Australian Cattle Dog
It moves cattle by nipping at the heels and ducking the kick. Dingo was crossed in for stamina, and the oldest dog ever recorded, at twenty nine, was one of these.
Photo by Wendy Hodges, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Australian Cattle Dog was built to move cattle across enormous distances in heat, and the recipe included the dingo, which is unusual among domestic breeds. Collie, Dalmatian and Black and Tan Kelpie went in as well, and the result is a compact, hard, weatherproof dog that works by biting the heel and ducking the kick.
Puppies are born white and colour in over the first weeks, which is a Dalmatian inheritance.
Temperament
Intensely loyal, intensely focused and not a casual pet. Cattle Dogs attach to one person and follow them everywhere, which is where the name heeler comes from in a second sense.
They are wary of strangers, they can be dog reactive, and the herding instinct expresses itself as nipping at moving heels, including children's. That is manageable with early work and it is not something that goes away on its own. They are also extremely clever and get bored fast.
Care and grooming
A short weatherproof double coat that needs a weekly brush and daily attention during the two moults.
Progressive retinal atrophy and primary lens luxation both occur and both have DNA tests. Congenital deafness is also seen, linked to the white base coat, and BAER testing of puppies is available. Hip dysplasia is worth asking about.
Living and exercise
Two hours a day minimum, and mental work on top of it. This breed is consistently near the top of the intelligence lists and consistently near the top of the surrender lists for the same reason.
They excel at agility, herding, obedience and any sport with rules. A Cattle Dog in a flat with two short walks becomes a destructive, anxious, nipping dog, and that is a predictable outcome rather than bad luck.
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