Australian Cattle Dog is known by many names, like Australian Heeler, Blue Heeler, Queensland Heeler, or Halls Heeler, is an extremely active, intelligent, and robust dog breed. Because of which, this breed is still used today as a herding dog. Their color patterns can be red-gray, or blue-gray, hence the name Blue Heeler or Red Heeler. This heeler moniker comes from the fact that they were bred to herd cattles by nipping at their heels.
Bold and athletic, this type of dog breed thrives in a work environment and they love being part of all family activities. They’re extremely protective and loyal to their family, and can be extremely wary of outsiders. Aside from herding, Australian Cattle Dogs are also a favorite in canine sports, like agility competitions, flying disc competitions, flyball competitions, and even obedience competitions.
They Love to Run, Play, and Work
As said earlier, this breed is extremely active and has high energy; definitely not the kind of dog that lounges on the coach all day. They want to be busy and moving all the time. Thus, they’re perfect for herding. As with most active dogs, they become bored and resort into entertaining themselves when they can’t spend their energy elsewhere. This can result into naughty behaviors, like digging your garden or tearing up trash and garbage.
Friendly and Extremely Devoted To Their Owner
One of the many lovable traits about Australian Cattle Dogs is their loyalty and devotion to their owner and family. They often attach themselves to their family and are less likely to bond with others. For this they’re often called the “Velcro” dog, because they attach firmly and loves to be in close physical contact with their master. They’re also very friendly as well, and they love to be play around with their owners.
They Love to Nip
Since this dog is bred to herd, and herd with force, they have the tendency to be mouthy. Their instinct is to nip cattle, other pets, even children and cars. This strong tendency to bite makes them want to bite anything that moves, even in play. Thus, socialization and training is extremely important for this breed, and it starts when they’re still a puppy, or this can result into a dangerous behavior.
They Are Strong-Willed and Great Problem-Solvers
Australian cattle dogs aren’t only extremely energetic, they also have the impressive ability to evaluate situations and take the initiative if needed. When herding, they don’t just bark stubborn cows, they will “nip” the heel of the cow to get them to move. Generally though, they only do this if they feel the situation is out of control.
And as mentioned earlier, since they’re pretty smart, they are great candidates for dog sports. They actually enjoy learning and working, and very eager to please.
They’re Tough
Australian Cattle Dog is an extremely tough breed. They thrive in rough situations and environment, as a matter of fact, they don’t seem to be bothered with high temperature, running long distances, and rough terrain. This gives them high tolerance to pain and extremely focused on their job, making them a favorite choice for herding cattle. As a matter of fact, they love to work so much that they would work even when they’re injured. And since they’re extremely energetic, they can hide their injury quite well.
Thus, it’s important for owners to pay close attention to their dog, and make sure they’re taken care of when feeling discomfort or anything painful.
The Australian Cattle Dog Annual: 1997, Limited Ed
