Do Blue Heelers Bond to One Person?
If you have been thinking about adding a Blue Heeler to your family, you may wonder how they will get along with you, your spouse, and even your kids.
These dogs are capable of forming deep relationships with the people in their life, but they are primarily one-person dogs. This is true of many of the popular herding dogs. They will select just one person out of the family to rely on and build the strongest bond.
Think about how your family members may feel toward the dog. If your spouse and kids don’t care much about them, then this may not be an issue for you.
However, it can be quite infuriating to try to interact with a Blue Heeler who is only concerned about one person.
While these dogs can sometimes earn the moniker of a Velcro dog, they also tend to be fiercely independent. They enjoy your company and love being around you, but they do not love cuddling or excess amounts of affection.
Instead, you can reward your dog with positive reinforcement like treats or a quick belly rub.
Can Blue Heelers be Good Family Dogs?
Cattle Dogs are highly intelligent and learn quickly what is important to their masters. They are pretty easy to train and respond well to commands and enjoy being part of a family. Cattle Dogs are also extremely affectionate but in their own way (read my post, Are Australian Cattle Dogs Affectionate, for more information).
Cattle Dogs are pack animals like most dogs. But they are much less social and keep their circle small. But just as they learn and understand what tasks they must perform, they also learn quickly who is important in their owner’s life. As a result, they become very protective of family members & close friends and view this as part of their “job” in life.
Heelers are generally great with children and will keep them safe under their watchful eyes. However, they have been known to nip at small heels if a toddler seems to be wandering off or becomes too unruly. So, some precautions should be taken around very small children. This is the same behavior these herding dogs would use with wayward sheep and cattle! So, please be aware, but don’t become alarmed. Your Heeler is just doing his job!
5 Ways to Strengthen Your Bond with Your Blue Heeler
If you want to ensure that you become your Blue Heeler’s favorite person, then you need to solidify the bond you have with them. This requires a time commitment from you, but it is worth it to see your dog come to trust and love you on another level. Here are a few creative ways you can strengthen your bond with your dog.
Training your Blue Heeler is essential to nip problematic behaviors like herding early on in their life. However, training your dog is about more than just achieving perfect behavior from your four-legged friend.
It also teaches your dog how to accept commands from you, and it gives them some incentive and motivation to work hard at your command. You should always use positive reinforcement when training your dog.
Do you feel unqualified to teach your dog basic obedience?
Try signing up for a group class at your local pet store to get your feet wet.
You will learn the basics of dog training, and your dog will get to socialize a bit. With the tools you learn in class, you can start to teach your dog more advanced commands than just the basic sit, stay, and lie down.
Any kind of sport where you and your Blue Heeler are required to work as a team is a great way to strengthen your bond. Consider how much space you have in your backyard and what tools you have available to you.
Many Heelers love agility because it forces them to burn off some excess energy while engaging their minds. If you have room to set up a full course in your yard, this sport is highly recommended.
Others may prefer flyball as it requires less space and equipment. This involves your dog running down a lane filled with hurdles, releasing a ball from a box at the end, and returning back to their owner as quickly as possible.
It is also meant to be played as a team sport, so it can be great if you have multiple dogs.
A Blue Heeler may also love the lesser-known sport of treibbal. This involves “herding” several large balls into a goal. Dogs must listen to their owner’s commands to push individual balls in the general direction of the goal.
It is a great way to strengthen your dog’s listening skills, hone their herding skills, and build your bond all at the same time.
The best way to your dog’s heart is oftentimes through their stomach. Your dog is likely to love you more if you are always the person who fills up their food dish each day.
However, you can go a step further and hand feed your dog every once in a while. Try giving them an entire meal out of your hand. This ensures that they know exactly who provides them with their meal day after day.
Alternatively, you can set their meal aside and make them work for it. Scoop their meal into a training pouch and ask them to perform basic tasks in exchange for a piece of kibble or two. Keep going until they have consumed their entire meal from your hand.
