Characteristics of dogs breed Australian healer with reviews and photos. Australian shepherd dog: proper care

An Australian herding dog was bred by English farmers in about the 19th century. Its main purpose in those days was to manage the herding herds of livestock and their subsequent protection. Representatives of this breed are characterized by indefatigability, increased courage and extraordinary endurance. Until now, experts have failed to breed a more successful herding animal, not only in the Australian continent, but even in the whole world.

The Australian herding dog breed is quite loyal to its owner, is quick-witted and easily gives in to the basics of dog training. These pets have proven themselves as responsible cattle guards. In addition, they are very affectionate and loving, they can constantly delight their breeders and be excellent companions. According to available data, one of the representatives of this breed lived to 29 years. About 2 500 puppies are born annually in Australia.

Breed description

The Australian herding dog is characterized by its average size. She has a muscular body with well-developed fore and hind limbs. The neck is rather massive, the head is large, the ears are constantly in a standing position, the tail is mostly lowered downwards.
Breed description The Australian herding dog, which was officially recorded, claims that the representatives of this breed have a height of 50 cm at the withers, and their weight reaches approximately 20 kg. Wool in animals of about medium length, characterized by water resistance, hard. In the posterior thighs, the coat is quite fluffy.
Australian shepherd puppies appear in the world exclusively white with small black specks. Consistently with the development of the dog changes its color to blue or reddish, but also with dark spots.
For people unfamiliar with this breed, the temperament and temperament of the Australian shepherd very often seem unbalanced. However, as practice shows, this is far from the case. In order to fully appreciate the peculiarities of her character, it is necessary to realize not only the essence of her work, but also to remember with what purpose the breed was bred.
For this breed in the first place is the feeling of the pack, but at the same time it has always been distinguished by increased independence. A dog can trust only one owner. Moreover, only in front of a devoted leader he will be able to reveal all the positive qualities available.
Australian shepherds very rarely bark. So, their barking is more like the screams of an owl. After the final recognition of the absolute leadership of the breeder, pets become very obedient, ready to absolutely always perform any task, even modest to some extent. In most any undertakings, they are able to become not only a faithful companion, but also a friend.

Caring for an Australian Shepherd Dog

These pets are relatively poorly adapted to the urban environment, which is why they are recommended to be kept in villages or townships. It should be noted that the shepherd dogs need constant physical exertion, active games in the fresh air. In short, this is not a sofa dog that will snore peacefully next to the owner.

Special difficulties with the health of these pets almost never occur. As noted above, this breed is classified as long-livers. However, how much a pet will live depends solely on how to care for an Australian herding dog.

What to feed

In general, like any other dog, representatives of this breed are carnivorous animals. But even predators can not constantly eat only meat. What to feed the Australian shepherd's dog?

First of all, the diet should be as balanced as possible, that is, it should contain proteins, fats and even carbohydrates, as well as to some extent minerals and vitamins.
On the other hand, food should be of high quality and fresh. That is why, if the breeder prefers natural food, you should not prepare a diet for a week. It is recommended to cook every day for your dog.
Particular attention should be paid to the amount of feed. Thus, an adult dog must be fed twice a day, and if on that day the load was increased, the portion can be slightly increased.
Experienced breeders recommend feeding the dog only natural food. For example, for breakfast you can give cottage cheese with kefir, and for dinner meat with raw vegetables. It should be noted that the main difficulty of this feeding option is the lack of balance in the diet. In such a situation, dogs are prescribed real vitamin complexes that completely compensate for the lack of certain substances or vitamins in the body.

How to feed Australian shepherd puppies? In fact, from the very first months for a small dog there is nothing better than mother's milk. From about two months, you can begin to transfer the puppy to "adult" food. Initially, it may be low-fat cottage cheese, but always with kefir. Later, you can begin to give meat and some vegetables in the form of thoroughly ground meat. Literally from six months, the shepherd can go on to normal feeding twice a day.

