| Australian Cattle Dogs (Queensland Heelers): the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Australian Cattle Dog personality and behavior. |
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My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Australian Cattle Dog, including these excerpts:
"The AKC Standard says, "The Australian Cattle Dog's loyalty and protective instincts make it a self-appointed guardian to the stockman."
Steady in temperament, yet bold and athletic, this robust dog enjoys romping, roughhousing, and working.
He is not an apartment dog. To stay in hard muscular condition and a satisfied frame of mind, Australian Cattle Dogs (also known as Queensland Heelers) require lots of exercise.
Working stock, agility, jogging, biking, chasing balls, and playing Frisbee are productive outlets for his high energy. Cooping him up with nothing to do will lead to destructive behaviors and obsessive barking.
With strangers, the Cattle Dog is watchful, often suspicious, and will defend his property if threatened. Early socialization is important so that he does not become too sharp.
He can be dominant with other dogs, and with his strong chasing drives and tendency to nip at whatever he is pursuing, he is not recommended around cats unless raised with them.
Herding dogs have ingrained instincts to gather things together, and in the absence of livestock, they will make do with toddlers, other pets, bicyclists, etc.
A challenging combination of intelligence, cleverness, and hard-headedness, Australian Cattle Dogs will test members of the family during adolescence and must be handled with firm, consistent leadership. They are versatile dogs in the right hands, but they will run right over hapless owners."
History
Crosses between the Scottish Highland Collie, Dalmatian, Australian Kelpie, Bull Terrier, and wild Dingo produced this hardworking driver of unruly cattle. He is often called Queensland Heeler, Blue Heeler, or Red Heeler.
Size
17-20 inches and 35-50 lbs |
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Australian Cattle Dogs
(Queensland Heelers)
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- Is medium-sized, very sturdy, and natural-looking
- Thrives on vigorous exercise and athletic activities
- Makes a vigilant watchdog
- Has a short, easy-care coat that comes in striking colors
An Australian Cattle Dog may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- Vigorous exercise requirements
- Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
- Suspiciousness toward strangers
- Aggression toward other animals
- Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
- Chasing and nipping at things that move: children, joggers, other animals, bikes, cars
- Barking
- Shedding
An Australian Cattle Dog may not be right for you.
| If I were considering an Australian Cattle Dog... |
My major concerns would be:
- Providing enough exercise and mental stimulation. Australian Cattle Dogs MUST have regular opportunities to vent their energy and to use their busy minds to do interesting things. Otherwise they will become rambunctious and bored -- which they usually express by barking and destructive chewing. Bored Queensland Heelers are famous for chewing through drywall, ripping the stuffing out of sofas, and turning your yard into a moonscape of giant craters.
| If you simply want a pet for your family, and don't have the time or inclination to take your dog running or hiking or biking or swimming, or to get involved in herding, or agility (obstacle course), or advanced obedience, or tracking, or a similar canine activity, I do not recommend this breed.
Australian Cattle Dogs were never intended to be simply household pets. Their working behaviors (chasing, nipping, poking, barking, territorial instincts toward other animals) are inappropriate in a normal household setting. Trying to suppress these "hardwired" behaviors, without providing alternate outlets for their high energy level, can be difficult. |
- Suspiciousness toward strangers. Some Australian Cattle Dogs have protective instincts toward strangers. They need extensive exposure to friendly people so they learn to recognize the normal behaviors of "good guys." Then they can recognize the difference when someone acts abnormally. Without careful socialization, they may be suspicious of everyone, which is a short step to aggression.
| If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Australian Cattle Dog puppies. The temptation to play roughly and nip at moving people is simply too strong in many young Queensland Heelers. |
- Animal aggression. Many Australian Cattle Dogs are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Many have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures.
- The strong temperament. Australian Cattle Dogs are not Golden Retrievers. The best Cattle Dogs are versatile working dogs, capable of learning a great deal, but they have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. They can be manipulative, and many are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
- Barking. Australian Cattle Dogs are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them. If you work all day and have close neighbors, Australian Cattle Dogs are not a good choice for you. For the same reason, Australian Cattle Dogs should NEVER be left outside in your yard, unsupervised. To make matters worse, some Australian Cattle Dogs have intense, high-pitched barks that can set your teeth on edge.
- Shedding. For such a shorthaired dog, Australian Cattle Dogs shed much more than you might think. Their short coarse hairs come off on your hands when you pet them, and stick tenaciously to your clothing, upholstery, and carpeting.
| Not all Australian Cattle Dogs are alike! |
- There are energetic ACDs, and placid ACDs.
- Hard-headed ACDs, and sweet-natured ACDs.
- Serious ACDs, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted ACDs, and ACDs who love everyone.
| If you acquire an Australian Cattle Dog puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
| If you're considering an adult Australian Cattle Dog... |
There are plenty of adult Australian Cattle Dogs who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
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