The Australian Cattle Dog is a medium-sized, agile dog. Its body is compact and very robust. Australian Cattle Dog males grow to a height of 46cm to 51cm and weigh up to 25kg. Australian Cattle Dog females reach a withers height of 43cm to 48cm and weigh an average of 16kg to 20kg. The Australian Cattle Dog has straight, hard hair and a dense undercoat, which makes it suitable even for wet weather conditions. They can appear in different colour variations.
Predominant are the colours
- Red and blue,
- as well as red speckled and blue speckled.
- Typical for this dog breed are also tan markings on the head and tail.
The Australian Cattle Dog has a life expectancy of about 10 years.
Special features and interesting facts about the Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Cattle Dog puppies are born white and will develop the future colour of their fur only after a few weeks. Yet their mask and patches are recognisable from birth. However, it is possible to determine the expected coat colour of the Cattle Dog puppies early. The colouring of the skin on the paw pads of the little puppies gives a first insight into what their appearance will be later. Black or blue paw pads indicate a blue dog, brown or red paw pads indicate a red cattle dog. The bigger the pink part of the skin is, the lighter the coat of a growing cattle dog will be.
Care and feeding of the Australian Cattle Dogs
Because of their short coat the Australian Cattle is an easy to groom dog. Daily brushing or trimming is not necessary with this dog breed. The Australian Cattle Dog does not need a special dietary plan, it proves to be a rather unproblematic boarding dog. However, regular visits to the vet are recommended due to the known hereditary diseases. A half-yearly expert check up can prevent possible diseases or detect them at an early stage, so that quick action can be taken.