Are Australian cattle dogs calm? Tips and Tricks

First of all, be sure that you are not adding to the craziness.

The way that you interact with your Australian Cattle Dog on a daily basis will play a big role in development and personality.

If you want him to be quiet, then you should be quiet. Don’t raise your voice, don’t yell and don’t talk baby talk. These are definitely things that will bring out the crazy!

Be aware of the fact that a puppy is not born knowing any human language at all. Commands must be taught through association and repetition. It takes a lot of time to train and help your Australian Cattle Dog calm down.

The less you talk the better. You should be quiet and calm whenever you are in the house. Save the play and roughhousing for outdoors.

Here is a short video about promoting calmness in the house. Thanks to Milligan Valley K9 Academy.

Will a Cattle Dog Calm Down with Age?

Don’t worry, your Cattle Dog, or Heeler, will calm down as they mature! Especially when you provide daily physical and mental exercise, you’ll have a happy, fun, and loyal companion.

What are the ages and stages to expect with your Cattle Dog? Australian Cattle Dogs have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years, which can roughly be divided up into four stages: puppy, adolescent, adult, and senior.

Puppy: This stage lasts from birth through twelve and eighteen months old. Puppies are born blind and deaf. Around two weeks old, puppies start to see and hear. As their senses develop, they learn more about their surroundings and owners. It is recommended that puppies remain with their litter until at least eight weeks old.

Adolescent: Usually around ten to twelve months of age, puppies enter their adolescence, when hormone production increases. At this age, females will go into heat and males will begin marking their territory, both showing signs of entering the reproductive phase, unless they are spayed or neutered.

Adult: The adult stage begins between 18 months and two years old. While in this stage, Cattle dogs become easier to handle and more patient in learning challenging tasks.

Senior: The senior years begin around 7 years old. During this stage, the muzzle and ear will begin to turn grey. Teeth will require more attention, and more frequent cleanings and extractions may be necessary. As a senior, Cattle Dogs will slow down and require less demanding activities.

Fun fact: The Guinness World Record for the oldest dog was Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog, who lived for 29 years and 5 months.

To help channel a cattle dog’s abundant energy, it’s recommended to provide structured training for at least 2 years. But training shouldn’t end there. Australian Cattle Dogs who continue to learn and perform challenging tasks throughout their lives generally have a happier, calmer disposition.

At what age do cattle dogs calm down?

In general, blue heelers will begin to naturally calm down from the age of 4-6 years onwards. As they mature, they gradually become calmer and better behaved. This process can be accelerated with the proper exercise routine and training program.

Calm The ZOOMIES! Australian Cattle Dog (Blue Heeler)

When I first got into the online dog community after adopting Scout, I quickly found many trainers talking about the importance of our pets having a calm mindset. I fully bought into this idea for a while and prioritized a lot of structure with the goal of slowing our heeler down.

Over the years my approach has shifted to what I see as a healthier middle ground.

While I absolutely still think it’s important that our dogs are able to relax, today my biggest goal isn’t for Scout to be “calm” — it’s for her to be confident and able to self-regulate through a range of emotions and situations. I care about fulfillment and cooperation (regardless of mental state) more than limiting arousal.