Australian Cattle Dog or Blue Heeler for first time owner?

[JBonman]

I promised my daughter we'll get Australian Cattle Dog if she's finish her first school year with good marks... and now I have to  We didn't have a dog before, so I've been reading online about this and other breeds, and found here that Blue Heeler is much better for novice owners:

 

https://barkingroyalty.com/compare-breeds/australian-cattle-dog-vs-texas-heeler

 

Do you think this is true? Should we be able to train the dog on our own?

 

Thanks for any insights!!

[jemappelle]

As far as I am aware, the Texas Healer is not available in Australia so most of us would be unable to help you, sorry.

[Rebanne]

It says the texas heeler is a cross breed so goodness knows what characteristics you may get. Whichever way you go ask the breeder for guidance, you would want one of the softer pups not the hard drive one.

My first dog, at 19, was an Australian cattle dog cross German Shepherd. I managed to train her to be a very good dog, she was brilliant. So I would think you and your daughter could do likewise. Check out puppy schools and obedience clubs that use a positive method. But I can't stress enough to seek the right sort of breeder. I know I was lucky with my first dog, I could have had hell on 4 legs with that cross.

Edited July 7, 2022 by Rebanne
age

[xd9000]

a Blue Heeler is the nickname we give Australian cattle dogs, they are one and the same..

 

An Australian cattle dog, who weighs roughly 15kg, was bred to herd cattle in the aussie outback and heat. A single cow can weigh between 800-1200kg. The way a cattle dog herds them is very different to a Border Collie (because the cows don't move from fear of presence) and they force them to move by nipping and snapping at the cows hocks, this is VERY hard to train out of them, not impossible, but very hard even for experience handlers. If there are no cows to herd, then the dog usually uses that on others things. So i would def not recommend a cattle dog for a novice dog, unless you can find a breeder who has tried to breed that trait out or has very placid dogs.

our ankc websites have a dog breed selecting questionnaire which will match a breed to your lifestyle, not on attraction. please put the full mental and physical needs of the dog before your daughter attraction to it

[Dogsfevr]

Any idiot can train a a dog to be blunt .
The issue is most people cant be bothered to put the time in,pick a breed that will never suit there lifestyle or people arent honest about how time poor they are or honest about how much they want to spend with the dog each day so the dog misses out .

ACD can be great dogs they can also be a pain in the arse when not trained,not given quality mental enrichment & dont thrive sitting in the backyard looking at the fences all day ,can become yappy,nippy(breed trait as its part of there job& if not given the training & outlet becomes bad anners) .
So the biggest question is you promised a dog what promise is the daughter & yourself making too the dog 7 days a week ,find the right answer & then find the right breed & keep mind long term ,training never stops & age stages require new boundries & manners spend in 4/5 yrs time what is daughters plan & your s ?

[Deeds]

My neighbour's daughter has just bought home a female blue heeler cattle dog.  It is now about 5 months old.  None of them have a clue about dogs.

 

They told me" they are not dog people".  The dog walks around the streets unleashed amongst traffic.  Barks non=stop day & night especially at night.

 

There is another blue heeler down the street as well.  Even though it is walked regularly the owner goes to work and leaves it to bark non=stop all day.

 

Not a good breed choice for an urban area.

[Luvapoo]

Sadly this breed of dog has become popular due to the show Bluey. 

As mentioned above people are buying them with no idea of the training and exercise demands.

When I was young we had two stumpy tailed cattle dogs. They were brilliant dogs but needed constant training exercise and discipline.

They were not good with small children, in fact we didn't trust them with small children.

[asal]

On 29/07/2022 at 7:24 AM, Luvapoo said:

Sadly this breed of dog has become popular due to the show Bluey. 

As mentioned above people are buying them with no idea of the training and exercise demands.

When I was young we had two stumpy tailed cattle dogs. They were brilliant dogs but needed constant training exercise and discipline.

They were not good with small children, in fact we didn't trust them with small children.

 

 

they are a breed that if you do not train them, they will train you.   THAT is a given.  As for not good with small children?   my daughter was gven Berrilyn Blue Debutaunt by Hilton Sinclair, the  day she was born, by the time the pair of them were six months, Debbie was guarding daughters nappy when she discarded it, Her dad went to pick it up and Debbie put her paw on it clearly telling hubby, "U dont touch my masters nappy!" That puppy would protect my child with her life.

