A Blue Heeler can be a grand companion and family detent if your circumstances are correct . You need to make certain you ’re prepared to give your dog the attending it will involve . You will require to socialize your pup well , and keep your pet level-headed and set both mentally and physically . It ’s also vital to keep up with recommended medical checks . verify you have the time to dedicate to your andiron ’s training . Blue Heelers do ripe when they have a job to do , whether that job is herding cattle , bring frisbees , preserve you ship’s company on your aurora run , or competing in lightness contests . This is a dog that needs to be busy !
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The Blue Heeler is a name for the Australian Cattle Dog stock . These short cake , blue patterned detent have upright ears and mystifying eyes . They are intelligent , active and firm . This traditional Australian herding breed was used for driving cattle along by tweet at their heels .
This is never going to be a circuit hot dog or ideal apartment deary , but they can fit very well with dynamic act upon lifestyles . Not suited to first time owners , they are marvelous fellow traveller for experient domestic dog trainers and handlers . They are easy to train if you have a go at it how to motivate them , but require a immense amount of physical exercise for their bodies and brains !
What Was Their Original Purpose?
Blue Heelers were primitively bred by settler in Australia , who crossed their dogs with dingos and create a unique , bad , hard working cows dog , suit to the outback . These days they are an more and more popular favourite , too !
Although the Blue Heeler might look like a hunting dog , Australian Cattle Dogs were in reality bred to create a herding dog . This was peculiarly for the Australian environment after British settlers emigrated there in the 19th century . Their unique appearance is partially down to the idle warragal blood running through their veins .
Wherever Dingos and domesticated dogs have existed in faithful proximity , a certain amount of cross nurture has occurred . However , it ’s no coincidence that Blue Heelers are somewhat dingo - similar in appearance — the dingo blood in these cute moo-cow hot dog is no fortuity . Dingos were deliberately bred with the Blue Heeler dog to make a specific resultant role . That is , the form of tough dog that Australian cattlemen needed .
In addition to Dingos , you ’ll find traces of other breeds in a Blue Heeler ’s genetic constitution . These admit the Blue Smooth Highland Collie , Bull Terrier , Dalmatian , and black and tan Kelpie . The stock welcome official recognition from the American Kennel Club in 1980 .
What does a Blue Heeler look like?
Healthy grownup Blue Heelers can weigh between 30 and 50 pounds . They can be up to 20 inch tall , but females are smaller than males .
It ’s unusual to see a fat Blue Heeler , because they are such alive dog and do n’t run to be over eaters . If your dismal Heeler is always thirsty then try spreading out their meals more , into smaller part with the same everyday total . And do n’t bury to use destiny of their kibble as as training treats .
With upright ears , short fur , and a balanced , athletic body , the baby Blue Heeler resemble the Australian Dingo . However , their body incline to be more hefty . Their ears may be ab initio floppy as puppies , but often become perky before 24 month .
Colors and Coat Type
The Australian Cattle Dog has a short , straight coating with many different shadiness . They also have an even shorter underfur . Their fur is comparatively rough to the tinge . This is utile as it protect them from rough weather condition conditions like rain or extreme heating . And in near news , your Blue Heeler is never hold out to need a haircut !
This breed comes in two main color — carmine or risque . Some people touch on to all Australian Cattle Dogs as Blue Heelers , no matter of their coating color . But some choose to call the redder looking detent Red Heelers or even Golden Heelers when it has a more powdered ginger smell .
Blue Heeler colors , coat markings and patterns change reckon between dogs . They can often leave the dog looking like a smorgasbord of the two colors . It is also common ( and very precious ! ) for Australian Cattle Dogs to have a mask of sinister fur over one or both eyes .
Do Blue Heelers Shed?
Australian Cattle Dogs cast a lot of pelt , but their short coat is relatively easy to maintain . You should groom your Blue Heeler regularly to remove old hair and encourage newfangled growth . This will help to reduce the amount of hair spill onto your carpets , but it wo n’t prevent your Blue Heeler throw off altogether .
Hypoallergenic weenie are sadly a bit of a myth . The affair that makes you sneeze is actually their hackles , and comes from drool and skin flake , not just the pelt . However , some dogs are easier on allergic reaction sufferers than others . Sadly , this moo-cow dog is n’t one of them .
Blue Heeler Temperament
Blue Heelers are packed with personality , but they need a lot of space and meter focussed on them . This is not an apartment dog for a person that goes out to lick .
The Australian Cattle Dog is a problematical breed both mentally and physically . A 2007 study tracked Blue Heelers and other cows dog engaged in mustering sitting lasting four hr or more in temperature of up to 38 level celsius . During the sessions , these dog covered mean distances of up to 20 geographical mile .
Are They Ever Aggressive?
Like many herding stock , the Blue Heeler has a very loyal personality . They can be quite protective of their family and plaything , and wary towards strangers . Plenty of early socialisation helps to contract the “ wariness ” but wo n’t scatter it altogether . So the chances are your low-spirited Heeler heel will always be somewhat cautious around strangers and prefer familiar faces . This untrusting disposition makes acculturation extra important when raising a Blue Heeler puppy .
Do Blue Heelers Make Good Family Pets?
Australian Cattle Dogs make with child pets if you could to give them the exercising and mental stimulation they call for to stay tidy and happy . But they are intimately beseem to household without very minuscule nipper . enkindle a Blue Heeler with tike is tough as you need to separate them a lot .
