posted 10-23-2003 07:31 AM         

At first, we thought border collie, beagle, maybe terrier. Possibly a bit of lab. Then someone on this board sent me a picture of their aussie pup and it looked VERY similar to Nala.

I saw a dog that looked similar to her that is an Australian cattle dog mix. So that's a possibility.

People at Ren Fest kept saying Bernese Mountain Dog, and while it's true she has the tricolor markings, so do other dogs (like aussies, border collies, beagles...). And she's not huge or long haired and doesn't have the jowls and square-ish muzzle of a Bernese. And they don't have the merle markings she has on her legs.

But look at this dog (both the picture of the head and the whole dog further down): http://www.hund.ch/rasse/appenzelleruk.htm

Boy! That looks like Nala, even down to the shape of her body. I always thought her head looked a bit small for her body and so does the appenzeller. Also, the front legs seem short. Hmmm. They are also herding dogs. And medium-sized with short hair. That site also says that wavy hair on the back and withers is a fault - well she has that too! Do many other dogs have wavy fur on their backs?

My more recent pictures of Nala are at home so I can't post them until tonight.

What kind of dogs lie with their back legs extended out behind them (so their pelvis is flush against the floor)?

She is sensitive to noise, is ruled by her nose (ALWAYS sniffing, runs with head down), and seems to be like the Jurassic Park dinosaurs that only see things that are moving. She chases everything that moves. She fetches but not reliably. She will head off my husband on his bike rather than just chasing him. She isn't a big barker but will bark if she thinks something is threatening her yard or house. She is smart but stubborn, and does not have a huge drive to please her people but will work for food. She has a ton of energy and loves all people and all dogs. She is not sure about water but will play with the hose and is starting to enjoy romping through shallow water. She curls her tail over her back or holds it straight out.

I wish people who drop off puppies would at least leave a note with a birthday and what the parents were.

posted 10-23-2003 08:41 AM         

But read this description from one of the websites:
"The strong temperament. Appenzeller Mountain Dogs are not Golden Retrievers. They are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. They can be manipulative, and some are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say."

Well that describes her to a T!

posted 10-24-2003 09:39 AM         

And here are Appenzellers:

Nala even sits in the same goofy way the Appenzeller in the above picture sits!

Jamiya

[This message has been edited by Jamiya (edited 10-24-2003).]

posted 10-24-2003 10:40 AM         

The Appenzeller is also a herding dog, so some of the behavior would be in common with the border collies and aussies (which is what I thought she was to begin with). Perhaps she has some of both in her.

Aren't border collies and aussies in general more compliant dogs? Ones that like to please their owners and therefore are easier to train? Or are they typically stubborn critters?

So I guess I will just say I have a small herding dog of some sort....plus something smallish mixed in.

By the way, it was an epiphany when I realized something. Remember all the problems I have with her lunging at me and nipping and barking at me? I finally clued in that she does that when she is trying to make me do something, but I hadn't put it all together yet. Herding dog. Duh. Herding dogs will nip at their stock if it doesn't do what the dog wants it to do.

So THAT is what she is doing!! I knew she was challenging me, but I feel SOOOO much better that it is based in herding behavior and not aggression!