Booty Bass

Australian Cattle Dog

Characteristics

Appearance

Australian Cattle Dogs showing the blue and red coat colours

Australian Cattle Dog puppies beginning to show color

Australian Cattle Dogs are sturdy, compact dogs that give the impression of agility and strength. They have a broad skull that flattens to a definite stop between the eyes, with muscular cheeks and a medium length, deep, powerful muzzle. The ears are pricked, small to medium in size and set wide apart, with a covering of hair on the inside. The eyes are oval and dark with an alert, keen expression. The neck and shoulders are strong and muscular; the forelegs are straight and parallel; and the feet round and strongly arched, with small toes and strong nails.

They should have well-conditioned, hard muscles, even when bred for companion or show purposes. Ideally, their appearance is symmetrical and balanced with no individual part of the dog being exaggerated. They should not look either delicate or cumbersome as either characteristic limits agility and endurance which is necessary for a working dog.

Size

Female Australian Cattle Dogs measure approximately 43 to 48 cm (15 to 17 inches) at the withers, and males measure about 46 to 51 cm (18 to 20 inches) at the withers. The dog should be 10% longer than tall, that is, the length of the body from breast bone to buttocks is greater than the height at the withers, as 10 is to 9. Australian Cattle Dogs in good condition weigh approximately 14 to 28 kg (30 to 35 pounds).

Coat and colour

Australian Cattle Dogs exhibit two accepted coat colours: red and blue, though the miscolours of chocolate and cream do occur. Blue dogs can be blue, blue mottled or blue speckled with or without black, tan or white markings. Red dogs are evenly speckled with solid red markings. Both colours are born white (save for any solid colored body or face markings) and the red or black hairs grow in as they mature. The distinctive adult colouration is the result of black or red hairs closely interspersed through a predominantly white coat. This is not a roan or merle colouration, but rather the result of the ticking gene. A number of breeds show ticking, which is the presence of color in the white areas with the flecks of color being the same as the basic color of the dog, though the effect depends on other genes that will modify the size, shape and density of the ticking.

In addition to the primary colouration, Australian Cattle Dogs also display some patches of solid or near-solid colour. In both red and blue dogs the most common markings are solid colour patches, or masks, over one or both eyes; a white tip to the tail; a solid spot at the base of the tail, and sometimes solid spots on the body, though these are not desirable in dogs bred for conformation shows. Blue dogs can have tan midway up the legs and extending up the front to breast and throat, with tan on jaws, and tan eyebrows. Both colour forms can have a white ‘star’ on the forehead called the ‘Bentley Mark’ after a legendary dog owned by Tom Bentley. Common miscolours in Australian Cattle Dogs include black hairs in a red-coated dog, including the extreme of a black saddle on a red dog; and extensive tan on the face and body on a blue dog, called creeping tan.

The mask is one of the most distinctive features of ACDs. This mask consists of a black patch over one or both eyes (for the blue coat colour) or a red patch over one or both eyes (for the red coat colour). Depending on whether one eye or both have a patch, these are called, respectively, single (or ‘half’) mask and double (or ‘full’) mask. Dogs without a mask are called plain-faced. Any of these are correct according to the breed standard, and the only limitation is the owner’s preference. In conformation shows, even markings are preferred over uneven markings.

This Australian Cattle Dog’s markings are an example of a double mask.

Australian Cattle Dogs have a double coat: the short, straight outer ‘guard hairs’ are protective in nature, keeping the elements from the dog’s skin while the undercoat is short, fine and dense. They are not year round shedders but blow their coats once a year (twice in the case of intact females) and frequent brushing and several warm baths during this period are desirable. Otherwise they are ‘wash and wear’ dogs and even for the show ring require little more than a wipe down with a moist chamois cloth.

Tail

The breed standard of the Australian, American and Canadian Kennel clubs specify that Australian Cattle Dogs should have a natural, long, un-docked tail. It should be set moderately low, following the slope of the back. The tail at rest should hang in a slight curve, though an excited dog may carry its tail higher. The tail should feature a reasonable level of brush.