While your Blue Heeler may not be the most affectionate dog on the planet, they can grow to love grooming sessions from their owner. These dogs tend to shed quite a bit, so routine brushing could be a great way to manage their coat as well as strengthen your bond.
If they are not used to being handled, it can take some time for them to adjust to a thorough brushing. Be sure to keep sessions short in the beginning. Give them time to inspect your brushes and other grooming tools by sniffing or licking them.
You may even want to just get your dog used to being handled at first by touching their ears, paws, and other sensitive areas that don’t see much attention. Work up to a full grooming session slowly and over time so that your dog can come to enjoy the experience.
Like most dogs, Blue Heelers thrive when they know exactly what to expect from any given day. While surprises may keep life interesting, your dog will thrive on a consistent routine.
Try to establish a steady rhythm to your days that your dog can come to rely on. This teaches them to look to you when the next fun activity is supposed to be coming their way. Make sure you are the only one who engages them in these fun activities if you want to be their chosen master.
Feed them at the same times, take them out in the backyard for playtime at the same time, and even time your daily walks. They should get consistent bathroom breaks at scheduled intervals throughout the day as well.
Most Blue Heelers are known for being one-person dogs. They love intensely despite their mostly independent nature. If you want to ensure that you are the master your dog selects, then you need to take steps to strengthen your bond with them.
Train them, play games with them, groom them, and even set up a routine so they know what to expect. All of these activities will help your dog to solidify you as their master!
How Your Dog Chooses His Favorite Person
You’re walking down the street and spy a handsome mid-size dog with a rounded head, pointy ears, and a stocky physique. While these characteristics grab your attention, you’re really intrigued by his unusual marled blue coat. Stopping to inquire about the breed of this attractive dog, you find out he’s an (aptly named) Blue Heeler. If you stayed and chatted for a while, you’d also learn that, though the dog’s owner may be gregarious, Blue Heelers couldn’t care less that you’re there.
Blue Heelers are fiercely independent dogs, who are usually devoted to one person. This characteristic stems from the types of canines Australian George Elliott used to develop the breed in 1840, a mix of native dingos with Collies and other herding dogs. It also comes from their original purpose, which was to herd cattle independent of any instruction from their owners. So, these tough, sturdy, and intelligent dogs with a high work drive (also called Australian Heelers, Queensland Heelers, and Australian Cattle Dogs) are often more comfortable herding the family cat than being adored by a stranger.
But, never fear: Blue Heelers are devoted family dogs who bring joy to everyone in their daily lives. Just be sure to teach the kiddies that this particular breed is not comfortable being hugged or dressed up like a hula girl. Blue Heelers tend to take life seriously and are always on the alert in case they need to perform a task. They are protectors and very good guard dogs, and their sense of self (if dogs have a sense of self) is grounded in their ability to do whatever their owner asks. This makes them very trainable — and training is needed as they will herd everything in sight if not taught differently.
If you’re envisioning yourself frolicking in a field with your new Blue Heeler, make it a long frolic. These are very active dogs who need exercise daily. They also need some sort of task to do, whether it’s agility training, guarding the house, or fetching your slippers. If you’re an apartment dweller, don’t give up on having this breed entirely — just know that you’ll need to get this dog outside for long runs and play in an enclosed area like a dog park. Do keep an eye on your pup once there, though, as she can dominate other dogs and get into tiffs.
Be prepared for a long life of love if you do decide a Blue Heeler is for you. This breed lives 15 years on average and is very healthy, with only a few common health issues, including eye problems, hip dysplasia, and deafness. The 35-to-45-pound dog stands 17-to-20-inches tall, a size that attracts both city dwellers and those with a house and yard. His blue-speckled or red-speckled coat with tan markings is very unusual, and the rather noble carriage of his “personage” attracts attention.
So when you’re walking down the street and just have to meet that marled-blue dog sitting on the coffee shop patio, be forewarned — you may very likely end up with one of your own.
But if a Blue Heeler doesn’t sound like a good fit for your family, you can still enjoy the breed with the fun YouTube videos below of the dogs in action.
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