Heelers and ACDs--Questions

In the US and the part of Texas I am from a Queensland heeler, Austrailian heeler, blue or red heeler is a blue merle or red merle Austrailian Cattle dog. This seems akin to the confusion surrounding what breed is a PitBull. Some people think any bully breed is a Pit but that is not so. The official answer has to be what the AKC defines as the legal breed standard which is below.

ACD's were originally and are still known as Blue or Australian Heelers . They actually started back before the dalmation and kelpie was introduced. English bred Smithfields seem to be the starting point which were bred with Scottish Collies. The resulting Hall's heeler was the springboard from which the dingo, dalmtion, and kelpie were added. The ACD is still called a Queensland heeler, blue heeler, red heeler, heeler, and Austrailian heeler. See below from www.akc.org

Australian Cattle Dog Did You Know?

• <LI class=bottom_space>The Australian Cattle Dog has been a huge help to the beef industry of Australia; when populations spread to huge farmlands, Australian Cattle Dogs became indispensable and enabled farmers to maintain huge herds. <LI class=bottom_space>The most popular working dog used by the early drovers was a breed brought out from England known as the Smithfield, a breed that eventually became one of the ancestors of the Australian Cattle Dog. <LI class=bottom_space>The Smithfields were interbred with the Dingo, a native Australian breed, to increase stamina and to encourage a silent working dog, but the breed died out. Later, another pair of imports, a pair of Scottish blue merle Highland Collies, were interbred with the Dingo to produce a breed known as the Hall's Heeler. With the success of this breed, various other crosses eventually produced the Australian Cattle Dog of today. <LI class=bottom_space>The Australian Cattle Dog was accepted by the AKC in 1980 and was shown in the Working Group after a brief period in the Miscellaneous class. When the Herding Group was formed in 1983, the breed was moved. <LI class=bottom_space>The standard for the Australian Cattle Dog was drawn up by Mr. Robert Kaleski in 1902 and was based around the Dingo type.
• The Australian Cattle Dog was first known as the Australian Heeler, although it is still called the Blue or Queensland Heeler today.

My OCD ACD was a wee bit intense. :dogblink:

This is ironic, I've lived in Queensland ( state of Australia ) for over 40 years, and have never heard anyone refer to a cattle dog as a " Queensland heeler" . However, in saying that, it is extremley common to hear " Blue Heeler", which was more of an old-fashioned slang name for cattle dog or ACD.
I think it's one of those things where a breed is given an alternative name by someone and it catchs on.

I often get people ask me, " what breed are your dogs ? " , which I reply " border collies " , they will often say something like , my neighbour had a collie. Of course a collie is a totally different breed again. I should probably correct them, but I usually don't bother.

That's really funny you never heard them called Queensland heelers. It can be very geographic obv. :dogrolleyes: I think the different appearences of the heelers here in the states are like the differences in Goldens. Some are snipe nosed, wall eyed, black marked, not marked and the differences caused by not breed standard goal breeding are huge. The way we got doxies and danes is the same thing. Not breeding for standard can cause huge variations. My girl was a MOOSE at 55 lbs and taller than most males. Very true that akc breed standard and an effective working dog can be quite different looking just as with BC's.

It is often very funny what perceptions people have about breeds including "collies" or "heelers. ":dogtongue2:

Thanks, Mica was cute and soooo obsessed with FETCHING.

Interesting information...I was a bit confused over the same thing myself. When I tried to do research, many of them grouped them together into one breed. Bella is supposedly half heeler...is that why she's so obsessed with the ball? It's like she doesn't want to be bothered when she's in fetch mode.

When she was a puppy, she used to nip my heels almost painfully. Even now she'll press her wet nose to the back of my knee when I go up and down the stairs. I don't know what mannerisms are linked to what part of her.

Bella certainly looks BC enough to account for the ball and fetching obsession alone. If there's some ACD in there it would probably make it more intense. I don't obviously see it but then most of the DNA testing that comes back on people's dog surprises me. :dogtongue2:

The rancher that gave Bella up said that she was half heeler, half springer spaniel. His dog was the springer, so I know that's in there for sure. As far as ACD, the only thing I see that might be part of it is when she tries to herd, and the fact that she has short hair, unlike springers. Not that it truly matters to me what her bloodline is, but it's interesting to see what behaviors are inherent to the breed.

