When we first got our puppy, I thought he was an Australian Shepherd. But after a couple of people at the dog park said things like "He looks like a Queensland Heeler", I did a little research, and I'm convinced that in fact he's an Australian Cattle Dog, right down to the Bentley mark.
The guide points out that ACD's are very intelligent and so easily bored. We keep trying to find treats he'll like and toys he'll play with, but he has, um, strange tastes. He won't chew rawhide, or munch on pigs' ears, or eat Greenies. But he does like to chew plastic toys, which in his mind include balls, shoes, and pens.
A couple of days ago I came home to find orange marks on the carpet, and his white forepaws a lovely shade of fall color. He'd gotten into the office and chewed up an orange magic marker. Fortunately it wasn't permanent marker, so I managed to clean his paws (and the carpet) with just a wet rag. But last night he was "skooching" his butt on the ground after I let him out, so I'm wondering if little plastic bits have made their way thru his digestive tract.
It's a little funny, but I saw an episode of Emergency Vets just recently where a dog had swallowed a pen and had to undergo surgery because it was blocking his intestine. I'm keeping a close eye on the little stinker.
