Friday Dog Blogging -- April 29, 2005

Yes, I KNOW it's Saturday.....LOL. As I mentioned before, I've been traveling a great deal over the past two weeks, and I finally managed to get some time to post a very special Friday Dog Blogging -- special, because it features the NDT Mascot.

A few weeks ago, the NDT Mascot went on a camping trip with his aforementioned sweetie Avea whilst I was out in San Francisco cultivating what is quickly blossoming into a lifetime-level relationship. Avea's mom was kind enough to take several pictures, two of which I will share with you today.

As a bit of background, the NDT Mascot is a Blue Heeler (to use official AKC parlance, an Australian Cattle Dog), a breed that arose from crosses made in the 1840s of imported merle blue Collies, Dalmatians, and Scottish Kelpies (a type of Border Collie) with the dingoes native to Australia to create a dog with the intelligence and instinct to herd the wildest cattle, the hardiness and stamina to withstand the extreme conditions of the outback, and a strongly-protective nature towards its master and its master's horse. The name "Heeler" comes from the herding style of these dogs, which is to dive behind an obstreperous cow and nip at its heels, agilely dodging the inevitable kick, to move them forward.

NDT's family has had Heelers and Heeler crosses since their importation to the United States (after all, we ARE cattle ranchers), and have learned to love these wily dogs, whose personality and smarts can be likened to a precocious three-year-old child with a penchant for following the letter of the law while blatantly disregarding the spirit. The NDT Mascot exemplifies the heart and soul of his breed; obedient to a fault, herding cattle with the pure unadulterated joy that a bird must feel when it flies or a fish when it swims, and being protective of his "daddy" to the point of dreaming up novel schemes and attempts to derail gentlemen callers from getting friendly with North Dallas Thirty. (grin) Fortunately, he can't talk!

Anyway, here, in living color, is the NDT Mascot:



Here he is with Avea:



If you'd like to know more about adding a faithful Blue Heeler to your life, please feel free to email me at chromium1212@hotmail.com; I'll be happy to connect you appropriately.

From me and the Mascot....have a great weekend!