Australian Cattle Dog Breed Description

An Owner's Australian Cattle Dog Description
Blue knows his job and loves to take control. I'm not surprised that his breed is ranked in the top ten of the most intelligent breeds. He loves to work and inherently knows what he needs to do. He's a pleasure to watch work. He can take a herd of unruly cattle and pen them without a second word from me.

He's full of life and energy and it appears that his mind is always in motion. His eyes move about as though he's trying to think one step ahead and anticipate what I'm going to ask of him. Blue always seems to be alert and ready for some action. If not working he'll play Frisbee to keep his body and mind in shape.

Blue has always been cautious of strangers and even more so as he has matured. He'll let me know if someone new has pulled up into the drive. I never trained him as a guard dog, but as a watchdog he will keep on the lookout for trouble.

If too much time goes by from working with the cattle, Blue will show signs of boredom and wishful thinking and start nipping at the heels of guests. He knows the difference between cattle and guests but just can't help letting me know he's ready to round up anyone or anything. Blue has become the leader of the pack and it's interesting how the other dogs seem to wait for him to give the commands rather than me. I guess that puts me at the bottom of the pecking order (or should I say 'packing' order). Sometimes I feel as though Blue is much too intelligent for a ranch hand like me. No complaints from me.

Introduction

This breed is also known as the Blue Heeler, Queensland Heeler, Hall's Heeler & the American Cattle Dog. These dogs herd livestock by nipping at their legs or 'heels'. The versatile & fearless Australian Cattle Dog is the result of 6 decades of cross breeding. Some of the dogs that were bred to get this highly intelligent dog include the Red Bobtail, Scotland's Blue Merle Collie and the Dingo Wary by nature, these dogs must be introduced to other animals and people early in their development. They are highly intelligent & very alert dogs. This breed weighs 35 to 45 lbs. & stands 17-20" at the shoulders.

History

The Australian Cattle Dog is believed to have been bred by settlers in the late 19th century to look after cattle on large ranches. The settlers had dogs which they had brought with them from Europe. The dogs could not handle the extensive remoteness and unfriendly ambiance of the novel continent. This therefore prompted the settlers to begin experimenting by cross breeding the dogs they had. The Australian Cattle Dog was a result of the cross breeding a mix of the smooth, blue freckled Collie from Scotland, the undomesticated Australian Dingoes, the Dalmatian, Australian Kelpie, and Bull Terrier. The outcome was an outstanding herding dog. The dog could work the herds silently yet vigorously, eager and capable of driving livestock across immense distances in harsh, scorching, dusty environment. It was adapted to Queensland due to its excellent stamina. Both its sentinel and herding intuitions are incredibly strong and at times might extend to humans as well as other animals.

Description

The Dog is also referred to as the Australian Heeler, Queensland Heeler, or the Blue Heeler. It is a muscular, compact functioning dog, dominant and yet incredibly agile. The dog has a body with the length longer than the height with a little curled tail reaching just about the hock. They have frontage legs that are entirely straight when observed from the obverse. The cranium is large and faintly curved between the broadly set, fairly pointed perforated ears. They have dark brown oval eyes with the teeth meeting in a clippers bite. Additionally they entail a weather-resistant dual coat that comprises of a small thick undercoat and a small straight external coat. They are mostly covered in blue or red spots.

Temperament

The Australian cattle dog is not accustomed to a solo life in the farm. It is among the cleverest breeds and becomes easily bored, which can cause solemn behavioral problems. They function well in an action packed environment. They are dependable, defensive, and vigilant as a guard dog and excellent in the obedience while herding. Solid training from a tender age, daily leadership and daily physical and mental exercise produces an excellent and contented pet. The dogs are accustomed to the one master and will be utterly obedient and loyal to this master alone. It can also be an aggressive dog due to its high dominance levels. It is also best for it to be left with children that it has known since it was a puppy. The puppies are white in color at birth, but the color it will have when as an adult will be visible on the paws. The breed is a working dog and owners who cannot make time to exercise and work with the dog should not breed this kind of dog.

Health and Care

Widespread diseases in Australian Cattle Dogs include the Progressive Retinal Atrophy which is autosomal recessive eye blindness. The disease causes the cones and rods in the eye’s retina to depreciate leading to blindness. Dogs may also suffer from elbow and hip dysplasia, reproductive pyometra infertility, and deafness. The Australian cattle dogs are easy to care because they just need to have their coats brushed and given a bath when it’s absolutely necessary. The breed is also known for shading its coats once or twice a year depending on the locality and sex of the breed.
 

Colors

Red and blue, some crosses display both colors at the same time. Many have what is called the Bentley mark on their foreheads - a white blaze.

Living Area

This dog is extremely active and therefore needs a lot of mental stimulation - much like the Australian Kelpie. A bored ACD is not only trouble, but destructive. It NEEDS to be with people and cannot be left chained or penned in the back yard. If the ACD is isolated like that, it leads to serious personality problems. These dogs need to be part of the action and needs to be constantly on the go.

Recognized By

CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR

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