Blue Heeler Dog – Australian Cattle Dog Breed Information

Australian Cattle Dog Breed Information

The blue strain is an Australian working strain. They were traditionally wont to lead cattle along by nibbling in their heels - hence the name.

What is in This Guide

• Blue Heeler at a Glance
• In-depth Breed Review
• Blue Heeler Training and Care
• Pros and Cons of Getting a Blue Heeler

Meet the Blue Heeler

Welcome to our complete guide to Blue Heeler. Discover the benefits of an Australian livestock dog! Check the mood of Blue Heeler and study Blue Heeler's health problems. within the end, determine if this is often the perfect dog breed for your family.

Tip: The Australian Cattle Dog is just another name for the Blue Heeler. Both names are completely interchangeable.

You will also sometimes hear the breed mentioned because of the Queensland Heeler or Red Heeler. don't worry - everything is one and therefore the same. So let's go deeper and determine more about it.

Blue Heeler at a Glance

Popularity: 54 out of 193
PURPOSE: Originally grazing, alert now, a pleasant companion dog
Weight: 30 - 50 lbs
Mood: difficult, independent, active, loyal

Like every other dog, he loves the Blue Heeler and wishes tons of exercises, and he's very smart.

Their intelligence, loyalty, and amazing appearance make cattle dogs an increasingly popular breed.

Blue Heeler breed review: contents

• History and original purpose of the Blue Heeler
• Fun facts about Blue Heeler
• Blue Heeler appearance
• Blue Heeler temperament
• Training and exercising your Blue Heeler
• Blue Heeler health and care

History and Original Purpose of the Blue Heeler

Australian cattle dogs were raised to make a grazing dog. This was very true for the Australian environment after British settlers migrated there within the nineteenth century.

Her unique appearance is partly thanks to the wild blood of dingo that passes through her veins.

Archaeological evidence shows that wherever dingo and puppies are found nearby, a particular amount of cross-breeding has occurred.

However, it's no coincidence that the Blue Heelers are somewhat almost like the dingo pattern - the blood of the dingo in an Australian cattle dog is not any coincidence. In fact, the dingo was deliberately bred with the Blue Heeler dog to make a selected result. this is often the type of strong dog that Australians need.

In addition to Dingos, you will find traces of other strains within the Blue Heeler's genetic makeup. These include Smooth Highland Collie, Paul Terrier, Dalmatian, Black and Tan Kilby.

If you would like to understand more about the history of this excellent breed, see the Blue Heeler's origins detailed guide.

The breed was officially recognized in 1980 by the American Kennel Club. Since then, a group of criteria has been set for the characteristics you'll expect during a Blue Heeler dog. We'll check out those events soon, but first, some interesting facts.

Fun Facts About Blue Heeler

We love learning fun facts about our fur kids. we've collected a variety of fascinating facts about Australian livestock dogs. Now you'll learn everything from the older Blue Heeler dog to celebrities with Australian cattle dogs. Let's get started!

• The oldest dog ever consistent with the Guinness World Records is that the Australian Cattle Dog. Blue Heeler, Bluey has lived for 29 years and 5 days.
• Like their Dalmatian relatives, Blue Heelers often give birth to completely white.
• Two celebrities famous for Australian cattle dogs are the actors, Owen Wilson, and Matthew McConaughey
• If you look closely, you will find Blue Heelers in movies, Mad Max and Brokeback Mountain

Now let's take a better check out the design of the Blue Heeler dog.

Blue Heeler Appearance

A healthy adult Blue Heelers can weigh between 30 and 50 pounds. When it involves height, it is often up to twenty inches long. Females are usually smaller than males.

Blue Heeler is analogous to Australian Denmark with its straight ears, short fur and a balanced sports body. However, the most difference is that their bodies tend to be more muscular. it's worth noting that their ears may initially be as flexible as a puppy, but they often become cheerful 24 months ago.

Blue Heeler Coat

The Australian Cattle Dog features a short, straight coat with many various shades. They even have a shorter under layer.

Their fur is comparatively rough when touched. this is often useful because it protects them from extreme weather like rain or intense heat.

The colors of the Australian Cattle Dog

This breed comes in two principle hues - red or blue. The Red Heeler is usually referred to as the Red Heeler.

However, the signs and patterns that cover the fur vary counting on the individual dog. they will often allow the dog to seem sort of a mixture of two colors.

It is also common (and very pleasant!) That Australian cattle dogs have a dark fur mask over one or both eyes.

