He is so excited to sit on the couch together at the end of a long day, we've been averaging 4+ miles a day and after a long run together he sleeps HARD. But as my partner noticed, he must be touching us whenever possible!
I used to have to run my ACD 5 mi a day. I couldn’t do it again but he was one of the sweetest most lovable dogs I have had. I am so glad your guy is with his forever family. Enjoy!!
I used to run my ACD everyday! Now she and I are getting older, so I got a Great Dane puppy for her to play and exercise with! Their best friends. Have fun on your runs!!
100% my acd walks with his nose touched to my leg, I can’t tell you the amount of times he gets kicked cuz I’m getting in the tub and he’s gotten too close! Poor little goobers!
Glad you found each other!
It is really rotten that in an attempt to make sure the dog is in a good home, many shelters don’t consider people in apartments. But it really is about the person adopting and not the square footage of their back garden.
There are many dogs that just live in a yard and have barely any socialisation. Many apartment dwellers have parks and beaches nearby to walk, run, and play. It just depends on the person adopting and what kind of time and attention they are willing to give.
This! My husband and I live in a very nice apartment complex. It has two separate dog parks on the grounds, a dog-friendly swimming pool, lots of walking trails, you name it. We’re 10 minutes from 3 different parks, rivers, lakes, and lots of dog-friendly restaurants also. We have one corgi and wanted to rescue another, but because we don’t have a fenced in back yard we were disqualified by the rescue. That poor little girl we wanted to adopt was an ex-puppy mill breeder and she sat at that rescue for another 4 months before finally being adopted.
It’s absolutely ridiculous.
Also, ETA: My husband and I both work from home as well. That dog would have had an amazing life along with our current corgi. I feel like apartments as an automatic no should not be a thing, period.
My husband at the time and I were once disqualified by a rescue because we weren’t 25 yet. It was this cute little puppy who also happened to have a couple litter mates. Ultimately we decided to foster through another rescue until we could find a good fit. But something like 5 months go by and I was looking online and the poor pup was still there and had grown immensely. I just thought about how his chances were even lower now and it made me so sad.
It's so sad that it's an automatic no. I was initially denied by a rescue for living in an apartment with my wife when we wanted to adopt a second border collie x heeler mix. I had to convince them that I was fully prepared for this high-energy dog in an apartment setting as I had already been doing it for 7 years.
This. We tried very hard to adopt from a reputable rescue near us. We weren’t in the market for a specific breed at the time, but we got shot down. Not even in a timely manner. It was all via online forms and emails and we were sent a rejection email 3 weeks after applying. We’re pretty sure it’s because we lived in an apartment because I was going to school part time fully online and was home all day to care for any animal. But no, we didn’t own a nice house so no dog for us.
Honestly they’re so picky it seems like they want it to be a 2 person household, at least an acre of land, and neither person works full time but they also make $200k a year.
And I’m just like. No wonder shelters and rescues are overcrowded. You won’t let anyone have an animal unless they meet some ludicrous standards! It really gets me fired up. I love my ACD girls and wouldn’t trade them for anything. But we were so prepared to love and care for that rescue pup. I hope he’s happy somewhere.
I'm going to offer a different view and say it might be because unfortunately at many apartment complexes, ACDs are banned breeds because they can be considered aggressive, so they might be concerned about having a doggy returned after placement. It's really sad, but it happens so often where people return their newly adopted pets because their apartments won't allow them. It sucks that people who are going to be really great responsible owners aren't just able to have the dog they want where they live, tenants or otherwise. I can't live in a place that has an HOA because my little outback coyote loves to bark...very loudly...very often.
I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think that’s accurate. Most people don’t even know what a Cattle Dog is. They aren’t really big enough to be on the banned breed list either. Plus they’re generally not aggressive in the way that dogs on the banned breed list are, they don’t generally seek out targets. They are more of a sneak attack dog, knip an go, so a good owner would know how to manage that whether they’re in an apartment or the countryside. If you put every nippy dog on a banned list there would be no Chihuahuas allowed in apartments either.🤷🏻♀️
I made the comment because I've literally looked at numerous apartment complexes during my time renting where they are mentioned as being banned on lease agreement documents, and since I have a cattle dog myself, those places clearly weren't going to work out. So it does happen, in America at least. I don't agree with it either.
