Breed History
The Australian Cattle Dog is known by the nicknames. Some call them Red Heelers or Blue Heelers due to their herding style of nipping at the heels of cattle as well as their coat colours. Others call them Queensland Heelers, named after the region of Queensland, Australia where the breed was refined. For the sake of brevity, we often refer to them as ACDs but no matter which term is your preference, we are all talking about the same dog.
The ACD was developed in Australia in the 1800s by British immigrants to deal with moving large herds of cattle through the unfenced Australian outback in an often difficult climate, all of which differed from the British Isles. While the precise history of the breed development was not well documented, it is widely felt that Thomas Hall was the breed’s founder. His dogs were bred for their athleticism, endurance, grit and stamina but also a willingness to work in loyal partnership with their people. Their autonomous spirit was necessary as the dogs were asked to go places where people would not or could not get to.
While they are known for driving, they also excel as a working dog that can control the heads to be effective in gathering, grouping, stopping breakaways and controlling the herd. Australia’s wild Dingo was included in the early foundation of the breed and we still see a familial connection in our red variety of present day.
It is our goal to always breed to the highest standard in Australian Cattle Dogs, without exception.
Velcro Dog
ACDs are known for being very attached to their “person” and so have earned the nickname of being a “Velcro Dog”. They most certainly love, respect and protect the entire family however they will pick “their person” at a young age. You will find them in close proximity to that person when they’re not doing their regular work. It is an ongoing joke that you will never use the restroom alone again once you have an ACD.
If you are welcoming an ACD into the family for a certain individual, this person needs to be prepared to be the one to spend the most time with the puppy. This means feeding, training, rewarding, exercising, and playing. This is not meant to be exclusive but heavily weighted in this direction to ensure the puppy is bonding with the desired person.
Cheeky Intelligence
If you have experience with other dog breeds before getting your first ACD you will quickly realize that they are quite different from other dogs. They seem to mature faster even as infant pups and they learn very quickly. It is very easy to learn both good and bad habits so it is important to set consistent boundaries early. Lots of work on basic obedience, manners and socialization is key to develop a canine who will be welcome in many of life’s situations.
Socialization might include some time playing with other dogs but it truly means experiencing life outside of the home in many different ways — car rides, shopping, walks in the country & in the busy city, meeting people of different ages and ethnicities, being in distracting circumstances and having your puppy still pick you.
Besides being intelligent, they are also very sassy and often offer chatter or backtalk. This opinionated feedback is both entertaining and endearing.
Workaholic
Form & function truly come together in the ACD. We must remember that they were created to work long hours in the Australian outback where we gave them autonomy to collect cattle from places their humans did not wish to go.
This athletic, energetic, strong willed dog remains bossy and headstrong whether in a field working livestock, at an agility trial or minding your children in the backyard. They can be successful in an urban environment provided they have enough mental and physical tasks to keep them busy. We must give them a job or they will become industrious and find one of their own to keep themselves busy and you may not like it! They thrive in a structured environment with boundaries and obedience skills on board.
Early investment in the foundations of your faithful companion will be paid forward endlessly. Dog sports to consider include Herding, Scent Detection, Rally Obedience, Agility, IGP, Barn Hunt.
While Flyball, Fetch and Lure Coursing look like fun, they can amplify prey-drive and create an insatiable appetite so sports requiring more a thoughtful dog may prove to be more successful.
Health & Life Expectancy
Generally ACDs are considered to be among the healthiest of dog breeds often living between 13-18 years of age.
Every effort is made to ensure we have healthy puppies. Sometimes anomalies happen however thorough testing of breeding stock can circumvent many known conditions and the heartache associated with having a dog affected by them. Congenital deafness can happen in the breed however many longtime breeders feel that lines with stronger coat pigment combined with thoughtful breeding choices can avoid the prevalence. We do not breed our dogs until they are at least two years of age and have completed their health testing including:
- Hip & Elbow x-rays to assess any dysplasia
- BAER Hearing test at 6-weeks
- Genetic testing for Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), Primary Lens Luxation (PLL), Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL 5/8/12), Myotonia Congenita, Multi-Drug Resistance 1 (MRD1), Cystinuria
What Drives Us
Our Mission
We are passionate about preserving the heritage of this unique breed.
We endeavour to provide health tested, performance proven ACDs with stable temperaments & exceptional structure who live in partnership with their people.