Criteria for the appearance of the Australian short-tailed shepherd dog, the manifestation of temperament and health features, care, walking, raising the dog. Puppy price. The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is a purebred dog that originated in Australia. Despite the fact that the animal looks like the more famous Australian Kettledog, both dogs are completely different breeds and were bred separately at different periods.
Known to be one of the most athletic and highly manageable of all breeds, these dogs are highly regarded in the Australian herding industry. One of the most resistant to hot climates of many canine species, they are capable of working for hours at temperatures that would be lethal to most dogs.
Due to a number of factors, the breed was nearly extinct by the late 1990s, but was rescued through painstaking efforts by the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) and specialized breeders. The Australian Short-tailed Cattle Dog is also known as: Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, Stumpy, Stumpy Tail, Stumpy Tail Heeler and Heeler.
Criteria for the appearance of an Australian short-tailed shepherd dog
The Australian Short-tailed Cattle Dog, at first glance, looks very similar to its more famous sister, the Australian Cattle Dog, especially when it comes to coat and coloration. Closer inspection reveals two substantially different animals. The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is more proportional than its cousin, with longer legs, a slender build and naturally a short tail.
In general, the breed is completely free of any exaggerated function that would hinder performance, and it is one of the most "natural" species of all dogs. The average male is from 45, 72 cm to 50, 8 cm high at the withers, and the average female is from 43, 18 to 48, 26 centimeters. Most members of the breed weigh between 35 and 50 pounds.
- Head - proportional to body size, although somewhat wide, resembles the head of a Dingo.
- Muzzle is of medium length but considerable in width, demonstrating the tremendous strength that the jaws possess. Although it tapers slightly, it ends rather abruptly. The transition from forehead to muzzle is smooth, but still distinct from each other.
- Nose - always black, regardless of the color of the dog's coat.
- Eyes - Moderate in size, almond shaped, dark brown. The general expression in the eyes of most breed individuals is smart, sharp, mischievous and a little wild.
- Ears - erect, ending relatively sharply. Some members of the breed have narrow ears, while others are quite wide.
- Neck The Australian Short-tailed Cattle Dog is strong and of moderate length.
- Frame the dog is muscular, stable, but not stocky, with a broad, straight back. Should be of the same length in height at the withers as from the ribcage to the croup.
- Tail - is a defining feature of the breed. It should, of course, be short, without stopping. A maximum tail length of up to four inches is allowed, but most dogs have significantly shorter tails.
- Front limbs - harmonious length, strong. Hind legs - with muscular thighs.
- Paws - well assembled.
- Coat Moderately short, straight, dense and somewhat stiff. The breed also has a soft, dense undercoat. This coating provides protection from external influences and allows the dog to withstand the extreme temperatures in Australia.
- Coloration The Australian short-tailed herding dog appears in two primary colors: blue and red. The dog can be spotted, the size and number of spots vary. The amount of color present varies significantly from individual to individual. Blue dogs may or may not have black markings on the head and body, and red dogs may or may not have red markings on the body.
Sometimes blue animals will be born with red markings and vice versa, or an individual of any color may have red-orange markings. These dogs are not allowed in the show ring and should not be bred, but otherwise they are just as good as working dogs or pets. Similar restrictions apply to those members of the breed who have a solid cream, brown or red wild Dingo.
Temperament of the Australian Short-tailed Cattle Dog
The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is one of the most manageable and energetic working dogs and also has a high heat resistance. This breed has been bred almost exclusively as a working breed for two hundred years and is still mainly kept for this very purpose. Breed representatives are extremely devoted to the families in which they live and over time form very close affections with them. Although the animal prefers to be in the presence of pets, it is an independent dog that is likely to be in the same room as its owners, rather than lying in their lap.
Although these pets are extremely affectionate, this breed will show such an attitude towards those it knows best. With proper socialization, dogs usually communicate well with children they have known for a long time. However, this breed has a very strong tendency to slightly bite the heels of running animals, and children will often initiate with them. Australian short-tailed herding dogs need to be monitored very carefully to avoid serious problems. For this reason, members of the breed who are not familiar with and have never interacted with children should be supervised by their owners.
This breed is usually very suspicious of strangers. With proper socialization and training, most of these dogs will be tolerant and polite to strangers, although many of them will never be friends with them. Dogs that have not been influenced by new people from an early age can become very nervous or possibly aggressive. Pets are extremely alert and therefore show great protection abilities. The rather territorial Australian Short-tailed Cattle Dog is an amazingly talented watchdog. This variety will not only challenge the attackers, but brutally deal with them if it deems it necessary.
Bred to work with livestock, the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog has serious problems with other animals. Many members of the breed are very aggressive dogs, especially towards members of the opposite sex. Learning and socializing will greatly reduce such problems, but it is still the species best kept alone or with the opposite sex. A short-tailed herding dog from Australia is prone to catching animals. This doggie usually bites the heels of everything that moves. Even with appropriate training, this breed is likely to bother other pets in an attempt to herd and can seriously harm small animals by biting them too hard.
Health features of the Australian short-tailed shepherd dog
The Australian Short-tailed Cattle Dog is considered an extremely healthy breed. Despite the fact that during the 20th century, the breed number fell sharply, the gene pool was expanded by working animals. Breeders of working dogs completely reject any health defects, as they affect the performance of their wards. In addition, the harsh Australian environment is cruel to any faults or weaknesses in the animal, creating significant natural selection in the breed.
