Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian Cattle Dog is a courageous, tireless, robust working dog. They are considered to be one of the most intelligent breeds and often require stimulation or they get bored. They can accept obedience training at a very high level and are normally easy to train.

Australian Cattle Dogs were originally bred to handle herds of cattle on large ranches in Australia. They are a high-energy working dog. They love to be busy and enjoy being active – they are in no way a couch potato. If their energy is ignored, they will become bored and possibly destructive.

They are extremely devoted to their family and tends to bond closely with one person. They sometimes are called “velcro” dogs as they like to be in close proximity to their favorite person all the time. Because of their herding instinct, they can be mouthy – with a tendency to nip anything that moves. Training is required, along with early socialization, to redirect their biting.

Australian Cattle Dogs also have a high prey drive and are fascinated by small animals. If they are raised with cats, though, they can easily live peacefully with them. They are normally friendly but are protective of their family and are likely to be wary of strangers. They are tough creatures and are very tolerant of pain and deeply focused, which means they’ll continue to work even if they are injured. Owners have to pay attention to ensure Australian Cattle Dogs don’t injure themselves.

Major Health Concerns: Australian Cattle Dogs are prone to hip dysplasia and Progressive Retinal Atrophy. Merle coloured ACDs are prone to deafness.

Interesting Fact: Some Australian Cattle Dog puppies are born white because of a gene they inherited from early Dalmatian crosses. You can sometimes find the adult colour by looking at their paw pads.

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These big friendly giants are the definition of social dogs. The Great Dane can be slightly intimidating to new friends as they have a habit of leaning on people and this will need to be trained out of them from a young age.

Despite some of the extremely well-groomed photos you may see, the Maltese is a lover of the outdoors and enjoys nothing more than energetic walks and games! A truly devoted dog that is easy to train as long as there is a reward at the end.