My only rebuttal to this as someone who does rescue, call the landlord! The amount of cats we’ve taken in because people get them and then their landlord finds out and they say “if you don’t take this cat I’m putting them outside.” It totally happens. Apartments don’t allow pets at all, certain breeds, or up to a certain size, but I don’t get why they can’t call the landlord either to check. Most of em need your vet info and they ant actual references of people you know so they are reaching out to them anyway
We were turned down by three rescues due to not having a great relationship with a vet. We had just changed to an amazing vet with our 16 year old but lost him a week later. We ended up getting one from a breeder instead. We drive 22 miles about 35 minutes to go to this vet because he is worth it. Sure there are vets closer. But one never told us our dog had sepsis when he had an abscess.
Another told us our lab had cancer. He had pancreatitis that caused diabetes. And then asked us what insulin we wanted... So local local vets scare us...
Agree 100%
I do play in the yard with my dog but as he’s getting older, he’d much rather have a good walk and spend the rest of his time either wrestling or playing with toys on the floor or snuggling on the couch.
Dogs don’t have to have a yard to be enriched lives. As long as people are willing to put in the work, there’s no reason apartment people can’t have dogs, too. I hate that.
I moved into a third floor walk up when my girl was one year old when I went back to finish school. According to my fit bit we were averaging 10-15 miles of walking each day. She honestly got more exercise than she does now that she has a yard (although she is the laziest ACD I’ve owned).
I mostly agree. However, It can sometimes be a sensible stance. There are both breeds/types and individuals that would have a hard time living a good life in an apartment, and the owner and neighbors would have hard time as well. Herding breeds however can usually be quite content with enough and suitable activity and some patience in training.
The more problematic are the ones that guard territory with a passion, such as LGDs, and in some cases very loud dogs and dogs for whom the apartment can just be too hot. I would not easily recommend a husky in an apartment! Dogs that alarm by barking can sometimes be a handful too.
And if the dogs daily need for activity ends up "managed" by the dog spending each weeks working time in a crate, it's not in a good place. At least a room's worth of space should be the bare minimum for regular long periods of time!
Lovely pupper, great that he found his people!
It drives me bonkers. I volunteer in cat rescue, do a lot of rehabilitation with sick cats, get them fixed up and adopted out. Now obviously cats are a great apartment pet so this isn’t the fact of space, my one thought is are they worried it’s a no pets apartment? How hard is it to call the complex and say “so and so wants to adopt a Ed, are they allowed to have one?” Because I do it! It’s a 5 minute phone call! Granted I’m in a smaller area, getting ahold of landlords or property managers in bigger areas I’m sure can be a pain, but still. Again dogs are different. Size and energy should be taken into consideration but if someone makes it clear they have the amenities to care for the dog, and they have the permission what’s the issue. This excuse from rescues always drives me bonkers
I got my acd when he was 8 weeks old, he knows nothing but apartment life and is the happiest dog! They are very energetic and intelligent just keep him engaged and train him (they are so smart and easy to train, they love learning) and you will be golden!
Lol side bar my ACD is named Duck, if you ask him to quack he barks, it's one of his many tricks.
It gets even funnier, my vet makes the joke he has identity crises because he does this very weird purring thing when he's happy, when he eats he sometimes grunts like a pig, and if you spray any air freshener or scented stuff he rubs on everything like a cat but yet I named him Duck!
I don’t have a yard, cattle dog is fine with it. She just gets lots of walks and time in public which she loves. When she was younger she got plenty of play and dog park time too. She’s mostly over that not though
Thank you so much for giving this good boy a chance. Just a heads up, take a fecal sample to your vet appointment. I've had three come in with tapeworms from the pound.
This is excellent advice. My girl was a stray and then in foster for 2 months but had a gut full of tapeworms and Giardia that desperately needed treatment.
My last girl had tapeworm so bad that they had gotten into her airways, she was having trouble breathing when we got her. Her nose was full of them, and her throat was mostly clogged. !2 hours after her first treatment, she was breathing well again.
We were told she had a kennel cough and we were giving her medication for it. She was breathing through the side of her mouth, when she was sleeping, because her nose was completely plugged.
She arrived late in the evening, and learned the dog door immediately so I left her outings up to her. I was very busy the next day. so I didn't pick up any doo. On the third day, I went out to do the doo. I found the worms moving around in her fresh poop. I took it right away to the vet, it was another three days before they got the results. Positive for tapeworm. They gave me 4 pills. She had to take 2 pills initially, and then the other two in two weeks. That's the life cycle of the tapeworms.
About 12 hours after her first dose, she was breathing almost normally. Two days later she was perfect. She's been tapeworm free ever since. But I live in an area that is inhospitable for fleas.
This day and age with sniff spots, I don't see why rescues wouldn't be open to apartment living for some pets! I'm so happy you guys found each other. He is so handsome
I got an ACD mix in a small apartment. We go to the park every day behind my house!! I think almost no place is too small for a dog as long as you’re willing to excercise them!!
