Bobby Blue (ADOPTED!) is a 2 to 3 year old, 44 lb., true blue Australian Cattle dog in every sense. Besides his classic good looks, he has all the personality traits that lovers of this breed look for. Bobby is a very good natured, happy, calm boy, who is very accepting of new situations and experiences. He is very friendly, calm and polite, when meeting new people.
Typical of his breed, Bobby’s main focus and desire is to be with his person. He is a fun dog, who is up for whatever you want to do, as long as he can spend time with you. He adores going on walks with his person and getting personal attention/petting. When at home, if his foster is at a desk or just sitting, Bobby is happy to drape himself over her foot and relax. He is very much a velcro dog, who listens very well and wants to please. Bobby will walk at your side, with or without a leash. If he wanders a few feet away, a simple call to him will bring him right back to your side. Bobby is incredibly intelligent and figures things out quickly. He should be easy to train. If he doesn’t understand what you want, he will sit and look at you - waiting for you to make it clearer to him.
In his initial foster home, Bobby got along nicely with the entire pack of several dogs, cats, kittens and guinea pigs! As he learned the different personalities of the other animals, he was respectful of the ones who didn’t want to play, and was not pushy. Bobby is very quiet dog, who only barks at things that upset him. He is good around children, and is NOT mouthy or nippy, but he does have some herding instinct. He seems to want to chase chickens, and may try to herd children who are playing or peddling by on ride-on toys. He also will bark at and wants to chase bicycles and skateboards. He sometimes uses his head to drive and nudge other dogs and/or cats in some direction or towards a spot of his choosing, or to get them to play by chasing them.
Bobby loves to play with and hang out with other dogs. He is, however, a little afraid when first meeting new unknown dogs. When he first sees them, especially if on leash, he will do some growling and barking. If you tell him to stop, he will. Then, if allowed to meet and sniff a friendly dog, Bobby is immediately fine. Also, if a dog ignores him, he will relax and hang with him/her. Bobby is not aggressive at all, but just initially afraid of a new dog. If they don’t harass him or get in his face at the first meeting, he will relax again.
One extra consideration for many, about our boy, is that his left front leg was amputated in March 2016. He has healed up very well and adjusted nicely to life on three legs. Bobby is still a young cattle dog, with the same spirit, energy and desire to run and play. He walks nicely on leash, but If he is excited about something while on leash, he is strong and can pull hard.
Currently, Bobby’s actual activity level is one of an older dog. He is strong, but has short moments of energy, and finds running difficult. At the moment, he is a bit overweight. Once he trims up and becomes accustomed to regular exercise, his activity level will increase. Bobby should be on a joint supplement for his increased chance of early arthritis in his right shoulder, which bears much of his weight. He should always be kept trim due to awkward weight distribution.
Based on Bobby’s injuries, the veterinarians are fairly certain that he fell from the bed of a fast moving pick-up truck. He had been lying on the median strip of a major highway for one to three days before someone realized he was not a dead dog on the highway. The main (radial) nerve in his leg was completely severed, causing his leg to be useless. He also literally had the wind knocked out of him, which collapsed one lung, as well as road rash on his face, which has completely healed. Being an Australian cattle dog, he was very stoic about his injuries and never complained. It was touch-and-go in the first week when he could barely breathe, but he also never gave up his will to live.
Bobby loves riding INSIDE a car. He likes to sit quietly in the passenger seat and watch the world go by. Although Bobby only has three legs, it doesn’t seem to slow him down much. He hops easily in and out of the car, and enjoys chasing and running with his dog mates. Sometimes if on a tile or shiny floor, if he is going to fast and tries to turn, he may slip, but even dogs on four legs will do that.
We don’t believe Bobby received much human affection or was in a house before he was rescued. He had also probably been hit on his hind end and kicked before, as Bobby will startle or run, if your foot even accidentally grazes his fur. He may sometimes also startle and seem afraid, if people pat or handle his backside. It took Bobby a few months to learn to sleep on a dog bed. Before that, he just slept on the hard floor. Our boy also likes toys. He does not yet know how to fetch, but does like to run after toys and give them a shake and a toss. While he has recently learned to relax and sit quietly in a crate, Bobby is also fine when left alone, freely, in the house, and has never chewed up anything. He is also completely housebroken. Bobby does enjoy being outside on a nice day.
While Bobby is good with other dogs, he wants the love and attention of his own person more than anything. In his initial foster home, if he was receiving affection and petting, and other dogs came over for mom’s attention, Bobby would push the other dogs away, telling them that it was his personal time with her. The others did not compete with him and knew they would get their own time with mom later. He is otherwise NOT territorial or protective of his person, and was friends, playing and hanging out with all the dogs. Bobby would specifically take direction from the alpha female in the household. For this reason, if he is adopted as a second dog, we believe he may do best learning from and following a strong female dog.
When we first had Bobby In April 2016, he was quickly adopted by a wonderful person who understood too well what Bobby was going through. Because Bobby has fully recovered and become stronger and more active, he has surpassed his adopter’s recovery. Because he could not meet Bobby’s needs and wants the best for him, his adopter asked us to find Bobby a great home where he will thrive. Bobby Blue is still a young dog, who needs people willing to give him the attention and affection he craves, along with regular mental and physical activity. Again, he is strong and wants to be active and busy. Although Bobby knows several commands, he would benefit from a round of obedience training classes. Bobby would NOT be suitable in an apartment or condo situation, or where he is sitting alone during the workday, either inside a home or a yard, with no mental stimulation or human companionship. Although he only has three legs, he is still a young cattle dog.
If you are interested in meeting Bobby for possible adoption, please complete our online adoption form. At our website, click on the Adopt button near the top of the page, and scroll down to find the online Adoption Form. You can also email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have specific questions.