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Old game Bred Bull terriers

Discussion in 'APBT Bloodlines' started by Box Bulldog, Aug 13, 2016.

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  1. Box Bulldog

    Box Bulldog Top Dog

    I agree with you 100%. A off topic question for you. Are Blue Heeler's popular and common in Australia? I know that's where they come from they are probably the most common herding dog/guard dog for farmers here in the far north. What are your thoughts on them? My grandfather had one named Blue and he was very big for the breed probably 55lbs+ and he was a hard dog. He killed coyotes on more than one occasion. I have also seen them used for a retrieving dog for duck hunting. Seem like a good all purpose dog to me anyhow.
     
  2. EBT

    EBT Big Dog

    They're great dogs - but only if you have room for them. In fact, my first three dogs were blue/red heeler cross bull terriers. It was a popular cross in Australia in the 70s and 80s, combining the smarts and stamina of the heeler with hard-headedness, gameness and mouth of the bull terrier. It's still a popular pig-hunting cross in Australia.

    Heelers, as you probably know, have a bit of bull terrier in their original make-up (crossed with the dingo and blue merle, and maybe a bit of german shepherd at some point), and the recombining of genes seems to complement the cross. They're more stubborn than a heeler and not as hyper (heelers need a lot of exercise or something the keep the occupied, otherwise their get bored and destructive), but more trainable and less independent-minded than a bull terrier. They're tough and agile dogs - my old 3/4 bully 1/4 red heeler was a great snake catcher and the most easy-going and loyal dog.

    Heelers are generally one-man dogs and can be people aggressive - it's in their nature to chase and bite - but they're excellent watch-dogs. They're typically not a friendly breed, being quite aloof, and unlike a german shepherd don't always provide warning before they bite. They were simply bred to be a tough, smart, herding and guarding dog not afraid to get in a mob of cattle and do their work. They have a unique trait where they bite (nip) cattle on the hind legs, then immediately lie down flat behind them to avoid being kicked in the head!

    Probably the worst thing that people do with heelers in urban Australia is buy them as pups and lock them up in the back yard, never taking them out. They get bored easily and bark like crazy, digging holes, chewing whatever they can find and generally going mad - they are a pure working breed and need a job or at least daily exercise. They'll chase a ball till your arm drops off and they handle hot climates very well. A good heeler is approachable when it's with its owner, and doesn't mind a pat, but they are not affection-seeking dogs and will follow their owner around waiting to be given something to do. All they want is to be active and please their masters.

    Heelers are not a good city pet unless you are a tradesman or such who goes out to work on site and takes his dog with him everywhere. And I mean everywhere. They don't like to be separated from their owners.

    I don't have any pix of my old dogs, but I found a couple of photos on Google that are typical blue-heeler x bull terriers. My first dog was a 1/2 and 1/2 and was blue-spotted white with a black patch on his eye (his name was "Pirate"). My next two dogs were 3/4 bully 1/4 red heeler and were litter mates. The male was brindle and white with a big bull terrier head and heeler body, while the bitch had a bull terrier body with more of a heeler head - go figure! Genetics don't always turn out the way you think!
    bullheeler2.jpeg
    bullheeler.jpeg
     
  3. Box Bulldog

    Box Bulldog Top Dog

    Great write up as always!
     
  4. c_note

    c_note CH Dog

  5. italianpit

    italianpit Big Dog

  6. I like the look of this dog a lot, does it have gameness or is she just for looks
     
  7. Box Bulldog

    Box Bulldog Top Dog

    I agree very good looking dog. I would image being heeler/
    I also like the look of that dog. It won't be as game as a game bred dog by any mean's but a bull terrier and a heeler are both very gritty breeds so I would say that it would be far more game than most breeds or mixed breed dogs. It would be suited well for a catch dog/gaurd dog/herding dog I would bet that it would retrieve well to.
     
  8. Saiyagin

    Saiyagin Chihuahua

    That white spotted dog remind me of this Nigerino bird dog that was posted on this forum awhile back. LMAO
     
    promoe likes this.
  9. AGK

    AGK Super duper pooper scooper Administrator

    Lmao, that's going back a bit. I remember that whole can of worms. :D
     
  10. c_note

    c_note CH Dog

    Me tooooo. Those were the good ol days of Gamedog!
     
  11. EBT

    EBT Big Dog

    I just pulled those pix off the internet to highlight what a typical bull terrier x heeler looks like, so can't comment on that particular dog. But as mentioned in my previous post, they were/are bred for a function and are a good alround hunting dog popular with pig-stickers here in Australia. They were the precursor to the bull arab, and while they make handy catch-dogs/luggers, they obviously don't have the same legs. They're a tough cross-breed, but not bred for gameness in the same way pit dogs are.
     

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