Heller's blue mood

The mood of the strain goes here: natural instincts associated with the collective and individual strain, the extent of strain cooperative, the extent of independence, sentiment or stalking tendencies. Aggression tendencies (link to sources) or sting, sting method and jaw strength where appropriate.

The Australian Cattle Dog may be a mentally and physically difficult breed. A 2007 study followed Blue Heelers and other livestock dogs participating in crowd sessions lasting four hours or more at temperatures up to 38 ° C.

During the sessions, these dogs covered an average of distances of up to 20 miles.

Blue Heeler dogs also come with powerful herding instincts. A testament to their natural intelligence. However, this can lead to trying to herd other animals or even children running!

This is why it is so important for Blue Heeler to get used to a variety of people and animals from puppyhood.

Australian Cattle Dog

Blue Heeler Personality

Like many grazing breeds, Blue Heeler is very loyal and can be completely protected for her family and play, but she's cautious towards strangers.

Much early socialization helps reduce “caution” but will not dissipate it completely. So your Blue Heeler dog is probably always somewhat wary around strangers and prefers familiar faces.

Training and Exercising Your Blue Heeler

Like many difficult breeds, Blue Heelers are independent dogs that need to be well socialized from an early age. Because Australian livestock dogs are so smart, they require activities that motivate them physically and mentally to spend their free time.

Positive reinforcement training is a must for this smart and enthusiastic breed.

Activities and games like recovery and tracking will keep the dog focused and quick responses. Without things to do, the puppy may feel bored and can begin to act badly to occupy himself.

Australian livestock dogs are a very smart breed, which takes rapid training, as is the case when learning to raise cattle.

Click-and-reward training is a great way to train dogs like this and goes hand in hand with appropriate socializing in the first few years of your dog's life to ensure an obedient and friendly dog later in life.

Additionally, adult Australian livestock dogs require a lot of exercises to keep them happy and healthy. For this reason, Blue Heelers are usually not suitable for living in apartments. If your dog is to run freely in your yard, you will need a safe fence for the dog to prevent him from roaming. (You can find links to our favorite Blue Heeler products and accessories here.)

These dogs are graceful and do not get tired easily - all the qualities that make them like great shepherds.

But getting enough exercise is only one part of staying fit. It is also important to avoid overfeeding. This will help prevent obesity and promote optimal health. In the next section we will look at some health problems that can arise in this strain.

Blue Heeler Health and Care

It is important to be aware of health issues that may affect your favorite strains because in some cases, they can be completely avoided by appropriate health tests. In other cases, early diagnosis provides a better view of the dog.

But what about Blue Heeler dogs? What are their health problems? Well, first, like many purebred dogs, Blue Heelers are prone to inherited eye problems.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) causes vision loss slowly and painlessly until these dogs become completely blind in both eyes. This may take several years or several months.

Fortunately, we now have tests that can determine dogs with a PRA gene, and there is no reason today why any puppy should develop the most common form of this disease. All reputable breeders use these tests to check their stock of breeding. So, your main defense against PRA is to find a responsible breeder.

Another eye disease these dogs can experience is flatulence. In this case, the dog's eye lens is partially or completely separated.

There are different treatments for this disease in different stages. However, after treatment, your dog will need regular check-ups.

Joint Problems in Australian Cattle Dogs

Australian livestock dogs are also susceptible to common diseases that affect the joints of many dog breeds.

Canine Hip Dysplasia

For example, they can experience sciatic dysplasia in dogs. This is where the hip joints do not develop properly and grind together instead of moving smoothly. Depending on the severity of its condition, the affected dog may need surgery or physical therapy.

Screening helps reduce the incidence and severity of this disease, but reproductive stock testing is an essential part of this process.

Elbow dysplasia

Another common joint disease that affects Australian cattle dogs is elbow dysplasia, which may also require surgery.

Osteochondritis Dissecans

A final major disease is that Australian livestock dogs are vulnerable to osteoporosis (OCD). This causes the dog to have excess cartilage and bone deficiency as the cartilage is not replaced and must be from the bone during the development of the fetus.

The obsessive-compulsive disorder usually requires corrective surgery or prescribed medications.

These diseases can be really annoying to an Australian cattle dog because they hinder the exercise that this breed requires to keep them happy and fit.

Avoiding Blue Heeler Joint Disease

The risk of joint problems cannot be completely eliminated by health tests since these diseases do not have a simple and clear mechanism of inheritance. It is also somewhat affected by environmental factors such as diet and exercise.