Training

Despite its character and natural instincts, this breed is very easy to educate and subsequent training. This is explained by the fact that the dog always wants to like only its owner. How to achieve this? Of course, perform all the necessary tricks. Training Australian shepherd dogs involves properly organized lessons with a load. As a result, the breeder gets an obedient dog that obeys him without question.

Experts do not recommend to take a dog as a shepherd as not only the first, but also a worker, since not all breeders as a result manage to direct their energy in the necessary direction. For example, the desire to periodically bite cows on the legs is so strongly fixed in the psyche of the animal that it is often transferred even to the owners.

It should be noted that no matter how bad a puppy behaves, in no case should one be likened to the principles of violence. The fact is that initially this breed was bred exclusively for independent work. If the puppy believes that it is unnecessary or inappropriate to do this, then it can never be forced to force it. The basis of animal training is always built on the basis of the characteristics of the breed, the personal qualities of a particular pet, and the mandatory encouragement for the performed tricks.

Australian Cattle Dog or Australian Healer (English Australian Cattle Dog) breed originally appeared in Australia. A shepherd dog that helped drive herds through harsh land. Medium size and short-haired, they come in two colors - blue and red.

Theses

Australian herding dogs are extremely active, both physically and mentally. They need a permanent job, fatigue, to protect from behavioral problems.
Bites and bites are part of their natural instinct. Proper education, socialization and supervision reduce such manifestations, but do not remove them at all.
Very attached to the master, they do not want to be separated from him for a moment.
Poor live with young children and pets. The only way to make them friends is to grow them together. But it does not always work.
For the content you need a very large yard, no apartments. And from it they can escape in search of adventure.
If you decide to buy a puppy Australian healer, then choose only proven kennels. Buying an Australian healer from unknown vendors, you risk money, time and nerves. The price of a puppy is quite high and it is better to overpay for a healthy and educated dog.

Breed history

The history of the Australian cattle dog treaty began in 1802, when George Hall and his family emigrated from England to Australia. The family settled in the newly colonized New South Wales, with the goal of raising livestock for sale in Sydney, Australia’s largest city at the time. The difficulty was that the climate was hot and dry, incomparable to the green and wet fields of the British Isles. In addition, the cattle had to graze on the vast and unguarded plains, where he was in danger. Plus the problems of collecting and transporting livestock, through hundreds of kilometers of harsh land.

Brought shepherd dogs were poorly adapted to work in such conditions, and there were simply no local dogs. Livestock was located near major cities, where cattle grazed under the supervision of children during the daytime. Accordingly, all the service of dogs was reduced to guard and protection from wild dingos.

Despite the difficulties, the family remains resolute, bold and demonstrates the strength of character. The seventeen-year-old Thomas Simpson Hall (1808–1870), most explored, explores new lands and pastures, and routes to the north of the country.

Although going north promises great benefits, one problem needs to be solved to reach the millions of acres of land. At that time, it was not possible to deliver cattle from there to Sydney. There are no railways, and the only way is to run herds hundreds of miles. However, these animals are different from those that grow in pens, they are semi-wild, scatter. Thomas understands that to bring cattle to the market, he needs hardy and intelligent dogs that can work under the scorching sun and control the bulls. In addition, they are horned bulls, which creates problems for both the shepherds, the dogs and the bulls themselves. A large number of them die on the way.

To solve these problems, Thomas starts two breeding programs: the first line of dogs for working with horned animals, the second for horned animals. Europe is famous for its herding dogs, and the Smithfield collies come to Australia. Externally very similar to bobtails, these collies are widely used in England for paddocking. However, Thomas Hall finds them unsuitable for use, since in England they work at much shorter distances and hauls and simply lack endurance for hundreds of miles of travel. In addition, they do not tolerate heat, because in England the climate is completely different. It is for these reasons that Thomas Hall decides to create a dog to fit his needs and begins the program.

