Are Australian Cattle Dogs Velcro Dogs?

If you missed my first post in this series of “Are Cattle Dogs…?” You can check it out at Are Australian Cattle Dogs Good Watch Dogs?

This week we explore Cattle Dogs and sticking near their owner, otherwise known as a Velcro dog.

What is a Velcro Dog?

First let me make clear, I’m by no means an expert on animal behavior. Read the title of this site, Stubborn Dog, NOVICE Owner. But I have been trying to figure out how to train my little girl on my own. I would love to sign up for dog obedience classes, but dang they are expensive! Yeah, I know there are people that run the line of “you bought a dog, you pay the expense.” I also know there are people that run the line of “let dogs be dogs.”

I’m in the middle. I want a dog that listens, but I also want Pandora to be a dog. Which means I’m settling for something less than perfect, but higher than untamed. In an effort to help Pandora be somewhere in the middle ground area, I have read countless articles and watched many hours of training videos. I have no idea of how many hours I’ve invested in dog training videos.

Simply put, I think I’ve learned a thing or two. But I wouldn’t call myself a professional behaviorist for animals and I wouldn’t consider myself, blind to animal behaviors. So, take what you will of what I’m going to speak.

I believe a Velcro dog is a dog that sticks nearby her main person. A dog that checks on where her human is and what her human is doing. A dog that tends to hang out near their human.

I think most dog breeds, including mixed breed, fall into this category. The person who sets boundaries and rules and has expectations, but also gives genuine love seems to be the main human. The dog knows what this person is up to and responds quicker to this person’s commands than another member of the household’s commands.

Velcro Dogs are Not Clingy

There is a difference between a dog that is confident and knows his human, than a dog that is needy and clingy.

It’s like kids (yes, I really did go here). Some kids are confident and ready to explore and break away from mom and dad. Some kids need more assurance that they are okay. They look to mom and dad to see if they can do something, if they can try run further ahead, if they can have the cupcake from the table. Some kids are so molly-coddled, they need constant attention and praise. Functioning at a normal level without any “you’re so awesome,” comments makes them feel less than awesome.

Dogs are the same way. They easily fit into those same categories. Sometimes (just as with kids) there is a fourth category, a trauma category. Something happened that brought about this display.

A clingy dog is nervous and by your side because they need attention. Their tails may tuck, they may shake, their ears may not go up in happiness.

A Velcro dog is confident and happy, but not clingy.

Pandora is a Velcro Dog and She Has Some Clingy Issues

Around the house, Pandora knows what I’m up to at all times. No matter how pooped that girl is, she will get up and follow me to another room of the house even though I will be coming right back to the starting room.

Out on trails, she runs ahead of me. She’ll go about 50 yards in front of me and then she turns and checks on me. If I’m going too slow, she’ll come back, like she’s encouraging me or rather trying to convince me to pick up the pace. If she thinks I’m fine, she bounds in and out of bushes and brush. If I call, she will come back to me. She’s not as responsive as a dog that has had premium training, but she does come back. And she’s happy to be near me.

Her clingy issues come into play when she’s scared. Fireworks and buzzy cars are her biggest problems. She will come up to me and try to become one with me. If I’m sitting, she tries to sit on my chest. I’m thankful she’s not a Great Dane, I might suffocate.

Australian Cattle Dogs are Independent, How Can they Be Velcro?

Yes, Cattle Dogs, are bred to be independent thinkers. Able to problem-solve a situation fairly quickly. But again, it’s part of their breed to know where their humans are. Where are the cattle? Where are the cats? Where is that tiny human? I think that’s where the Velcro Dogs title stems from with Cattle Dogs. I don’t think they are necessarily any different than other herding breeds: Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, German Shepherd, etc…. I think it stems from the need to work. Do I need to herd my human to the backyard for some frisbee?

An Interesting Thought

Most police dogs are male. Yes, some are female. Usually, the females are the drug sniffers. Most (not all, I don’t think) of the dogs that chase down the bad guys are male. I once heard, but I haven’t confirmed it, that male dogs are chosen because they won’t mother their handler. They will stick to the bad guy and they expect their handler to get there eventually. Whereas, females will circle back to check on their handler.

An interesting thought if it’s true. That could mean that most female dogs are more prone to the mothering instinct. Which makes me wonder if female dogs are more apt to be Velcro Dogs versus male dogs. And that makes me wonder if male dogs are always, “My human is so needy, always calling me back to her.”