David Anderson - The Complete Guide to Blue Heelers--aka the Australian Cattle Dog. Learn About Breeders, Finding a Puppy, Training, Socialization, Nutrition, Grooming, and Health Care. Over 50 Pictures Included!

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION

The Blue Heeler (also known as the Australian Cattle Dog) is a high energy, fun loving breed that loves to be outdoors being active. Their intellect makes them very easy to train, but it can also lead to boredom. It takes a strong personality and consistency to turn your puppy into the ideal companion.

Having been bred to work in the Australian outback, Blue Heelers are sturdy, medium-sized dogs that dont know the word quit. Their heritage includes a combination of many different classic breeds, as well as the Australian-native Dingo. Their indomitable spirit makes them a great dog for adventurers and people who enjoy regular, vigorous exercise.

Unlike many other canine breeds, Blue Heelers require a very firm hand early in their development. Their destructive tendencies are a result of their high intellect and energy level, which is what makes this a particularly challenging dog to raise. With a consistent and firm approach, your puppy can turn into a very lovable and entertaining companion.

Before you begin looking for your own Blue Heeler, you need to consider what age you would like your dog to be. Puppies are rambunctious and can be highly frustrating as their behavior comes more from boredom than being bad. You should take into account the ability you have to train a Blue Heeler into your perfect companion. Older dogs will already be trained so that you can skip some of the more frustrating aspects of dog rearing, but they also come with their own flaws. Essentially, finding the right dog is about deciding how much time you want to spend training before getting into the really good stuff of doing things together.

As a relatively healthy breed, most of the issues associated with the Blue Heeler are genetic in origin. If caught early, you can minimize most of the potential problems.

With their short hair, your Australian Cattle Dog will also be incredibly easy to groom, although you will need to adjust your grooming schedule for the different stages of your dogs life.

Blue Heelers are a great breed for people who love adventures and challenges. You do need a strong personality and a consistent approach, but once you go through all of the trials and tribulations of training your dog, you will have a loyal companion for years to come.

CHAPTER 1 | Spotting a Blue Heeler

Blue Heelers, a beautiful dog breed, have a completely unique appearance. At first glance, you will notice that they are clearly working dogs. And then you will do a double take as your mind starts to process the unique coat that really plays with the eye. There is no other dog quite like this breed.

Description and Defining Characteristics

From their amazing coat to their sturdy build, these dogs seem to attract attention wherever they go. With a dominant personality, these are dogs that require as much devotion as they give.

Appearance

Blue Heelers average between 35 and 45 pounds. Much of that weight is from the powerful muscles that make them the ideal work dog. With somewhat dainty paws, complete with small toes, these dogs grow into their feet early on.

Besides their well-toned appearance, Australian Cattle Dogs have a coat that attracts attention wherever they go. With a mottled, double coat, the breed has earned its name from the way the black on white layers appear blue in many different kinds of light. Of course, with such a thick coat, they do shed a lot.

Their coat is actually one of the few ways to identify this particular breed because it can have a wide variety of coloration, spots, and shape of the head. Some dogs do have beige, tan, or black markings on their first layer. The coat is a unique characteristic because of the number of dog breeds that were included in creating the cattle dog. You can see Dalmatian when the dogs are young because they are born with a white coat (or with most of their first coat). As they age, the top layer begins to show, creating the fascinating spots that make their coats appear blue.

Their heads vary in shape and size because of the numerous breeds originally used when trying to find the perfect dog for the rough Australian terrain used for cattle. They tend to have triangular ears that stand up straight when they are alert. The ears are also wide set to enable them to hear better on the job.

Because they were bred for herding cattle, the tail is long to provide better maneuvering when working. It has a slightly upward curve that can help you tell when the dog is alert or feeling playful.

Temperament

The Blue Heeler is a very hard working and intelligent dog. That means that it is accustomed to being in control. It has been bred to be an exceptionally good herding dog in a difficult environment, and to protect the cattle against very dangerous animals. These traits are prevalent in the breeds temperament. Unlikely to back down, it takes a very firm hand to ensure the dog is properly trained for life with people.

Like any other working breed, the Blue Heeler has an astonishingly high level of energy that requires a lot of work to keep the dog from being destructive. The fact that the breed also tends to be intelligent means that you will be required to spend a lot of time with your dog to keep your home in one piece.

Socialization

Early socialization is essential for this breed because of their tendencies to dominate. They also instinctively herd anything they feel protective of, such as other dogs and children. You will need to make sure to train your Blue Heeler not to nip at dogs and people to avoid problems when the dog is older. When properly trained, this breed is incredibly affectionate and loving with its family.

Energy

A lot of energy is easily one of the defining characteristics of these dogs. You must be either really active or have a huge area where your dog will have time and space to roam. Destructive behavior is imminent when the dog is enclosed and bored. Nor is the breed a quiet one as the dogs have been bred to keep cattle in line, which requires both barking and nipping at heels. Long daily jogs and frequent sessions with discs and balls will keep your Blue Heeler from getting too bored. Also, additional training is recommended to keep your dogs mind stimulated. Simply working off the energy will likely not be adequate to keep your dog from chewing at anything left within reach.