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With its compact and strong build and a height between 43 and 51 cm, the Australian Cattle Dog belongs to the medium-sized dogs.
The Australian Cattle Dog is a very hard-working and persevering fellow, who absolutely needs a lot of exercise in the fresh air and also a task.
Even from a distance you can see the courageous dog’s self-confidence and also his athleticism. His muscular and agile body allows him to be dynamic and enduring, giving him an impression of strength and grace.
The coat of the lively Australian Cattle Doga consists of stick hair, is short and shiny and has a dense undercoat.
The coat color is very special in this breed and, interestingly, is due to a genetic defect. Namely, they are usually spotted or speckled blue or red, although blue as a color is extremely rare in dogs. It is also noteworthy that the dogs are born with white fur and the speckles are added gradually. On the broad head of the dogs sit pointed, widely spaced ears that stick out like a cat.
The dogs reach a weight between 14 and 16 kg and live between 10 and 15 years.
The Australian Cattle Dog is a smart, docile and hardworking dog that was used primarily as a cattle dog due to its speed and endurance. Besides his athleticism, the dogs are also extremely social and affectionate and would protect their family at any cost. They get along well with children and love to romp with them. With his family empathic and loyal dog establishes close ties and is very loyal and cuddly to her. Mostly, however, the Cattle Dog looks for a certain reference person.
With strangers, the Cattle Dog is rather suspicious but by no means dangerous. The dutiful dog takes its role as a guard dog very seriously. Therefore, he is always attentive and keeps an eye on his surroundings. He does not tend to bark with good training.
Dominance behavior can occur with other dogs, especially with males.
The dogs have a very great urge to move and need a lot of exercise and activity in the great outdoors. So he is absolutely not a couch potato.
The most important thing in keeping the bright and spirited Australian Cattle Dog is to pay attention to his great urge to move. The dog is not for leisurely people, as occasional walks are by no means enough for him. It would be best for him to have an athletic caregiver or family who enjoys exercise in nature with him. Because of his willingness to learn and his intelligence , you can also do excellent dog sports like agility or go cycling, running or hiking with him. In addition, he is even suitable as a therapy dog due to his philanthropy . So you should be able to offer your dog a task to keep him busy both mentally and physically.
Therefore, the dogs are not suitable for a city apartment. The best would be a house with a garden, so that your dog can romp in between.
When training a cattle dog, you should not underestimate its protective instinct and strength of character. You should bring the former under control so that there are no conflicts with strangers or dogs. You should keep his distinct character in mind, as the dogs like to exploit weaknesses and insecurities of their caregivers and take the lead in the pack. Therefore, you should convey to your dog from the beginning that you are the leader of the pack. Optimal is a respectful and consistent approach to your dog.
Also, it is recommended to visit a dog school to get your dog used to other dogs.
Since the education needs some experience, the Australian Cattle Dog is rather not suitable as a beginner dog.
As for the type of food , the Australian Cattle Dog is not very picky, as he is quite greedy . Since he usually moves a lot and consumes a lot of energy, he needs a relatively large amount of food. It’s best to keep an eye on your dog’s weight and adjust the amount of food to his activity level.
You should not give him food scraps, bones, and high-fat foods. However, he is certainly happy about healthy chews.
Grooming of the Australian Cattle Dog is very uncomplicated, as occasional trimming of his stock hair is quite sufficient. However, if you find coarse dirt like dried mud in your dog’s coat, or if he’s a little smelly after a swim in nature, it’s best to bathe him with mild dog shampoo.
Also, watch for parasites and look for stains or blood.
The coat change takes place twice a year in the Australian Cattle Dog. At this time, you should brush him more often to remove dead fur.
In addition to grooming, you should also check your dog’s claws, ears, and teeth regularly, and feel free to give him dental care snacks every now and then. If the claws do not wear out naturally, it is best to shorten them with special scissors.
Unfortunately, breed-specific and hereditary diseases can occur in the Australian Cattle Dog. The dogs’ unusual blue coat color is often associated with a disposition for deafness related to missing color pigment cells in the inner ear. There are also more frequent eye problems such as cataracts and generalized progressive retinaatophy, nerve diseases such as polioencephalomyelopathy, skeletal hyperthyroidism, spondylosis and also hip dysplasia.
Nowadays, serious breeders test their dogs’ predisposition to these diseases and attach great importance to their health.
However, apart from this, the dogs are quite robust.
Ancestors of the Australian Cattle Dog came to Australia in the 19th century by European immigrants and were bred under Thomas Hall. The dogs, which were used there as dro vers and could drive cattle herds many kilometers, were crossed locally with Dingos, Dalmatians and other breeds to make them resistant to the high temperatures during the day and the low ones at night.
The robust and hardworking working dog gained popularity especially in Australia but also internationally, so that gradually more intensive and targeted breeding was carried out. Later, especially the blue-colored dogs were also presented at exhibitions and eventually breed standards were developed.
Due to the use as a show dog, certain talents as a working dog were partially lost, so that in time a working line as well as a show line of the Austalian Cattle Dog was created.
The Australian Cattle Dog is a very hard-working and persevering fellow, who absolutely needs a lot of exercise in the fresh air and also a task. He is very loyal to his family, affectionate and empathetic and would protect them at any cost. If you can offer all this to your dog, you will surely be happy with him.
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