C
ommonly known as “heelers” due to their instinc-
tual ability to bite low on the heels of cattle to create
movement , their development began in Austral-
ia in the 1830s by cattlemen who needed a dog that could
handle Australian conditions and was capable of mus-
tering and moving wild cattle. hey needed a dog which
could shepherd the bullocks to feed safely near camp, mus-
ter them at daybreak, protect the camp and keep the cat-
tle from wandering of track on their long treks to market.he dogs brought out from England struggled with the cli-
mate, and a tougher dog was needed to control cattle which
were much more wild than their English counterparts.Around the 1890s, breeders begun selectively breeding for
working ability, type and colour, and a dog better suited for
Australian conditions emerged - a compact blue or red dog
similar in type and build to the dingo but with more sub-
stance.hey became Australia’s number 1 cattle working breed,
the go-to dog for any cattle work. Over time, they became
popular with the pet and show market and this impact-
ed the type of dog being bred – both in looks and work-
ing ability. As the requirements of endurance were less in a
backyard people in town started breeding solely for looks,
and perhaps a crankier type of dog for guarding purposes.While collies and kelpies (also popular in the pet/show mar-
ket) maintained working registries, and thus a distinct difer-
ence between show lines and working lines, no working regis-
try was developed for the ACD. here are still many ‘heelers’
out there earning their keep around Australia but the only
registries for ACDs are found within the Kennel Clubs and
many of these dogs have lost the physical and mental abilitiesto do the job they were developed to do. As Scott Lithgow sug-
gests - when choosing a breeder, look for one who is selecting
for the traits necessary for a good “all-rounder”.he breed has proved popular overseas and Americans have
been working, showing and breeding them since WW2. Reg-
istered ACDs are used alongside collies on large ranches,
and the US has drawn up a working standard for the breed
which accurately describes the breeds’ working tendencies.
he US does have a propensity for docking their tails however,
and this is oen attributed to confusion between the Stumpy
Tail Cattle Dogs. Dr Alan McNiven was incredibly passionate
about not letting the breed in the US go down the path of be-
ing solely bench dogs, so a pedigree athletic, working type can
still be found.Appearance and temperament:
he ACD’s prime function is the control and movement of cat-
tle in both wide-open and conined areas. To that end, they are
a well-muscled, compact dog capable of both explosive power
and endurance. heir double coat is perfectly suited to Aus-
tralian conditions – the outer coat wards of the elements, and
the undercoat insulates the dog.hey are alert, intelligent and courageous dogs. A good ACD
will not back down from a confrontation – when working
cattle, they will defend themselves if necessary. his does not
mean however that they go looking for a ight – any undue
aggression is a temperament fault.hey are loyal dogs – typically answering to one master only.
heir protective instincts mean they are oen suspicious or
standoish with strangers however this does not translate into
aggression if they are bred and socialised correctly. heir nat-
ural instinct to “heel” however sometimes translates into nip-THE AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOGTHE AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG
Story: Belinda Carter & Hannah Barry
Photo’s: Fire Photography, Karen Edwards and Gwen Sheppersone Australian Cattle Dog (ACD) – that larrikin dog beloved of tradies and despised by
postmen from coast to coast – is a truly iconic Australian breed.50 AWSDM http://www.stockdogs.com.au