- His name is Boba.
- He is almost four (4) years old.
- He is an Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) a.k.a. Blue Heeler.
- He is a highly trained service (assistance) dog.
- We've always assumed that his tail was docked, but he also could've been born without one (which would make him a Stumpy Tail ACD).
- ACDs are a high energy, high drive working/herding breed. They were developed to go hard all day herding cattle over many miles of rugged terrain in the Australian heat.
- ACDs are part dingo. Yes, the wild, indigenous dogs of Australia.
- This breed requires 1 to 2 HOURS of high intensity physical exercise DAILY in addition to mentally stimulating/enrichment activities in order to live happy/healthy lives.
- His ball launcher is the Hyper Pet GoDogGo G5 Fetch Machine.
All of this information is elaborated on in detail within the sections below.
- Boba has water nearby. Look on the right side of the screen, he walks right passed it each time he goes back to his mats. He can stop to get a drink any time he wants, but usually doesn't drink until he's done playing (because jumping around with water in his stomach makes him throw up). I can't physically MAKE him drink the water.
- His "landing pad" is made of children's tumbling mats. Since jumping appears to be his love language and repetitively jumping on concrete wouldn't be good for anyone, I bought the mats (Walmart.com) to cushion his landings & help protect his joints. He's been trained to go to the mats and wait for the ball to launch for his health and safety. He sometimes gets too excited and walks toward the machine as it's preparing to launch, but then turns and quickly tries to run back to the mats just as the ball launches. This causes him to slip on the concrete which could lead to a catastrophic ligament or tendon injury. He also has a tendency to jump passed the front of the mats at times landing on the concrete. You can't see it from your angle, but there are droplets of drool just in front of his mats (where he waits) that he's previously slipped on while landing. If you overhear me reminding him to, "stay on your mats," it's not because I'm forcing him play with the ball launcher. It is because I am concerned for his safety and am trying to prevent injury.
- After the water and mats are in place and I give him a ball, I set a timer so he can't play catch for any longer than an hour, BUT HE CAN (AND WILL) STOP WHENEVER HE WANTS. The timer is only so we don't lose track of time and accidentally overexert him. It isn't to force him to play for a full hour. If he's had enough, he will simply give me the ball instead of dropping it back into the launcher. Playing Chuckit and Frisbee have been his two most favorite activities for a few years now, but he is a service dog for a reason. I'm having more and more trouble lately throwing either toy long enough for him to get sufficient exercise daily. I also have significant intolerance to very warm and very cool temperatures (one makes me feel very sick, the other causes significant pain). Our warehouse is climate-controlled, and I can sit on the floor beside the launcher and interact with Boba the same as if I were throwing the ball for him. He never plays with the launcher unattended and I don't normally let him play with it two days in a row so he has a "rest day" in between.
- If you aren't familiar with the needs and behaviors of herding/working breed dogs, especially as they pertain to Cattle Dogs, we kindly ask that you please refrain from making assumptions about Boba's wellbeing. We've provided a multitude of breed specific information within the detailed answers below. Feel free to read through it or do your own research. ACDs aren't just any dog; they have the drive, determination, and endurance of cross-country runners. Yes, while playing with his ball launcher, he breathes hard and looks hot and tired... IT'S CARDIO. What do YOU look like when YOU do cardio? Do you stop working out the moment you start to sweat and breathe hard? Of course not! Exercising until you're breathing hard is literally the definition of aerobic activity. It's good for you! AND THIS IS GOOD FOR BOBA. Not to mention that any activity in which he gets to play ball is also enrichment for him; meaning, it provides mental stimulation AND makes him incredibly happy. ACDs are as intelligent as Border Collies, like to be challenged, and *this* particular ACD is also a service dog. I literally trust him with my life daily. Therefore, I also trust that he's smart enough to take a break or go get a drink if he needs to (and he sometimes will during a LIVE). Boba isn't some couch potato of a dog that's suddenly being thrown into a high intensity workout for the first time. He's been going this hard 3 to 5 times per week for 3 years now. Not only is he genetically predispositioned to seek out and enjoy this level of physical activity, he's in peak physical condition and thrives on it.