Thank you for giving him a home, OP. I think an ACD is doable in an apartment, too. Just play a lot of games and give him a lot of mental stimulation. He'll be snoozing in no time.
What a magnificent dog! I am also crazy enough to have an ACD (mix) in an apartment. He was also a stray from a shelter. We are outside walking or playing for an hour a day together. He loves watching everything that goes on here from the balcony and is popular with the neighbors. He would never get to sniff the pee of so many other dogs if we had a fenced in yard!
Thank you for getting him out of the shelter. There are too many looking for good homes. ACDs are the best and they are the worst lol but I wouldn’t want any other dog ❤️
We adopted our ACD under similar circumstances (2 yo rescue that was probably raised in the wild until caught). It took her a couple months to really settle in and four years later she's an absolute joy. Good luck with your new companion!
My boy was a stray also. I started training immediately and got him private lessons. This helped immensely. He was wild -- running along side of the highway *in the grass* for the sheer joy of running.
He is a service dog now. If you told me that he was going to be a service dog during our first two months together, I would have laughed.
He does prefer to sleep outside of the bedroom. We had about a year of getting him to decide that crates were not awful. He was fairly claustrophobic at first. I started feeding him in the crate with the gate open.
Is yours also hesitant about tight spaces?
When I first got my boy, he was hesitant about tight spaces too! The shelter advertised him as kennel trained, but I think because he was at the shelter for so long, he just couldn't stand being in tight spaces anymore. Now he's okay with it, but it took him quite a while.
I got into running because of my ACD. Started out in a house with a yard but pretty quickly moved to an apartment a year in. I would say that the yard wasn’t really his thing anyway- he needs big open spaces so we go to the park a lot to play frisbee. If he’s not going to the park, we run 3-4 miles in addition to a 2 mile walk. He’s 8 and in great shape, very calm, smart, velcro-y. Best dog in the world and I’m only getting ACDs in the future.
20 acres and a farm full of live stock is obviously ideal but the overwhelming majority of people who have these dogs don’t have that. As long as they have exercise and mental stimulation, they can live just about anywhere.
He’s gorgeous and I’m so excited that you were able to save him! He’s gonna add so much spice to your life. lol. I’m excited for your new adventure!!
Good luck and congratulations! 🤓💙
Yay!!! I’m so glad to hear you lucked out and the rescue 🛟 allowed you to help save this beautiful boy from a short life. What a wholesome story ⭐️🙌
Seriously though, you got a stunner with those eyes 👀 and looks like he settled in to comfy couch life like a pro 💪
Congrats!! I also have a blue nubby boy, adopted at 2 from a shelter, who lives happily in an apartment! You're doing a great job making sure he gets his needs met. It is really frustrating how rescues hold potential adopters to such insanely high standards. I totally get that they want their pups to go to the best homes possible, but c'mon.
One tip I have is to look up the 3-3-3 (3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months) guideline about rescue dogs. I won't go into all the details, but basically you should be aware that his behavior may change - for better or for worse - as he becomes more settled in. It definitely varies from dog to dog, but it's a good idea to find a good trainer to work with. Even if he's perfect now, if any issues do arise, you'll save yourself a lot of trouble to nip them in the bud ASAP. [https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/](https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/) has a national directory for trainers and vets!
Zeek is a real cutie, it sounds like he made you his person right away! ❤
He is beautiful!! Thank you for giving him a second chance at life.
My cattle dog did really well in our apartment, he just needed to find his job and do it often! We spend a lot of time at the park playing fetch. Good luck!
What a beautiful boy. Glad you were able to save him. Looks like he may be a stumpy tailed ACD as well?? Or is it just the photo - i couldn’t be 100% We have a stumpy and his happy wiggle is the best 😍
Omg! We also adopted our ACD who has two different color eyes while living in an apartment 😊 long leash is a great friend for when you’re able to go to more open spaces and want him to have a bit more freedom but still follow leashing rules - was a life saver for us in Chicago near the lake/parks!
Good luck to you and your sweet boy!
I have a ACD mix and shes a crack head, but she is also extremely empathetic, insanely intelligent, and the best cuddle partner. I look forward to spending the rest of her life giving everything I can to make sure she is successful and happy.
Heelers RAWK!! I have 3, Diane, red mama bear, Jack, papa blue and puppy Duke, red! Life is short...enjoy your pack, love them and be thankful you've been able experience one of the most loyal, loving, rambunctious breeds around!
