Australian Cattle Dog

During the early colonization of Australia, the population was mainly confined to what is now the Sydney metropolitan area-the landholdings were relatively small and the distances involved in taking stock to market were not very far. The stock that was kept on these properties were used to seeing men and dogs around them, and were rather quiet and controllable. Working dogs that were brought out from other countries by the early settlers, are believed to have worked these quiet cattle easily.

The settlers began spreading eventually. In 1813, vast grazing lands were opened up to the West. Landholdings were often hundreds, even thousands of square miles, and most were unfenced. The cattle that was loose on these properties became wild and uncontrollable.

It soon became obvious that a dog with more stamina, who would work quietly but more forcefully, was needed. Around 1830, a drover mated one of the Smithfield dogs (the original dogs used to control the cattle) with a Dingo, with the thoughts that it would produce a silent working dog with more stamina. The offspring of these dogs were red, bobtail dogs, which were named Timmins biters. Unlike the original stock these dogs were silent but proved to be too headstrong-and severe with their biting.

Another landowner in Queensland was also experimenting with Dingo-blue merle Collie crosses. These dogs produced some excellent workers. The Cattle men were impressed with the working ability of these dogs, and purchases pups from them as they became available. Some who purchased these dogs mated them with a Dalmatian. The cross changed the merle to red or blue speckle. The pups were born white, and developed their coloring at about three weeks of age. These dogs were useful for minding the horses and gear but some of the working ability was lost. Then they mated these new dogs with the Black and Tan Kelpie, which is a sheepdog-the result was a compact active dog, identical in type and build to the Dingo, only thicker set and with peculiar markings found on no other dog in the world. The blue dogs had black patches around the eyes, black ears and brown eyes, with a small white patch in the middle of the forehead. Only the pups closest to the ideal were kept, and these became what we know as the Australian Cattle Dog.

Males should be 18-20 inches tall, females 17-19 inches tall. Their coat can be blue or red speckle, and is a double coat. The outer coat is moderately short, straight and medium texture, with a short dense undercoat.

Both parents should have OFA certificates (hips) and yearly CERF (eyes). In addition, because of inherited deafness problems, each Australian Cattle Dog puppy should come with an individual BAER printout sheet that shows normal bilateral hearing (hearing in both ears).

Some Australian Cattle Dogs may be a tad reserved with strangers. They're not an aggressive breed, however they tend to ignore those they do not know. Some may nip if handled by strangers who do not take the time to earn their trust prior to handling.