Wild Dingo

Ok, I usually don’t do advertise too much specific rescues on my site, but when I saw this, I had to post it.  This is Locke, a Formosan/Kelpie mix up for adoption on the AHAN Web site. Currently, Locke is in Taiwan. Yes, I know there are tons of dogs in the states that need adoption. But if you’re looking for a very smart, intelligent dog, albeit challenging as all working dogs are,  this breed is for you.

In one of my old posts, Adventures of a Formosan Mountain Dog, a commenter, Chris, living in Taiwan writes “Most Taiwanese only want the imported dogs. It is so sad. They are such great dogs but everyone just treats them like a pest.” (hmmm…sounds like what they think of dingoes…)

Wake up Taiwan! You’ve got an amazing national dog. Why in the world would you import dogs when you’ve got such a gold mine in this breed, wandering your streets? I can’t tell you how incredibly smart Loki is and how all of the Formosan dog owners who write in, like Sugar’s mom, and Popeye’s foster mom tell me the same thing. These dogs learn fast and furious. They can be working dogs or they’re content to sit by your feet. Loki is by far the easiest dog to teach anything to. Yes, of course he has his challenges, being that he learned some very naughty behavior living on the streets by himself for so long and then passed from home to home didn’t give him much confidence. But learning-wise? I have to shake my head and shudder each time at how fast he learns. He’s challenging me to give him harder and harder tasks. So far, outside of the basics (sit, stay, down, come, heel), I’ve taught him to sit or down during a recall, stand, bow, touch, who’s a brave dog? (sits between my legs), out (of a tug), bite (a tug, not a person), fetch (different than when just throwing and retrieving a ball, which he doesn’t enjoy), bang/you’re dead, ignore food (even hot dogs) thrown toward him, get in the car (from a long distance), jump over any obstacle even without him at heel position next to me, sit or down him with me telling him from a 2nd story window, come out of play or when chasing an animal or dog pal, go under and through obstacles, sit on top of obstacles, climb or descend ladders, stay laying down while other dogs try to get him up and play with him, lay down while other dogs jump over him and the list goes on.  The hardest thing I had to teach him? Getting into a kiddie pool to cool his feet on a hot summer day. I had to get in there with him and once he did it, it was no big deal.

Let me make this clear. This type of learning is not unique to Loki. This is pure Formosan drive. Ok, maybe some of it is German Shepherd too, but the trickster and agility in him is Formosan. The “soldier/obedience” behavior is German Shepherd.

Reading Locke’s info on AHAN’s pet adoption page, and going to see more pictures of Locke, I can tell he is definitely part Formosan. His claws, errr, paws (long toes for moutain climbing) are a dead give away. That long jaw, triangular head and HUGE ears are another dead give away. My Formosan dog, Loki is very big for a Formosan dog. He’s 72 lbs. Most are about 30-45. But this is because Loki is half German Shepherd. It looks like Locke will be smaller, around the 40 lb size.  His photos show him too thin and he needs some weight put on him.

Formosan dogs make GREAT agility animals. Aside from Loki’s anxiety (which is unique to him and his learned behavior in his first year of life, not the Formosan breed), Loki’s working drive makes him a “plug and play” dog…like a Mac computer. You plug it in and it works. I can’t tell you how many times I just point at something say something and he does something. Whether its right or wrong, he tries and uses his brain to solve the puzzle I present to him. When he gets it correct, he’s rewarded, when he doesn’t he gets “try again” which frustrates him to keep trying different things until he gets it right. That’s what they mean by “working” dog. They use their brain to figure out what you’re asking.  As long as you establish leadership with them (another topic all toether), they stay engaged and looking at you for the next job. And Formosan dogs are incredible at this.

Locke is a gorgeous formosan dog crossed with kelpie, it seems. Oh my, if you adopt him, you’ll have your hands full, but in a great way! Please adopt him. Otherwise Mr. Wild Dingo, who’s in love with him, will force me to adopt him and I’m just all dogged out at the moment. I know we’ll be watching to see if he gets adopted before September (when his time runs out). Because if he doesn’t, we’ll then there will be three at Wild Dingo. Please help me keep my sanity and adopt him!