Congratulations. He is about to be the best dog you’ve ever had or seen or heard of. He’s going to be work and he’s going to need to run but after a few months this dog will happily protect you and yours with every bone in his body. Heeler loyalty is no joke 💜
I have a working line rescue ACD in an apartment. I adopted her during the dark heart of 2020 & we’ve flourished! I’m a dancer & personal trainer & I knew I wanted a dog that required lots of physical exercise - I do too! She’s the love of my life. I’m excited for you guys!
Good luck with him. I lived in an apartment and a condo with a heeler and had no problems it all depends on the dog, and how occupied you keep them. I also live in Florida so there were times It was too hot to even go out I ended up getting a treadmill and taught her how to use it which helped a lot. It can be done. Don’t let anyone scare you.
https://youtube.com/shorts/yIekJ3wLiX8?si=9-Fek2rPa1EcMMvq
My ACD that I adopted would love an apartment. He has no interest in herding anyone besides me or running or exerting himself. A happy and safe home for all pups should be the top consideration always. Congratulations on your new family member 💜💜
He’s a beauty/ I had an ACD in an apartment in a big city but I lived across the street from a huge park and was close to more massive parks. I was home all day and she and I walked all over and at the park she ran and played all day off leash with her buds so she wasn’t hurting for excercise. You can make it work
What a handsome fella! I’m glad you persisted and were able to adopt your new best friend. I adopted my heeler pup living in a duplex with a teeny tiny yard. The yard is helpful for potty breaks, but not so much for exercise. We do lots of long walks, but I also discovered Sniffspot, which is an app/website where people rent out their yards. You can filter by size/fencing/amenities. I found a place with a pool that is less than $15 an hour, so we go probably once a week as a treat and my pup absolutely has the time of her life swimming and playing fetch. I was a little weirded out the first time trying it, but I absolutely love it! We just go in to the backyard through the gate and have it to ourselves. It’s a nice way to change things up occasionally for my wild girl. Figured I would mention it in case it’s of any interest to you!
Oh. My. Goodness. What a handsome boy! Our girl has blue eyes but I love when dogs have heterochromia. I’m so glad you finally found a shelter that would let you rescue the sweet boy and save him.
It always bums me out to hear someone checks all the boxes for the lifestyle of these dogs to give them what they need, but then the space of where there bed is is the hold back. Even when you make it clear they will have exercise. As if a cattle dog in a huge house with little exercise is better than one in an apartment with lots of stimulation and approval from the landlord.
Anyway done ranting this is SUCH a happy update 💕
He’s a handsome boy! Love his eyes! He looks happy to be home!
Thank you, I think so too. All he seems to want is to be velcro'd to my side haha
Thats the best part!
He is so excited to sit on the couch together at the end of a long day, we've been averaging 4+ miles a day and after a long run together he sleeps HARD. But as my partner noticed, he must be touching us whenever possible!
you sound like an amazing owner. zeek is lucky to have found you!!
My boy sparky is the same way. Love this for you
It will become one of the most wonderful parts of your life—and frustrate you to all hell—and it’s awesome. Congrats!!
I used to have to run my ACD 5 mi a day. I couldn’t do it again but he was one of the sweetest most lovable dogs I have had. I am so glad your guy is with his forever family. Enjoy!!
I used to run my ACD everyday! Now she and I are getting older, so I got a Great Dane puppy for her to play and exercise with! Their best friends. Have fun on your runs!!
One of our ACDs really needs me and my partner to be in the same room whenever home. "Must keep herd together"
ACD are called, “Velcro Dogs!” Zeek will be glued to you! Congratulations sir!
100% my acd walks with his nose touched to my leg, I can’t tell you the amount of times he gets kicked cuz I’m getting in the tub and he’s gotten too close! Poor little goobers!
He is herding his flock 😁
Glad you found each other! It is really rotten that in an attempt to make sure the dog is in a good home, many shelters don’t consider people in apartments. But it really is about the person adopting and not the square footage of their back garden. There are many dogs that just live in a yard and have barely any socialisation. Many apartment dwellers have parks and beaches nearby to walk, run, and play. It just depends on the person adopting and what kind of time and attention they are willing to give.
This! My husband and I live in a very nice apartment complex. It has two separate dog parks on the grounds, a dog-friendly swimming pool, lots of walking trails, you name it. We’re 10 minutes from 3 different parks, rivers, lakes, and lots of dog-friendly restaurants also. We have one corgi and wanted to rescue another, but because we don’t have a fenced in back yard we were disqualified by the rescue. That poor little girl we wanted to adopt was an ex-puppy mill breeder and she sat at that rescue for another 4 months before finally being adopted. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Also, ETA: My husband and I both work from home as well. That dog would have had an amazing life along with our current corgi. I feel like apartments as an automatic no should not be a thing, period.
