Full male red heeler

Joplin MO

Description

Free to good home: This guy was wandering in our neighborhood last spring. We took him in because storms were coming. He's so cheerful and beautiful, but our yard is just too small for him. I think he's about 2-2.5 years old. He's agressive with other male dogs if they start something, but has no issues with females, including spayed, and he's great with cats and humans, although he's wary of babies and small children. He's also bitten our big old neutered male lab mix hard enough to draw blood several times. We didn't neuter him because we thought his original owners might still be looking for him. He will still mark indoors occasionally. He needs room to run, older children (10 years and up, in my opinion), young cats and female dogs for companions. He loves to sit right next to us (and sometimes on us) and sleep with us. He's a great companion for walking and running and doesn't need to be leashed - he stays within a half a block or so and runs back and forth to you. He's such a good dog, but we can't give him the space or play he needs. He squeezes past unwary people coming through our front door or through our back gate and runs the neighborhood, and we've found him twice on the other side of a very busy street. Heelers are wonderful because their coats don't smell, but he does shed a lot. He's also not the most obedient dog, and he's VERY self directed. He "herds" everybody in our household, sometimes by nipping our heels, so he shouldn't be around anyone with balance issues. He will hunt rodents and snakes, but also bunnies. We'll definitely keep him if we don't find him another home, but I'd love to see him go to a small farm where he can have room to run and a sense of purpose. I'd be willing to get him neutered for the right new owner. He has all his shots, heartworm meds, etc., and he's in great health. I'll miss him like crazy, but he needs more than what we can give him. Contact me if you want to meet him.