You can expect to have your Australian cattle dog puppy around for 12 to 15 years, if you take good care of him. Formerly known as blue or Queensland heelers, this breed originated from Down Under and, yes, herded cattle. His ancestry includes blood of the dingo, Australias wild canine.
Jane Meggitt has been a writer for more than 20 years. In addition to reporting for a major newspaper chain, she has been published in “Horse News,” “Suburban Classic,” “Hoof Beats,” “Equine Journal” and other publications. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English from New York University and an Associate of Arts from the American Academy of Dramatics Arts, New York City.
Cattle dogs are working dogs, requiring a great deal of exercise. He makes a great companion for an active person. Take him on long hikes and jogs. Hes not a good choice for apartment living, as he really needs to run around a lot. A fenced-in backyard gives him the opportunity to expend energy. Because hes a cattle dog, hes also used to working around horses, so if you ride he makes a great companion on the trails or in wide, open spaces.
Cattle dogs are smart and full of energy. You can channel that energy positively by taking your dog to obedience school and participating in canine sports such as agility, tracking or herding. Because hes inherently independent and fearless, you have to ensure he doesnt get himself into trouble. His absolute lack of fear might contribute to a shorter lifespan if he challenges bigger dogs or otherwise hurts himself. Still, hes one tough customer. Without proper training, the cattle dog can become very destructive.
While the cattle dog loves his person, hes not fond of strangers. Remember, he was bred to herd cattle, and guess what little kids running around remind him of? For this reason, hes not the best choice if you have small children or kids visit often, as he tends to nips at their heels. He should be fine with older kids, who can play with him until they all run out of steam. Hes not the dog for a timid individual, as he must know you are the pack leader. Hes a very strong dog, as well as a good watchdog.
What to Feed an Australian Cattle Dog
With a wide variety of diet options, it can be daunting to choose the right food for your Australian Cattle Dog. An AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials)-approved food is a good place to start to ensure your selected food meets standard nutritional requirements and regulations for pet foods. You should also be sure you are feeding a diet that is appropriate for their life stage (puppy, adult, or senior).
Other considerations for Australian Cattle Dogs are their athletic, active lifestyle, so high-quality, calorically dense diets may be ideal. However, be sure to consult with your veterinarian regarding your pet’s specific needs when selecting a diet.
Caring for an Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Cattle Dogs are known for their stocky, muscular build designed to maximize strength, endurance, and stamina.
They are double-coated with short, dense undercoats and water-resistant straight outercoats. They do well in hot or cold climates and can thrive outdoors with adequate shelter, but they also enjoy being indoors with their owners.
Australian Cattle Dogs require a high degree of exercise and do best with extended sessions of running, jogging, frisbee, fetch, or agility training. They are not well suited to apartment living or in a small living space/yard.
With fierce devotion to their owners, Australian Cattle Dogs often bond strongly to one person and will object to being separated from them.
Fortunately, Australian Cattle Dogs are a generally healthy, hardy breed with few health concerns.
The most common health conditions that potential owners need to be aware of for Australian Cattle Dogs are heart conditions, eye defects, deafness, or orthopedic issues including hip dysplasia.
Australian Cattle Dogs can be predisposed to progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). PRA is an inherited form of degenerative ocular disease with no treatment or cure. It progresses to blindness but is non-painful for the pet.
In the early stages of the disease, affected dogs will experience night blindness. Eventually, they will lose all vision. It is important to know that most dogs do well with partial or complete loss of vision, as long as their surroundings are constant. If you have concerns about your pet’s vision or they are running into things, it is recommended to check with your veterinarian.
Deafness in Australian Cattle Dogs is an inherited condition. Hearing can be tested by your primary care veterinarian using loud noises or a tuning fork, but definitive testing can be performed at some specialty hospitals or veterinary teaching hospitals/universities.
This advanced testing is called “brainstem auditory evoked response” (BAER) testing and can be a useful tool to confirm deafness. Unfortunately, there is no treatment or cure for deafness. However, most deaf dogs can live full and happy lives with minimal accommodation, such as hand signals for commands in place of verbal commands.
Infrequently, Australian Cattle Dogs can develop hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is an instability or loose fit of the hip joint that occurs in growing dogs because the hip socket does not fully cover the ball portion of the thigh bone. This can result in hip arthritis and pain.
Clinical signs of hip dysplasia include:
Typically, these symptoms can be managed with a joint supplement or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) medication. However, if the dog is severely affected, there are a few surgical options you can discuss with your veterinarian.
Talk with your veterinarian about PennHIP screening if you are concerned that your Australian Cattle dog might be at risk of hip dysplasia. PennHIP is a specialized X-ray screening of the pelvis that can detect whether a dog is likely to develop hip dysplasia in their lifetime.