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CLEAR ALLNative to Australia, the Australian Cattle Dog is highly prized as a working dog. They are known for their stamina, ability to work for long hours, and strength of character. In recent years, these hardworking dogs have become a popular choice as family pets, not only in Australia but across the globe.
They are known by many names; Australian Heeler, Queensland Heeler, Halls Heeler, and Blue Heeler. The nickname “Heeler” comes from their natural instinct to nip at the cattle’s heels to herd it. These dogs are very protective of their family but reserved around strangers. They are also highly intelligent and loyal. However, they are best matched to families who live in the country and have active outdoor lifestyles because of their energetic nature. These dogs need to be kept busy!
Do not expect these dogs to be relaxed couch potatoes. They thrive on an active lifestyle, and their high energy must constantly be directed. Otherwise, they can become bored and may develop unwanted behaviours
Australian Cattle Dogs generally attached themselves closely to one person in particular. These active canines are frequently called “Velcro” dogs because they attach to their human companion firmly. They are also generally good around children they have grown up with.
Native to Australia, the Australian Cattle Dog is highly prized as a working dog. They are known for their stamina, ability to work for long hours, and strength of character. In recent years, these hardworking dogs have become a popular choice as family pets, not only in Australia but across the globe.
They are known by many names; Australian Heeler, Queensland Heeler, Halls Heeler, and Blue Heeler. The nickname “Heeler” comes from their natural instinct to nip at the cattle’s heels to herd it. These dogs are very protective of their family but reserved around strangers. They are also highly intelligent and loyal. However, they are best matched to families who live in the country and have active outdoor lifestyles because of their energetic nature. These dogs need to be kept busy!
Do not expect these dogs to be relaxed couch potatoes. They thrive on an active lifestyle, and their high energy must constantly be directed. Otherwise, they can become bored and may develop unwanted behaviours
Australian Cattle Dogs generally attached themselves closely to one person in particular. These active canines are frequently called “Velcro” dogs because they attach to their human companion firmly. They are also generally good around children they have grown up with.
Australian Cattle Dogs are medium-sized, standing 43 to 51 cm tall and weighing 16 to 22 kg. They possess robust, solid-looking bodies with four powerful legs, well-sprung ribs, deep chests, and muscular necks. They have round feet with short toes and tough paw pads, allowing them to herd livestock over rough terrains and long distances.
Sitting atop its strong body is a broad head with prominent cheeks and a strong jaw. Its oval-shaped eyes are dark brown, its nose is black, and its wide-set ears are held pricked.
Heelers have short and smooth double coats consisting of a dense undercoat and a water-resistant topcoat, giving them the hardiness to withstand all weather conditions. You may notice the fur length varies throughout their bodies, typically longer on the neck, underbody, and back of the legs and shorter on the head, feet, and front of the legs.
Australian Heelers found in the UK will be one of the following coat colours:
Some blue-coated varieties have black, blue, or tan markings on the head, while tan coloured fur in the undercoat is also possible.
As working dogs, you can expect an Australian cattle dog to be active, alert, and relatively independent. They possess impressive strength and stamina and have lots of energy they need to release. Thus, they are not couch potatoes by any means.
These canines need an active lifestyle, with long walks and lots of time outdoors. They are best suited to countryside life as they require an enclosed garden to let off steam. This is not a suitable dog for apartment living.
With their family, Australian Heelers are protective, loyal, and always ready to assist. They will dedicate themselves to you and any job you task them with. Still, if you have no work for them, they don't mind as they simply enjoy being around their humans.
While kind and loving to their families, Heelers are often highly suspicious of strangers, and it takes them a while to warm up to new people. While this is a personality trait, sufficient early socialisation can help control their reactions.
Active and smart, these canines are also fab candidates for canine sports such as obedience, agility, and other activities. They enjoy interactive play and training sessions as it gives their bodies and minds the stimulation needed.
Lastly, Heelers have high prey drives, so training is essential to curb this as much as possible. Teaching them the 'leave it' command will help to stop them from chasing everything they see.