They are loyal to their owners and are full of personality and love . However , you must be wary of their inbuilt desire to herd — they often endeavor to herd run children and can be prone to nip at clear legs . So whilst they can make great pet if you have the sentence and energy to give to their healthy lives , you will need to always oversee these dog around smaller tiddler . It ’s life-sustaining to decent socialize your dingy Heeler to kid of a wide kind of ages , before their acculturation window closes at 14 weeks old .
How Well Do They Mix With Families?
No domestic dog should be rely around babies . Although Instragram might be full of seemingly cunning image of them curled up together , this actually is n’t fairish on the frump . Babies make sudden gesture , grab and do n’t get go , and give out uncanny in high spirits pitched noises . Do n’t put your dog in the stance of having to sympathize what ’s give-up the ghost on and work accordingly . Just keep them apart or amply supervised until the baby is enceinte .
Blue Heelers and cat are not natural friends , due to the eminent prey drive of the Bos taurus click . Although they can hear to go together if they grow up together , do n’t trust on your Heeler admit other cats as happily .
Bearing in mind the herding inherent aptitude of Australian Cattle Dogs , it is wise to practice care when introduce new animals . click education expert urge introducing cats or other brute in puppyhood . And new animal may need to be introduced carefully — perhaps using a protective fence at first .
Extra Exercise
Although dynamic wiener , it ’s important not to over practice them at a young age . This has the potential difference to damage their joints and is n’t good for their growing bodies . No more than five minute per day of schematic workout per calendar month old your pup is , double a day . That means a 6 calendar month honest-to-god Blue Heeler should have at most 30 minutes of exercise morn and evening .
Because Australian Cattle Dogs are so level-headed , they require action that stir them physically and mentally to take up their spare clip . Activities and games such as retrieve and tracking will maintain the direction and quick responses of your dog . Without things to do , your puppy may get blase and could start misbehaving to occupy itself .
Australian Cattle Dogs require good deal of exercise to keep them happy and healthy . For this cause , Blue Heelers are not ordinarily suit to living in small apartments . And if your dog is to have costless run of your K you ’ll require a secure dog test copy fence to preclude them from wander . These dogs are agile and do not fag out easily — all quality that make them such outstanding herders .
Do They Like Water?
All dogs can float , and Blue Heelers are no elision . Although they were n’t elevate or bred as piddle dogs , being from quite dry areas , they are still capable to swim . And if introduced at an early age can learn to bed it , and burn off a lot of their energy doing so .
How to Train an Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Cattle Dogs are an super well-informed stock , that take quickly to education . cocksure reward training is a must for this canny and enthusiastic breed . Clicker and reward - based breeding is a with child room to train dogs like these , and goes bridge player in paw with right socialization in the first few years of your heel ’s life to assure an obedient , friendly bounder later in life .
Although loyal and not in particular spooky dogs , you still need to teach them a good recall . An inviolate male Blue Heeler is potential to stray if they sense a female Blue Heeler in season . And any herd click worth their salt has a mellow prey drive and needs to be taught a very self-coloured come .
Blue Heeler Health and Care
It ’s important to be mindful of wellness issues that may touch on your favourite breeds . Because in some cases , these can be wholly nullify by right health examination . And in others , early diagnosis offers a better outlook for the dog .
Blue Heeler Deafness
Australian Cattle Dogs can suffer from innate patrimonial sensorineural deafness ( CHSD ) . In a study of just under 900 Australian Cattle Dogs , bring out in 2012 , over 10 % of Blue Heelers had some degree of hearing loss . 3 % of all the dogs were deaf in both ear .
An tie-up between coating semblance and deafness has been note in several strain but the pattern and mechanism of inheritance is not always the same . In Blue Heelers , dogs with masks and females were at higher risk than wienerwurst without facial masks or male firedog . In Australian Stumpy Tailed Cattle Dogs , which are concern to Blue Heelers , some connexion has been found between speckled scoring in the coat and deafness . However , a inter-group communication between pelage markings / color and auditory modality has not yet been proven in Blue Heelers .
Many owners of deaf Blue Heelers have hear to use signs to communicate . But if you ’d prefer to avoid purchasing indifferent low Heeler puppies , call a knowledgeable breeder . bilaterally symmetric deafness can be identified by an experient breeder by about six weeks of long time . dismal Heeler puppies with deafness in only one spike are harder to detect , but also less of a challenge to train and care for .
Blue Heeler Lifespan
The Blue Heeler bounder has a reasonable life-time for a purebred whelp . They are often quote as living 12 - 16 years . This is potential to be based on a study issue in 2004 , that included 22 gamy Heelers . The frump that had died ( eleven of them ) reached a base age of twelve year . The oldest of those eleven dog live to be sixteen days of years . With such a small sample we ca n’t force any firm conclusions , but this is a strain with a sound abidance . So , hopefully , your puritanical Heeler will be with you for a decade or more .
Australian Cattle Dog Breeders
find a good breeder of Blue Heeler pup is one of the most authoritative steps you could take in your search for a pup . This is because , as mentioned before , many wellness problems with these dogs are hereditary .
There are over 80 dissimilar diseases in dogs for which we have desoxyribonucleic acid tests available . And that figure continues to mount . Your best protection , therefore , is to know what test apply and to find a creditworthy breeder who has take their breeding pedigree with fear .
Always visit your stock breeder and their puppies before make up one’s mind . Moreso , always go to a stock breeder prepared to ask questions . ensure you ’re satisfied that they ’ve give you enough information before legal proceeding . A reputable breeder will be happy to share all of the parents ’ trial results with you , as well as permit you meet both parent , and see the pup in their home .
Good breeders will also usually query you , to make certain their puppy is choke to a secure home . They ’ll want to do it that it ’s with someone who live how to take tending of it .
