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Breed profile

Australian Cattle Dog

Tough, tireless Australian drover with a sharp brain. Devoted to its own people and happiest with a job; an idle one will invent its own.

A blue-mottled Australian Cattle Dog with tan legs stands in profile on a gravel path by a field
The blue coat with tan points that gives the 'Blue Heeler' its nickname.Photo: Eva Holderegger Walser / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Weight
15–22 kg33–49 lb
Height
43–51 cm17–20 in
Lifespan
12–15 yrs
Group
Pastoral / Herding
Origin
Australia
Popularity
#47 US#141 UK · 2025

Known for: Working dogsRunning partnersLow grooming

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Energetic, Intelligent, Loyal, Wary of strangers.

Health problems to know about

  • Congenital deafness
  • Progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA)
  • Hip and elbow dysplasia
  • Portosystemic shunt

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

Two or more hours of activity a day plus mental work such as herding, agility or scent games. Weekly brushing, daily during the twice-yearly moult. Ask breeders for BAER hearing and PRA test results.

A good fit for

Very active owners, farms and rural homes, hikers and runners, and people into dog sports.

Probably not ideal for

Flats, first-time owners, homes with small children (they herd by nipping heels), and anyone out all day.

Sources

  1. Australian Cattle Dog | Breeds A to Z | The Royal Kennel Club
  2. Australian Cattle Dog breed information | PDSA
  3. Australian Cattle Dog | Wikipedia

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

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