Thumper ~ 4yr Old Cattle Dog X

This is Thumper - a 4 year old cattle dog cross and a goofy good boy.

Thumper came into care via the pound, we don't know much about his early life, only that he was kept on a chain. And now that he's off the chain, he's the happiest boy around. He's full of energy and love, with boundless enthusiasm for everything.

Thumper didn't have much exposure to a range of environments in his previous life, so new experiences can be scary. However, he is happy and reasonably confident dog, so once he gets past his fear of the new, he is pretty sociable and friendly. The first time we went out for coffee, he found it all very scary, but now he enjoys a coffee, he likes all the pats and the opportunity to snuffle for food droppings.

Thumper is quite a big boy, he is fairly tall, and weighs 25kg. He is strong and pulls on the lead when walking, so it is best to walk him in a chest harness. He is not lead reactive. Because of his strength, and his enthusiasm, he would overwhelm young children so he is probably better off with older children. He also likes to jump up to say hello and have a cuddle. He likes other dogs and plays well in the park with the other dogs of all sizes.

Thumper adores his ball. He will chase a ball of any size, tennis balls, herding balls, basketballs, footballs. He brings them back and generally drops them at your feet too, he is pretty good. He also loves gnawing on his Kong toys. In that sense, he is very much a cattle dog, very mouthy. He is not a huge fan of the water - if his toy goes into the water, he will go and get it back, but he doesn't go racing into the water for the fun of it.

Thumper is living with a cat at the moment. The cat is very feisty, so Thumper is being kept in his place. A nervous cat would probably struggle and chickens or rabbits would not be compatible.

Thumper's ideal home is one where he would be welcome in the house with his people. He needs toys to keep him occupied and plenty of exercise to get rid of his energy. Thumper looks like he might have some kelpie in him so if you want a running mate, Thumper would be more than happy to run with you. He is a smart dog and quick to pick things up, so he would enjoy further training. Thumper will need ongoing work on his lead walking and also just on curbing his enthusiasm but that will probably come with time, once he settles down and realises that he is, in fact, safe and loved.

For more information on Thumper, please contact his foster carer on their email sheelaghcc@bigpond.com Thumper is in foster care in Newcastle, NSW, and is available for adoption interstate. Thumper's adoption fee is $500 and he is desexed, vaccinated, treated for fleas and worms, and microchipped. If you are interested in adopting Thumper, please fill out the adoption form here https://tinyurl.com/drnadopt

You can see all of our available dogs at www.dogrescuenewcastle.com.au