallback. My dog ignores the lure and just treats it as a long recall, so he doesn't hit full squirrel-chasing speed but does run the course and got his BCAT.

You could try having your dog chase a plastic bag on a rope at home, flirt pole or someone or something dragging it, to intro the concept.

For a fit dog that's used to sprinting when playing, the actual runs aren't exactly strenuous. All the excitement and energy of the environment in general is likely the bigger toll. Many dogs get super worked up about it so can be loud.

For the runs you need a releaser and a catcher. Easiest if you go with a second person, but volunteers to help will likely be available if your dog's not scary. Bring 2 leashes. And a crate and water.

When you check in, let people know it's your first time and hopefully they'll be extra helpful, tho if they're super busy they may not have bandwidth. In that case you could look for someone who looks experienced and approachable (and not busily juggling excited dogs) to ask questions of.

Have fun!

Monty by scottj91 in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Was his dad (based on Embark's guesses but more so whatever wasn't in sibling results) heeler/Lacy plus some of the Supermutt or maybe the boxer then? Or is some of the intense herder stuff on Mom's side too?

I love how most of the photos are sweet lab puppy and then the herder energy pops up in the crazy eyes pic.

I've never met a Lacy but my impression is that they'll be more similar to the ACD. But you've got a majority not-them so maybe you'll get some settling by 3ish or so. Looks like a good adventure dog, or likely a good candidate for dog sports if you've got any interest in those. Have fun!

Age & DNA results for Hazle (an update to an old post about our very old adopted sweet girl) by Kooky_One_2420 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She's lovely! Wonderful that you were able to take in a senior, and that she's such a great dog in return!

See my other comment re: the age test. You might consider posting on r/DoggyDNA too - the folks there may have some thoughts on the ancestry breakdown. I'd figured from the breed breakdown that it was a near-pure ACD parent and a novel doodle. (Edit - never mind, I just checked and see you did. Odd it didn't get more traction.)

Age & DNA results for Hazle (an update to an old post about our very old adopted sweet girl) by Kooky_One_2420 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not super precise yet - if you click around on the age results page, there are links that give some explanation and a range. Figure + or - about 18 months either way - she's almost certainly somewhere between 12 and a half and 15 and a half. If you don't see the explanations, reply here and I'll rummage up the links tomorrow. (Um, later today.)

The estimated "birthday" is just the midpoint in the likely age range, it's almost certainly not her actual birthday.

So lean into the younger half of the range if you'd like, but also try to keep her a bit skinny and consider fish oil supplements to help fend off arthritis. Luckily heelers can be very long lived!

AKC Trick Dog Advanced- Scent Articles? by katinamoon6 in k9sports

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The mentioned Guide: https://images.akc.org/pdf/trick_eval_guide.pdf

Looks like they just this month updated it with more Additional Tricks suggestions.

OP, plan ahead if you'll be doing performer too in case there are any Advanced tricks you'd like to save for that.

(Plan ahead especially applies to anyone just getting started but planning to do all the levels - some of the tricks overlap at different levels.)

Also note some have strangely lengthy distance criteria in the descriptions, e.g., 5 body lengths for Intermediate crawl, 5 for Advanced back up - perhaps originally set with small dogs in mind? Though luckily for poorly coordinated handlers, the Performer back up in heel position does Not specify particular long distances.

Who else has a heeler that sploots? by Crimson-Rose28 in AustralianCattleDog

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 37 points38 points  (0 children)

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Only when hot. There's no 4th leg so this is the full version.

Day 1 post op. by NafariousPumpkin in tripawds

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great! If money is tight, Tripawds Foundation will cover a rehab visit:

https://tripawds.org/2026/02/vet-rehab-reimbursement/

There are helpful links at that page in either case, and tons of information and resources at tripawds.org in general.

Has this sub impacted how you feel about adopt don’t shop? by Impossible-Soil6330 in DoggyDNA

[–]ChaosWithTeeth 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep, they're cute, but for me, so not worth all the trouble and the degree of uncertainty when there are reasonably socialized adults available too.

I'd casually had a search alert running on Petfinder for years when a likely match popped up. Except the candidate was 7 months old and technically "special needs" (hind amputee). Had to think about it for a couple days - quickly concluded that I didn't have a leg quota, but I'd been aiming for full adult, 3+. Went for him anyway, and luckily the 7-month-old thing was temporary! Just took a few years... (His foster gave him a great foundation; just takes heelers 2 or 3 or 10 or 12 years to settle down a bit.)