We have several heelers that go to the dog park, and they look much like the pictures Tx posted...both of them. I can't see a one of them in Bella really, but they all do seem to play alike, which in itself is strange.

here we have two sets of heelers, they are both called heelers or acds but we have show stock (short (20inches) and stocky) and working heeler(abit taller(22-24 inches) leaner but still stocky and broad headed like your acd pics) ive never seen a cattle dog as big as a shepherd, storms one of the biggest ive met and hes your average acd size medium dog, but hes from larger working stock

there isnt really any difference, but i have seen some dome shaped headed true blue heelers i think it just depends on the stock people have breed from to what they can look like

there is a breed stumpy tail cattle dog thats the only different type of heeler ive seen

So lets get some pictures up of our much loved Blue Heelers.
Here's my Katie.
She's 12 months old and from good show stock. 5th generation NON working stock, she has never nipped at my heels and I take her sheepherding on weekends for fun=she has NO natural working instinct what so ever.
I'm not into showing myself, so i don't care much about her blood lines or the papers she came with. i purchased her for temperament and have found the perfect dog for me.
over here in Australia they call the Heelers/ACD's the 'original velcro dog' as they always stick to your side.
This is particulary true in katie. She never leaves my side and I can be in the middle of a field with cows, sheep, and any number of distractions and she'd rather be with me. It's wonderful if you don't want to work them. I used to have one from from working lines many years ago and he was completely different in temperament and instinct. I guess this proves you can change their behavioural traits somewhat to suit your needs over the generations.
here's a picture of katie laying by my feet while my husbands Kelpie is herding sheep.

Aww Katie is so cute
I have two Heeler X Storm (my old boy) and Jed 14 weeks old (cant upload photos as Im using my friends computer) Jed is my profile photo.
Tx cowgirl the photos you posted as "Heelers" look like heeler crosses to me (one looks like my Storm). The other photos look more like purebred "Heelers".

omg!!! Katie is ADORABLE! *adds to wishlist!!!*

have not read all the threads, but, in New Zealand a Blue Heeler [or Red] IS an Australia Cattle Dog - ACD is the recognised breed by the KC and theyre 'also known as' the Blue Heeler, Queensland Heeler or Half Heeler. People just call them Blue Heelers though, that is how theyre most commonly known. Also their tails are NEVER removed - the Australian Shepherd often has its tail removed though, though some are naturally 'bob tailed'.

The Blue Heelers here in Wyoming look identical to the ACD. I would imagine that they are the same breed. I just never have thought about it, but now that you mention it, it is rather curious.

Hey,I live in western australian....i havn't heard them refered to as queensland heelers either,or any state heeler for that matter.I've only heard "blue heelers","red heelers"and "Aussie cattle dogs"they are a good breed,but i find that they are dog agressive.

and don't worry,i have people mistake my bordercollie/Kelpie as a collie as well when i am asked her breed!

Hello, I live in texas too, & hope to share some new info on Heelers.

In Australia, there are two breeds of Cattle Dogs
recognized by the ANKC, (AKC equivalent in AU) One is the "Australian
Cattle Dog", the other breed, "Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog". The
Stumpy, when blue has no tan markings. It's natural tail can be anywhere from
no tail at all to 4inches long. Pups born with full length tails are not eligible to be registered.
These dogs tails are never docked.
Other differences. They are lighter boned than an ACD, body type is square, not long. Ears on top
of the head at 11:00 & 1:00 o'clock, ACD ears shorter, and set at 2:00- & 10:00. Not
heavy bodied. The Stumpy is actually the older breed.
They have been coming to the states since WWII. The thing is the Americans did not understand
that they were getting to different breeds of dogs, & often cross breed them.
There are not many purebred registered Stumpies in North American. CKC, (Canadian Kennel Club) has them as a breed,
as does UKC, in the states, & ARF. I am including a side by side photo of the two breeds so you can see the differnces.
I have had Stumpies for more than 20 yrs. Have been to Australia several times & adore this breed. Happy to answer any questions anyone here has.
There is also a face book group. Just type in Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog.
Thanks for reading.

PS, Tx_cowgirl. You said " They are neurotic and generally just full of issues. Crazy dogs, and not in a good way." I have to respectfully disagree.
Show me one like that & I will show you an owner who never taught it anything more than sit or ride in the back of a truck. There is so much drive & brain power, that when it is not correctly channeled, yes, they become problem dogs. No different than the child with a higher than Avg IQ, that develops problems in school with his behavoir. It's on the people, not the dogs.
Hyla