In the USA, tails are sometimes docked on working stock. They have never been docked in Australia as the tail serves useful purpose in increasing agility and the ability to turn quickly. Australian Cattle Dogs should not be confused with Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs, a square-bodied dog born with a naturally “bobbed” tail. The Stumpy Tail resembles the Australian Cattle Dog, but has a taller, leaner conformation. Where these dogs have a natural tail, it is long and thin, but most are born without tails.

Temperament

The typical alert expression of a Cattle Dog.

Like many working dogs, Australian Cattle Dogs have high energy levels and active minds. The breed ranks 10th in Stanley Coren’s The Intelligence of Dogs, rated as one of the most intelligent dogs ranked by obedience command trainability. Cattle Dogs need plenty of exercise, companionship and a job to do, so non-working dogs need to participate in dog sports, learning tricks, or other activities that engage their body and mind.

When on home ground, Australian Cattle Dogs are happy, affectionate, and playful pets. However, they are reserved with strangers and naturally cautious in new situations. Their attitude to strangers makes them perfect guard dogs, when trained for this task, and family pets can be socialized to become accustomed to a variety of people from an early age. They are good with older, considerate children, but are known to herd people by nipping at their heels, particularly younger children who run and squeal. By the time puppies are weaned, they should have learned that the company of people is pleasurable, and that responding to cues from a person is rewarding, bringing a friendly voice, a pat, an interesting activity, or food. The bond that this breed can create with its owner is very strong and will leave the dog feeling very protective towards the owner; typically resulting in the dog’s never being too far from the owner’s side. Aggression in Australian Cattle Dogs is more likely to be directed at strangers than owners or dogs.

To relieve the urge to nip, the dogs can be encouraged to pick up and chew a toy or carry objects such as a ball or a basket, and they can be taught bite control from an early age. They are outhy dogs that will use their mouths to attract attention, or to occupy themselves. Any toy left with them needs to be extremely robust if it is to last.

While Australian Cattle Dogs generally work silently, they will bark in alarm or to attract attention. They have a distinctive intense, high-pitched bark which can be particularly irritating. Barking can be a sign of boredom or frustration; however research shows that pet dogs increase their vocalization when raised in a noisy environment.

Australian Cattle Dogs respond well to familiar dogs, however the establishing of a pecking order in a multi-dog household can result in a few scuffles. If a Cattle Dog is put in any situation where it feels threatened or challenged, it can respond with aggressiveness towards other dogs.

Health and lifespan

Lifespan

Cattle Dogs have more injuries than illnesses.

In a very small sample of 11 deceased dogs, Australian Cattle Dogs had a median longevity of 11.7 years (maximum 15.9 yrs). The median longevities of breeds of similar size are between 11 and 13 years. There is an anecdotal report of a Cattle Dog named Bluey, born in 1910 and living for 29.5 years, but the record is unverified. Lifespan varies from dog to dog, however Australian Cattle Dogs generally age well, with many members of the breed well and active at 12 or 14 years of age, and some maintaining their sight, hearing and even their teeth until their final days.

Common health problems

Australian Cattle Dogs carry recessive piebald alleles that produce white in the coat and skin and are linked to congenital hereditary deafness, though it is possible that there is a multi-gene cause for deafness in dogs with the piebald pigment genes.. Around 2.4% of ACDs in one study were found to be deaf in both ears and 14.5% were deaf in at least one ear.

The Australian Cattle Dog is one of the dog breeds affected by progressive retinal atrophy. They have the most common form, Progressive Rod/Cone Degeneration (PRCD), which causes the rods and cones in the retina of the eye to deteriorate later in life, and the dog becomes blind. PRCD is an autosomal recessive trait and a dog can be a carrier of the affected gene without developing the condition. The gene mutation has been mapped to canine chromosome 9 and the mutation can be identified, if present, through DNA testing. It is thought that the incidence of carrier dogs could be as high as 50%.

Hip dysplasia is not common in the breed, though it occurs sufficiently often for many breeders to test their breeding stock. They are known to have a number of inherited conditions, but most of these are not common. Based on a sample of 69 still-living dogs, the most common health issues noted by owners were musculoskeletal (spondylosis, elbow dysplasia, and

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