Blue Heeler - Australian Cattle Dogs

The Australian cattle dogs are also known as the Blue Heeler, the Queensland Heeler and the Red Heeler. This is a specific kind of a herding dog that has been developed in Australia to control the cattle. The Blue heeler dogs are not used to living alone. These are a highly intelligent kind of species that are also brimming with energy! Having the Blue Heeler dogs around you will definitely ensure you never have a dull moment ever!

Facts about the Blue Heeler-Australian Cattle Dogs
Australian Cattle Dogs being highly energetic, need a constant task to complete or attend! They need plenty of exercise and owners of these Blue Heeler dogs will constantly need to be on their toes to find new ways to train them and new tricks to entertain them! These need loads of space to move around. The Australian Cattle dogs are extremely intelligent, loyal as well as highly alert. These make terrific guard dogs due to their courageous behavior. The Australian Cattle dogs always make dependable pets, which is also true with most dogs. For this, they need to be trained at a young age. They are also known to be very cautious towards strangers as they grow which also gives one an excellent reason to have them as guard dogs.

The Australian Cattle dogs have a well-built stout body. They are also known to possess an exceptional stamina. They have a wide head that is sloped between their wide-set and semi-pointed ears. The coat of the Australian Cattle dog is seen in two colors, which is either reddish brown or blue. Those with blue speckled coats may sometimes have black, blue, or tan markings. The coats generally have a variety of markings, which makes it quite striking to look at. The eyes of such dogs are oval shaped and dark brown in color. The tail is curved and some breeders of the Australian Cattle dogs dock the tails, which is actually illegal in most states and is a controversial subject as well. The Australian Cattle dogs also have a distinctive spot of white hair at the center of their forehead.

The height of the Australian Cattle dog measures around 18 to 20 inches at the withers. (This is the highest part of the back at the base of the neck.) Females measure around 17 to 19 inches. A healthy Australian Cattle dog should weigh from 35 to 50 pounds.

Blue Heeler puppies need to be firmly trained and also taught to socialize from a young age. This would help to make them more acceptable and turn them into loving household pets as well. Blue Heeler puppies are born white. These grow darker as they come of age. Being suspicious of strangers, these dogs are known to nip at people’s heels in an attempt to herd them. Therefore the owners of this breed need to train them well, to make them more social acceptable in their behavior.

There are no precise reports as far the origins of the Blue Heeler is concerned. The Blue Heelers are known to have spotted coloration at times. The cause of this, as claimed by some people, may have been because of the breeding with the Dalmatians, that happened in the early days. Some of the Blue Heelers are also known to have ears that lay back, against the head. This closely resembles the characteristics of the Collies, at times. Blue is actually a common color of this cattle dog.

These bossy and dominating dogs need specific activities to keep them busy during the day apart from herding the cattle. These routines need to be monitored and made interesting to break the monotony as such dogs tend to get bored with the same routine. Therefore, training such breeds is considered to be a challenging activity. Well, don’t be too surprised if your dog does not win any obedience award at any dog show. You will be glad if he didn’t get a taste of the judges’ ankles and cause you more trouble than you can actually handle!