Therefore, instead of a gene test, mother dogs are tested for early signs of the disease. They are then given a degree that good breeders use to determine their stock of breeding.

To give your puppy the best opportunity to grow with healthy joints, therefore:

• Choose a well-educated educator
• Keep the puppy thin
• Avoid strenuous exercise when it is too small.

If you get an Australian cattle dog, also take your dog to have regular checkups with your veterinarian to make sure he doesn't have these or any other health problems, so let's take a look now at two of the most common health problems in blue with heels from most other breeds

Australian Cattle Dog

Blue Heeler Deafness

Australian livestock dogs suffer from congenital hereditary sensory deafness (CHSD).

In a study of less than 900 Australian livestock dogs, published in 2012, more than 10% of Blue Heelers had a degree of deafness. 3% of all dogs are deaf in both ears.

The correlation between coat color and deafness has been observed in many strains, but the pattern and mechanism of inheritance are not always the same.

In Blue Heelers, dogs with masks and females were at higher risk than dogs without face masks or male dogs.

In Australian Australian Tail cattle dogs, which are associated with Blue Heelers, some correlation has been found between the spotted marks in their coat and deafness. However, the link between paint/color and hearing marks has not yet been established in Blue Heelers.

Many Deaf Blue Heeler owners have learned to use signals to communicate. But if you prefer to avoid buying dirty Blue Heeler puppies, visit Knowledge Breeders.

Duo deafness can be recognized by an experienced breeder about six weeks old. It is difficult to detect a Blue Heeler puppy with deafness is not only one ear, but also less difficult to train and care.

Blue Heeler Portosystemic Shunt

Another health problem that we should mention is a condition that causes distortions in the blood flow in the liver.

The liver is an important filter and detoxifies the bloodstream. This keeps your dog's blood clean and healthy, just as it does in people.

Pituitary shunt means that blood flow is literally "diverted" into the bloodstream rather than through the liver. So the liver never has a chance to remove those toxins, and the organ itself fails to grow properly.

Fortunately, in this inherited type of shunt, surgery can provide a successful outcome

Dogs with a hepatic shunt may fail to thrive and experience a range of symptoms. Therefore, it is very important to consult a veterinarian if your puppy is not growing as it should or seems to be doing well. Early treatment is important.

How Long Do Blue Heelers Live

Blue Heeler features a reasonable lifespan for a purebred dog.

Different sources tend to give different estimates of longevity but few rely on hard evidence.

However, the UK Kennel Club collects some data by sending questionnaires to kennels and owners.

A study published in 2004 included 22 blue Heelers. The dogs that died (eleven of them) had an average age of twelve years.

The oldest of these eleven dogs lived at the age of sixteen.

With such a small sample we cannot draw any firm conclusions, but this is a well-formed strain. So, I hope Blue Heeler has been with you for ten years or more.

Also keep in mind that not all health problems affect the potential life of the dog, of course. It is always helpful to feed Australian cattle dog food.

Blue Heeler Shedding

Australian livestock dogs throw lots of furs, but the coat is easy to maintain and care for.

You should regularly decorate the Blue Heeler to remove old hair and encourage new growth.

This will reduce the amount of hair falling on the carpet, but it will not prevent it from falling out completely.

For bathrooms and other care, Blue Heeler dogs are low maintenance. You can wash them as needed.

Find a healthy Blue Heeler puppy

There are over 80 different diseases in dogs we have the DNA tests available for them. However, this number continues to climb.

There are also many diseases that are not tested for. We can't list them all here, and only a few of them are likely to affect your breed.

Thus, your best protection is to know the tests that apply and find a responsible breeder who has carefully chosen the breeding creature. Use a puppy search string to guide you

Remember to check with the AKC about the latest health tests available for your breed before you start looking for your puppy.

Negatives and Positives of Getting a Blue Heeler

Negatives

• Prone to nibbling
• It requires a lot of exercises
• It can become devastating when you get bored
• It may not be easily compatible with other dogs
• Fishy of strangers

Positives

• Clever
• Savior and fiercely protector
• Easy to train
• Moderate maintenance

Blue Heeler Price

Australian cattle dogs are not generally considered a very cheap breed, although prices can range from $ 250 to $ 2,000 in some cases.

Although prices vary greatly, a high price does not necessarily equal the best option for a puppy.

It is also important to remember that if the Australian Cattle Dog suffers from any diseases, such as those mentioned above, then you will have to cover the cost of the treatment.

Pet insurance will help protect you from the worst costs.