The breed has recovered so recently that health surveys have not yet been completed, but most hobbyists believe it does not suffer from high rates of any known flaw. Breeders note that this breed lives quite a long time for a dog of this size. The average life expectancy of the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is at least 14-15 years, but many individuals reach the venerable 18 years of age.
While breed representatives tend to suffer from low rates of genetically inherited conditions, they are certainly not immune to them. Although medical information is very rare for this breed, extensive research has been done on similar dogs. Based on this information, there are some health flaws to which this species may be susceptible, for example: hip dysplasia, flap dysplasia, varying degrees of deafness, progressive retinal atrophy, collie eye anomaly, cataract, retinal dysplasia, demodicosis.
Australian Short-tailed Cattle Dog Care Requirements
- Wool such a dog does not require unnecessary time to leave. The very first thing to do is brush your pet when it sheds seasonally. Most of these dogs leave a trail of hair almost everywhere they go when they grow a new coat. For the procedure, a thick brush with natural bristles or a rubber mitt is useful. None of the breed representatives are truly hypoallergenic. Therefore, dogs are a poor choice for breeders with allergies or those who simply hate brushing their dogs. Owners should scrutinize their pets' skin for injuries at the end of the day after work or play, as this breed is so pain-tolerant that it will continue to operate without complaint despite serious injury. This tailless dog is rarely bathed due to its coarse coat structure, which prevents it from getting dirty quickly. The dog is washed with a shampoo of the type of wool, not forgetting to rinse it well and blot it after the procedure.
- Teeth Australian short-tailed herding dogs are best brushed every other day. This will protect the animal from diseases of the dental cavity: tartar, inflammation of the bleeding gums. By applying a flavoring paste that is applied to a silicone brush, the dog can be positioned for the procedure.
- Ears this breed requires periodic but not regular brushing. By observing basic ear hygiene, owners will prevent irritation and infections in the dog. Gel lotions for animals make cleaning easier. They wonderfully soften accumulated wax and care for the skin of the ears. They are applied inside and after a while the outer part of the auricle is wiped.
- Eyes such dogs do not have any special flaws, but since they spend a lot of time in grazing, they can be negatively influenced by external influences. For example, a dog can injure an eyeball with a branch or a thorny bush during active movement, or parts of plants (grass, leaves), dust from the ground will fall on the mucous membrane. Contamination is not a problem and is eliminated by wiping or instilling therapeutic and prophylactic drugs, soaking a cotton pad with them and wiping the dog's eyes in the direction of the inner corner. Mechanically acquired wounds are examined by a veterinarian ophthalmologist and prescribed treatment.
- Claws Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, as a rule, grind naturally when moving, then the owner's intervention is not required. These are working dogs and even if they are not engaged in their direct activity, they should receive a lot of active physical activity. When this is not the case, the excessive length causes discomfort and other problems. Therefore, too long claws must be cut off immediately with claws.
- Feeding a working dog that stays in the field almost all day grazing livestock should be appropriate. Such dogs will not sit around even if they are hungry. Accordingly, their body will wear out and the immune system will weaken. In this state of affairs, many diseases will "cling" to the animal, which its body will not be able to properly resist. But, you should not overfeed your pet either, it is no less harmful to his health. Therefore, breeders need to pay attention to professional ready-made feeds, where everything is balanced, and adhere to the specified rate.
- Walking. This breed is perhaps the most energetic and highly developed of all dogs. Most dogs require significantly more activity than even the Australian Cattle Dog and Border Collie. Breed representatives not only want to work all day and every day, but they know how to work hard. This makes them absolutely invaluable livestock and sheep workers on the ranch to help farmers who greatly admire their dedication and ability.
Such skills create difficulties for keeping the breed as a pet. Owners of this pet, who do not use it as a working dog, should load it with "giant exercises" in the literal sense of this expression and provide sufficient activity. They require a minimum of several hours of intense activity every day, but the dog will take as much as given.
Although the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog loves being on a leash or indoors for long periods of time, it does need mental stimulation and targeted exercise such as competitive obedience or agility. This breed will develop extreme behavioral problems if it does not have sufficient outlet for its bodily and mental needs, including incredible destructiveness, excessive barking, hyperreactivity, hyperexcitability, nervousness or aggression. Such a dog needs to run for more than half a day, and it is almost impossible to keep it without a large yard, and preferably huge acres of land.
Raising an Australian short-tailed shepherd dog
Australian short-tailed herding dogs are extremely intelligent animals and are almost certainly capable of learning anything any dog can do. Members of the breed are particularly adept at herding, but are also highly skilled in a number of other tasks, including search and rescue, flyball, frisbee, competitive obedience, agility, and more.
This breed learns very quickly and is also quite obedient. However, animals can present significant learning difficulties, especially for inexperienced owners. As independent associates, these canines would rather do their own thing than follow other people's commands. They tend to be quite dominant and complex and will not obey anyone blindly.
Owners who do not maintain a consistent position of leadership and authority are more likely to have a pet that is completely out of control. In addition, breed representatives are so intelligent that they quickly get bored and may refuse to perform repetitive tasks after a certain amount of time.
The cost of an Australian short-tailed herding dog
For owners looking for a breed that will take on extreme adventures such as surfing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and weekly hiking, nothing can be better. Because perhaps the other dog will not be physically capable and willing to do it.
The price of a puppy is $ 500-750.