It is worth noting that he is not the first to try to create such a breed. James Timmins (James "Jack" Timmins 1757-1837), before him crosses dogs with wild dingos. The resulting mestizos were called “Red Bobtails” , and inherited endurance and tolerance to the heat of the dingo, but remained semi-wild, afraid of people.

Thomas Hall has more patience and endurance, and in 1800 he has many puppies. It is not known for certain which breed was the basis, but almost certainly it is some kind of. At that time, collie breeds are not yet standardized, as they are today, but rather a mix of native breeds valued for working qualities. He begins the same way by crossing them with each other and with the Smithfield collie, new to the country. But success is not, dogs still can not stand the heat. Then he solves the problem by crossing the collie with domesticated dingos. Wild dingo dogs are incredibly adapted to its climate, but most farmers hate them, as dingos prey on livestock. However, Thomas finds that the metis show remarkable intelligence, endurance, good working qualities.

Hall’s experiment succeeds; his dogs can control the herd, and become known as Hall’s Heelers, as he uses them only for his own needs. He understands that these dogs are an incredible competitive advantage and despite the demand he refuses to sell puppies to everyone except family members and close friends. This will be the case until 1870, until Hall dies, the farm’s affairs decline and it is sold. Dogs are becoming available and other breeds are added to their blood, the number of which is still in dispute.

In the early 1870s, the Sydney butcher, Fred Davis, crosses them with, to add perseverance. But, as a result, stamina falls and dogs begin to hold the bulls, instead of directing them. Although the Davis line will subsequently be crowded out of the blood of the Australian healers, some dogs will still inherit her traits. At the same time, the two brothers Jack and Harry Busgt cross their Australian shepherds with those brought from England. The goal is to increase their compatibility with horses and slightly soften the character. But again the working qualities suffer. By the end of the 1880s, the term Hall healers is almost never used; dogs are called blue healers and red healers, depending on color.

In 1890, a group of breeders and lovers organized the Cattle Dog Club. They focus on breeding these dogs, calling the breed the Australian healer or the Australian herding dog. Blue healers are valued much higher than red ones, since it is believed that the red ones still have a lot of dingo. In 1902, the breed was already sufficiently strengthened and the first breed standard was being written.

During World War II, many units of the troops keep these dogs as talismans, sometimes breaking the charter. But, they get real popularity after getting to America. The US military is in Australia, and puppies are brought home, as there are many farmers and ranchers among them. And the working abilities of the Australian shepherd’s dogs hit them.
At the end of the 1960s, the Queensland Heeler Club of America was formed, which would later become the Australian Cattle Dog Club of America (ACDCA). The club is engaged in the popularization of healers in the US and in 1979 the American Kennel Club recognizes the breed. In 1985, United Kennel Club (UKC) joined him.

Since its introduction in the USA, the Australian shepherd dog has become quite popular and according to AKC statistics, it ranks 64 out of 167 breeds. At the same time, this statistic displays the dogs that have been registered in the AKC, and not all. As in the case of other fashionable breeds, Australian Cattle Dogs become pets, especially they are popular among the people of the countryside. However, they retained their working abilities, and in their homeland they became legendary dogs.

Description

Australian shepherd dogs resemble collies, but are different from them. This is a medium-sized dog, a dog at the withers reaches 46-51 cm, a bitch 43-48 cm. Most of them weigh from 15 to 22 kg. They are quite short in length and much larger in height.

Attention! This is primarily a working dog and everything in its appearance should speak about endurance and athleticism.

They look very natural and balanced, do not suffer from excess weight, if they get enough activity. The tail of the healers is short, but rather thick, some of them are cropped, but they rarely do so, since when running they use the tail like a steering wheel.

