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Australian cattle dog

The Australian cattle dog was developed in nineteenth-century New South Wales to move cattle across enormous distances, by crossing working collies with the native dingo and later adding dalmatian and kelpie.

The dingo contribution is why the breed is quiet, tough and independent where a collie is biddable.

It is a compact, muscular dog with a dense weather-resistant coat, either blue or red speckled, and puppies are born white. Cattle dogs work by heeling — nipping at the hocks — and a pet-home dog with nothing to move will often try it on children or bicycles.

Origin
New South Wales, Australia
Size
15–22 kg, 43–51 cm at the shoulder
Lifespan
12–16 years
Coat
Short, dense and weather-resistant double coat
Temperament
Alert, independent, tenacious, wary of strangers
Exercise
2 hours daily plus a job

Related: Collie · Dalmatian · Australian kelpie · Australian shepherd · Australian stumpy tail cattle dog

3 australian cattle dog photos, newest first

  • Rusty, a australian cattle dog

    Rusty

    Rusty is supposed to be helping with the sheep. Rusty is in the river.

    FrostyOtter · 6 days ago

  • Teasel II, a australian cattle dog

    Teasel II

    Teasel II was promoted to photographer arranging a portrait of one potato; unfortunately, a heap of wooden spoons spills from a cupboard.

    FrostyOtter · 1 week ago

  • Teasel II, a australian cattle dog

    Teasel II

    Two minutes after this, Teasel II was asleep.

    SunnyHeron · 2 weeks ago

Living with a australian cattle dog

The coat is short and needs only a weekly brush outside the twice-yearly moult.

The exercise figure understates it. This is a dog bred to work all day in hard country, and a cattle dog without an outlet becomes destructive, noisy and inclined to herd whatever moves. Herding, agility and scentwork all fit.

Deafness is a real risk in the breed and litters should be BAER-tested. Progressive retinal atrophy and hip dysplasia also occur, both with screening available. Otherwise they are famously long-lived — the oldest verified dog on record was a cattle dog.

General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual dogs vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.

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