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A Very Short History

The Australian Cattle dog originated in Australia during the 1800s when ranchers were looking for a reliable dog who could work cattle and withstand the harsh conditions of the Outback. After several failed attempts at breeding a suitable dog, Mr Thomas Hall created the first successful cattle dogs, a cross between the Highland Collie and the Dingo, the wild dog of Australia. Other breeds involved in the development of the Cattle Dog were the Bull Terrier, the Kelpie and the Dalmation. The work of Australian breeders like Mr Hall, Mr Thomas Bentley (the marks of Bentley's breedings can still be seen in the Cattle Dogs of today) and Mr Robert Kaleski created a highly intelligent and controllable working dog. The breed standard was set in 1903 and has remained virtually unchanged for more than 100 years. For a much more detailed history (and tons of great information about the breed) please visit www.cattledog.com..

Q: So what's the difference between a Queensland Heeler, a Blue/Red Heeler and an Australian Cattle Dog?

A: Nothing. All of these names refer to the same dog.

Personality

Cattle dogs are highly intelligent and very, very active. Not for the novice or casual owner, Cattle Dogs require an experienced and involved owner. Cattle Dogs tend to be wary by nature and require early socialization with both humans and other animals. Extremely courageous and protective, a Cattle Dog will lay down its life to protect its home and family.

Cattle dogs are very strong willed and will try to dominate other dogs (they can and will dominate weak willed humans as well). Their intelligence and energy level require strong leadership and early training on the part of the owner. They also require prodigious amounts of exercise. Like most dogs, a bored Cattle Dog can and will find ways to entertain itself. Cattle Dogs left to their own devices have been known to remodel homes, rearrange furniture, turn tables into firewood, etc. Always remember, a tired cattle dog is a good cattle dog.

Q: Since a Cattle Dog is a working dog, doesn't it need a job?

A: Cattle Dogs thrive when given something to do. Their "job" can be something as simple as catching a frisbee or ball or as complicated as formal obedience competitions. The more you give them to learn and to do the happier they seem to be. Cattle Dogs excel at agility, flyball, herding, frisbee, obedience, etc. There are even Cattle Dogs participating in weight pulling, dock diving, Schutzhund, and search and rescue competitions. Some Cattle Dogs even make great therapy dogs. A Cattle Dog will do whatever you ask it to do. Just make sure that whatever you ask it to do is safe and is enough to keep your Cattle Dog from becoming bored.

Physical Aspects

The most unique aspect to the Cattle Dogs physical appearance is its coloring. Cattle Dogs are either blue speckled or mottled, or red speckled or mottled. As far as grooming, Cattle Dogs are very low maintenance, requiring little in the way of brushing or bathing. They do shed (all dogs shed to some degree), and blow their coats once or twice a year. In general the Cattle Dog is a healthy breed. The only physical problems associated with the breed are deafness, blindness, and, occasionally, hip dysplasia.

Q: I've noticed that you have several deaf Cattle Dogs in your rescue. Are they difficult to train or to work with?

A: Deaf dogs require a different means of interaction than hearing dogs. You will have to depend on sight and on touch to communicate with a deaf dog. You have to use visual cues or "signs" to let a deaf dog know what you want them to do. Once you have trained your deaf dog to recognize your signs and to associate them with the correct behavior, the hard part is done. Remember, dogs are very adaptable. A dog who cannot hear makes up for this shortcoming by becoming much more visually oriented. For more about deaf dogs, please visit www.deafdogs.org

To see the breed standards for the Australian Cattle Dog, please visit The AKC's breed information page

Training Considerations

Cattle Dogs are among the most intelligent of dog breeds and are capable of learning complex tasks in only a few repetitions. Stanley Coren, in his book The Intelligence of Dogs, rated Cattle Dogs as the tenth most intelligent breed. It can be incredibly rewarding to live with a dog as intelligent as a Cattle Dog. They thrive on learning new games, tricks and tasks. On the other hand, if you don't provide adequate training for your Cattle Dog, they can find other things to do with their time, and may even train you to do what they want, rather than the other way around. So please take the time to teach them the basic obedience commands (at a minimum) and if you're not experienced in training dogs, then please find a reputable trainer to help you.