Head and muzzle resemble dingo. Stop soft, muzzle smoothly flows from the skull. It is of medium length, but wide. The color of the lips and nose should always be black, regardless of the color of the coat. The eyes are oval-shaped, medium in size, brown or dark brown. The expression of the eyes is unique - in it is a combination of mind, mischief and wildness. Ears straight, erect, located widely on the head. In the show-ring, the preferred small or medium-sized ears, but in practice they can be very large.

Wool is designed to protect them from harsh conditions. Double, with a short, dense undercoat and all-weather top shirt. On the head and forepaws, it is slightly shorter. Australian healers come in two colors: speckled blue and red. In blue, black and white hairs are arranged so that the dog appears to be blue. They may have burns, but this is not necessary.

Red dots, as the name implies, are covered with dots all over the body. Scorches of tan are usually located on the head, especially on the ears and around the eyes. Australian healers are born white or cream colored and darken with time, a feature inherited from dingoes.
When studying 11 dogs, life expectancy was 11.7 years, maximum 16 years.According to the owners, when properly maintained, the life span of the shepherd's healer ranges from 11 to 13 years.

Character

Being one of the most hardy and efficient of all dog breeds, healers have the corresponding character. They are very faithful and will follow the master anywhere. Dogs are very attached to the family and very poorly tolerate long periods of loneliness. With this, they are not obtrusive and will rather lie at their feet, rather than try to get on their knees.

Usually they are more attached to one person than to the whole family, but with the other they are friendly and accommodating. But with those whom they love, they form such a strong friendship that their owners adore. What does not prevent them from being dominant and not suitable for inexperienced dog breeders.

Attention! Usually they are unfriendly to strangers. They are naturally suspicious of others and can be quite aggressive.

With proper socialization, they will become polite, but almost never friendly. They are well received by new family members, but need some time to get acquainted. Dogs that are not socialized may be too closed and aggressive to strangers.
These are excellent guard dogs, sensitive and attentive. However, they are ready to bite anyone and poorly understand where power is needed, and where not.

Usually they better find a common language with older children (from 8 years). They have a very strong hierarchical instinct, forcing them to pinch everything that moves (including people), and young children can provoke this instinct with their actions. With this, they are also suspicious of other people's children, especially when they scream, rush and do not respect the space of the healer.

Australian healers always want to dominate, and often this leads to problems with other dogs. They are incredibly dominant, territorial and have a developed sense of ownership. Although they are not looking for a fight, they will not avoid it. Usually they are kept alone, or with one individual of the opposite sex. It is very important for the owner to take a leading, dominant position in the house.
Although they are designed to work with other animals, Australian healers must be trained so as not to create problems. They have a strong hunter instinct and they pursue small animals such as cats, hamsters, weasels and squirrels. They can tolerate pets, if they grew up together, but not all of them.

But they are very smart, and often fall into the top ten most intelligent dog breeds. With the exception of tasks requiring special power or smell, there is no such thing that the shepherd’s dog could not learn. However, training may not be so easy. They do not live in order to serve the person, they serve only the one who is respected. Many healers are stubborn and harmful in training, and listen only to the owner who controls them as more dominant. The biggest test at the same time, keep the dog's interest in learning. They get bored quickly, especially with repetitive tasks and simply cease to obey.

healer puppy

They need a lot of work or walking. For most, an absolute minimum of 2-3 hours a day, and running, not walking. And this is still the minimum. For Australian shepherd dogs, a very large yard is needed, through which they can run all day and its size should be at least 20-30 acres. At the same time, they also love to run away. Being very territorial, they love to dig and they are very curious. Almost everyone loves to explore the world and just give a chance in the form of an open gate or gate. The yard should be very reliable, as they are not only able to undermine the fence, but also climb over it. And yes, they can also open the door.

Attention! Owners who are not able to provide them with activity or work should not get such a dog.

Otherwise, she will develop serious behavioral and psychological problems. Destructive behavior, aggression, barking, hyperactivity and other pleasant things.

