Dogs of New Paltz

Dogs of New Paltz features the friendliest, most adventurous dogs located across the New Paltz area. This week’s featured dog is an 18-month-old Australian Shepherd.

It’s that time of year again: the days are getting colder and shorter while workloads are getting heavier. With the stress of midterms and the dreariness of cold New Paltz nights, I had the privilege of meeting a very good boy when walking back to my dorm after a boring day at the library. In my left hand I was carrying wings from the SUB which excited him, but I like to think that the furry friend wanted my attention.

Name and breed 

Malcolm is a year-and-a-half old Australian Shepherd who is the proud friend of his owner, third-year student Calvin Havaner. Despite the breed’s name, Australian Shepherds actually originated from the U.S around the time of the Gold Rush in the 1840s. Aussies were originally bred to herd livestock and have earned recognition for their trainability, intelligence and high levels of energy. 

Malcolm, who is 18-months-old, likes to chase tennis balls and frisbees. When it comes to food, he also is a big fan of chips and seafood.

About Malcolm

Malcolm was extremely friendly, energetic and generally did not stay still. Havaner has owned Malcolm for 13 months now and showed me some some tricks that Malcolm knows, such as sitting, lying down and turning in a circle repeatedly. 

When asked about Malcolm’s favorite food, Havaner gave a simple one word answer: chips. Besides chips, Malcolm loves seafood. 

“He really likes the juice leftover from a can of sardines or cans of fish,” Havaner said. 

Due to the popularity of canned fish in London, Havaner’s father, a pilot, brings back some cans for Malcolm to enjoy when he returns. 

Malcolm’s Pastimes

Besides enjoying canned seafood, Malcolm enjoys being outdoors. According to Havaner, he “loves to chase after tennis balls and frisbees.” Half the time, Malcolm simply brings back the ball or frisbee, but sometimes he likes to be a “prankster” and not want to release the object from his mouth, creating a sort of “tug of war.” 

Another fun activity for Malcolm is splashing around in creeks and enjoying the open space on campus.