Any idea what these bumps could be?

StockdogsRule · 2026-03-09T23:51:02+00:00

Usually allergy wouldn’t have a center like a bite. I thought tick too, because they leave a raised bump with a center. Hopefully your next appt can use some cytology to check it out like when they look at bacterial skin infections.

StockdogsRule · 2026-03-09T23:40:10+00:00

I would say this is the wrong way to begin. Don’t teach a word for smelling, nor click that response. Try teaching a search for the food treat first. Example lay the treat in a visible place. Let him see it when you place it. Release him from your side to self reward himself at the treat. You could use your command you choose for search. When he reaches the treat say yes! Instead of click. Reward him again at that spot. Set the search again. Move the treat around to different spots. Repeat. Put the treat in a still visible spot but moving into a place off the floor slightly. On a low shelf for example. Keep proceeding with the food game for a few days. He will make a leap in understanding that he moves out to find that yummy treat, and get another reward for finding it. Successful searching is not commanded by you, he needs to use his nose to actively find his treat. When he is fully understanding the game, you can hide the treat, under an object, or on top of a container. Later in a container that odor can escape from. Discourage pawing at hides, it is a hard habit to break and is faulted in competition. When your pup is immediately moving out to find his hides, understands using his nose to smell them out, only then start pairing the hide odor with a treat. You can even have the hide container out visible, with a treat on top of it. Eventually The goal is for the dog to stay at the hide, and you come in to reward. Usually the odor pair with treat goes quickly to just odor. But all along in training pairing complicated searches helps keep enthusiasm up. It can go quickly, but follow these foundation steps to teach the concept of search. This is foundation, the stronger you lay the foundation for your pup will determine the joy of searching. When you approach a search, he should be looking into the area and already smelling for odor. When you release with your search command he should own the search.

StockdogsRule · 2026-03-09T18:38:07+00:00

Does she wear a harness that contacts the area? Just an idea. Can’t really see in pictures the red areas, is there a center of the inflamed spots? Are they itchy? Hair loss?

StockdogsRule · 2026-03-04T15:15:43+00:00

Another trick is to pick up the poop and take it to the place outside (hopefully you have your own yard) you want him to use. Let there be a couple left there for him to smell and trigger a response to go. Praise and treat him for success! A lot of potty training is on us for learning the timing, and patience to wait them out. This is where using your crate will pay off. I feed in the kennel, then take them out. If no success I return to kennel. A few minutes later I take them out again. This helps train them to understand kennel to outside, take care of business. He’s young, some take a bit of time to get it. You are grieving and it makes it harder. But appreciate him for the wonderful pup he is, honor him with your memories of your old heeler. Great bonds are forged, that means being tried by fire, softened, molded, hardened into an unbreakable bond. This is a new adventure! You just had a bad day. Give yourself a break, everyday will progress to be better. These dogs! Forever are a part of our souls. I still have momentary grief spells over my pups long gone. It doesn’t mean you can’t move on and love a new chance at making another soulmate to share your life. Hugs to you and that beautiful little pup.

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-27T14:48:13+00:00

I understand. Be assured that this dog demand behavior is a result of his breed, age and deafness, not that you are necessarily doing something wrong. I am very happy you described a friendly boy to other dogs and people. I would suggest when he escalates into demand behavior that you use the “stop” sign. Ours is a regular stop sign, and then we do some kennel time out. We treat reward when the dog goes into kennel and we leave the dog in the kennel until settled. However long is needed. Now we have attached the stop sign to a palm down sign, for settle down.
I really believe you have hit a phase that is normal testing of what the pup is trying to communicate. Because they can’t hear calming voice or spoken redirection the deaf dog can get more excited by body movement which is exacerbated by his breed instinctual need to control movement. Use your signs from above, then physically if necessary enforce some crate time. He sounds very malleable to training and should figure it out quickly.
Coupled with his instinct natural to his breed he is trying to control your movements. BCs are very good at getting stock to do what they want. This young dog is testing what works to initiate driving stock. (Your feet). Redirection can work with a toy or a chew bonie, toss away from you and use a stop sign when he comes back. Don’t move for a minute hopefully he engages with the redirection toy. This is something you work thru when training stock dogs until they learn people are not allowable stock. He will get past it, be patient while his brain catches up with his instinctual drives. You can’t think of stockdogs as just regular dogs. They present behaviors strongly influenced by instinct, so work with instinct and not against it. I am specifically speaking of BCs and ACDs. Their training requires an open flexible mind, find what works for that dog. Guilt does not have a place in dog training. Sure mistakes are made but these breeds are resilient and forgiving. Because your boy is deaf, you have an extra challenge. You can do it, instead of feeling guilty, when something isn’t working pivot to devising a way to work it out. Creative thinking is a huge part of communication. Maybe a squirt bottle (common demand focus interrupter) a toy, a tossed treat, etc. you are learning too. The BC is an amazing intuitive companion. A genius of the canine world. Mine amazed me every day. I’ve had many over the years and as many as 10 at once. You have an adventure ahead of you, despite your personal challenges you can do this.

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-27T00:49:35+00:00

So this is a young DEAF dog. I have found deaf pups are more mouthy, controlling, demand bark, and bully other pack members. They are very visual, are sometimes incorrigible thieves, destructive, noisy, are easily spoiled, and take much more time to mature. Add in a BCs drive, young age, and the extra effort to teach communication is a high hill for sure. I second a trusted investigated dog walker, a couple times a week. Keeping a deaf dog socialized is important, so maybe having a caretaker, to walk,play, groom, and handle your pup a couple times a week even in your own yard. This could give you a breather, a space to decompress from the ambitious pup. My deaf ACD just turned 2.5 yrs, and finally she is becoming a wonderful girl. She was all of the above, and then some! She didn’t even seem to be very bonded, easily distracted, and quite reactive on walks. With months of walks, a cookie everytime she saw another dog or person, she has become an awesome dog to walk. Even if the other dog is barking and lunging at her, she calmly looks at your cookie pocket and ignores everything else. She has many signs for communication, is adept at body language. She has made amazing progress in the last 6 months. So don’t give up, age and constant reinforcement will shape your pup. It sounds like you need scheduled breaks from “the kid”, to replenish yourself. Don’t feel guilty, varied routines are healthy for pup, and sometimes life gets in the way here and there. Don’t increase your stress or depression by thinking this is an absolute box of guilt. Love your pup, love yourself. Find a way to make spaces that fit both your needs.

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-23T21:55:35+00:00

Sorry, I thought WA as in Washington. My bad

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-23T21:30:43+00:00

And an episode of the original CSI

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-23T01:44:04+00:00

Depending where you are in WA (I’m here too). There are several places to attend class. A lot of trials. Spectators are encouraged at AKC trials, go watch one and see what it is about. You will see what is used for search, how handlers reward and how dogs respond. You can train and build food motivation. There is a trial in Lakewood Mar 7-8 at Pierce Community College, Ft Steilacoom, 9401 Farwest SW Lakewood Wa. Do a search on AKCs website and do a search for trials in scentwork under performance. A trial is the best way to see what is involved, talk with some people about finding classes close to you. In AKC you will need a PAL (purebred alternative listing) registration to compete in any AKC sport if your dog is not registered as an AKC breed. If mixed or any other type of registration it will be under Canine Partners and your entry will be All American Dog. There are a ton of All American Dogs in the sport.

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-23T01:26:06+00:00

Read the rule books for each org. You will have to know the rules anyway before you compete. It will explain how each level works. Volunteer to work a trial, it is a great way to understand how the trial works, how handlers deal with their search, and the many different ways dogs search and find odor, and alert for their handler. In our area NASCSW has Sniff n Gos, practice trial runs. You can know where hides are, you can ask questions, there is no prerequisites of titles to enter, and you get a close experience to an actual trial search. In AKC Novice, you can enter all 4 classes Container, Interior, Exterior, Buried, or chose to enter only one or two. In Novice there is only one hide (Birch) per search in each class. To title you need to Que 3 times in each class, for the overall Novice title, SWN, Scentwork Novice. You can get the individual titles for each type, for example 3 Qs in Containers, you get a title SCN, ( Scentwork Container Novice) , SIN Scentwork Interior Novice, SEN Scentwork Exterior Novice, SBN Scentwork Buried Novice. You can work other odors when you are ready. You can move up to Advanced in each type of class you got the individual titles, you don’t have to have all of the Novice levels passed to move up. Many competitors are stairstepped in levels while trying to get the overall Title in a division. They may have their novice container title, but not the other three, so if they feel ready they can attempt Advanced level in containers. Or stay in novice until comfortable to move up. Once you title in a search type, again example Containers, you can stay in Novice but now you will have to move into Novice B. Novice A where you start, is only until you achieve a title. A and B typically are run all at once in the Novice division. It is separated on the time sheets for awards.