Care

No professional grooming. Sometimes combing, but in principle they are able to do without it. And what do you want? Dingo…

Sep 17, 2015 admin

We are pleased to present you a new breed of dogs on our website. In our country and in the CIS in general, this breed is not yet popular and, therefore, is unknown. If you see this breed on the street, then you decide that this ordinary "mongrel", and not a pedigree dog with a breed age of more than 120 years.

We have a breed video here. Australian Cattle Dog:

This dog breed has many names:
australian Cattle Dog, australian healer, blue healer, red healer, queensland Healer, queensland blue and queensland red healer, australian cattle dog, australian bouvier and finally just cattle dog (English Australian Cattle Dog).
Healer this breed is not called accidentally. “Heel” in English means “heel” - so, when he ran the cattle he used tricks - he bit the lower part of the hind legs of unruly cows or stubborn sheep, without harming them.
The first breed standard was adopted by the Australian Herding Club and the New South Wales Kennel Club in 1903. FCI Standard № 287.

Origin of the Australian Shepherd Dog

The Australian Cattle Dog is a breed of dog from Australia that was bred to drive cattle over long distances. In the second half of the 19th century, Australian farmers desperately needed tough, intelligent dogs that could help them manage and move herds of cows and sheep, as well as being sufficiently resistant to harsh living conditions. Information about the breeds of dogs that were used by breeders to breed an Australian herding dog is contradictory, but most are inclined to believe that these breeds of dogs were bred: and finally,. As a result, a reliable, efficient, patient and faithful herding dog was born.

Farmers really liked these tireless and quick-witted dogs.
They first came to America after the Second World War. Australian shepherd dogs were brought with them by American soldiers who served in Australia.
The Australian healer was brought to England only in 1980, after which they began to gradually spread throughout Europe.
In Russia, the Australian healers appeared in 2004. Around this time, Australian shepherd dogs began to appear in Ukraine.

Appearance Australian Shepherd Dog

Compact and strong dog with good working qualities. Strong enough, harmoniously folded. Well-developed agility and endurance make the Australian healer unique in its kind.
Growing males 46-51 cm, bitches 43-48 cm.
Body weight from 16 to 23 kg.
Very strong, strong dogs with well-developed muscles, a massive head, a powerful neck, small pointed, erect ears, and a fluffy tail down with a curved tip.
The distinction of the Australian shepherd dog is a peculiar mask that closes one or both eyes.

The coat is of medium length, thick and stiff to the touch, the undercoat is short, the guard hairs are thick and straight, it fits to the body, so the drops simply flow down the coat.
Colors of the Australian healer:
Blue: blue, speckled blue or speckled with or without other markings. Black, blue or pale yellow markings on the head, preferably evenly distributed, are acceptable. The forelimbs are covered with burns up to the chest and throat, with the markings on the jaws; markings on the inside of the hips to the front of the knee and outside from the metatarsus to the fingers. Black markings on the body are not desirable.
Red speck: uniform speck along the entire length of the body, including the undercoat (not white, not cream), with darker red markings on the head or without them. Uniform markings on the head are desirable; red markings on the body are acceptable but not desirable.

The life span of an Australian shepherd dog is average and is 10 to 15 years. However, there was one out of the ordinary case.
An Australian shepherd puppy named Blui was born on June 7, 1910. The dog worked as a shepherd for 20 years in a row, grazing cattle and sheep herds! This dog died on November 14, 1939, at the age of 29 years and 160 days. This case once again confirms that active life is always beneficial!
Previously, Blui was considered the oldest dog, whose record for longevity, no one could beat, but there are still a few dogs that have lived about the same. You can read about them here.

Peculiarities of the content, nature and health of the Australian shepherd dog

Healers are very hardy and can safely endure long hikes, even in the hottest weather, these dogs retain the pep and performance. Health of this breed is strong, but there is a tendency to blindness and deafness. Less common in age is arthritis.
They are amenable to training. The only minus of healers is their unbalanced nature (the consequences of crossing with). It is rumored that some Australian farmers, so that the healer does not run wild and had a softer and docile nature, give him a Border Collie’s blood.

