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Animal register · DogIn the app

Australian Cattle Dog

Blue Heeler, Red Heeler, Queensland Heeler, Cattle Dog

The Australian Cattle Dog comes from Australia; the FCI lists it among the cattle dogs. The Kennel Club standard describes a strong, compact working dog with a smooth, weather-resistant double coat in blue (mottled or speckled) or an even red speckle, and gives a height of 46–51 cm for males and 43–48 cm for females; the PDSA gives an average weight of 16–20 kg.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends more than two hours of exercise a day and brushing once a week, and says the breed sheds. The PDSA describes a highly intelligent, high-energy dog that needs a lot of physical and mental activity; because of its strong herding instinct it may nip at the heels of running children, and socialisation and training at a young age help.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Australian Cattle Dog — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
medium — The Royal Kennel Club S437
Adult weight
males 16–20 kg, females 16–20 kg — PDSA S438
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S437
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S437
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S437
Lifespan
median 14 years — Dogs Trust S123; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S437

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS437S438
  • needs mental challengesS438
  • may “herd” children at playS438
  • shedsS437

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S437

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S437

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: median 14 years — Dogs Trust S123
  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S437

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: medium — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Height at the withers: males 46–51 cm, females 43–48 cm — The Kennel Club S436
  • Adult weight: males 16–20 kg, females 16–20 kg — PDSA S438

Training

  • No. 10 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 287, group 1 (sheepdogs and cattle dogs); origin: Australia. — FCI S435

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does an Australian Cattle Dog need?

According to our sources, the Australian Cattle Dog needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S437.

How long does an Australian Cattle Dog live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Australian Cattle Dog is: median 14 years — Dogs Trust S123; more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S437. The sources give different values, so each one is listed.

How big does an Australian Cattle Dog get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Australian Cattle Dog, according to our sources: Size: medium — The Royal Kennel Club S437; Adult weight: males 16–20 kg, females 16–20 kg — PDSA S438.

How much grooming does an Australian Cattle Dog need?

Coat and grooming of the Australian Cattle Dog, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S437; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S437; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S437.

Who is the Australian Cattle Dog a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Australian Cattle Dog as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S437S438; family life — PetMD S439. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S437S438; needs mental challenges — PDSA S438; may “herd” children at play — PDSA S438; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S437.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 126 (10.5 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.8× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 126 (10.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S123S437

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Deafness in one or both ears occurs in the breed; puppies' hearing can be checked with a BAER test. — PDSA S438
  • Progressive retinal atrophy, an inherited eye disease that can slowly lead to blindness, occurs in the breed; DNA tests and eye testing are available. — PetMD S439
  • Can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips and elbows tested before breeding. — PDSA S438
  • Skin allergies (atopy), which cause itching and sore skin, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S438
  • A portosystemic (liver) shunt, where blood bypasses the liver, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S438
  • Luxating patellas, where the kneecap temporarily slips out of place, occur in the breed. — PDSA S438
  • Bladder stones, collections of minerals that form in the bladder and urine, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S438

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Tests the Royal Kennel Club recommends as a minimum

  • DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (prcd-PRA) — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Hearing test for deafness (BAER) — The Royal Kennel Club S437
  • Genetic diversity — check the inbreeding coefficient — The Royal Kennel Club S437

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S123Dogs Trust (UK) — Life expectancy for 155 breeds and crossbred group (table of McMillan et al. 2024 data) (PDF)https://www.dogstrust.org.uk/downloads/life-expectancy-breeds-table-2024.pdf
  11. S435FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG / BOUVIER AUSTRALIEN (287)https://www.fci.be/EN/nomenclature/BOUVIER-AUSTRALIEN-287.html
  12. S436The Kennel Club (UK) breed standard, reprinted by the Kennel Union of Southern Africa — Australian Cattle Dog — breed standard (KC 09/2007, changes effective 01/02/2021, PDF)https://www.kusa.co.za/images/Breed%20Standards%202024/Australian%20Cattle%20Dog%20-%20KC%20%5B02-2017%5D.pdf
  13. S437The Royal Kennel Club — Australian Cattle Dog — breed page (older address; key facts, Breed Watch, health testing)https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=5144
  14. S438PDSA — Australian Cattle Dog breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/medium-dogs/australian-cattle-dog
  15. S439PetMD — Australian Cattle Doghttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/australian-cattle-dog
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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