The Australian cattle dog is an extremely cute and intelligent animal, whose original role was to drive the cattle across the rough fields of Australia (herding breed). The breed is also known under names such as “Halls Heeler” or “Blue Heeler”. Although it has a compact stature, this breed is tireless in nature and extremely courageous. These dogs will generally not be suitable as so called “couch dogs”, and given their restless temperament they cannot be held all day long in the backyard either. They need space to run, and they need to have something to do in order to stay occupied.
There have been noted quite severe behavioral problems in the case of the Australian cattle dog that lacks proper exercise and action during the day. In order to have a well balanced and happy companion, owners are encouraged to dedicate a lot of quality time towards both physical and mental exercise for their pet. These dogs are also extremely obedient with their masters, and they make for perfect guard dogs. They can become quite alert not only with people they dont know, but also with other dogs, mainly because they take their dominant and leadership role extremely seriously.
The Australian cattle dog breed is perfect for owners who wish indeed to dedicate a lot of time towards teaching and training their pet. This type of dog is under no circumstances suitable for an apartment; the least they need is a huge yard where the pet can get the amount of action and exercising it requires. Owners who can afford to dedicate only 20 minutes for the everyday walk of the dog should definitely avoid adopting this type of breed. It is extremely important that an owner always knows and understands the instincts and needs of a companion they are about to adopt. Only this way can they make sure that their pet will lead a happy and balanced life.
It cannot be stressed enough how important constant physical exercise is for the Australian cattle dog. These pets will adore “fetch games” and they will also be the perfect companions for jogging or running along while the master is biking. Cycling with the dog is an extremely healthy habit, for both master and pet. Quite often masters have noted that the dog likes to walk in front of his owner; this is a clear sign of domination and owners should teach the pet to walk beside them in order to not allow it to become too dominant.
The life expectancy of these dogs is on average between 12 and 15 years. Owners will not find grooming a complicated issue, because these dogs have a short haired coat, which basically needs little care. There are some special bristle brushes available in pet stores, which should be used to nicely comb the coat of the dog as often as required. Shedding occurs two times per year, this highly depends on the climate the dog is raised in.
All in all, the Australian cattle dog will surely bring a lot of action and fun into the life of the entire family!
