Tell me what you know from personal experience about the Australian Cattle Dog?

Answer 1

they are very strong, persistent not giving up the chase they will run at trot all day long, in residential settings they will easily gain weight if they are not given the chance to exercise sufficiently.
Blue Heelers will learn to fetch, sit, stay, beg, play dead, roll over, shake hands, and any other tricks you would like to teach them. Being very intelligent dogs they will enjoy mental exercise as much as physical exercise.
they enjoy herding other animals and I have had the experiene of being in the outback at a waterhole for fishing and my uncles Blue Heeler wandered off into the bush and brought us back a pig..... it must have been a sight to see us all scramble for trees as this big black razorback came right at us at a trot with Blue right on his heels....
I have watched them patiently herding ducks and other poultry bringing them all together and back into their pen.... (albeit long before the chooks needed to be locked up for the night..) but this should be avoided because of the Heelers penchant for nipping... a nip to a cow is death to a chook...
I have heard several stories of these faithful and loyal dogs guarding the masters children out in the bush and even grabbing a wandering toddler by the shirt to prevent them wandering too far and to bring them bak into the herd (family).
when a large king brown snake came too close to our camp my uncles heeler killed it and brought it to us before we even knew the danger.
Blue was an excellent dog to take hunting and would follow a trail patiently all day. When he found his quarry he would bark to let us know when he had the quarry cornered or treed, depending on the quarry but not one bark before that.
Blue Heeler pups are very exictable and love lots of affection and really relish in all kinds of training.. excellent for active lifestyles I have seen them happily sitting on the back of a motor bike, have seen them romping along a beach with their owners and seen them play fetch all day long...

Answer 2

(Not from personal experience, but just some info...)

Description
The Australian Cattle Dog, also known as the Australian Heeler, Hall's Heeler, Queensland Heeler and the Blue Heeler, is a sturdy, compact working dog, well-muscled, powerful, yet very agile. The body is a bit longer than high with a slightly curved tail reaching approximately to the hock. The front legs should be perfectly straight when viewed from the front. The head is broad and slightly rounded between the widely set, moderately pointed pricked ears. The oval eyes are dark brown. The teeth should meet in a scissors bite. The weather-resistant double coat consists of a short dense undercoat and a short straight outer coat. It comes in blue or red speckled. The blue speckled is with or without black, blue or tan markings on the head with tan points. Black markings on the body are not desirable. The red speckle variety should be evenly speckled all over, but may have darker markings on the head.

Temperament
A working, herding breed, the Australian Cattle Dog is not suited to life alone in the backyard. One of the most intelligent breeds, it can become easily bored, leading to serious behavior problems. These dogs need to be part of the action! They are loyal, protective and alert. An excellent guard dog. Brave and trustworthy. Very good in the obedience ring and in herding and agility. Firm training from the start and lot of daily attention will produce a fine and happy pet. It is absolutely loyal and obedient to its master, but it is something of a one-person dog. They are sometimes suspicious of people and dogs they don't know. It can be very dog aggressive, for its dominance level is high. Not good with children except for family members it has known since puppyhood. Some tend to nip at people's heels in an attempt to herd them. If you are buying a pet, avoid strictly working lines, as these dogs may be too active and intense for home life. Australian Cattle Dogs are very easy to train. Puppies are born white (inherited from the early Dalmatian crosses), but the adult color can be seen in the paw pads.

Height, Weight
Height: Dogs 17-20 inches (43-51cm) Bitches 17-19 inches (43-48cm)
Weight: Dogs 32-35 pounds (15-16kg) Bitches 30-35 pounds (14-16kg)

Health Problems
Prone to hip dysplasia, PRA, and deafness.

Living Conditions
Not recommended for apartment life and does best with at least a large yard. Does best with a job to do.

Exercise
These animals have incredible stamina and will enjoy all the activity you can give them. Exercise is of paramount importance - without enough they can become bored and destructive.

Life Expectancy
About 12-15 years.

Litter Size
1 - 7 - Average of 5 puppies

Grooming
The short-haired, weather-resistant coat needs little care and is very easy to groom. Just comb and brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary. This breed tends to shed their coats once or twice per year (depending on sex status and region).

Answer 3

I have an ACD and love her to death. She potty-trained in 3 wks and is smart as a whip. I trained her to work on hand signals and whistles in the fields and salebarn by the time she was 8 months old. By then she was a pro! She is even the best housedog I've ever owned. She was also easy to teach how to sit-up, beg, roll-over, and play dead. One of the most versatile dogs!

Answer 4

They bark alot (a really high pitched annoying bark), they bite alot (particularly ankles) and they need to be constantly entertained. They often don't get along with other dogs.

On the other hand, they can be loyal and smart. They are an ideal dog for someone who works outdoors and can take their dog to work with them in the back of the ute.

Answer 5

fantastic working with our cattle very loyal to her master to a point of when our baby came along she was very jealous ,5 yrs on she tolerates our child but is still the boss of the master so the jealolusy is still there

Answer 6

they make great chew toys for rottweilers