Currently, Australian herding dogs are mainly used as guard dogs, in addition, they are faithful and reliable companions loyal to their owner and his family. These dogs need constant physical exertion and plenty of room, both at home and on walks. Therefore, it is desirable to walk them from 3 hours a day. Healers require an attentive host with a strong character who can put the flaming dog in place. It is not easy to grow and raise a dog with an admixture.

Healers are also known as excellent athletes and successful competitors such as Agility.

Today, the Australian healer is 114 years and 8 months old.

Photos of Australian healers

International title:Australian Cattle Dog

A country: Australia

Year: 1903

Growth: 46.00 cm. - 51.00 cm.

Weight: 16.00 kg - 23.00 kg.

Life expectancy (in years):14.00 - 16.00

Brief description

The Australian healer is a tireless herding dog, an excellent guard and a fearless defender. If you decide to start a dog, you will not find a better protector and companion. The dog loves children very much and will always protect them. Representatives of this breed are very attached to the owner, they yearn if suddenly he leaves alone somewhere. For a healer, this is a real punishment, so if possible take it with you. These dogs are the standards of loyalty and loyalty, they show complete dedication, and thanks to their natural fearlessness they become a reliable shield from the dangers for all family members. These dogs have a high level of intelligence - they clearly understand human language and fully confirm this. Unfortunately, many of them are dying under the wheels of cars - their shepherd's instinct works, so the healer will be safer and more comfortable in the countryside. This dog needs space and fresh air, it is perfectly suited for suburban life. They are mobile and playful, while the healer will always be busy searching for adventure, so you won't be bored with him. The Australian healer is a very hardy dog. If you are engaged in extreme sports and prefer active leisure, this dog will become you a reliable companion in such an exciting business.

Breed history

Fast, bold, smart, hardy Australian healers are very similar to their ancestors - independent, freedom-loving and fearless dingos. It was thanks to these wild dogs that farmers in Australia had the idea to create an ideal in all respects dog that would distill and feed herds regardless of the local harsh climate, long distances and other possible difficulties. Dingo dogs brought a lot of trouble to local farmers, they quietly and silently attacked the livestock, and instead of getting rid of them, the workers decided to create a similar dog as opposed to a dingo. Farmers crossed a dingo with a smooth-haired collie. Puppies were born that did not find a common language with horses. And then such a half-breed was crossed with Dalmatian and Australian kelpie. As is well known, Dalmatians have long been friends with horses, and kelpies are excellent shepherds. The standard of the resulting breed was developed by the herding dog expert Robert Kaleski. The New South Wales Dog Club adopted this standard in 1903. The official standard was adopted in 1963 by the Australian National Kennel Council. The new standard was written based on the Kaleski standard. At the same time, the modern name of the breed was officially approved.

Appearance of Australian Healers

The Australian healer is a small, compact, strong and muscular dog. His head is strong with a wide skull, harmoniously combined with the body. The muzzle is wide, powerful. Nose black. Jaws strong, especially well developed lower. The ears are medium in size, widely spaced, dense and wide at the base. The eyes are medium in size, oval. The neck is of medium length, powerful, muscular. The back is strong and straight. Thorax deep and wide. The limbs are straight, parallel to each other, with well-developed muscles. The tail is located quite low, of medium length, lowered down, slightly curved, due to the long hair resembles a brush. The coat is hard, short and straight with a thick, tightly fitting undercoat. On the back side of the limbs, the wool forms lines, on the hips "pants." The fur around the neck is also longer. The color can be red, blue, blue, speckled with black, blue and brown markings.