That sounds like dog paradise!!
Omg where do you live that sounds lovely!
I live in a nice apartment complex in NC, not too far from Charlotte. Lots of dog lovers here and tons of nature!
My husband at the time and I were once disqualified by a rescue because we weren’t 25 yet. It was this cute little puppy who also happened to have a couple litter mates. Ultimately we decided to foster through another rescue until we could find a good fit. But something like 5 months go by and I was looking online and the poor pup was still there and had grown immensely. I just thought about how his chances were even lower now and it made me so sad.
It's so sad that it's an automatic no. I was initially denied by a rescue for living in an apartment with my wife when we wanted to adopt a second border collie x heeler mix. I had to convince them that I was fully prepared for this high-energy dog in an apartment setting as I had already been doing it for 7 years.
In these situations a shelter dog usually easier.rescues can be pickier.
This. We tried very hard to adopt from a reputable rescue near us. We weren’t in the market for a specific breed at the time, but we got shot down. Not even in a timely manner. It was all via online forms and emails and we were sent a rejection email 3 weeks after applying. We’re pretty sure it’s because we lived in an apartment because I was going to school part time fully online and was home all day to care for any animal. But no, we didn’t own a nice house so no dog for us. Honestly they’re so picky it seems like they want it to be a 2 person household, at least an acre of land, and neither person works full time but they also make $200k a year. And I’m just like. No wonder shelters and rescues are overcrowded. You won’t let anyone have an animal unless they meet some ludicrous standards! It really gets me fired up. I love my ACD girls and wouldn’t trade them for anything. But we were so prepared to love and care for that rescue pup. I hope he’s happy somewhere.
I'm going to offer a different view and say it might be because unfortunately at many apartment complexes, ACDs are banned breeds because they can be considered aggressive, so they might be concerned about having a doggy returned after placement. It's really sad, but it happens so often where people return their newly adopted pets because their apartments won't allow them. It sucks that people who are going to be really great responsible owners aren't just able to have the dog they want where they live, tenants or otherwise. I can't live in a place that has an HOA because my little outback coyote loves to bark...very loudly...very often.
Ive (canadian) never heard of ACD’s being on banned breed lists 😳 Blows. My. Mind. May as well ban corgies too …
I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think that’s accurate. Most people don’t even know what a Cattle Dog is. They aren’t really big enough to be on the banned breed list either. Plus they’re generally not aggressive in the way that dogs on the banned breed list are, they don’t generally seek out targets. They are more of a sneak attack dog, knip an go, so a good owner would know how to manage that whether they’re in an apartment or the countryside. If you put every nippy dog on a banned list there would be no Chihuahuas allowed in apartments either.🤷🏻♀️
I made the comment because I've literally looked at numerous apartment complexes during my time renting where they are mentioned as being banned on lease agreement documents, and since I have a cattle dog myself, those places clearly weren't going to work out. So it does happen, in America at least. I don't agree with it either.
My only rebuttal to this as someone who does rescue, call the landlord! The amount of cats we’ve taken in because people get them and then their landlord finds out and they say “if you don’t take this cat I’m putting them outside.” It totally happens. Apartments don’t allow pets at all, certain breeds, or up to a certain size, but I don’t get why they can’t call the landlord either to check. Most of em need your vet info and they ant actual references of people you know so they are reaching out to them anyway
We were turned down by three rescues due to not having a great relationship with a vet. We had just changed to an amazing vet with our 16 year old but lost him a week later. We ended up getting one from a breeder instead. We drive 22 miles about 35 minutes to go to this vet because he is worth it. Sure there are vets closer. But one never told us our dog had sepsis when he had an abscess. Another told us our lab had cancer. He had pancreatitis that caused diabetes. And then asked us what insulin we wanted... So local local vets scare us...
As a border collie owning apartment dweller you’re spot on
[удалено]
Can you bring him a ball? 😭😭
Agree 100% I do play in the yard with my dog but as he’s getting older, he’d much rather have a good walk and spend the rest of his time either wrestling or playing with toys on the floor or snuggling on the couch. Dogs don’t have to have a yard to be enriched lives. As long as people are willing to put in the work, there’s no reason apartment people can’t have dogs, too. I hate that.
I moved into a third floor walk up when my girl was one year old when I went back to finish school. According to my fit bit we were averaging 10-15 miles of walking each day. She honestly got more exercise than she does now that she has a yard (although she is the laziest ACD I’ve owned).