Boba is healthy, well fed, physically fit/conditioned, has a job he loves that allows him to spend 24/7 with his human of choice, receives regular preventative veterinary care, and actually gets the amount of exercise and enriching mental stimulation recommended for his breed. I go out of my way to ensure that he's safe, well cared for and happy at all times, often putting his own needs before my own - which can be difficult with my own health concerns. Most humans don't ever reach the level of all around stability and emotional/physical well being that Boba has, let alone other dogs. Catching balls and frisbees is his biggest joy in life (and I'm the mean ol' mom that won't even let him have tennis balls because the fuzz is bad for dogs' teeth). By setting up this ball launcher with mats indoors, I've managed to create a scenario where he can get the kind of healthy activity he craves and both of us can be safe. The only reason I started going live while he plays with his launcher is because the few people who personally observed this activity within our warehouse enjoyed it so much that they would record it or FaceTime friends and family to show them. I was a nurse before my health deteriorated to the point of disability, yet I've spent the last four years of my own life making only educated, informed decisions about Boba's. He's such a joy to be around each day and the functionality I have left in life is only because of the assistance he provides as my services dog. I need him as much as he needs me. I will never put him in any situation that might endanger his health, safety, or well being. Some have said I'm using my dog to "chase clout," but I don't understand how anyone could think that possible when I'm so private that I almost never provide identifying information about myself or our family, and even more rarely appear in any of Boba's content. Boba is simply one of the sweetest, most amazing creatures I've ever been lucky enough to share this earth with. All I've ever tried to do is capture what makes him so incredibly special and share it with others who appreciate such things. Please enjoy our LIVEs for what they're meant to be... just a happy dog doing what makes him happiest.
He’s named after the cloned human bounty hunter who lived a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... Boba Fett. He's definitely not named Boba because of bubble tea.
Boba's ball launcher is the Hyper Pet GoDogGo G5 Fetch Machine. We bought it from Chewy.com for $150. It comes with a remote control and 5 tennis balls. It can be plugged in or run on the rechargable battery (although it doesn't seem to launch as hard or as far while running on battery power), and only seems to function well (enough) on battery power for 5-10 minutes. Please be advised that not only is the fuzz on tennis balls terrible for dogs' teeth, once the inner hard part is cracked or broken they lose their "rebound" or bounciness. This means that they also will no longer fly very far at all when launched from this machine. Boba is a super chewer and cracks/crushes tennis balls within 30 seconds. Fortunately, this launcher is compatible with any 2.5" (tennis ball sized) ball which is the same size as MEDIUM sized Chuckit ball. If your dog is also a super chewer, we recommend using Chuckit balls instead. Boba seems to prefer Chuckit Rugged balls, but they're often hard to find, so we've used Chuckit Ultra balls and Chuckit Ultra Squeaker balls. They all work well with this machine.
Please be advised that these are affiliate links. Should you choose to make a purchase, we may earn a small commission (at no extra charge to you). This commission will go into Boba's Toys & Treats fund. which we use to buy replacement Chuckit balls as Boba punctures or loses them.
He is currently four (4) years old. His birthday is April 5th.
He is an Australian Cattle Dog a.k.a. “Blue Heeler.” Blue Heelers and Red Heelers are all the same breed of dog, Australian Cattle Dogs (ACDs), they just have different coat colors. They were nicknamed Heelers because they herd cattle by nipping at the ankles/heels of cattle who aren’t going in the desired direction.
There are also Stumpy Tail Australian Cattle Dogs, but this breed isn’t recognized by all National Kennel Clubs around the world. Stumpy Tail ACDs are a naturally bob-tailed breed, meaning that they are born without tails or with very short tails. “Stumpies” have slightly thinner, leggier body shapes and different standard coat coloring than regular ACDs. Additional info: The Stumpy & ACD Compared
ACDs and Stumpy Tail ACDs are both considered WORKING DOG breeds. They're herding dogs who were initially developed because none of the known herding dogs before them were hearty enough to be able to move large herds of cattle across large distances of incredibly rough terrain in the Australian heat. Imported European herding dogs were crossed with the native wild dogs of Australia, Dingoes. Depending on which breed history you consult, Stumpy Tail ACDs and ACDs are 1/2 to 1/5 dingo.
Certain breeds of dogs are categorized as working dogs due to the fact that they were developed to have the physical and mental ability to perform a specialized set of tasks, including: guarding, herding, pulling carts or sleds, performing water or land rescues, assisting the police and military, etc. These are not lazy house dogs, expecting them to be couch potatoes is animal cruelty. They are high drive, high energy dogs with extensive exercise needs - both physical and mental. They NEED to work. Working is a form of enrichment for them.
Service/Assistance dogs can be any breed of dog but they must display proper temperament, intelligence, a certain amount of drive, and enjoy working. These dogs undergo extensive training and socialization from puppyhood in order to assist humans with specific tasks. The Americans with Disabilities Act has special guidelines regarding service dogs and their treatment in public places. A true service dog is trained to behave well in all types of situations, so the dog can accompany its disabled handler anywhere.
Both of the above are considered working dogs - one created through training, one due to genetics. The main difference is that a dog that has been trained to be a working dog usually has an "off button." Although they've been trained to perform specific tasks and/or to behave in certain ways, they're also usually able to relax and just be a dog when not actively working. Working breed dogs were created through centuries of selective breeding of the hardest working, best performing dogs available. They are quite literally genetically programmed to do a job. They thoroughly enjoy the jobs they were born to do, do them exceptionally well, and often can not turn off the urge to do them. When they do manage to find something they enjoy just as much as their jobs, they end up treating it like a job and play just as hard as they work.
Herding type dogs are considered to be some of the hardest working, most intelligent working breeds. This group is made up of high energy, high drive breeds like Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, and Australian Cattle Dogs - all athletic breeds that are expertly skilled at controlling the movement of other animals. BOBA IS WORKING DOG THROUGH AND THROUGH. HE'S A HERDING BREED WITH EXTENSIVE WORKING DOG TRAINING. He may not be doing the job he was created to do, but his innate need to be doing something with a human and doing it well has been channeled into service work. And he's the happiest, little go-getter of a helper ever! Unfortunately, service work doesn't also require him to be on the move all day or provide herding opportunities, and he needs these things too. Even with extensive training, his urge to run full speed after moving objects is often overwhelming for him. In order for dogs like him to be truly happy, they have to be given frequent opportunities to act on these urges. They NEED to run hard. They NEED to chase. They NEED to control things. It makes them ridiculously happy. It fulfills a purpose they seem to feel deep down in their souls.
This is why it matters if a dog is from a working breed. Working breeds are highly intelligent and have very different exercise, training, and/or mental stimulation needs than other, more docile breeds of dogs. Instinctual behaviors should never be suppressed and finding exercise outlets to match their energy levels is essential. This is why so many herding type dogs are often labeled as hyper, neurotic, anxious, or end up with behavioral issues. Their needs aren't being met. We created them to be incredibly intelligent with a very specific skillset and perpetually rechargeable batteries to ensure they're always able to perform those skills and then they end up in situations where they aren't allowed to shine. These same traits are also why they excel at agility and dog sports when given the opportunity. Additional info: Herding Dogs: How to Keep Your High-Energy Shepherd or Cattle Dog Active When They're Not Working
ACD-specific suggested exercise requirements and suggestions (and their sources):
Being a former nurse, I usually don’t mind answering this type of question because it gives me the opportunity to educate the general public about invisible illnesses, but PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT MOST SERVICE DOG HANDLERS FIND THIS QUESTION INCREDIBLY INTRUSIVE, INAPPROPRIATE, AND INSENSITIVE. The last thing a disabled person wants to do is discuss their private lives/medical issues with complete strangers. By law, any person with a service dog is considered disabled, and their service dog is considered medical equipment. You shouldn’t/wouldn’t ask a stranger who uses a wheelchair why they need a wheelchair. You shouldn’t/wouldn’t ask a person with no hair if they have cancer. You shouldn’t/wouldn’t ask a person with an obvious physical deformity if they were born that way or if something happened to them. You shouldn’t/wouldn’t ask a service dog handler why they need a service dog. Businesses aren’t even allowed to ask why a person needs a service dog, they can only ask what service the dog provides to its disabled handler.
