# Australian Cattle Dog people and Blue Heeler people



## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Yes, I know shelters aren't very good at guessing dog breed's guess, but this one dog came in and is listed as an Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler mix.

Here she is:









Its not the best picture. Oh and I just realized they are both the same breed.lol. 

Why do they have 2 different names?

Well anyways, does she look like she has ACD/Blue Heeler in her?


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Blue Heeler is just a nickname for a blue ACD. (Red heeler is a red one, etc). A lot of breeds have multiple names, not just heelers.

To me it looks like she might be an ACD mix. I'm not sure what with. Hard to tell from that shot.


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## LaurenE (Mar 16, 2010)

I thought you said in an earlier post that your shelter was especially good at determining the breeds of dogs? Like, you made quite a point of how many specialists were on staff. Just wondering why they can't identify the dog?


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

LaurenE said:


> I thought you said in an earlier post that your shelter was especially good at determining the breeds of dogs? Like, you made quite a point of how many specialists were on staff. Just wondering why they can't identify the dog?


I was wondering because I didn't know if ACDs came in her coat color. Her body is white, or a very light beige. I wanted to know if ACD/Blue Heelers came in that color or if that is only if its mixed that it comes like that.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> Has anyone had a mix of the 2? If so can you post the pic and what the dog is like?
> 
> Yes, I know shelters aren't very good at guessing dog breed's guess, but this one dog came in and is listed as an Australian Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler mix.
> 
> ...


Looks like a ACD Mix to me. Might even be mostly ACD. Hard to tell from that picture.

Got any others?

BTW as you already mentioned you knew. Australian Cattle Dogs are the same breed as Blue Heelers (or red heelers).


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> I was wondering because I didn't know if ACDs came in her coat color. Her body is white, or a very light beige. I wanted to know if ACD/Blue Heelers came in that color or if that is only if its mixed that it comes like that.


ACDs come in red. It is considered a fault but it can fade into a cream, beige or even white.


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

Australian Cattle Dog- called so because they were bred to work cattle

Blue/Red Heeler- this nickname as i understand it comes from how they work cattle...by nipping at their heels...


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

My dog's sire....










My dog....


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

zimandtakandgrrandmimi said:


> Australian Cattle Dog- called so because they were bred to work cattle
> 
> Blue/Red Heeler- this nickname as i understand it comes from how they work cattle...by nipping at their heels...


Long story short.

Before they were are breed two main lines of the "type" were known as 

Hall's Heelers and Timmon's Biters. As type was set they became a breed. Queensland Heelers. 

Now they are known by Australian Cattle Dogs, Blue Heelers (or Red) or Queensland Heelers. 


A side note.... There is another breed that came out of the original typey workers. Some of the first dogs had natural bob tails. At first they bred the tailed dogs and the bob tails together. So a litter might have had both tailed and bobbed puppies. Eventually the breeders split them. Now they are two separate breeds. 
The Australian Cattle Dog and the Stumpy Tailed Cattle Dog. 

Stumpies never really caught on in this country but there are some here. Especially in the Southwest.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

JohnnyBandit said:


> Looks like a ACD Mix to me. Might even be mostly ACD. Hard to tell from that picture.
> 
> Got any others?
> 
> BTW as you already mentioned you knew. Australian Cattle Dogs are the same breed as Blue Heelers (or red heelers).


Sorry, I was googling as I was writing it.lol. Sorry I will see if I can edit it and erase that line.


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

JohnnyBandit said:


> Long story short.
> 
> Before they were are breed two main lines of the "type" were known as
> 
> ...


interesting. ive only ever had really intensive contact with two Cattle dogs. i heard what i posted from their owners.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

JohnnyBandit: Your dog is soo pretty. I love the face.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> JohnnyBandit: Your dog is soo pretty. I love the face.


Thanks!! I am very pleased with him.

That photo of his sire was from when he was just over a year old. He wasn't all the way filled out yet. He is quite the dog as well.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

Not to rob the thread.

But here is a good head shot of Merlin










And a nice movement shot.... This photo courtesy of Kenneth Reed Photography


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

I think I know what my next dog breed will be  Don't worry it won't be for a while and I will do my research.lol


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> I think I know what my next dog breed will be  Don't worry it won't be for a while and I will do my research.lol


They are GREAT dogs. But do your research and make sure they fit your lifestyle and you can deal with their drive.

They are a lot of dog. But have some quirks and are typically strong willed. They are also not a love everyone they meet type dog. They have preferences and lean towards bonding to one or two people. They are great for someone that likes a one person dog. If you get in their head, they will be YOUR dog.

One big consideration is that they come out of the womb wanting to bite at stuff. It is instinctual for them to want to bite at the heels of everything. Society does not understand that. So care and training is a must. They can be taught only heel stock. But many pups heel everything and everyone. Especially when excited.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

JohnnyBandit said:


> They are GREAT dogs. But do your research and make sure they fit your lifestyle and you can deal with their drive.
> 
> They are a lot of dog. But have some quirks and are typically strong willed. They are also not a love everyone they meet type dog. They have preferences and lean towards bonding to one or two people. They are great for someone that likes a one person dog. If you get in their head, they will be YOUR dog.
> 
> One big consideration is that they come out of the womb wanting to bite at stuff. It is instinctual for them to want to bite at the heels of everything. Society does not understand that. So care and training is a must. They can be taught only heel stock. But many pups heel everything and everyone. Especially when excited.


Oh maybe not, I want a dog who will like people(not everyone but mostly family and friends) and the biting may be an issue. But they are definitely nice to look at.


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## CandJHarris (Apr 29, 2010)

Not the best picture, but the only one I have on the laptop, but this is our Izzy:



She is one giant fur covered ball of energy.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Izzy is soo cute!


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> Oh maybe not, I want a dog who will like people(not everyone but mostly family and friends) and the biting may be an issue. But they are definitely nice to look at.


Didn't mean to over state the one person thing. But most are definately aloof with strangers until they get to know them. Not like a Lab or Golden that never meets a stranger. When they meet strangers it takes more of a formal introduction. And the dogs like to make the first move. If you approached me with Merlin, the best way to get him to take notice of you is to ignore him. If you made a fuss over him he would be aloof. Ignore him and within a couple of minutes he would be 'hey what about me" and introduce himself. But after that he may decide he really likes you or may ignore or be indifferent. They have definate opinions on everyone.


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## CandJHarris (Apr 29, 2010)

JessieLove09 said:


> Izzy is soo cute!


Thanks...she's a handful, but that's a whole 'nuther thread!


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

JohnnyBandit said:


> Didn't mean to over state the one person thing. But most are definately aloof with strangers until they get to know them. Not like a Lab or Golden that never meets a stranger. When they meet strangers it takes more of a formal introduction. And the dogs like to make the first move. If you approached me with Merlin, the best way to get him to take notice of you is to ignore him. If you made a fuss over him he would be aloof. Ignore him and within a couple of minutes he would be 'hey what about me" and introduce himself. But after that he may decide he really likes you or may ignore or be indifferent. They have definate opinions on everyone.


Well once I become more comfortable knowing about the breed, I may think about getting one.lol


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## That'llDo (Apr 13, 2010)

JohnnyBandit, I love it when you post pictures of Merlin. He has such a cute face, and it always makes me really see the ACD in my mixed dog. That smile seems so familiar...


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## BorderGal (Nov 29, 2008)

Dog in the picture definitely looks like an ACD or mix from the angle.

We had Heelers for years (I still call them that). I love the breed and we foster them quite a bit. I was told when I was in OZ (they call them "Blue-ees" over there ) that the reason for the name change was that they could not be called Queensland Heelers unless they came from Queensland (like you can't be Hawaiian, even if you are born in Hawaii, unless you have Hawaiian blood).


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Ohhh. They seem like awesome dogs, but I don't know about the nipping. Can that be stopped, or just managed?


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> Ohhh. They seem like awesome dogs, but I don't know about the nipping. Can that be stopped, or just managed?


You can get rid of it. Depends on how drivey the line as to how much it is to deal with. Some do it more than others but you can teach them that people, cats, etc. Are not to be heeled. There will always be the desire to heel things that run around. Obedience training can take care of that as well. 

I brought it up because some people don't realize its there. There are a lot of ACD's turn in to AC's and Shelters because they "bit" and it was really a heel.


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## Lonewolfblue (Oct 28, 2007)

Definitely looks like a mix to me as well. Not a pure ACD. But not sure what else it could be without a better picture.


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## CandJHarris (Apr 29, 2010)

JohnnyBandit said:


> I brought it up because some people don't realize its there. There are a lot of ACD's turn in to AC's and Shelters because they "bit" and it was really a heel.


Yup...Izzy is a true heeler and has heeled more than one person (thankfully not hard enough to break skin). One of those people was my own dad who has banned her from his property...he's quite the grudge holder. I've tried to explain to him that she's not mean or viscous, this is just the drive in her, but he's beyond reasoning with.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Well, if I do plan on getting one I will ask for a medium drive dog, if thats possible.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> Well, if I do plan on getting one I will ask for a medium drive dog, if thats possible.



Its possible.....I tend to look for drivey dogs. Bandit (rip) wanted to chase cattle at 8 weeks old. And Merlin..... Well let me put it this way.... The breeder (who has been in the breed for YEARS and YEARS) comments occasionally that she is glad he lives with me and not her.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

If you have seen the photos of the little plain face blue bitch I am handling/ messing around with. Betty...... 
She is pretty mellow. I don't think I have ever seen her try to heel anything other than our Lab and one of my wife's cats. Never seen her even look like she is going to try and heel a person. 

She is more lovey dovey than either of the two I have owned. But she is still all ACD. About as quick as you forget, she will remind you.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Oh ok thats good.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

JohnnyBandit said:


> If you have seen the photos of the little plain face blue bitch I am handling/ messing around with. Betty......
> She is pretty mellow. I don't think I have ever seen her try to heel anything other than our Lab and one of my wife's cats. Never seen her even look like she is going to try and heel a person.
> 
> She is more lovey dovey than either of the two I have owned. But she is still all ACD. About as quick as you forget, she will remind you.


too cute.lol


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

A little off topic but I saw my first "stumpy tail" at one of the Agility trials. I didn't get a chance to talk to them so don't know if it was a Purebred but you would not have confused it with a "Heeler", it seemed to be a lot lighter built but I don't know how old it was.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Breeders dock their tails? I never knew that.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

JessieLove09 said:


> Breeders dock their tails? I never knew that.


Some ACD breeders do dock. But the Stumpies are natural bobtails.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Willowy said:


> Some ACD breeders do dock. But the Stumpies are natural bobtails.


Are the tails like boxer tails like very hard and in the way?


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

JessieLove09 said:


> Are the tails like boxer tails like very hard and in the way?


No, JohnnyBandit says they need their tails to work cattle. IDK why some breeders dock. Maybe just habit.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

Willowy said:


> No, JohnnyBandit says they need their tails to work cattle. IDK why some breeders dock. Maybe just habit.



I have only seen ACDs with tails.lol. I would probably want one with a tail.


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## JohnnyBandit (Sep 19, 2008)

JessieLove09 said:


> Breeders dock their tails? I never knew that.


No decent breeder docks tails. It is not in the standard of any registry.


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## JessieLove09 (Mar 27, 2010)

The dog I originally posted has been adopted. There is another one now at the shelter.


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