Axl (ADOPTED!) is a fun loving, happy puppy in a 10-12 month old, 48 lb. Australian cattle dog- McNab mix body! He is as sweet as can be, and will come for petting and hugs, and invite everyone to play with him. Once he knows everyone is good, Axl is game for anything. He loves leaping and playing in the water streaming/spraying from a hose, playing tug with people or other dogs, and he will play with balls of all sizes, from tennis balls to soccer balls.
Our guy adores everyone and wants your love and attention. If given a choice, Axl will follow a man around, over a woman, but he will come to anyone if called. He will try to jump up to get his face close to yours, to gaze into your eyes. If sitting at your feet, he tries to place his paw on your leg or arm, to let you know he loves you and can’t get enough petting and cuddling.
Axl is a super bright and observant boy, but he is very much a diamond in the rough. Someone apparently taught him Sit, Shake and Down, but they never taught him any boundaries. The first few days in his foster home he was a bit of a wild child, taking off with shoes, chomping his leash and basically ignoring commands. Within a few short days, he's now minding his foster mom's authority. He walks well on a leash (without chomping it), and immediately walks away when we say Leave It. He's so eager to please and learns fast - he just needs to be taught. He is so excited when its training time, and loves learning new things.
Axl is housebroken. However, when meeting men, he gets excited and sometimes does a little submissive puppy pee. While he rides very nicely and quietly in a car, he will not hop in willingly. So far, we have scraped our knuckles on the concrete several times, to lift Mr. Passive Resistance off the ground and into a car. Once inside, he is calm and seems fine. A few rides to fun places should have him associating car rides with fun and looking forward to getting in the car.
Axl has all the brilliance, energy and attentiveness of herding breeds and wouldn't be a good "pet" or couch dog. He seems happiest when running around outside. We believe that before he was found as a stray, he spent his puppyhood running freely on large property. The ideal home for Axl would be a working dog on a ranch, or as an agility/sport dog, or in an active situation with other pups to play with.
When he invites you to play he will use his herding moves, starting with a quick play bow, then pulling on your pant leg or nipping at the back of your heels, and then run circles around you. For this reason, and because Axl doesn’t know his own strength, and wants to jump up on people to greet and show his love, he should not be in a home with children under 12 years old.
Axl loves people and dogs and is especially drawn to men. He doesn’t seem to know cats, and was curious about the one he met, and wanted to sniff, but nothing more. If one ran, he would likely think it was a game and chase.
Still just a pup, Axl has the desire to chew. He will need to be supervised during quiet down time and directed towards appropriate chew toys, or you will find him nibbling on furniture. He crates well at night and can be crated for a time-out when he gets too wound up. Leash walks are obviously new to Axl, as is wearing a collar. He can get anxious when hands reach abruptly for his collar, so we're working on desensitizing him to his collar and are starting him on a harness. Our fosters are working with him in all these areas.
As our boy is becoming more comfortable in his foster home, he just showed the first inkling of a cattle dog’s willfulness and mind of his own, when his foster mom ordered him to stop chewing on the sofa, and he objected. He is used to having his way, and not used to hearing No. For this reason, we are seeking adopters who have experience with the stubbornness of these dogs, and know how to motivate them.
In summary, Axl is a great young dog with a wonderful spirit, but he is only for active people who have experience with this breed, the property or at least a large yard, the time, patience and stamina to continue training this adult sized puppy appropriate behaviors. He is definitely NOT a dog for people who are away for much of the day, or who live in an apartment or only have a small yard. He would NOT do well being crated or confined for hours and hours. He has great potential, and in the right hands he will develop into a fantastic companion and partner.
If you are interested in meeting Axl, please begin our pre-adoption approval process by completing our online adoption form, by clicking on the Adopt bar near the top of this page. Please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have further questions.