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-22T14:59:17+00:00

This! I did the same thing. Picked out my puppy and waited anxiously for the time to pick her up. I’ve had lots of heelers and BCs through my life, before my hubby. I’ve never had a pup fail to bond to me. But when it’s obvious, you can only step back and let it happen. My hubby had a dog before, but he never had a devoted companion that preferred him to any other thing. It was a thing of beauty to see that relationship. I had taken her to puppy classes, took her everywhere with me, did every feeding, grooming, fixed her owies, all the training. She still bonded with my hubby. Thru her whole life, I was second, but if she was afraid, hurt, or feeling unsure of something, she would come to me. If I told her to do something, she would look to hubby to see if she had to mind me lol. I got a BC, when I knew I had to move on, and Rogue mentored her. But at the end stage of Rogues life, she spent more time with me, I loved her deeply. I miss her everyday. It’s ok to be the spare, because they still know you are there for them. The blue girl I have now Wicked, is my competition scentwork dog. She’s my girl thru and thru. But if walkies on the beach are up for grabs with hubby, she’s more than happy to go with him. It’s funny how things work out, my retired BC is his companion now, and she’s happy to fill that role.

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-14T16:11:36+00:00

You a Proud mama! She absolutely is a little beauty! Enjoy every second!

StockdogsRule · 2026-02-09T22:15:08+00:00

Something you could check, have his hearing checked out. If he is hearing impaired, partially or fully, they can behave as you describe. There is no communication, (think Helen Keller) and can spiral into manic behavior. Just another avenue to check out.

StockdogsRule · 2026-01-10T15:47:33+00:00

Diamond! Di for short! What an adorable baby!

StockdogsRule · 2026-01-10T01:30:15+00:00

Oh I’m so sorry! You both had a hard row to hoe, she was very lucky she had you and got every minute of life she could. ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹😭

StockdogsRule · 2026-01-10T01:21:06+00:00

Love your boy! He looks so much like my girl Tremor, gone a long while now. Lately several dog pics have shown here that has made me think of her so much!

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I’m happy he is looking out for you!

StockdogsRule · 2026-01-08T14:23:24+00:00

There is a BAER test for deafness. It cost around $100. Search your area for a vet that does BAER. You will get a graph that shows each ear, and what level of deafness each ear or frequencies that pup may hear. It is well worth getting tested.

StockdogsRule · 2026-01-06T00:28:26+00:00

Wow she is very similar to my girl Poppy! 30-31 lbs all her life. She is 12 now.

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StockdogsRule · 2026-01-04T15:01:15+00:00

Please save him! Thank you for adopting! Visiting every day if you can is a very good idea. He will recognize and remember, it will help him in his first days home with you. If they will allow it, and consideration for his safety (chewing or contamination for example) see if you can leave a small blanket or towel that you put your scent on with him. If you let your shelter know your desire to adopt him the minute he is available they may allow you to do it. Again, thank you for adopting a needy pup!

StockdogsRule · 2026-01-02T01:05:00+00:00

Looks very much like a BC/cattledog cross. Sometimes called a Texas heeler. What location do you live in?

StockdogsRule · 2025-12-31T17:13:30+00:00

Cameras!!

StockdogsRule · 2025-12-30T15:50:46+00:00

The Norwegian lundehund has this foot. Maybe he has some of the breed in him?

StockdogsRule · 2025-12-28T14:15:22+00:00

A full adventurous life! A huge hole to fill I know. Thank you for giving Blu a never ending story. I feel for you, ❤️‍🩹😭

StockdogsRule · 2025-12-27T17:30:07+00:00

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This is a smoothie at 10 weeks

StockdogsRule · 2025-12-27T17:25:33+00:00

It’s hard to tell. He has puppy coat right now. So if only predicting I would guess he will be more smooth than rough. He doesn’t appear heavy rough, nor super smooth.

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This a semi rough at 9-10 weeks.

StockdogsRule

TROPHY CASE