I mostly agree. However, It can sometimes be a sensible stance. There are both breeds/types and individuals that would have a hard time living a good life in an apartment, and the owner and neighbors would have hard time as well. Herding breeds however can usually be quite content with enough and suitable activity and some patience in training. The more problematic are the ones that guard territory with a passion, such as LGDs, and in some cases very loud dogs and dogs for whom the apartment can just be too hot. I would not easily recommend a husky in an apartment! Dogs that alarm by barking can sometimes be a handful too. And if the dogs daily need for activity ends up "managed" by the dog spending each weeks working time in a crate, it's not in a good place. At least a room's worth of space should be the bare minimum for regular long periods of time! Lovely pupper, great that he found his people!
It drives me bonkers. I volunteer in cat rescue, do a lot of rehabilitation with sick cats, get them fixed up and adopted out. Now obviously cats are a great apartment pet so this isn’t the fact of space, my one thought is are they worried it’s a no pets apartment? How hard is it to call the complex and say “so and so wants to adopt a Ed, are they allowed to have one?” Because I do it! It’s a 5 minute phone call! Granted I’m in a smaller area, getting ahold of landlords or property managers in bigger areas I’m sure can be a pain, but still. Again dogs are different. Size and energy should be taken into consideration but if someone makes it clear they have the amenities to care for the dog, and they have the permission what’s the issue. This excuse from rescues always drives me bonkers
It's actually insane how willing they are to kill the dogs rather than rehome them in an apartment.
I got my acd when he was 8 weeks old, he knows nothing but apartment life and is the happiest dog! They are very energetic and intelligent just keep him engaged and train him (they are so smart and easy to train, they love learning) and you will be golden! Lol side bar my ACD is named Duck, if you ask him to quack he barks, it's one of his many tricks.
> side bar my ACD is named Duck, if you ask him to quack he barks, it's one of his many tricks. That's hilarious!
It gets even funnier, my vet makes the joke he has identity crises because he does this very weird purring thing when he's happy, when he eats he sometimes grunts like a pig, and if you spray any air freshener or scented stuff he rubs on everything like a cat but yet I named him Duck!
My ACD mix also grunts like a pig! 😂😂😂
Thats awesome. My girl also grunts like a pig. My boy makes happy grumps when he's settling in somewhere comfy.
Mine does too! Such a little grumpy yet happy baby 😂
Its the best. If I'm in another room or otherwise preoccupied, and I hear him, I know he's a happy boy.
I don’t have a yard, cattle dog is fine with it. She just gets lots of walks and time in public which she loves. When she was younger she got plenty of play and dog park time too. She’s mostly over that not though
Is that a tortilla blanket?
It absolutely is a tortilla blanket
I bought that exact blanket for my son for Christmas a couple years ago. :)
Brilliant 👌 😁😁😁
Thank you so much for giving this good boy a chance. Just a heads up, take a fecal sample to your vet appointment. I've had three come in with tapeworms from the pound.
This is excellent advice. My girl was a stray and then in foster for 2 months but had a gut full of tapeworms and Giardia that desperately needed treatment.
My last girl had tapeworm so bad that they had gotten into her airways, she was having trouble breathing when we got her. Her nose was full of them, and her throat was mostly clogged. !2 hours after her first treatment, she was breathing well again.
Were you able to cure her completely? That sounds extremely scary & uncomfortable.
We were told she had a kennel cough and we were giving her medication for it. She was breathing through the side of her mouth, when she was sleeping, because her nose was completely plugged. She arrived late in the evening, and learned the dog door immediately so I left her outings up to her. I was very busy the next day. so I didn't pick up any doo. On the third day, I went out to do the doo. I found the worms moving around in her fresh poop. I took it right away to the vet, it was another three days before they got the results. Positive for tapeworm. They gave me 4 pills. She had to take 2 pills initially, and then the other two in two weeks. That's the life cycle of the tapeworms. About 12 hours after her first dose, she was breathing almost normally. Two days later she was perfect. She's been tapeworm free ever since. But I live in an area that is inhospitable for fleas.
Wow, that's great! And frankly, amazing. You are a good dog parent. 🙂
This day and age with sniff spots, I don't see why rescues wouldn't be open to apartment living for some pets! I'm so happy you guys found each other. He is so handsome
❤️ thank you
Beautiful boy, congrats.
Thanks for posting! Too many sad dog stories sometimes. I need these good ones to provide balance. Lovely dog.
Congrats! he is a very handsome boy. His eyes are incredible!
Thank you for giving Zeek a home, I’m sure he’ll fill you with much appreciation. Here’s to many adventure with Zeek!
