Middle aged Blue Heelers – a second chance at youth

Article by Camille Gldin

Blue Heelers, or Australian Cattle Dogs, are one of the world’s most dynamic breeds of dogs. Specifically bred to herd livestock, they are unusually athletic and intelligent. It takes a savvy owner to properly train and manage a Cattle Dog.

Too often, inexperienced owners don’t know what to do with such an energetic, smart pet. The problem comes when the ACD doesn’t get enough exercise or is not mentally stimulated enough. If the owner doesn’t provide the right type of mentally stimulating physical activity, the dog will.

That can spell trouble.

Because of situations like this, you find Blue Heelers in rescue facilities and pounds. Their owners have given them up as unmanageable. To be blunt, this is a situation created by ignorance on the part of the owner. After a specified period of time, many rescue facilities and pounds are forced to kill the dogs in their care.

This needless killing of animals is a very strong reason for choosing your next pet from a pound or rescue facility. By doing so, you are giving an animal a second chance at life.

What can you expect with your new pet? For starters, expect a very intensely focused dog. He will watch you so that he can figure out what makes you tick.

This can be a real blessing for the owner if they’ll take the time to learn how their dog thinks. Learning how your Heeler thinks is especially helpful if the adopted canine is older. Older animals are more settled and have longer attention spans than puppies. This makes them easier to train.

There are two major reasons that pets wind up in rescue centers and pounds. One reason is because something major has happened to their previous owners. It could be a death, a sudden forced re-location, or something of that nature. The other reason is that the owner viewed the pet as expendable. “That dog dug up the flowerbed! Get rid of it”.

In the second case, the dog probably got very little beneficial training as a youngster. Adopting a dog with this background lets it have a second chance at youth. The new owner has the opportunity to teach the new pet the behaviors that it needs to have a happy and well adjusted life.

There are some special things to consider with middle aged Heelers. While a more mature dog in good health will be calmer than a puppy, they still need daily physical activity. The wear and tear that is a result of vigorous activity over the years may have taken a toll. It can be beneficial to include swimming in your Heelers exercise routine. They’ll still get a good workout, but without the repeated impact of running and jumping. You may be surprised to find out what good swimmers Blue Heelers are!

One final consideration for your Blue Heelers overall well being. Make sure that you feed a top quality food. A little extra money spent now on good food can avoid high vet bills later.

Adopting and training a middle age Blue Heeler is a thoughtful act in a sometimes thoughtless world. It gives the dog a second chance at youth, and at life.

Question by : My blue heeler dog thinks he should never be corrected. What do I do?
I have had my blue heeler since he was a little puppy. He is very smart. He is the most loyal blue heeler I have had. He loves playing fetch and picks up on things very quickly. However he takes things too seriously. When I try to correct him he barks, growls, even snaps. He thinks he always has to be by me and if I tell him to get down off of the couch he barks and growls. I think he may be jealous of my fiance’.

Best answer:

Answer by Eureka!
He thinks he should never be corrected because he thinks you work for him. You need to do some serious work on your relationship with him so he understands that you are in charge. Start by taking him to an obedience class and telling the trainer what is happening.

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