Australian cattle dogs must live in a home with regular outdoor access, so a fenced garden is ideal. They do well with children of all ages, but training will be required among small kids, as they may try to herd them by nipping at their ankles.
Heelers need an owner who is as active as them. So if you enjoy long walks in the countryside and prefer to be up and about rather than lounging on the sofa, this is a fab dog for you.
Finally, as a territorial breed, Heelers can be aggressive towards unfamiliar dogs. Introducing them to another canine once fully grown can be challenging, but they will typically be fine if they grow up together from puppyhood. And because of their strong prey drives, this is not the dog breed for you if you have small animals at home like rabbits, hamsters, and potentially even cats.
Their stories
We love happy endings. Discover stories of pets who found their beloved family with the help of The Pedigree Paws <3.
Neo
Russian Blue
We had some concerns purchasing a kitten online but our experience with The Pedigree Paws was great. They connected us with Caroline, the Russian Blue breeder and we had many conversations and received multiple pictures and videos. She answered to all our questions.
The Pedigree Paws verified for us all the vaccinations and health checks to make sure our new kitten was 100% healthy.
Thank you for all your help The Pedigree Paws! Highly recommended!
Jack
Miniature Dachshund
One of the reasons I was hesitant to order a puppy from The Pedigree Paws is because I live in Spain. However they connected me with a very good FCI breeder in Barcelona.
He showed me all the health documents of both parents, their pedigree and answer to all my questions. I am so happy they helped me to find a healthy puppy as finding one by myself was very overwhelming. Contacting The Pedigree Paws was the best decision and I highly recommend them to everybody!
Stitch
Chartreux
From the kittens's selection to the arrival of our Chartreux kitten, The Pedigree Paws was there to assist us. We had great experience with them, and they breeder Alexandra from France with whom they connected us and from whom we got our kitten from. They are very prompt in answering our initial and follow-up questions while our kitten was in transit. Very reliable and trustworthy!
Thank you so much for all your help. We are very happy with our new family member. We will definitely recommend it to all our friends.
Athena
Chihuahua
It's been a few months since we decided to find a Chihuahua puppy to join our family, however we had issues finding a good breeder.
We contacted The Pedigree Paws and they connected us with a very unique breeder in Greece. Many videos and pictures were shown, the breeder shared with us the proof of vaccinations, deworming and her 5 generation pedigree. We were fortunate as George, the breeder was able to deliver the puppy to us personally. We are very pleased with our beautiful Athena. Thank you, The Pedigree Paws, for being truthful and transparent.
Thor
Abyssinian
I feel wonderful having help from The Pedigree Paws finding the dream Abyssinian kitten I was looking for. Thor is the absolute dream! The Pedigree Paws team was really patient and responsible in everything. Lovely experience! They replied to every questions, requirements, and information I ask about the kitten.
Fin
Chihuahua
Thank you for finding for me such a beautiful Chihuahua puppy! I love him so much from the minute I saw him. He changed my world.
Kate, from The Pedigree Paws assisted me through the whole process informing me about everything from health checks to arranging a Pet Nanny to transport Fin directly to my door. So thankful that the experience went so well! I love my Fin.
Emi
Ragdoll
I have always wanted a Ragdoll kitten as it was my dream cat breed, but didnt know how to find one as heard a lot about kitten farms and bad breeders. I reached out to The Pedigree Paws and they were very accommodating and transparent from the start. They offered me few kittens from their list of breeders and when I saw Emi I knew she was the one! We went through the kitten's parents DNA testing as for me that was a priority to have a kitten free from genetic disorders. We sealed the deal and now I have the best kitten I could dream of! Thank you very much for all your help
Shima
Russian Blue
I really wanted a Russian Blue kitten, but was very nervous getting one after reading horror stories about scammers on the Internet. I had my first call with Natalia, from The Pedigree Paws and with her help I was able to connect with the breeder, that I knew I could trust. I am very lucky to have now Shima, she is an absolute joy to live with.
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