Cockalier is originated from United States but Austrailian Blue Heeler is originated from Australia. Cockalier may grow 12 cm / 4 inches shorter than Austrailian Blue Heeler. Both Cockalier and Austrailian Blue Heeler are having almost same weight. Both Cockalier and Austrailian Blue Heeler has almost same life span. Both Cockalier and Austrailian Blue Heeler has almost same litter size. Cockalier requires Moderate maintenance. But Austrailian Blue Heeler requires High maintenance
Known also as the Cockalier Spaniel, the Cockalier is a sweet crossbreed – a mix between the Cocker Spaniel and the Cavalier King Charles spaniel.
Both of these spaniels do have some differences. The Cockalier is a designer breed that hails from the USA. Because he is a hybrid breed the Cockalier isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, but as a hybrid, it is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC).
In 1840, George Elliott made a match with Australian Dingo and Collie and got a clever and very active dog breed – Australian Blue Heeler. Soon, he showed his good herding instincts and protective nature and got really popular among the cattlemen and ranchers. Soon, as the USA soldiers arrived in Australia, they decided that it will be a great dog to bring home.
Australian Blue Heeler has short, double coat. The coat is water resistant and helps them when the temperature is too high as well. Their coat is rough to the touch, naturally. They can be found in blue or red coat colour mix. The Blue Heeler isn’t actually blue, but their black coat has a bluish tint. Red Heelers have red fur instead of black. They have long tails, strong legs, Dingo-like heads with pointy ears and muscular necks and balanced and athletic bodies.
The Cockalier is a medium-sized dog standing at between 30 and 38cm in height and weighing roughly between 5 and 12kg.
The coat of the Cockalier is silky and wavy. The coat is medium length and can be in colors such as golden, red, black or maybe white and brown.
The ears are fairly long and floppy, the eyes brown and expressive and the tail docked. If left, the tail is long and feathery.
The Cockalier is lively, gentle, intelligent and friendly with his human family, though he can be a little bit aloof with strangers.
He bonds very strongly with his family. They’re robust and are playful with children. They’re active dogs too and love nothing more than a hectic ball game. They don’t know when to stop and can become utterly exhausted if you don’t stop the game.
Have him trained and socialized and then he becomes even more amicable and he’s smart enough to learn basic commands without any trouble.
This breed is somehow designed for an outdoor life and outdoor activity. This implies that Blue Heelers have nature made of the high dose of energy. They are always ready to go anywhere you go, and they will be a loyal friend. They are actually very clever, intelligent and ready to help.
If you are a type of the person who prefers being indoors and having minimal physical activity, Blue heelers are not the type of a furry companion for you. They have a high daily need for the activity, and they love having lots of space to run and explore. Sometimes, you will realize that having a leash is a must because they will get so playful that they will forget about you!
If you start teaching them to be friendly with other dogs while they are still pups, they will accept that kind of lifestyle. But, if your Blue Heeler is raised as the only dog on the ranch, note that they won’t be very friendly toward other dogs.
Since most of the herd dogs usually respond to only one person, most of the Blue Heelers can follow this old instinct. They can be very independent, as well, and they are usually not the type of the dog that will always be around your leg waiting for a cuddle or ear scratch. But, they build the respect towards humans depending on how they treat him so they can be very lovable and friendly pets.
If you are still confused about their name, you must know that the Blue Heelers can actually lightly nip your heel for attention. They are not aggressive, but they tend to be very protective of the family, humans around them and their property.
The Cockalier is such a clever dog and he wants to please. He just loves his human owners, protecting them against strangers. He doesn’t take too kindly to strangers, preferring to devote all his love and loyalty to those he knows.
He just craves attention and wants to be in your vicinity all the time. He is also good with children and will get on well with other pets in the home.
Once you’ve had a Cockalier in your life, you’ll want to reconsider having one of them again as they make awesome pets and companions.
They are generally good with children, but you must be aware of their inherent desire to herd. Always supervise when your Blue Heeler is around small children.
