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The Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), also known as the Queensland Heeler, Blue Heeler, and Red Heeler, is a herding dog developed in Australia for controlling cattle. It is a medium-sized dog with a lot of energy, intelligence and an independent streak.
Appearance: The Cattle Dog's coat comes in a variety of
markings, sometimes quite striking. The basic coat colors are
blue and red speckle. For dog owners whose interest is
primarily in their qualification for conformation shows, even
markings are preferred over uneven markings, and large
solid-color marks on the body are undesirable.
For owners who are more interested in their dogs'
performance in activities such as herding or dog sports, the
breed's strong work ethic and intelligence are of more
importance than the exact coat markings.
The mask is one of the most distinctive features of an ACD.
This mask consists of a darker red patch over one or both eyes
(for the red speckle coat color) or a black patch over one or
both eyes (for the blue coat color). These are called,
respectively, single mask and double mask. ACDs without a mask
are called plain-faced. Any of these is correct according to
the breed standard, and the only limitation is the owner's
preference.
Many Australian Cattle Dogs have a stripe of white hair in
the center of the forehead, usually 1/2 inch to 1 inch by 2
inches to 3 inches (about 2 cm by 7 cm) called the Bentley
Mark. This is similar in appearance to the blaze markings
sometimes found on horses. According to legend, a popular dog
owned by Tom Bentley passed on this distinctive mark to all
Australian Cattle Dogs.
A female Australian Cattle Dog should measure about 17 to
19 inches (43 to 48 cm) at the withers. A male Australian
Cattle Dog should measure about 18 to 20 inches (46 to 51 cm)
at the withers. An ACD is a well-muscled, compact dog with a
short, dense coat and a naturally long tail. An ACD in good
condition should weigh roughly 40 to 50 pounds (18 to 23 kg).
Some breeders dock ACD's tails. This is a controversial
practice and, in some countries, is illegal or is prohibited
for show dogs. Docking Australian Cattle Dogs' tails is a
practice peculiar to the United States - ACD tails are not
docked in their country of origin, Australia. However, the ACD
absolutely needs its attractive tail for balance and steering
while working or in agility. It is widely believed the tails
are docked because of the mistaken notion that the dog will
get its tail caught in doors or mouths of irate livestock.
This is not to be confused with the Stumpy-tailed Cattle Dog,
which is born with a naturally docked, or 'bobbed' tail; this
animal strongly resembles the ACD in colouring, but has a
slightly taller, leaner conformation.
Temperament: Like many herding dogs, Cattle Dogs
have high energy levels and active minds. They need plenty of
exercise and a job to do, such as participating in dog sports,
learning tricks, or other activities that engage their minds.
Some individuals find repetitive training frustrating and
dull, so owners should aim to make training sessions varied
and more exciting in order to keep their dog interested.
Cattle Dogs who do not receive the appropriate exercise and
entertainment will invent their own, often destructive,
activities. These dogs are, by nature, timid or wary. They are
naturally cautious, and grow more so as they age. Their
cautious nature towards strangers make them perfect guard
dogs, when trained for this task.
Cattle Dogs drive cattle by nipping at their heels, but
they have also been known to herd other animals, such as ducks
or chickens without instruction when left to their own
devices. When around people, their instinct to herd is
sometimes hard to suppress and they can nip at people to herd
them. If these dogs will be around children, they and their
owners must have sufficient training to know how to manage or
avoid such situations.
History: The ACD dates back to at least 1897. It was
formed using the smooth-coated collie, Dingo, Dalmatian,
Australian kelpie, and Bull terrier.
Australian Cattle Dog activities: Australian Cattle
Dogs not only tolerate a high level of physical activity, they
almost demand it. Like many other herding dog breeds, they
have active and fertile minds that turn mischievous if not
properly channeled. ACDs are highly intelligent and can be
very bossy.
When not active, an ACD can be kept occupied with mental
puzzles. Among the most popular activities for Australian
Cattle Dogs is dog agility. While the ACD is ideally suited
for this work, since it is a herding breed and thus very
reactive to the handler's body language, some ACDs become
easily frustrated at the repetition and routine necessary to
hone agility skills. As for many breeds, frequent brief
training sessions are more effective than infrequent long
training sessions. For this reason, many handlers find
training an ACD to be challenging. It is important to always
change the methods and exercises and not allow the dog or
handler to get into a rut. ACDs thrive on change and new
experiences.
Only a few ACDs, therefore, have excelled in obedience
competition
For example, the American Kennel Club awards an
"Obedience Trial Championship" (OTCh) to the
dog-and-handler team that defeats a large number of other
teams in open competition. A handful of ACDs have reached this
level. While ACDs enjoy the challenge of obedience
competition, such as retrieving a scented article, the
majority of ACDs are easily bored with precision drilling.
Australian Cattle Dogs in movies:
mad dog (blue) and a Dingo (red) in The Sundowners
(1960)
Dog in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
Dog in The Blob (1988)
Zip in Last of the Dogmen (1995)
Main characters dog in "Welcome to Woop Woop"
(1997)
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