Overview

The Australian Cattle Dog originated during the 19th century in Australia. They were bred to be enduring and tough as well as good herders. They’re often called Blue heeler, Queensland Heeler and Red Heeler and are one of Australia’s 3 most popular breeds.

Activity

Possessing a lot of stamina, the Australian Cattle Dog needs a lot of exercise. If they don’t get enough exercise, they’ll become very destructive. They aren’t meant for city living and thrive most in rural settings.

Care

The Australian Cattle Dog must be brushed weekly using a brush with firm bristles. More attention is needed for the coat during seasonal shedding. Only bathe when it’s absolutely necessary with a mild shampoo. They are prone to deafness, hip dysplasia and PRA.

Character

The Australian Cattle Dogs are strong, compact, agile and alert. They’re also brave, trustworthy and quite devoted to their responsibilities. This breed is a part of the herding and working group and is a combination of power, balance, substance and muscles.

Coat

The breed of Australian Cattle Dog has a double coat that’s also weather resistant. The top coat is hard, close, flat and straight. The under coat is short and dense. Their coat colors are blue, blue mottled, blue speckle, or red speckle. Blue, tan, or black markings appear on the blue coat. When puppies are born, they’re white but their adult color is seen between the pads of the paws. This dog sheds seasonally.

Temperament

The Australian Cattle Dog is a very loyal, affectionate and intelligent breed. They’re quite protective of their home, territory and family. They love interacting with humans but can get bored quickly, which will cause serious behavior problems. Unless these dogs have been raised with children, they’re usually not great to be around them. They’re also very suspicious of strangers and may show aggression with dogs they don’t know. They usually don’t like other pets in the household or cats. This breed will try to herd anything that moves. The Australian Cattle Dog needs a dominant owner as they have a very dominant personality.

Training

It’s crucial that the Australian Cattle Dog have heavy socialization early in life. They’re very obedient and don’t respond to heavy handed or harsh techniques. Training has to be done with patience, praise, firmness, consistency and fairness. Their talents lie in herding, guarding, retrieving, learning tricks, agility and competitive obedience.