topic Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed in Pet Lovers

Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

NorskyGal — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:01:22 GMT

I'm hoping someone can help me determine the breed of dog that my grandparents had on their dairy farm in the 1960s-1970s in North Dakota. They bought him as a pup from a local breeder. I've tried to find out locally about the breeder but haven't been able to find anything yet as they're not in business anymore.

This dog, Duke, had the coloring/markings of a collie. He was tri-color BUT he had wavy fur. (That's the part that is stumping me to finding out what breed he was.) He also had a bobbed tail. (I think it was bobbed as a pup because he was destined to be a farm dog.) He was probably a little smaller than a Rough Collie, but definitely bigger than a Sheltie.

Duke, would help herd the cattle for grandpa and was by his side all day. He was very loyal to Grandpa & loved him (and vice versa). Duke also had a fantastic temperment as he was wonderful with the grandkids and with the cat. He was extremely gentle and super smart.

Does anyone have any idea of the breed Duke might've been?? I've asked relatives but nobody is quite sure.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

CalMom — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:06:47 GMT

Perhaps going to a working dog forum and asking this question might yield results. Also a picture would be helpful. It also is possible that the dog was what we call a designer breed aka mutt.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

lolakimono — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:08:00 GMT

@NorskyGal

You might ask @colliegirls and @Kachina624.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

DKNJ — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:17:18 GMT

I take it there are no pics of him as that would probably nail it down for you by anyone who knows dog breeds. By the way, he sounds like one fabulous dog.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

colliegirls — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:11:58 GMT

My first thought is Australian Shepherd or a Bernese Mountain dog.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

Desertdi — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:15:03 GMT

My grandpa had a border collie on the farm

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

ChynnaBlue — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:24:05 GMT

@colliegirls wrote:
My first thought is Australian Shepherd or a Bernese Mountain dog.

Mine, too. And Australian Shepherd dogs are known for herding cattle. I have some friends who use them in cutting competitions at rodeos.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

elated — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 17:36:11 GMT

English Springer Spaniel or Australian Cattle Dog

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

NorskyGal — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:08:12 GMT

@ChynnaBlue wrote:
@colliegirls wrote:
My first thought is Australian Shepherd or a Bernese Mountain dog.

Mine, too. And Australian Shepherd dogs are known for herding cattle. I have some friends who use them in cutting competitions at rodeos.

That's what I initially thought, too. (Australian Shepherd) But can they have wavy fur? I've seen pics of them with curly fur but his definitely wasn't that curly.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

NorskyGal — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:09:40 GMT

@elated wrote:
English Springer Spaniel or Australian Cattle Dog

Def. not an English Springer. (I know those dogs.) But can an Australian Cattle dog have wavy fur? Their fur (in pics) is awfully short and they don't seem to have Collie colorings/markings.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

NorskyGal — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:10:48 GMT

@Desertdi wrote:
My grandpa had a border collie on the farm

I'm wondering about the coat consistency tho--it was wavy. I've seen pics of Border Collies with curly fur but Duke's was not curly--it was wavy. But it's a possibility....

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

NorskyGal — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:11:26 GMT

@colliegirls wrote:
My first thought is Australian Shepherd or a Bernese Mountain dog.

Australian Shepherd...possible. But can they have wavy fur? And it def. wasn't a Bernese Mountain dog--I know those dogs.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

colliegirls — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:11:31 GMT

https://www.google.com/#q=herding+dog+representative+species&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgFuLUz9U3MMpONq5QQjC17LOTrfSTMvNz8tMr9TPz0vKLchNz4iECmclAZnpRfmlBZl66VVFqQVFqcWpeSWJJZlmqQnFBanJmajEA6XRig1kAAAA

Did it look like any of these??

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

NorskyGal — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:12:13 GMT

@DKNJ wrote:
I take it there are no pics of him as that would probably nail it down for you by anyone who knows dog breeds. By the way, he sounds like one fabulous dog.

Yes...I really need to find a pic, scan it & post it. And you're right--he was a fabulous dog. So friendly & sweet. I just loved him!

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

colliegirls — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:13:56 GMT

My husband's family had Border Collies and they had black and white wavy coats. They have tails however, the Australian Shepherd usually doesn't.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

CamilleP — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:13:56 GMT

Almost guaranteed that he was an Australian Shepherd Dog. Which is, of course, a misnomer, because the breed was developed right here in the US by Basque shepherds who brought some of their ancestors over from Spain, and then bred them with local collie-type dogs and farm dogs here in the US, always selecting dogs who were good herding dogs to breed from. Most of the breed's members today exhibit merle coloration patterns, but occasional throwbacks to tricolors probably always occurred, Duke was probably one of them. The breed retains the soft, silky, slightly wavy double coat, somewhat lighter than the very heavy double coats of the Rough Collie and Sheltie, but softer and longer than most German Shepherd Dogs. Today the breed is also bred in a miniature size as more of a convenient companion animal, and both sizes are registered with the AKC. If you go to the AKC website, you can find links to the breed's parent club website, and that will give you breeder referral information, as well as lots of photos, I am sure. One of those photos might well look just like your childhood pal Duke. Please post again to let me know if you find those pictures, I hope you do!

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

ScarletDove — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:32:00 GMT

If you know the breeders name (although no longer in businesss) and are willing/able to put it out there, perhaps someone will have known this particular breeder, or someone in the business over the years would know these individuals due to their location. You might also go to the AKC for information about breeder if they produced pure-bred dogs.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

MillieMilan — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:32:07 GMT

Pyrenean Shepherd?

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

colliegirls — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:34:24 GMT

An English Shepherd looks a lot like a collie or border collie. Their coat can be wavy.

Re: Need Help Identifying Dog Breed

AnikaBrodie — Sat, 16 Jan 2016 18:35:41 GMT

Could it be a tri color Australian Shepherd? They come in a number of different tri and merle colors. Beautiful dog.