18/06/2025
PLEASE SPEAK TO OWNER ON CONTACT DETAILS BELOW.
When adopting, don't forget to transfer microchip details to new owner.
Location: Northern Suburbs, Darwin
Name: Pepsi
Age: approx. 5 years
S*x: Female
Breed: Australian Cattle Dog (Red Heeler) x Miniature Bull Terrier x
Colour: White and tan
Vet work: vaccinated, micro-chipped, desexed, flea-tick-and heart-wormed
Adoption fee: $150
Contact: 0450 044 001
I begin this by saying I am a dog person. I take dog ownership very seriously and I have never looked to rehome a dog before.
That’s how special Pepsi is!
I adopted Pepsi in 2022 in Halls Creek, a remote town in far north-east Kimberley, Western Australia. She was picked up by rangers with no collar, hanging around the local service station. Rangers kept her for a few weeks, sharing her picture on local social media pages and no one came forward to claim her.
I was living in Halls Creek working as Communications Manager for the Shire. I visited Pepsi a number of times and decided to adopt her. She immediately got along with my male standard Labradoodle, Sonny. She was madly over excitable, jumping up, rushing at me and furiously wagging her tail. I had that trained out of her within a week, with taps to the snout, use of the word no, hand signalling and a heap of positive re-enforcement. It was apparent to me very quickly she was intelligent and trainable.
At the time, I thought I was adopting a mildly underweight Jack Russel X. As it turns out, I adopted an extremely underweight Australian Cattle Dog, Bull breed X. You can refer to her Breed Certificate attached. It’s an interesting mix. I won a voucher for VetShopAus.com.au at a dog documentary screening at Deck Chair Cinema so decided to have her DNA tested. I was sure from early on she had cattle dog in her, due to her speed, broad brow and ear/tail action when running. As she got healthier and more exercised she began to get more stocky and muscley and I began to think there was some staffy in their too. The Breed ID certificate and predicted parentage give a full picture of her.
I relocated from Halls Creek to Darwin 2.5 years ago. Until December last year I was renting an 800sqm block in the northern suburbs. Pepsi was managing to get out at first and would wander the streets and parks, often returning herself home. My then partner was able to lower the gate she was getting under and the issue resolved. My then partner worked from home a lot during that period, so the dogs weren’t often alone.
I am now single and live alone on a 380sqm block in the northern suburbs that I bought in December last year. I work full time for NTG in Darwin city, so she and Sonny are alone 5 days a week. She began getting out and wandering in March this year. I would find the spot, patch it up and she would find another, and so on. At first she was just heading down to the local shop, making friends, sniffing around and sometimes returning herself to the yard. Again, I would find the spot, patch it up and she would find another.
Across the road from my property is a small, gated community that keep chooks. The chooks would often leave the property through the fencing and wander on the verge and neighbouring lawns. Pepsi killed one around 2 months ago. I spent a lot of time on the fencing, but she is an absolute Houdini. She has now killed 5 in total. The ways in which she is getting out are uncanny. In one instance chewing or clawing through a wooden slat, and the other lifting a corner of cyclone fencing that I would have struggled to lift. Last week she actually managed to squeeze herself into the gated community and killed 2 chooks on their property in front of the chook owner.
I have since kept her in the laundry during the day while at work. Today I have bought a baby gate and will contain her to a hallway and bedroom for the week. This is obviously not sustainable, and I am now seeking to rehome her.
I do not take this decision lightly, and want to ensure she gets to a place where she can be free and stimulated and loved.
She is a great pet. She has a beautiful kind nature, loves pats, sleeps inside most of the time. She is very clever, and is also a good guard dog. I think she would be a suitable dog for a family on a large property, or be trainable as a working dog. I think a station environment would be ideal for her. Alternatively with a family home in which someone is home most of the time and has a secure fence.
She is good with other dogs for the most part. She can get a little heckley, and snappy but has never bitten another dog or got in an altercation. She is quite protective of my big Labradoodle around other dogs. She loves the beach and the park. She is a great travelling dog and loves a road trip. She is also great with kids. Around kids her whole demeanour changes and she is a calm, relaxed butter ball.
I will miss her terribly, but have to accept I cant provide her the environment and company she needs to be happy. I could turn my yard into fort knox but I believe she would be unhappy as she now obsesses over getting out to get chooks. I’m also concerned she will hurt herself getting out or trying.
Based on all of the above I hope that maybe you would consider adopting her, or taking her on to train as a working dog.
