What kind of dog am I?

Definately looks like an Aussie/BC mix to me!

You might just have a BC there...

I'd say 98% BC, and 2% Aussie, lol.  Though if he's truly mixed, he's probably a bunch of other things, but definately mostly BC.  Have fun, check into agility if you haven't already!!!

I see border collie, not much aussie =] he's a cutie!

looks like a number of aussies I see from working or farm bred lines.

Beautiful dog! If I only saw the head shot, I'd have said border collie all the way. But, this one's a toughie, it could go either way. Mostly I think border collie, but it is hard to tell with the finer boned Aussies, too. Also, we see a good number of border collies with docked tails that come into rescue. Or, your lovely dog could be a Bossie (bc/aussie), who knows?

I think the best way to tell is to look at his movement. To me, Aussies do not move like border collies. Then there's always the sheep test, since they definitely don't work alike, either. Fun, fun!

Where did he come from? And what area of the country?

We live in the Phoenix area, and as far as I know he's from around here.  The people who were fostering him were a Shepherd rescue organization, they listed him as an Aussie.  But since we got him, people always ask if he's BC, not Aussie!  So I did some research and decided he does seem more BC.
 
As far as testing him, we haven't ever had him near sheep.  He does like to go after the jackrabbits around here, though!  He has not herded any kids, cars, etc. but he did round up all the mangoes and put them in a pile out in the backyard once.  When he's happy, he wiggles his butt like crazy - totally unlike the Aussie we had, but then she also had a tail she could move.
 
He's very smart about lots of things, but stupid about others.  He can't keep himself from chewing certain things (bananas and my scrapbooks) but most things he doesn't care about.  He is also very much a velcro dog - he follows me EVERYWHERE in the house, and he's more attached to me than anyone else.

I'd guess BC/Aussie mix.   And to some of the general public, black and white herding breed always means Border Collie[]

ORIGINAL: pyccku

When he's happy, he wiggles his butt like crazy - totally unlike the Aussie we had, but then she also had a tail she could move.

 
Your Aussie didn't do the butt-wiggle?! Mine does--sometimes to the point that he can hardly walk straight! We've been keeping my aunt's BC for a little over a month now also. She does the butt-wiggle sometimes, not not nearly as often or intensly as my Aussie. Maybe it's just over-compensating for the lack of a tail?  []

If you get the butt-wiggle, I'll say BC/Aussie cross. It's a very common mix for ranchers. Maybe 3/4 BC, 1/4 Aussie. The head's All BC, and the body type is more typical of the average BC than of the average Aussie today.

Here's my youngster Ted - they have similiar heads:

Our Aussie did do the butt wiggle, but with nowhere near the intensity Max does it!  I think it largely had to do with her long tail, you noticed the tail wagging and ignored the butt.  Max has a tiny stumpy little nubbin of a tail, so you can notice his butt much more easily.

One other thing I've noticed - Max has really big front paws, bigger than his hind paws.  They look like maybe he should still be growing, but he's 19 months old now. 

Got any pictures of him from the side, maybe as he's moving? Something not shot from a downward angle?

I don't remember it so much in Aussies, but Border Collies will have great big ol' paddle feet sometimes. You get all kinds of feet in BCs.





One dog with dainty feet and one with paddle feet: