History, Health and Facts on Australian Cattle Dogs!!
This is only a brief segments on the Australian Cattle Dogs.
The breed was developed in the mid-to-late 1800's in Australia where
the stockmen were desperately in need of a dog that had the stamina to
withstand the rigors of the harsh conditions in their country. While
there is great controversy over the breeds actually used in the
development of the ACD we know today, some of the breeds reported
to have been used are: Dingo's, Smooth Haired Scotch Merle Collies
(reported to be a cross between the Rough Haired Scotch Collie and
the Blue Italian Greyhound), the Dalmatian, the Bull Terrier and the
Australian Kelpie. All fanciers of the breed have their theories and
all are as stubborn as the breed in insisting that THEIR theory is the
correct one.
Australian Cattle Dogs are a breed also often referred to as: Heelers,
and Queensland Heelers. Australian Cattle Dogs (ACD) are not the
same as "Australian Shepherds".
The Australian Cattle Dog is a relatively hearty, healthy breed that
has an average lifespan of twelve to fifteen years. They are a medium
sized muscular dog that stands 17 to 20 inches at the withers. Their
weight range is varies around their general build but on average falls
between 30 and 50 pounds. The ACD comes in two colors: Blue or Red.
These are the test that need to be done on you ACD's: OFA
(Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) CERF (Canine Eye Research
Foundation) We now have a blood test that can be done to see if we
are A, B, or C pattern. PRA is an inherited disorder that effects the
retina of the eye. The MOST RECENT research on this disorder has
shown that there is not one but two types of PRA in our breed. We
now know that one form of PRA that affects our dogs is the late-onset Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration (prcd). PRCD is an Autosomal Recessive form of PRA. It is also now known that there as another gene causing PRA or a PRA-like disorder in our dogs. Research continues to try to isolate this gene. Now a genetic test is developed for positively identifying BOTH genes that are causing PRA in our dogs. BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response).
The Australian Cattle Dog is a relatively healthy and long-lived breed. The average life is expectancy is 12-15 years. The longest-lived dog recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records is, an 29 year old Australian Cattle Dog !
The Australian Cattle Dog personality is often reserved with strangers and even more protective when they perceive that their property and/or persons are being threatened. The ACD is intelligent, but can certainly often be described as hard-headed and stubborn. Once an ACD has befriended you, they are a friend for life....but that friendship must often be earned. Australian Cattle Dog are often referred to by their owners as or "shadow" dogs...because wherever you go, there they are!!
ACD's succeeds in dog sports such as conformation, herding, search & rescue, therapy work, tracking, flyball, Agility and Frisbee competition, obedience, pulling, patrol dog and schutzhund. As you can see, the ACD is an ALL AROUND DOG.