Twilight is a lovely Australian Cattle Dog, also known as a Blue Heeler.  You can see why when you meet her.  Her coat has wonderful blue, brown and red ticking.  A sweet dog, she is also as smart as a whip.  What else would you expect from a Cattle Dog?  She has a special appearance and a special personality that will always draw a second look.

7/12/2009 Foster update:
I have had twilight as a foster for about 1 week and can already tell you tons about her personality. If you have not yet read the below breed description please do as in her case it is very accurate! I named Twilight after the move (or book series..depending on how you view it)! I really like the move! Twilight is a very smart loving dog. She loves being outdoors and LOVES to herd and be active. I take her to the dog park (14 acres) every day for at least 2 hours (if not more). This allows her to get all the energy out as well as letting her practices some herding. She loves other dogs, loves to herd them by nipping at there legs and barking at them! She also enjoys the pond at the dog park, she isn't much of a swimmer but likes to wade deeply in the water to cool off! Twilight is a VERY smart dog and would do well in agility as well as herding activities! Just to show you how smart she is..she learned how to open the dog park gates (yes both gates) to get out of the park. Now she only does this if i run to the car to get something but this is very amazing for such a short time. I can see she will need a "job" to do on a daily basis. She can become destructive in the home if she is bored and not exercised on a daily basis. As for children, she is very sweet and loving with kids but her drive to herd would not be good with small children. She has displayed the niping at the heals thing with both me (when running) and my dogs. I feel that she would frighten small children with this. Finally, we are working on housetraining. When i am away during the day she is crated but during the evening hours if i do not physically go outside with her and wait in the yard she will pee in the house. She should be crated at night as well. I also have 3 cats in the home which she pretty much ignores unless she is under exercised or very excited. In this case she will try to herd and dominate the cats. My cats are very hardy and can handle any situation but someone should know that she can become rough when playing with the cats. Twilight is a terrific dog whom deeply loves her people and would be an excellent dog for someone with an active lifestyle and a love for the outdoors. She is very cuddly at night and loves to fall asleep in your arms at night. Lets find a great home for her so she never has to be rescued again!

7/18/2009 Foster update:
I can't tell people enought how cute twilight is. She is a very small dog and i don't think she will get much bigger than she is. She is a compact dog whom likes to be active. She does well with other dogs 90% of the time. But living with a large number of dogs whom constantly change (i dog sit and foster dogs) isn't the best home for her. She loves other dogs at the park, licks there face, herds and chases them but in the home she gets defensive and a bit protective of me with other dogs. I think she could live in a home with another dog as long as that dog was submissive or just very passive. She tends to get in to growly matches with my younger female shepard because she just doesn't back down..but sometimes she also pounces on my 8 week old puppy when she gets too close to her bone or food while she is eating! So i can see that being the only dog or with only one other dog would be best for her but she does EXCELLENT with other dogs out of the home! She is a bit of a jumper and nipper when excited. Sometimes when we are power walking she will jump up and grab my hand with her month to get me to play. She isn't a bitter but is used to using her month to get things. I can't say enought great things about her. She is a cuddler, loves her people and enjoys hunting the squierls at the dog park!


According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the Australian Cattle Dog was developed by pioneer settlers in the 19th century to herd cattle on large ranches. Dogs the settlers brought with them from Europe, called Smithfield and the Old Smooth Collie (not the smooth collie known today),  were not able to handle the long distances and inhospitable climate of the new continent. So ranchers began experimenting with new crosses. The Australian Cattle Dog primarily derived from a mix of smooth, blue speckledCollie imports from Scotland and wild Australian Dingoes. Australian Kelpie, Dalmatian, and Bull Terrier were also added. The result was an excellent herding dog, with few equals, who worked the stock quietly yet forcefully, willing and able to drive cattle across vast distances under harsh, hot dusty conditions. With superior stamina, it was well suited to Queensland. Both its guarding and herding instincts are very strong and may extend to people and other animals. Robert Kaleski drew up a standard for the breed in 1893, which was finally approved in Australia in 1903. The Australian Cattle Dog was fully recognized by the AKC in 1980. The Australian Cattle Dog has also been known as the Australian Heeler, Hall's Heeler, Queensland Heeler or Blue Heeler. "Heeler" refers to its herding skill of snapping and biting cattle's heels. Its talents are retrieving, herding, guarding, agility, competitive obedience, and performing tricks.

A working, herding breed, the Australian Cattle Dog is not suited to life alone in the backyard. One of the most intelligent breeds, it can become easily bored, leading to serious behavior problems. These dogs need to be part of the action! They are loyal, protective and alert. An excellent guard dog. Brave and trustworthy. Very good in the obedience ring and in herding and agility. Can be obedience trained to a very high level. Firm training from the start and a lot of daily leadership, along with daily mental and physical exercise will produce a fine and happy pet. It is absolutely loyal and obedient to its master, but it is something of a one-person dog. They are sometimes suspicious of people and dogs they don't know. It can be very dog aggressive, for its dominance level is high. Teach your Australian Cattle Dog that you are alpha and you will not tolerate him fighting with other dogs. Best with children in the family it has known since puppyhood. Some tend to nip at people's heels in an attempt to herd them. If you are buying a pet, avoid strictly working lines, as these dogs may be too active and intense for home life. Australian Cattle Dogs are very easy to train. Puppies are born white (inherited from the early Dalmatian crosses), but the adult color can be seen in the paw pads. Problems can and WILL arise with meek owners, and or owners who do not provide the proper amount and type of exercise. This breed does best with a job to do. If you do not have time to extensively work with and exercise your dog, or do not fully understand canine instincts and their need to have leadership, this is not the breed for you.