Ball tricks, frisbee fun, running companion, herding cattle.
It is best to buy a puppy. These dogs get attached to one human and to the territory.
They are generally quick learners. If you teach them to be playful, friendly and loving, they will learn it in no time. So be aware of the decisions that can cost you when the dog grows up.
The Cockalier is a healthy dog breed and can reach between 12 and 15 years of age. Look out for common canine health issues such as hearing loss and ear infection and vision issues.
Cockaliers that have an ear infection will shake their head and scratch their ears. The inside of the ears may be red and there may be an unpleasant smell coming from the ears. Your pet will need to see the vet.
This is a common disease with King Charles Spaniels where the mitral valve wears out and leaks and is associated with a heart murmur.
The earliest sign of a leaking mitral valve is normally a heart murmur, but it doesn’t mean heart failure is imminent, but congestive heart failure will eventuallt occur. Your dog will tire when walking, be lethargic and also have a cough. It will definitely be time to see the vet.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy usually causes slow and painless loss of sight. This process takes years, but there are cases where this disease took only months before the dog ended up completely blind. It is advisable to take your Blue Heeler to the vet for a test that can tell you if your dog is carrying the gene for this disease.
Lens luxation is a disease where the lens of dog’s eye separates partially or completely. Good news is that this disease can be treated.
Most common is the hip or elbow dysplasia. This is the disease where hip joints do not develop properly and begin to grind. This condition can sometimes be treated with physiotherapy, but there is a chance that your Blue Heeler will need a surgery. If you have a habit of regular vet checks and keeping your dog slim and fed with quality food, you can a make a big difference.
Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) causes the dog to have excess cartilage and deficient bone, where cartilage does not get replaced by bone during fetal development. This disease usually requires surgery and prescribed medicines.
Congenital hereditary sensorineural deafness – CHSD is a common form of deafness.
Bilateral deafness can be identified when the dog is still a puppy, more-less at six weeks of age. A puppy with deafness in only one ear is harder to identify, but it can happen.
Portosystemic shunt means that the blood flow is getting back into the bloodstream instead of passing through the liver. That means that liver can’t clear out the toxins, and the organ itself fails to grow properly. This inherited type of shunt can be treated with surgery if the diagnose is set on time.
When you choose one of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are, you want to avoid those more inferior ones that have ingredients in them that can cause your dog to get sick.
Look for the high-quality ones and choose the foods that have natural, wholesome ingredients in them. The vet can always help you with your decision to select a food that will of benefit to your pet.
Try to give your pet some good homemade food too such as some raw meat occasionally as well as boiled chicken, vegetables and brown rice. Fresh, cool water should be constantly available.
The Cockalier is going to require some brushing because he sheds quite a bit. Some dog owners prefer to get the Cockalier professionally trimmed. During grooming, check your pet over for any unusual lumps.
Your Cockalier will also need to have his nails trimmed, and because of the long ears, you will need to look inside the ears to ensure there is no redness and signs of infection.
Some dog owners don’t have the time or they don’t want to probe inside their pet’s ears and then a doggy-grooming-parlor can be a good idea as they do all this for you.
The Cockalier is an energetic dog, requiring a lot of exercise and games. These dogs love water games and will love you spraying him with water from the garden hose. Failing that, he’ll jump right into the swimming pool with you. Ball games are just up his street, and he will remind you every day that it’s time for his walk.
Choose a dog food that will provide nutrients that will help in the bone developing. Since they are more likely to suffer from joint diseases, you must take this advice seriously. It would be great if you speak about this with your vet before you choose food on your own.
The best food for Blue Heeler is a high-quality food which supplies them with premium nutrition to fuel their activity.
They also drink a lot of water, so be sure that they always have a fresh water available.
Lots and lots of the outdoor activity and a quality food. You must be very cautious because this kind of dogs gets overweight easily because they just love the treats and extra food portion.
Any outdoor activity that is mentally challenging and interesting enough to keep them from running in the field trying to catch anything that moves.