need a dog sometimes to push cattle....already have a german shepard for home protection ..my cows are calm, and can call them to barn in general when needed...got into my hay pasture today and had a 2 hour time getting them out...reminded me of when my dad had a blue heeler to drive cows...dog would need to get along with my home dogs but i would train him on driving cows..had some experience with border collie, blue heeler in the past...love to halve any opinions
blue heeler or australian sheperd?
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SBMF 2015
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Got to be a Blue Heeler. Hard as nails and loyal to a fault.
Had both and I liked the heeler better. The Australian Sheperd I had was just too feisty. The fault with the Heeler was she sometimes did not know when to quit. She loved working in the cattle, but when she had them like she wanted she wanted to take them for a ride and not let up.
Silver
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I don't think there is a wrong answer. Just make sure basic obedience is instilled from the get go and you'll get along with either one.
Ky hills
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Heelers are my pick. Have one now that is almost 8 years old, she is pretty good at driving and getting the through a gate. She is easily called off, when finished.
She has taken a lot of steps off of me even though is isn't formally trained she just picked it up.
I've never had an Australian Shepherd. My personal thought on the Australian Shepherd is that they seem to have longer hair and may require more grooming.
She has taken a lot of steps off of me even though is isn't formally trained she just picked it up.
I've never had an Australian Shepherd. My personal thought on the Australian Shepherd is that they seem to have longer hair and may require more grooming.
Named'em Tamed'em
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My Border Collie has a good on/off button, my Heelers didn't. We've had them both for 40 years.
GoWyo
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If you can get a heeler to quit when you want them to they can be nice dogs to have around.
puzzled in oregon
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Whether Heeler, Australian or Border Collie you will find a wide range of temperaments and working capabilities.
CowboyRam
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The Australian Shepherd will need more grooming. If you could find a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd cross that would be the best of both worlds.
snakegap1
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Travlr
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^^^ This with an exclamation point. I've had both. The downside to the heelers were that they were very focused and could be nippy but I loved how close they would be when they weren't working. The Aussies tended to be better companions and the hair was never an issue. I never had to groom them and when the hair did fall out it did it in clumps so it was easy to pick up in the house instead of having individual hairs all floating around and getting into everything. Can't say much about Border collies except I've seen some that were too smart for their own good.
Individuals vary and so do owners.
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Logan52
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A dog that will not mind or that you can't call off the cows is worse than no dog at all.
The drive and instinct to work stock is important, but even more you want the dog to try and please you.
The drive and instinct to work stock is important, but even more you want the dog to try and please you.
FlyingLSimmentals
Well-known member
My Davey is a Australian Shepherd Heeler mix. He's got some miniature in pedigree. Mostly the Black and White color of the Shepherd and some tan dots pointed ears and stature of the Heeler. Weighs right at 50 lbs. He helps me numerous times to move them from field to field and yes out of a fresh tall hay field when they find a way in. He seems to want to get after the head more than the heels so he's a real good turner. I use a shock collar with a vibrater to help keep him in line and on the job. Likes to get distracted by deer, rabbits, and other people whom come by. But he's a good hand and always ready to go to the farm.
wbvs58
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A Kelpie would top the lot for what you want. Sounds like you need a good herding dog rather than a straight out pushing dog so my pick would be Kelpie or a BC. I don't know Australian Shepherds, from what I know they are not Australian. Healers would be a bit too aggressive.
Ken
Ken
A Border collie for the most part is more biddable than most heelers or Aussies and has a much better "off switch" I've had all 3 breeds and all can work but if you choose a heeler, I'd recommend putting a good "down" command to stop random chasing and then be able to control side to side movement and to place the dog where you need them so they don't just chase a lot of cattle through their own free will. Just my thoughts
Ky hills
Well-known member
I've had Heelers and Border Collies, but not Australian Shepherds.
All of them are individuals, I've a Border Collie that was just another dog, and I've had one that was a decent cattle dog.
He was smart as he could be, probably too smart.
The downside was that he several quirks that. One of which was aggression. He was very temperamental. I got him about 2 weeks earlier than I had agreed on. at around 5 1/2 weeks the breeders called and said I had to take him then because he was fighting with his litter mates and had injured one of them,
I took him and didn't think much about it.
He was very people aggressive, and would even turn in me if something didn't suit him. Got it straightened out somewhat with the aggressiveness towards me but not towards other people.
We got a female Heeler with the thought of raising pups by him.
The pups inherited the worst of both dogs and just like him sone were very aggressive towards each other and people.
The I've had 3 Heelers over the years, they are very intelligent, not as quick to mind as border Collie, but the Heeler we have now is pretty good. She will listen and try her best to do what I want her when working with cattle and will instantly stop when I tell her. In the house her stubborn streak kicks in she will argue back and forth with us, kind of comical. She's loyal and loving in her own way. She is amazingly smart, and could have probably been trained to do about anything.
She picked up on watching me and the Border Collie with cattle and she is actually better at it than he was.
My Heelers have all been less aggressive but still great watchdogs that could be a guard if needed.
Both breeds have good points and potential weakness, I'd say the genetic lines have a lot to do with it as well as training.
Have a neighbor that has had both Heelers and Australian Shepherds as cattle working dogs.
All of them are individuals, I've a Border Collie that was just another dog, and I've had one that was a decent cattle dog.
He was smart as he could be, probably too smart.
The downside was that he several quirks that. One of which was aggression. He was very temperamental. I got him about 2 weeks earlier than I had agreed on. at around 5 1/2 weeks the breeders called and said I had to take him then because he was fighting with his litter mates and had injured one of them,
I took him and didn't think much about it.
He was very people aggressive, and would even turn in me if something didn't suit him. Got it straightened out somewhat with the aggressiveness towards me but not towards other people.
We got a female Heeler with the thought of raising pups by him.
The pups inherited the worst of both dogs and just like him sone were very aggressive towards each other and people.
The I've had 3 Heelers over the years, they are very intelligent, not as quick to mind as border Collie, but the Heeler we have now is pretty good. She will listen and try her best to do what I want her when working with cattle and will instantly stop when I tell her. In the house her stubborn streak kicks in she will argue back and forth with us, kind of comical. She's loyal and loving in her own way. She is amazingly smart, and could have probably been trained to do about anything.
She picked up on watching me and the Border Collie with cattle and she is actually better at it than he was.
My Heelers have all been less aggressive but still great watchdogs that could be a guard if needed.
Both breeds have good points and potential weakness, I'd say the genetic lines have a lot to do with it as well as training.
Have a neighbor that has had both Heelers and Australian Shepherds as cattle working dogs.
Logan52
Well-known member
My experience is that pups should not be weaned from from their mom until 7 or 8 weeks.
Those that are weaned early lack certain basic skills and do not socialize as well.
Just my experience over the years. Someone may have an exception that developed differently.
Those that are weaned early lack certain basic skills and do not socialize as well.
Just my experience over the years. Someone may have an exception that developed differently.
Ky hills
Well-known member
I'll agree with that. I think that being with the mother helps to teach the pups boundaries. That was definitely lacking with my border collie. He was aggressive and prone to anger even as a small pup.
The Heeler we have now was a situation where her mother died and the folks raised that litter on bottles.
She was a handful as pup, but she is better socially than my border collie.
Travlr
Well-known member
That's another thing. Male or female? This last Aussie I had was one of my top three dogs I've owned... but I don't like female dogs. They get hurt feelings and they will hold a grudge. Males can take physical discipline or harsh language and be fine twenty seconds later. Males are more forgiving and will work harder... and at the end of the day they will calm down and take a nap at your feet.
