Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian Cattle Dog is a working dog, bred to herd and protect cattle. Bred by Australian cattle men to suit their very specific purposes--these men needed a quiet, intelligent dog with the stamina to deal with difficult terrain and high temperatures, and the ability to work with men on horseback--the Australian Cattle Dog today is a result of breeding blue merle Collies, Dingoes, Dalmatians and Kelpies to create a dog ideally suited to the working conditions in the outback of Australia. This dog became popular in the American Southwest as well, where the environment and the needs of cattlemen were very similar to those of the Australians. This breed may be suspicious toward strangers, and protective of their owner and his property, but clearly these traits are healthy ones in dogs bred to carry out this kind of work. When raised with care, these dogs are easy to handle and are tireless workers.