Origin The Australian Cattle Dog was developed to control wild cattle in groups of several hundred on drives through the inhospitable wilderness of Australia. By crossing smooth-coated blue merle Scottish highland collies to...
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Origin The Australian Cattle Dog was developed to control wild cattle in groups of several hundred on drives through the inhospitable wilderness of Australia. By crossing smooth-coated blue merle Scottish highland collies to selected dingoes in the 1840’s; a drover named Thomas Hall developed a cattle dog that combined the hardiness of the dingo type, and the herding abilities of the highland collie. Today this sturdy, alert and watchful dog is a valuable asset to farmers and ranchers around the world. The breed became known as the Australian Heeler, then later the Australian Cattle Dog, which is now accepted throughout Australia as the official name for this breed. However, even today, some people can be heard calling them Blue Heelers or Queensland Heelers. Check Out The Video Did You Know - The Australian Cattle Dog was accepted by the AKC in 1980 and was shown in the Working Group after a brief period in the Miscellaneous class. When the Herding Group was formed in 1983, the breed was moved. (From AKC - Did You Know?) Original Breed Standard Written By Robert Kaleski in 1902 Head: Broad between ears, tapering to a point at muzzle, full under the eye, strong and muscular in the jaws. 15 Pts. Ears: Short and pricked, running to a point at tip; thick and set wide apart on the skull with plenty of muscle at the butts. Should be as decidedly pricked as a cat’s. 10 Pts. Eyes: Brown, quick and sly looking. 7 Pts. Shoulders: Strong, with good slope for free action. 7 Pts. Chest: Deep, but not out of proportion to body. 7 Pts. Legs: Clean, and fair amount of bone; great muscular development. 7 Pts. Feet: Small and cat shaped. 7 Pts. Back: Straight, with ribs well sprung, ribbed up, and good loins; should arch slightly at the loins. 7 Pts. Hindquarters: Strong and muscular, with back thighs well let down for speed; no dew claws on feet; tail, fair length. “Dingo” or “bottle” shaped. 12 Pts. Height: About 20 inches; bitches a little smaller. 7 Pts. Coat: Short, smooth and very dense. 7 pts. Colour: Head, black or red; body, dark blue on back (sometimes with black saddle and black spot on tail butt.) Lighter blue sometimes mottled with white hairs on underpart of body; legs, bluish with red spots mottled over them. Tail light blue, sometimes with white tip. 7 Pts. Total: 100 Pts. General Appearance: That of a small, thickset blue Dingo. Faults: Over/or under size, legginess, half pricked or lopping ears, overshot or undershot jaws; anything likely to diminish speed and endurance.
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