 

same as her  great grand mum Blue who Hilton Sinclair had given to my husbands first born  son 17 years before.   She too tolerated Pauls rough house play, the brat at 3 and 3 stone was caught sitting on blue who although gasping for breath did not tell him to get off, his dad gave him the hiding for being rough to Blue. They are amazing kids dogs, if it isn't, its not a true cattledog. They dont just herd cattle, they were bred to guard your home and anything with your scent on it. saddle, horse, clothe's car, truck AND CHILDREN.

when Pauls daughter Emma was born, one sniff and Benny and Rosie added newborn Emma to the protected list. In fact from the day they brought her home from hospital, neither slept at the end of  Paul and Sue's bed. from that day they slept at the door to emma's room.  when Paul found them missing that first night. both were asleep below Emma's cot. so he shut the door to keep them out but they would not leave the door.   (no baby should be left unattended with a dog of ANY BREED) So they could only guard the door.   

 

Never forget Paul phoning me to tell me "I owe u an apology, I always thought your story of your dads dog blue was bull shit, Now I know its true!"

 

Sue Emma's mum decided to take her out in the pram for a walk. neither Benny or Rosie would walk at heel, both insisted in walking beside the front of the pram. Both Sue and Paul wondered why the people walked towards they crossed the road? So Paul crossed the road and walked level with Benny and Rosie.   soon as the people coming towards them got within 25 feet. both dogs smiled, showing their teeth and............ the people crossed the road.   (Same as people had done when my dad sent me to the shop, with a note n money, with his dog blue from when I was 7)  trait of the true blue Australian cattle dog. guard the kids.  it was a pain though when playing with my friends, if we had an argument that turned into a fight, Blue, (dads dog) would push over and sit on the aggressor. end of fight. As the eldest and biggest, I was the one getting sat on. so no hope of winning the argument, sigh.

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by asal

[asal]

On 06/07/2022 at 9:04 PM, JBonman said:

I promised my daughter we'll get Australian Cattle Dog if she's finish her first school year with good marks... and now I have to  We didn't have a dog before, so I've been reading online about this and other breeds, and found here that Blue Heeler is much better for novice owners:

 

https://barkingroyalty.com/compare-breeds/australian-cattle-dog-vs-texas-heeler

 

Do you think this is true? Should we be able to train the dog on our own?

 

Thanks for any insights!!

 

 

mmmm the breed standard specifically states,    suspicious of strangers......   

 

until I tell mine the stranger is ok,

 

If no one is home, they either wont let them in .  Or if they do let them in the gate and then wont let the leave. which  can be rather embarrassing if im not home for a couple of hours or more!

 

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by asal

[coneye]

I rescued one  a young girl had it and had to leave her rental , she could'nt find another rental  that would allow a dog , so i took it when i picked him up she had a baby on the floor  dog was around 9 months old  and fantastic with the baby from what i could see ,, i had him for about 2 years but after heart surgery   he was'nt getting the excercise he needed he needed to run i went for walks ,,  but great dog , i gave him too my son because  they liked each other and my son went jogging every day  and his wife went every  day at a different time , it was perfect for him he would get 2  5-6 klm jogs every day , then still run around the yard with my grandaughter all day ,  he became her best freind , slept on her bed never left her side ,  but alas  she got older went to school , made freinds ,  he still got his runs   and was /is content to be in the house ,,  , then 2 years ago along came  there next child ,   he made a beeline for the cot and stayed with the baby all the time , babies two now  and guess what , he's her new best freind there insepreble    around the back yard in the house , he now sleeps on her  bed  ,,, He's  10 now  and when he goes theres going to be broken hearts in that house ,  he  is probably the best familly dog  we have ever had  ,  although  my son had been brought up with dogs he never paid much attention to them his wife had never owned one  , so you could really say they were first time dog owners , and he has been perfect   in fact he still is ,   i was around there today , he  came up for his pat , then goes sits with or  follows the  grandaughter  ,     ,, great great dog for  a familly who excercise or on a property ,,, will be honest though  being a bit older now  , i would'nt get an heeler for myself  i don't jog anymore and there a dog that needs excercise