Are ausie cattle dogs...?

Question

are they known ti be aggressive? I know it all depends on the certain dog, but Have you heard about aggressive problems with these? I thought that theywer nice andOne of the most calm, nicest, sweetest dogs I have ever met was an Austrailian Cattle dog. But then on a website abotu dog breeds, I saw that they continuously said that they are aggreisive, protective, and not good with children. Your opinion and maybe some webistes with this breed, please?
Thank You!

Answer 1

ACD's are working breeds, and if they do not have a job to do everyday, yes, they will act out and even start biting. They are hard workers and need a consistent activity to burn off their energies, so provide proper physical and mental stimulation everyday. They are not ideal family dogs unless the family lives on acreage with room to run and stock to work. With enough work to do, yes, they can be sweethearts and will love their people. They are rough, hard-working dogs that may not be suiltable around young children because they run, bounce, and generally scarcely ever slow down.

Answer 2

Australian Cattle dogs are a working breed. If they are not given a task to do they will become bored and create problems for you. They are nice dogs but they are protective of the family. However they are good with children over the age of 6, as younger children tend to be more rough with dogs. They are not a calm dog and whoever told you this was wrong. They need to be doing something, whether that be herding or chewing your things out of boredom. My suggestion would be to not get this dog if you are a first time dog owner unless you are able to go on long walks every day and create tasks for them to do, so they have a job.

Answer 3

Australian Cattle Dogs are known to be somewhat 'impatient' and will usually not tolerate kids tugging on their ears, pulling their tails and grabbing onto them, which can usually result in a growl, a snarl, or sometimes a nip.

Personally, I wouldn't reccommend an ACD if you have siblings/children under seven years of age, unless they are VERY respectful of other animals and know how to behave.

Then again, it all depends on the dog. I have heard of some really sweet ACDs. Look up some Australian Cattle Dog breeders and call or e-mail at least 8. Ask them for their honest opinions, as far as aggression, ability to tolerate kids, etc., but make it clear that you're not going to buy a dog from them (they will probably be more honest if they know you're not going to buy a dog from them)

Good luck! :)

Answer 4

I have three ACD's and a brand new baby. My dogs love the baby and are very protective of her. However, just like with any dog, I would never trust them completely, because accidents can happen when you aren't expecting them. I do know that some ACD blood lines can be aggressive and some can be very kind. It mostly depends on the breeder that you get your dog from. I would not buy any puppy without checking out the breeder and the parents. These dogs get a bad rap because people get them and have nothing for them to do. Please remember that they are working dogs and need to have something to do. They can become destructive if idle. I have sold ACD puppies and refuse to sell them to anyone who does not have a country home. No offense to town people, but they need something to do and there just isn't enough to keep them occuppied. These dogs live to work! If you are looking for them online, you may also want to look at Blue Heelers and Red Heelers, this is their common name.

Answer 5

Like many herding dogs, Australian Cattle Dogs have high energy levels and very 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. Cattle Dogs who do not receive the appropriate exercise and entertainment will invent their own, often destructive, activities. These dogs are, by nature, 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, chickens and flocks of ground-feeding parrots without instruction when left to their own devices. It is important for an owner to quickly establish a hierarchy in which they are the dog's pack leader, otherwise the young cattle dog may bond to a senior dog, rather than to its owner. As an urban pet, if the young cattle dog is allowed to bond too strongly with some senior dog in the neighborhood, it can be very difficult for the owner to then establish control. With unknown dogs, particularly males, the cattle dog can be aggressive and fearless.

Check out American Kennel Clubs site at www.akc.org for information on the breed or visit our on-line veterinary information library at http://www.telfordvet.com/site/view/78445_PetInformationLibrary.pml to research a breed to best suit you. Good Luck

Answer 6

ACD's are herding dogs, and they typically have a strong instinct to chase... and herd. That may be why they're not recommended for young children. Little kids tend to be squeally and loud and have quick movements that will set off a dog who has this type of instinct. It doesn't mean they are bad, nor that all ACD's have this instinct.

If this is a breed you are interested in, I suggest you contact a breeder near you:
http://www.acdca.org/breeders.html
and ask them questions about the breed, ask to come meet their dogs, and mostly, be open minded and be willing to learn. A good breeder will be happy to help you find the right dog for you - even if it's NOT one of theirs!

Answer 7

I have one. I have friends with cattle dogs.
My dog is half Blue Heeler (cattle dog) and half shepherd.
My friends' dog is 100% Blue Heeler.

Blue Heelers are good with children because they see the children as the herd they are responsible to protect. Blue Heelers are VERY protective. Often they are a one family dog, sometimes a one person dog, so they can have serious potential for being aggressive to outsiders to the family. Any outsider is a risk to the herd the dog protects. People who know dogs will stay inside their cars till I put my Blue Heeler in the house.

Usually he would not bite, but I wouldn't put a ton of trust into that evaluation. He's a higher risk to strangers than my pyrs who are guardian dogs. He's more likely to be aggressive as a precaution instead of evaluating the individual. My pyrs will evaluate you and they can sense if you are a risk. Only if you are a risk will they be a risk to you. My heeler is a risk because you are not family.

They are also nervous dogs. But if you have children, I'd expect them to be fine with the family children.

My heeler has to be reintroduced to my stepchildren when they visit, but he's figured out that, if they sleep here, they are family and he CAN be bribed in that case, and once he accepts them, he will come close enough to allow the kids to pet him, so we know all is fine. He won't allow strangers close to him and it's rare for any non-family member to be trusted enough for him to allow them to pet him.

Answer 8

I have always thought off Cattle Dogs as having an edge.
Do not confuse them with Austrailian Sheep Dogs

Answer 9

My uncle has one and she is wonderfull with his 2 daughters (ages 15 and 6). he lives in a large house with a smaller back yard and she does fine as long as she gets exercise
Sometimes they do try to herd youby nipping your heals but thats just in there nature.
they can also be a bit hyper.
Just like all breeds they are not ment for everyone and there are bad things about them but from what I know of them and my personal experance with them they are great dogs.

Answer 10

Any dog could be aggressive, but I have known severala Aussies and they are are all sweet as pie. They are also great dogs for flyball or agility, as it gives them an outlet for their energy and gives them a "job", as they are working dogs. They are pretty energetic dogs, but pretty sweet. Check online to see if there are any Aussie rescue groups in your area.