Health, Diseases

The gene pool of these dogs is extremely strong. Perhaps due to the genes of the wild dog Dingo, these herding dogs are one of the most hardy and resistant to various diseases. In addition, dogs of this breed are among the long-livers. The Australian healer named Blue is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the "oldest dog" in the world. This dog lived 29 years 5 months and 7 days (June 7, 1910 - November 14, 1939), of which she devoted 20 years to her work, shepherded the flocks. Of course, to keep your dog healthy, you need to take care of it. Healer need a lot of time to spend in the fresh air. These dogs are designed to feed and distill herds. Therefore, they need an intense load every day for their physical and emotional health. Before you buy a puppy of this breed, be sure to study its heredity. In rare cases, dogs can be born with deafness, epilepsy, they may have hip dysplasia and eye diseases.

The lifestyle of these dogs must be very active. Of course, they will not be able to live in an apartment, especially if the owner disappears at work all day, and takes out his pet for a maximum of half an hour twice a day. These dogs are ready to move 24 hours a day. Therefore, it will be much better for them on the farm or in a large private house with a large plot. Of course, you can keep a healer in an apartment, but if you yourself can’t live a day without sports and traveling. In this case, this Australian dog will become your indispensable companion, even if you live with him in an apartment. Care for the Australian healers is a snap. Their wool has the ability to self-clean. It is recommended to wash them no more than twice a year, otherwise the wool will lose its peculiarity. Breeders advise instead of washing to wipe them with a wet towel dipped in water with a small amount of vinegar. During washing use only natural shampoos without chemical components. During the shedding period, the healer's wool must be combed out with the help of a puhoker about four times a week. Healer moves a lot, watch his paws carefully: cut his claws, lubricate the pads of his paws with olive or other vegetable oil to heal the cracks. Of course, do not forget about the eyes, which need to be regularly washed with chamomile decoction, and also make sure that there are no specks of dust in them, otherwise infectious diseases may occur.

Character and temperament

Australian healers are loyal and dedicated dogs that will follow their master everywhere. They do not trust strangers, even at puppy age they are always on the alert, if there are strangers on their territory. These dogs have a protective instinct since birth, they are desperately ready to protect their loved ones. They are so self-confident that they can easily enter into an uneven battle. Healers once and forever attached to his master.

Nutrition

Locals in Australia believe that Healer Blue lived for 29 years because he ate kangaroo and Emu meat. Of course, no one can reliably assert this. However, one thing is clear that dogs of this breed are very fond of meat, especially considering that their ancestors were wild. However, in order for the diet to be complete, the pet needs to be given vegetables, fruits, fish, and sour milk products. Moreover, all this healer happy to eat. These dogs are not picky at all in food, sometimes it seems that they are ready to eat even inedible objects. Be sure to follow the number of servings of your pet. Healers tend to gain weight quickly, despite their hyperactivity. Make sure that the dog rests after eating, otherwise there may be a torsion of the stomach. Do not feed the dog sweets, chocolate, pickled and smoked products, in general, all that is sold in any supermarket and that you are happy to eat yourself.

Training, training

It is necessary to train the Australian healer from an early age. These dogs quickly remember the commands, almost immediately understand what is required of them, however, it is quite difficult for them to follow certain rules. The blood of wild dogs is flowing in their veins; you should never forget about it. A puppy as a child must understand who the leader is, then he will obey. If you are too soft and affectionate with them, healers will always make their own decisions and do what they see fit. If you manage to establish contact with the healer and take a dominant position, then the dog will follow all your instructions. Never use physical force during training, it is unacceptable. Dogs need to explain everything consistently and patiently. It happens that healer puppies start to bite people by the legs. You must explain to the puppy that it is impossible to do this. This is not a good habit of many shepherd dogs; they herd cattle in this way. To succeed in bringing up the Australian healer, make sure your workouts are fun, carefree and diverse. Representatives of this breed will be happy to learn if they are interested. These dogs are universal: they can be lifeguards, hunters, guards, athletes, winners of all sorts of dog competitions. Healer can teach almost everything. Especially if you encourage it with delicacy and affection. Healers are very fond of eating and receiving praise from their master.

