Pampered Dog Blog

Blessed with speed, agility and plenty of courage the Australian Cattle Dog is a supreme cattle herder. These dogs are incredibly adaptable and are just as good at working cattle in small spaces as they are in open country. They absolutely love to work, and will run non-stop, if you want them to.

The Australian cattle Dog was created specifically to fill a need in the Australian Cattle industry. Back in the early 1800′s, there were literally thousands of small cattle farmers in Queensland. These farmers needed a dog to work their herds, a dog that could work all day in searing heat and blinding dust. As no existing breed matched up to their needs, they started breeding their own.

The result was a dog that became known as the Queensland Blue Heeler. Early history is somewhat patchy but it is believed that the Smooth Collie, Kelpie, Dalmatian and possibly even wild Dingos went into the mix.

The earliest Blue Heelers were bred with courage, speed and agility in mind and proved to be exceptional cattle dogs. But the breed we know today was refined and standardized mainly thanks to a man named Robert Kaleski, who drew up the first standard in 1902.

In 1903, New South Wales Kennel Club status was granted under the name Australian Cattle Dog, although Blue Heeler is still commonly used in Australia.

These are above all, working dogs, who focus all of their energy and attention on the job at hand. But they are also affectionate, loyal and intelligent with a genuine eagerness to please. This of course makes them very easy to train.

These dogs control cattle by nipping at their heels, and they have particularly strong jaws, with formidable teeth. It is therefore important that biting and nipping should not be tolerated in a puppy.

This is a hardy, robust breed with few congenital disorders. Due to the work it does, the ACD is more likely to suffer injury than illness.

These medium-sized dogs are usually 18-20 inches tall at the withers. They have a sturdy build, a broad skull and deep muzzle. The characteristic coat is short and weather resistant. All puppies are white at birth and only later take on the characteristic coloring of the breed.

The two accepted coat colors are blue, with blue mottling and red with red motling. In both variants you’ll usually see a spray of white hairs on the tail.

The Aussie Cattle Dog is a friendly and affectionate dog and makes an excellent pet for the right owner. That owner should be an active person who is able to devote a considerable amount of time to exercising the dog.

These are after all working dogs and thrive on lots of activity. Dogs that don’t get sufficient physical and mental stimulation are likely to develop problem behaviors.

If you’re looking for a name for your Australian Cattle Dog, the best advice is to visit a dog names, website. The one that I recommend is Puppy Names HQ, which has a huge database of excellent dog names including 1000s of male dog names.