Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler - The Australian Cattle Dogs Mixed With Queensland Heelers Guide.

Australian Shepherd Mix with Blue Heeler is one of the most sought after working hybrid dog crossbred dog between an Australian Shepherd and a Blue Heeler.

Regardless of their origins and history, Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler is also known by other names such as Texas Heeler and Aussie Heeler.

Quick Facts About Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler

Aussie Heeler Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years – The Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler enjoys a health life expectancy as it has got a life span of anywhere between 12 to 15 years.
Aussie Heeler Height And Weight: As medium-sized dog breeds, the Australian Shepherd crossbred with Blue Heeler gets as high as 17 to 22 inches when you measure them from paws to their head or ears. With that height, a health Aussie heeler should weigh anywhere between 45 to 50 pounds. The good news is that both male and female adult Aussie heeler dogs have the same body weight and height.

Australian Shepherd Blue Heeler Mix Shedding: Aussie heelers are double-coated dog breed with slightly sparsed layers of coat. With this double coat, most of the blue or red heelers will shed. In this respect, most of your are wondering if Blue Heelers shed a lot?

A quick answer is no! Australian Cattle Dogs mixed with blue or red heelers, Queensland heelers) only shed twice a year.

However, if you live in slightly warmer or hot weather conditions, the double coated dogs often use shedding as a way to get their large amount of undercoat off so they do not get baked in their layered dog coat.

In a nutshell, if your Aussie heeler is in a much warmer climate, then expect that your dog’s shedding is likely to occur for slightly longer periods of time.

History Of Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler

By looking at the parent breeds of Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler we can know a little bit about the history of this designer dog.The Australian Shepherd have a rich history as working dogs especially on farms as well as ranches, where they used to help their owners by herding, directing and protecting flocks.

The australian shephered we know of today is actually a newer breed that was developed in the farmlands of the United States in the late 19th centuary rather than Australia as the name might make you think.It was developed to herd sheep and cattle and was most likely derived from basque shepherding dogs that were taken from Australia to America in the early 1800s.

The Blue Heeler,also known as the cattle dog was developed in 1840 by an Australian man called Elliot George,the breed had a great work ethic so many cattle man loved it for that.

How Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler Looks

A fully grown Australian Shepherd mix with Blue Heeler weighs 45 to 50 ibs,these medium size designer dogs can stand at the height of 17 to 22 inches tall.

You can expect these dogs to come in colors such as black, blue,blue merle, blue ticked and white.

These dogs can sometimes have erect ears like the Australian Shepherd or can have the folded ears that the blue Heeler has got.

The tails of these designer dogs are straight or sometimes bobbed.

These dogs usually come with different shades of brown when it comes to eye color and they have got a nose that is pointed,it is usually black.

Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler Temperament And Personality

The Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler is a very active outgoing dog breed.It has got a great work ethic which it inherited from its parent breeds,this dog breed loves to be given a steady activity to do.

This dog can make a very good watch dog as it is very protective of its owners,it is a very confident dog that is task oriented and will perform very well in a variety of activities as it is highly intelligent.

These dogs are very good family dogs but when it comes to strangers they may be a bit reserved, however they are very good with children if they have been socialized with them.If not socialised well they may perceive anyone as a threat and snap at them.

Sometimes even the well socialized dog should be monitored around small children because sometimes their herding instincts may overwhelm them.

As much as this dog would make a good guard dog the best part about it is that it will not bark unless there is an actual intruder so you don’t have to worry about it barking for nothing at all.

Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler Maintenance/Grooming

The Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler are low maintenance dogs,their fur is short and smooth so they will just require some weekly brushing,this will help them to prevent tangling or matting of their coat.

Bath your Australian Shepherd mix with Blue Heeler when you feel it is necessary,the bathing should keep your dog completely stink free so use a dog shampoo to bath them.

It is highly advised that you establish a grooming routine while your dog is still young because this dog breed may sometimes be sensitive to being touched.