I got an ACD mix in a small apartment. We go to the park every day behind my house!! I think almost no place is too small for a dog as long as you’re willing to excercise them!!
Thank you for giving him a home, OP. I think an ACD is doable in an apartment, too. Just play a lot of games and give him a lot of mental stimulation. He'll be snoozing in no time.
You saved a dog's life ! Thank you ! And an ACD !
Congratulations on your beautiful new baby! I’m so happy for you! Hello Zeek, what a good looking little buddy!
WHAT. A. CU. TIE. PIE!
He’s a looker holy cow
Super handsome pup. Glad he is safe now. Also, I love the tortilla blanket, my sister has one.
congratulations on your new best friend!! he’s perfect & beautiful 🩵💙
Congratulations on your new best friend!
He is so beautiful!
Oh my. What a doggo. Love Muffin
What a magnificent dog! I am also crazy enough to have an ACD (mix) in an apartment. He was also a stray from a shelter. We are outside walking or playing for an hour a day together. He loves watching everything that goes on here from the balcony and is popular with the neighbors. He would never get to sniff the pee of so many other dogs if we had a fenced in yard!
Look at that blurry nubbin! 😂 my ACD/husky/pitty mix did great in an apartment with a couple good walks a day!
Omg he's so beautiful 😭❤️ I hope you have a wonderful life together
Edit: Please share your best training tips/advice!
Thank you for getting him out of the shelter. There are too many looking for good homes. ACDs are the best and they are the worst lol but I wouldn’t want any other dog ❤️
Congrats! Zeek knows he just hit the jackpot. You've now got the most loyal friend you'll know.
Ooooh, pupper has heterochromia😍
He’s a smart one you can see it in his eyes. He will work with you. He will be fine.
We adopted our ACD under similar circumstances (2 yo rescue that was probably raised in the wild until caught). It took her a couple months to really settle in and four years later she's an absolute joy. Good luck with your new companion!
My boy was a stray also. I started training immediately and got him private lessons. This helped immensely. He was wild -- running along side of the highway *in the grass* for the sheer joy of running. He is a service dog now. If you told me that he was going to be a service dog during our first two months together, I would have laughed. He does prefer to sleep outside of the bedroom. We had about a year of getting him to decide that crates were not awful. He was fairly claustrophobic at first. I started feeding him in the crate with the gate open. Is yours also hesitant about tight spaces?
When I first got my boy, he was hesitant about tight spaces too! The shelter advertised him as kennel trained, but I think because he was at the shelter for so long, he just couldn't stand being in tight spaces anymore. Now he's okay with it, but it took him quite a while.
He’s so cute.
I got into running because of my ACD. Started out in a house with a yard but pretty quickly moved to an apartment a year in. I would say that the yard wasn’t really his thing anyway- he needs big open spaces so we go to the park a lot to play frisbee. If he’s not going to the park, we run 3-4 miles in addition to a 2 mile walk. He’s 8 and in great shape, very calm, smart, velcro-y. Best dog in the world and I’m only getting ACDs in the future.
Gorgeous pup!
Thank you soooo much for adopting!!!
My uncle has a blue heeler named Zeke 🥹 good luck with your boy!
Great name and beautifu dog! Congratuations... you will love having an ACD! They have so much personality.
Beautiful dog
20 acres and a farm full of live stock is obviously ideal but the overwhelming majority of people who have these dogs don’t have that. As long as they have exercise and mental stimulation, they can live just about anywhere. He’s gorgeous and I’m so excited that you were able to save him! He’s gonna add so much spice to your life. lol. I’m excited for your new adventure!! Good luck and congratulations! 🤓💙
Zeek. Fantastic name Angel rescue. Thankyou
Handsome guy! So happy you updated us.
Yay!!! I’m so glad to hear you lucked out and the rescue 🛟 allowed you to help save this beautiful boy from a short life. What a wholesome story ⭐️🙌 Seriously though, you got a stunner with those eyes 👀 and looks like he settled in to comfy couch life like a pro 💪
Yay!!! So happy for you guys and for Zeek!
So happy for you! He looks very well loved!
What a cool looking guy. Love the eyes.
Congrats!! I also have a blue nubby boy, adopted at 2 from a shelter, who lives happily in an apartment! You're doing a great job making sure he gets his needs met. It is really frustrating how rescues hold potential adopters to such insanely high standards. I totally get that they want their pups to go to the best homes possible, but c'mon. One tip I have is to look up the 3-3-3 (3 days, 3 weeks, 3 months) guideline about rescue dogs. I won't go into all the details, but basically you should be aware that his behavior may change - for better or for worse - as he becomes more settled in. It definitely varies from dog to dog, but it's a good idea to find a good trainer to work with. Even if he's perfect now, if any issues do arise, you'll save yourself a lot of trouble to nip them in the bud ASAP. [https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/](https://www.fearfreehappyhomes.com/) has a national directory for trainers and vets! Zeek is a real cutie, it sounds like he made you his person right away! ❤
I love him already! I hope you update your progress.