All of the above being said, I have a connective tissue disorder (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). Collagen is the glue that holds our bodies together at the cellular level. My collagen is defective, therefore, my tendons/ligaments/cartilage (& all the other tissues in my body) aren’t as strong as they should be making me a little too flexible (hypermobile). Most notably, my joints are unstable and hyperextend (straighten beyond straight), subluxate (partially dislocate), and dislocate far more easily than they should. A lifetime of unstable joints and tissue injuries has led to significant early onset arthritis and significant chronic pain. The pain isn’t limited to unstable joints (arthralgia), it’s in the surrounding muscles and tissues (myalgia) that try to hold me together and along nerves and nerve endings (neuralgia) that exist within stretchy, overworked tissues.
Secondary to the connective tissue disorder, my nervous system has a glitch (Dysautonomia). Well, half of it glitches and the other half tries to “fix it.” The glitchy part causes my blood pressure to suddenly drop dangerously low – usually while I’m standing. The other half attempts to compensate for the fact that it thinks I’m likely somehow bleeding to death by increasing my heart rate significantly (sometimes doubling). In a person who IS actually bleeding out, this heart rate increase is supposed to keep what little blood is left flowing to vital organs – primarily the brain. All of the above going on at once (a group of symptoms called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome/POTS) causes me to instantly become lightheaded, confused, nauseous, sweaty, with greyout of peripheral vision, etc. (all the symptoms anyone would have just before passing out). And if I don’t sit down immediately, I WILL pass out. This scenario happens off and on ALL DAY. If I’m upright at all (even sitting), some degree of symptoms are always present. I HAVE actually passed out a few times – once in a bathroom where I hit my head on the way down and received a lovely brain injury as a parting gift.
I look completely normal. Most people would never know/assume that there is anything "wrong" with me. Some days my body hurts far worse than other days and I can barely get off the couch. Some days my blood pressure stays so low that I feel lightheaded and sick each time I stand up. Some days I’m thankful to *almost* remember (or at least pretend) what “normal” feels like. I never know what each day will be like, and my pain/symptoms can change/improve/progress dramatically all during the same day.
BOBA IS AN ASSISTANCE & MEDICAL RESPONSE DOG. He’s trained to perform a multitude of different tasks and must know many different items by name because I never know what assistance I might need from one day to the next. Basically, anything that he can do that might ultimately reduce/prevent additional pain and/or reduce/prevent presence or increase of other symptoms, that’s what he does.
EXAMPLES OF BOBA’S TASKS:
Long story short, we don’t know for sure. Someone could’ve been making little boys (from “snips and snails and puppy dogs’ tails”) and swiped it or he could be a Stumpy Tail ACD. We didn’t meet him until he was 8 weeks old. He’s not from an registered litter so there’s no way to know his lineage. I literally saw him in a Facebook post one day, the last of his litter to find a home, and drove 6 hours to pick him up the next morning. We’ve always just assumed that his tail was docked, but without an x-ray there’s no way be 100% sure. (And thankfully, he hasn’t needed any x-rays.)
If you Google “Stumpy Tail Australian Cattle Dog” and then click on Images, the dogs displayed look exactly like Boba. Boba’s coloring and leaner body shape match Stumpy Tail ACD breed standards, not regular ACD standards. To satisfy our own curiosity we DO plan to someday do genetic/DNA testing on him, but we'd like to go beyond seeing if Boba has the genetic marker for a bob-tail. We'd like to test through a company that recognizes both Stumpy Tail ACDs and regular ACDs as different breeds and has adequate genetic samples of both in their database. This will give us a more complete picture of his lineage.
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