Dog Breed Info: Australian Cattle Dog
With exceptional speed, agility and bravery second to none, the Australian Cattle Dog is a superb cattle herder. Equally adept at controlling cattle in confined areas as in open country, they are non-stop, high energy dynamos who just love to work.
The Australian cattle Dog was created specifically to fill a need in the Australian Cattle industry. Back in the early 1800's, there were literally thousands of small cattle farmers in Queensland. These farmers needed a dog to work their herds, a dog that could work all day in searing heat and blinding dust. As no existing breed matched up to their needs, they started breeding their own.
The result was a dog that became known as the Queensland Blue Heeler. Early history is somewhat patchy but it is believed that the Smooth Collie, Kelpie, Dalmatian and possibly even wild Dingos went into the mix.
Those early drovers were bred for speed, agility and courage and proved to be excellent at working the herds. However, the development of the breed owes much to a man named Robert Kaleski, who refined the original strain and, in 1902, drew up the first breed standard.
The New South Wales Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1903, with the named being changed to Australian Cattle Dog. Blue Heeler is still popularly used in Australia though.
These are above all, working dogs, who focus all of their energy and attention on the job at hand. But they are also affectionate, loyal and intelligent with a genuine eagerness to please. This of course makes them very easy to train.
Their method of herding involves nipping at the heels of errant cattle, so they are specifically bred to have powerful jaws and a strong bite. It is therefore very important that any display of bad temperament is trained out of the dog at an early age.
The Australian Cattle Dog is a hardy breed with few inherited disorders. Hip dysplasia may occur, but it is rare.
These medium-sized dogs typically stand 18-20 inches at the shoulder. They are solidly built with a broad skull and a deep muzzle. The coat is short, harsh and weather resistant. Puppies are always born white and acquire the unique patched coat as they mature.
Coat colors are primarily merle or red. The merle coat features blue mottling, while the red coat has red speckling. Both variants feature a spray of white on the tail.
Aside from being a herding dog, the Australian Cattle Dog makes an excellent pet for the right owner. The proviso though is that the owner needs to be an active, outdoor type who is prepared to meet the dog's considerable exercise needs.
These are after all working dogs and thrive on lots of activity. Dogs that don't get sufficient physical and mental stimulation are likely to develop problem behaviors.
The easiest way to find good names for your Australian Cattle Dog is to visit an online dog names, resource, like puppy-names-hq.com. This site has tons of dog names, including 1000s of male dog names to choose from.

