Queensland Heeler - All About Dogs

Queensland Heeler

Queensland Heeler

DESCRIPTION

The Queensland Heeler is also known by his other common names, including Red Heeler, Blue Heeler, Australian Cattle Dog (ACD), Australian Heeler and Speckled Heeler. The Queensland Heeler is an FCI recognized dog breed from Australia. Additionally, this dog breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1980. This is a quite robust, nimble and compact dog, whose character is very difficult to explain due to its amazing versatility.

Height: 43-51 inches  Weight: 30-50 pounds  Lifespan: 12-15 years

CHARACTERISTICS

The Queensland Heeler exudes strength, agility and endurance. This working dog is harmonious, symmetrically built and quite muscled. Queensland Heelers are covered with a double coat. While the outer layer is smooth, hard and close-fitting to the body, the undercoat is dense and impermeable. The hair is a little longer under the dog’s body and along the neck. Overall, the hair should vary between 0.7 and 1.5 inches in length. Queensland Heeler Dog comes in two colors: mottled blue or red. Mottled blue Queensland Heeler dogs can also be blue-spotted or speckled. In addition, partly black, blue or tan markings are present. Even in red speckled varieties, markings are allowed on the head, especially in dark red.

CHARACTER

The Queensland Heeler is a very intelligent, robust and enduring working dog. In general, cattle dogs, they are real ‘character dogs’, full of energy, which must be properly directed. They are generally very gentle and affectionate towards family member and familiar people, but they show great aloofness towards strangers. This balanced and vigilant breed of dog is rather unconstrained, which should be accepted. Moreover, absolute obedience should not be expected. Other than herding, the Queensland Heeler excels at various canine sports, including agility, obedience, and flying disc competitions.

COAT / CARE

The Queensland Heeler’s hair is smooth and forms a double coat with a short, dense undercoat. The outer coat is close-fitting to the dog’s body, it is short and has weather-resistant properties. The hair is shorter on the head (including the inside of the ears), front legs, and feet. On the other hand, the neck is adorned with a somewhat longer and thicker hair. Extremely short or long hair is considered a serious fault. On average, the length should be between 1 and 1.5 inches long. Queensland Heelers usually come in five colors: Blue, Blue Mottled, Blue Speckled, Red Mottled and Red Speckled. In mottled blue varieties, blue speckled may be present. In addition, partly black, blue or tan markings are allowed. Such markings are allowed on red speckled dogs, especially in dark red Cattle Dogs. This breed does not require thorough care, but grooming is very important in order to keep it healthy and clean.

HEALTH PROBLEMS

The Queensland Heeler is generally very healthy, but like any other breed, he is susceptible to certain health problems. Hence, representatives of this breed are prone to Canine Hip Dysplasia, Deafness and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). As mentioned above, the Queensland Heeler has a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years.

QUEENSLAND HEELER

The Queensland Heelers dog breed’s height is around 18 – 20 inches and weighs around 30 and 50 pounds. Female Queensland Heelers dogs can reach a size from 17 – 19 inches and weighs between 30 and 35 pounds.

TRAINING

If you want to train your dog properly, education requires strong leadership, consistency and authority. The Queensland Heeler is a loyal companion, which is always willing to work together with the owner. Nonetheless, he is very self-conscious and therefore needs to learn and socialize from very young age. It is very important to determine who’s the boss in the house and to impose the house rules and limits. The Queensland Heeler tends to build a strong bond with his master, and he is very protective of his family. This breed of dog is particularly responsive to positive reinforcement, especially food rewards.

ACTIVITY

Even though the Queensland Heeler is very dependent on his owner’s love and affection, this dog requires freedom. For this particular reason, kennel living is out of a question. Also, a small apartment is very limiting. A house with a yard or garden is the ideal habitat for this breed’s proper development. Although the Queensland Heeler usually does not have a particularly strong hunting instinct, he needs intense physical and mental work. In addition, a regular job is a must for Queensland Heelers. This will keep them occupied.

Quick Information

Other Names:Australian Cattle Dog, Blue Heeler, Hall’s Heeler and Red Heeler
Origin:Australia 
Average size: Medium Dog Breed     
Color:Blue, Blue Mottled, Blue Speckled, Red Mottled and Red Speckled
Energy Level:Very Active dog breed
Shedding:Seasonal
Grooming:Occasional
Trainability:This dog is easy to train
Barking Level:Low – When Necessary
Intelligence:Excellent – Top ten of most intelligent dogs
Personality:Pleasant, Curious, Alert
Hypoallergenic:No
AKC Dog Ranking:54th Most popular dog breed
Good family dog:Very good with socialization
Good with other dogs:Yes, good with socialization
Good with children:Yes – but socialization is essential
Good with strangers:Moderate – wary around strangers
Good apartment dog:Low – this is not an apartment dog
QUEENSLAND HEELER

Photo credit: Sally Wehner/Flickr; Muzik Hounds/Flickr; Muzik Hounds/Flickr

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