Do you know the Australian Cattle Dog story?

 

 

In early colonial Australia working dogs were brought over from Britain to herd stock. Smithfield’s were a popular herding dog at the time.  The breed had trouble coping with the heat, terrain and some very tough cattle. Also, their barking drove the drovers to annoyance and the stock to agitation, often causing them to stampede. After crossing several breeds at an attempt to come up with a quieter dog which was better suited to the work, the breed as we know it today is a descendant of the Hall’s heeler amongst other strains such as the Highland Collies from Scotland, Dalmatians, and has a portion of native Dingo with colours resulting in combinations of a mottly blue and speckled red.

Other bloodlines were tried and eventually the breed presented a dog which would snap at the heels to drive cattle rather than working around the head of the stock.  The addition of a stud working dog owned by Tom Bentley resulted in a blaze on the forehead and black spot at the tail.  Often present also is a ‘mask’ marking on the face.

This intelligent and watchful breed is compact and sturdy on his feet. He displays exceptional endurance, making his kind a highly sought after working dog. It is difficult not to notice his thickset neck and dense coat.

His personality delivers loyalty to his owner and he is generally wary of strangers.  He definitely falls into the ‘easy to train’ category but due to his background in herding, he may also show the desire to round up the kids.  If early socialization is provided, the Australian Cattle Dog is capable of excellent behaviour around children and other pets.

This dog does well when he is given work to do and is ‘always’ ready for the next task. Stamina is no problem and although he is not suited to apartment living, he does cope well in both hot and cold climates.  He requires a weekly brushing to maintain a healthy coat.

For more coverage on this breed check out the following video…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koq1G5eDDEE

Leah & Angela OMeara

Hound Dog Day Care (Specialists in Dog Minding & Dog Boarding, Pet Sitting Brisbane & Doggy Day Care Brisbane)