To prevent the nails from getting too long you need to cut them regularly otherwise they keep dirt and they become uncomfortable for the dog and the owner.Frequently brush their teeth to prevent tatar build up.

The ears tend to keep a lot of dirt that may increase the chances of bacteria so you should wash the ears as regularly as possible.

Activity Requirements For Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler

As i mentioned before this dog has got very high energy levels so it will need a way to release that energy.It will always crave for a job to do and will love learning new tricks as well as commands.

It will need at least two hours a day of vigorous activity,the activities may include: flyball and agility exercise.

They also require brisk walks and jogs, they also respond very well to other activities such as freestyle dancing ,competitive frisbee and herding.As it is good at herding,this dog breed will be best suited to exercise in an area that is wide and open where it can run as fast as it wants.

These dogs are recommended for homes that have a big out door area not apartments.

Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler Training

These dogs are very intelligent and will respond very well to whatever training you are going to subject them to.They are very eager to learn so keep the training constant and fun.

Start training them while they are still young,of course they have got strong herding instincts but they can be trained easily for activities such as fly ball and agility training.

The most important thing you have to practice is positive reinforcement, this is the best known training technique for Australian Shepherd Mix with Blue Heeler,training will help you have a obedient and well balanced dog that will respect your commands.

Teach them to sit- train them using two methods that are named “luring” ang capture”
Teach them to stay-this will help your dog to remain in one place until you tell them otherwise
Teach them to come: this training you can start with smaller distances and increase the distance as days go by in every session.

Food And Diet Requirements For Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler

Feed the Australian Shepherd Mix with Blue Heeler dry kibble at least twice a day, these dogs have a lot of energy so you should give them foods that are specially made for active breeds.Give them 1500 calories a day,that should be enough to keep your dog strong all day.

The following are some of the foods that experts recommend for the Blue Heeler and Aussie Mix :

wellness core air dried dog food
canidae grain free pure
taste of the wild high prairie canine formula with roasted bison and roasted venison

With these food brands your dog can get vitamins it needs to grow and some probiotics for easy digestion.

Whichever food brand you choose above give your dog at least 2 cups a day,split the food into two equal sizes and give it in the morning and evening.

Once in a while give your dog some vegetables and fresh fruits as treats they would really enjoy that.

Known Health Problems With Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue Heeler

Generally Australian Shepherd Mix with Blue Heeler are healthy dogs but like any designer dog they may inherit some health problems from their parent breeds.The health problems they may inherit are as follows:

Most sheepdogs are known to suffer from eye diseases and the Australian Shepherd breed is included, so chances are Aussie Heeler may inherit this health problem. This is caused by improper development of the eye and can sometimes lead to blindness. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this issue but tests can be carried out to identify whether a dog is affected, clear or a carrier. You should ensure the Australian Shepherd parent of your Australian Shepherd Mix with Blue Heeler is clear.

Hip dysplasia is also very common in Australian Shepherds it results from a malformation of the hip socket.This can make your dogs life very uncomfortable as it can lead to lameness as well as painful arthritis, although there is also no cure for this heath problem, you can remedy it with pain killers and hydrotherapy. Other health problems that your Australian Shepherd Mix With Blue may be at risk of are:

Distichiasis-this is a condition whereby an eyelash may rise from the normal location on the eyelid or the eyelash may grow in an unnatural direction. This may be diagnosed by an eye examination.

Osteochondritis Dissecans-this is an inflammatory condition whereby diseased cartilage is separated from the underlying bone.

Some minor diseases are:

Deafness
Cataracts
Epilepsy

Early detection helps so constantly take your dog for examination so you can spot any of these health issues before they grow.Also while there is no guarantee that your dog will inherit any of these health issues you should also consult your vet on how to best care for your designer dog to reduce the risk of them suffering from any of these health issues.

Kennel club Recognition And Pedigree

As a designer dog breed the Australian Shepherd Mix with Blue Heeler is not recognized by the American Kennel Club however it is recognised by the following clubs:

American Canine Hybrid Club
Dog Registry of America, Inc