The Australian continent boasts one of the most intelligent and savvy breeds of dogs - the Australian herding dog. This breed is also known by the names: Blue Healer, Red Healer, Queensland Healer, Cattle Dog.

Breed history

The ancestor of the Australian healer is the wild dog Dingo. The very concept of "healer" from English translates as "heel" - because of the peculiarity of these dogs, biting the back of the cattle's legs in time for his corral stall.

This breed was specially bred in Australia to assist in grazing and moving animals over long distances. One of the Australian farmers, Thomas Hall, began to cross Dingo's dog with a short-haired collie. For a long time such dogs were only in the Hall's household, and only after his death did the resulting breed begin to spread actively in Australia.

However, to improve the new breed, dog breeders continued to cross dogs with Dalmatians, Bull Terriers and Kelly, as a result of which two new breeds of dogs were obtained: Australian herding dog and Australian short-tailed herding dog.

Until the mid-20th century, the Cattle Dogs were not exported from Australia, and only after the war did this breed enter the United States. In Europe, these dogs appeared even later, in the late 70s. 20th century, and in the CIS countries, the first dog was only in the beginning of the 21st century.

Exterior

The appearance of the Australian healer is very similar to a collie breed dog. These are not very large dogs, the growth of males is 45-52 cm, weight - 20-23 kghave a bitch growth 42-49 cm, weight- 20-23 kg. Healers seem short in length and rather tall. The skull of these dogs is quite wide, but it is fully consistent with the proportions of the dog. The ears are small, widely spaced, slightly pointed at the edges. The eyes are not big, dark brown with a clever look.

The Australian healer has a very strong and wide back, the chest of the dog is deep and muscular. The tail of these dogs do not stop, at the end of the tail there is a small "brush" of wool. The water-repellent coat is very thick and perfectly warms the dog, the undercoat is very dense and short. Color can be of several types:

Blue, with blue or white markings, or without them. Suppose fawn undercoat.
Red with uniform red dots all over the body, the spots on the head are darker. Spots on the body are considered not acceptable, dogs with them are often deaf.

Character

The Australian healer, despite being bred as shepherd's dog, in our time is a great watchman and companion. These dogs are intelligent, they are loyal and faithful friends for their owner, such devotion sometimes even rolls over, it is very difficult for a dog to part with the owner even for a short time. Healer is a very affectionate and gentle dog, she worships his master, and with pleasure unobtrusively lies at his feet.

Infinite love manifests itself only to one owner, with the rest of the family she is simply friendly and livable. Kettle dog is a very brave dog, it clearly knows its territory and is ready to guard it at any time of the day.

These dogs tend to dominate all other animals, so the relationship with pets they do not develop. The tendency to dominate can manifest itself in relations with the owner, therefore, it is unlikely that a newcomer will cope with her education. Such a dog is not for families with small children, as the healer gets along very poorly with the little ones.

Care and education

Kettle dog will not be able to live in an apartment, from it she can simply run away in search of adventure, she needs a country house with a huge yard, she will not live in the aviary too. The dog needs long walks, not less than three hours a day. Walking should be very active - a lot of running and exercise. Because of his great curiosity, a dog may run away as soon as such an opportunity arises.

Healers even know how to open doors and undermine the soil under the fence. Dogs in training are very stubborn and listen to the owner only due to the fact that he is “the main”, however, if the commands are not interesting to the dog and often repeat, it will cease to obey.

The hair of the Australian healer should be cleaned every week with a stiff bristle brush. During seasonal molting, wool must be combed at least once every two days. It is necessary to bathe a dog only in case of very strong pollution with a gentle shampoo. To cut the claws of the dog is not necessary, they grind off during exercise and running. It is necessary to wash the eyes of the dog with clean boiled water several times a week, it is also recommended to brush the dog's teeth with special pastes.