| Australian Cattle Dog. I Hope You Have Energy - | | | | transferred over to humans and other animals like |
| You'll Need Lots for this Australian breed of dog! | | | | horses. If you decide to adopt an Australian cattle |
| The Australian cattle dog, also known as the Blue | | | | dog, this is a behavior that you might have to spend |
| Heeler, are popular working dogs and pets and are | | | | some time curbing. |
| easily picked out by their high-energy enthusiasm and | | | | Australian cattle dogs, due to the fact that they |
| intelligence. | | | | were originally bred to be working dogs, have a high |
| This breed of dog is known to be muscular and | | | | energy level and require a great deal of exercise. |
| active, making the ideal for herding and obedience | | | | They are most happy when they are at work, |
| trials, and if given enough room to run and enough | | | | whether that means herding cattle or participating in |
| exercise are excellent pets for the right owners. | | | | obedience trials or competitions. |
| The breed first emerged as an independent entity a | | | | To keep their active minds interested, the owners of |
| little over a hundred years ago, when a breed of dog | | | | Australian cattle dogs should make sure that their |
| known as Smithfields were used in Australia to herd | | | | training routines do not turn dull or repetitive. |
| cattle. | | | | These dogs are naturally wary of strangers and tend |
| Because these dogs were too noisy and too rough | | | | to bond early in life with an individual or an older dog. |
| with the cattle, they were crossbred with the | | | | When adopting an Australian cattle dog, make sure |
| Australian wild dog known as the dingo. | | | | that you quickly impress upon it that you are the |
| This resulted in a dog that was quieter, but still had a | | | | pack leader. |
| tendency to bite too hard, so at that point, collies, | | | | While they can be excellent guard dogs due to a |
| who were used to herd sheep and therefore were a | | | | combination of the their strength, speed and intense |
| bit gentler were bred into the mix, with some bull | | | | distrust of strangers, they are not really good family |
| terrier bred into to give the breed a little more | | | | dogs. |
| aggression. | | | | Although this breed does work well with Kelpies and |
| The Australian cattle dog was born and became | | | | collies as well as with other members of their breed, |
| almost instantly popular as sporting and guard dogs | | | | they can be quite aggressive when it comes to |
| at the turn of the century. | | | | unknown dogs. Ideally, they are kept in a situation |
| "Australian cattle dogs have cool heads under | | | | where they have a job and can do it every day. |
| pressure and is absolutely fearless when it comes to | | | | In terms of health, the Australian cattle dog is quite |
| cattle" | | | | hardy. They can be prone to musculoskeletal |
| They were bred to move the herds where they | | | | disorders as well as to infertility. |
| were indicated and did so by weaving through | | | | These are dogs that will become bored and |
| recalcitrant animals and nipping lightly at their heels to | | | | frustrated quite easily and therefore should be kept |
| get the moving. | | | | entertained and exercised. |
| This is problematic when the same behavior gets | | | | |