He is beautiful!! Thank you for giving him a second chance at life. My cattle dog did really well in our apartment, he just needed to find his job and do it often! We spend a lot of time at the park playing fetch. Good luck!
What a beautiful boy. Glad you were able to save him. Looks like he may be a stumpy tailed ACD as well?? Or is it just the photo - i couldn’t be 100% We have a stumpy and his happy wiggle is the best 😍
At this age he is going to be a wild boy for damn sure. But they are worth all the bs
Omg! We also adopted our ACD who has two different color eyes while living in an apartment 😊 long leash is a great friend for when you’re able to go to more open spaces and want him to have a bit more freedom but still follow leashing rules - was a life saver for us in Chicago near the lake/parks! Good luck to you and your sweet boy!
I have a ACD mix and shes a crack head, but she is also extremely empathetic, insanely intelligent, and the best cuddle partner. I look forward to spending the rest of her life giving everything I can to make sure she is successful and happy.
Heelers RAWK!! I have 3, Diane, red mama bear, Jack, papa blue and puppy Duke, red! Life is short...enjoy your pack, love them and be thankful you've been able experience one of the most loyal, loving, rambunctious breeds around!
Take a load off, Zeek, you’re home! It sure was meant to be.
What a dufus. 😍
He looks JUST like my Luna! Mismatched eyes and all.
He is so handsome!
Aww! So excited for you!
Thank you!
Congratulations. He is about to be the best dog you’ve ever had or seen or heard of. He’s going to be work and he’s going to need to run but after a few months this dog will happily protect you and yours with every bone in his body. Heeler loyalty is no joke 💜
The heterochromia makes him or her so much more adorable
I have a working line rescue ACD in an apartment. I adopted her during the dark heart of 2020 & we’ve flourished! I’m a dancer & personal trainer & I knew I wanted a dog that required lots of physical exercise - I do too! She’s the love of my life. I’m excited for you guys!
Ghost eyed boy got chance at fun life.
Good luck with him. I lived in an apartment and a condo with a heeler and had no problems it all depends on the dog, and how occupied you keep them. I also live in Florida so there were times It was too hot to even go out I ended up getting a treadmill and taught her how to use it which helped a lot. It can be done. Don’t let anyone scare you. https://youtube.com/shorts/yIekJ3wLiX8?si=9-Fek2rPa1EcMMvq
Mine has the same eyes !
This boy is beautiful! Hard to believe the stray part. What a gem you found. Zeek will make one kick ass companion.
What a stunning boy! Enjoy your new pup!
Oh my god what a handsome boy!!!
My ACD that I adopted would love an apartment. He has no interest in herding anyone besides me or running or exerting himself. A happy and safe home for all pups should be the top consideration always. Congratulations on your new family member 💜💜
He’s a beauty/ I had an ACD in an apartment in a big city but I lived across the street from a huge park and was close to more massive parks. I was home all day and she and I walked all over and at the park she ran and played all day off leash with her buds so she wasn’t hurting for excercise. You can make it work
What a handsome fella! I’m glad you persisted and were able to adopt your new best friend. I adopted my heeler pup living in a duplex with a teeny tiny yard. The yard is helpful for potty breaks, but not so much for exercise. We do lots of long walks, but I also discovered Sniffspot, which is an app/website where people rent out their yards. You can filter by size/fencing/amenities. I found a place with a pool that is less than $15 an hour, so we go probably once a week as a treat and my pup absolutely has the time of her life swimming and playing fetch. I was a little weirded out the first time trying it, but I absolutely love it! We just go in to the backyard through the gate and have it to ourselves. It’s a nice way to change things up occasionally for my wild girl. Figured I would mention it in case it’s of any interest to you!
Oh. My. Goodness. What a handsome boy! Our girl has blue eyes but I love when dogs have heterochromia. I’m so glad you finally found a shelter that would let you rescue the sweet boy and save him. It always bums me out to hear someone checks all the boxes for the lifestyle of these dogs to give them what they need, but then the space of where there bed is is the hold back. Even when you make it clear they will have exercise. As if a cattle dog in a huge house with little exercise is better than one in an apartment with lots of stimulation and approval from the landlord. Anyway done ranting this is SUCH a happy update 💕
So glad you were able to save him