MyDogBreeds
Gordon Setter is originated from United Kingdom but Blue Healer is originated from Australia. Gordon Setter may grow 19 cm / 8 inches higher than Blue Healer. Gordon Setter may weigh 14 kg / 31 pounds more than Blue Healer. Gordon Setter may live 3 years less than Blue Healer. Both Gordon Setter and Blue Healer has almost same litter size. Gordon Setter requires Moderate maintenance. But Blue Healer requires Low maintenance
The Gordon Setter includes mixes of the English Setter and the Irish Setter. The original purpose of the breed was to hunt game birds.
The dog breed hails from Scotland with a history that dates back to the 17th century. The dog was developed in Gordon Castle by the Duke of Gordon IV.
The dog became popular among hunters in the early 19th century. He is the biggest of the setter breeds. It was in 1884 that the American Kennel Club recognized the Gordon Setter.
It was in 1802 that George Hall arrived in New South Wales, establishing 2 cattle stations. He had a problem – getting his thousands of cattle to the Sydney markets. He began looking at the prospect of a droving dog and imported a number of dogs of which a blue mottled dog emerged.
The dogs were crossed with dingoes and by 1840 the Halls Heelers were used by the Halls. However with the death of one of the Halls, their cattle stations went to action and the dogs, the Halls Heelers became available.
The dogs attracted attention, and the term ‘Australian Cattle Dog’ was adopted. The name referred to those dogs coming from Thomas Hall's ‘Heelers’. There have been many arguments about the origin of the breed, but the red or blue offspring known as Hall's Heelers were proven cattle drovers, and with further breeding experiments which included the Australian Kelpie, dingoes and the Dalmation, by 1893, the tough, robust working breed known as the Blue Heeler or the Australian Cattle Dog came about.
The Gordon Setter is a large dog, capable of reaching up to 69cm in height and weighing up to 36kg in weight.
He belongs to the Setter family and is somewhat heavier than the other Setter breeds. Setter dogs are classified as sporting- or gun dogs. He is a beautiful dog with a pitch black coat with tan markings found around the chest, muzzle and paws as well as those two familiar tan dots above each eye.
Sometimes you can find a small amount of white on the chest. The coat is straight and silky but it can be slightly waved with feathering around the legs, chest, ears and tail. Both the tail and the ears of the dog are also long and feathery. The Gordon has an intelligent, dignified look about him.
The Gordon Setter is a confident, fearless, loyal and affectionate dog. They do well with their human families, when there are other pets in the house as well as children.
He can be a boisterous dog so training and socialization will become necessary. Your Gordon Setter is an intelligent dog and also a dog ready and willing to learn. He is calm and even-tempered but playful too.
He isn’t a dog suited to life in the city if there isn’t an adequately sized garden. He is essentially a country life dog well suited to farms or large fenced gardens.
Blue Heelers are medium-sized, sturdy, compact dogs who are somewhat longer than tall. The female Blue Heeler measures roughly 43–48cm at the withers, while the male measures about 46–51cm. If your Blue Heeler is in tip top condition, he’ll weigh about 15 to 22 kilograms. They are muscular with pointed, erect ears, dark eyes and long tails which are mostly hanging downwards. Their dense coats are blue- or red speckled and sometimes with tan markings.
The Blue Heeler is a ball of energy and he is clever too. You won’t find him sitting around for too long, and if there is sign of a walk or a ball game, he’s in! He is an independent dog, and although he makes a wonderful family pet, he tends to attach himself to that one special person in his life. He is a natural watchdog and protector of his human family.
Beautiful to look at, the intelligent and even-tempered Gordon Setter has everything to be confident about. He loves the attention he gets from his human family and is always looking for a pat.
He can be stubborn and he certainly won't like the idea of being left cut off from his family for long periods of time as he is a social dog with those he knows and loves.
The Gordon Setter is energetic and playful so he will need regular exercise. When you bring a Gordon Setter into your home, you bring in a wonderfully loyal pet and companion.
Training and socializing of your Blue Heeler will ensure that your dog does what you want him to. The Blue Heeler is an intelligent, responsive dog and training can benefit him, turning him into an outstanding family pet, good with children and other pets in the home.
He is a playful, affectionate pet who doesn’t take easily to strangers, and this is what makes him such an excellent guard dog.
Your Blue Heeler is not an apartment dog as he requires a lot of exercise, and cooping him indoors for too long with nothing to do can lead to destructive behavior.
Head-strong, independent and robust, your Blue Heeler will need a firm owner who is boss. Add to the firm owner a lot of love and care, and you’ll have a devoted friend.
Life expectancy for the Gordon Setter is usually about 10 to 12 years and with good nutrition and care, your Gordon can easily reach 12 years of age.
Every dog is prone to some common health issues and these include among others hip dysplasia, gastric torsion or bloat, retinal atrophy and ear infections.
Large dogs are more prone to hip dysplasia. The disease is a malfunction of the hip joints causing pain and loss of function in the rear legs.
This eye conditon just gets worse over time and can lead to vision loss.
An under-active thyroid causes a decrease in metabolism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs include weight gain, obesity, cold intolerance, changes in the skin and coat like hair loss and your dog is lethargic.
This can be very dangerous with your pet as the stomach is swollen and the stomach rotates and twists and can lead to death.
Australian cattle dogs are healthy and can live up to 15 years of age, but even so there are some genetic conditions that you will need to be aware of following
Eye issues which includes progressive retinal atrophy – this disease is an inherited disease of the retina of the eye where the rod cells are destined to die. Fortunately it is not painful for the dog. There are different types of inherited retinal degenerative diseases in dogs but going into detail with them is beyond the scope of this article. For more information you can chat to your vet.
Recessive piebald elleles - the Blue Heeler has recessive piebald alleles which can produce white in the skin and coat and which is linked to congenital hereditary deafness.
Gordon Terriers are energetic dogs so he is going to require a good deal of exercise each day. Take him with you on your walks and make sure that you give him lots of ball games and rope games.
All Gordon Setters shed, and their coat will require a good brushing at least twice a week. Check nails, teeth and ears regularly. Brush teeth at least twice a week to prevent dental decay.
As a working dog your Gordon Setter has a special need for a high fat content diet. You can include some raw meat in his high-energy dog kibble. He can also have some cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables added into his kibble from time to time. Make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.
Remember that your Blue Heeler was once a full time cattle dog where he used to become totally and utterly exhausted from herding cattle. This is what he loved – the activity. If you have a Blue Heeler, you will need to provide him with plenty of exercise.
If you live on a farm, your Blue Heeler will be in his element because he can run, walk and swim to his heart’s content. If you keep your Blue Heeler in your back garden, you will need to provide him with ball games, rope games, long walks, running on a leash as you cycle and other activities.
Your Blue Heeler has a short, weather-resistant double coat. He’s not a heavy shedder, but he will have his share of seasonal shedding, so it’s a good idea to get into the habit of brushing him at least twice a week. This will get rid of all those loose hairs and keep his skin healthy by getting the blood flowing and distributing his natural oils.
Giving the best dog food for your Blue Heeler will come from either your home made food or a top quality commercially manufactured dog food. He is such a high energy dog, that your veterinarian can advise you on a dog food specially designed for high energy breeds.
These foods are well balanced and are enriched with amino acids and vitamins, promoting healthy bones and joints. Remember to include some raw meat into your dog’s diet and to ensure a constant source of cool, fresh water.
Ensure your Blue Heeler’s ongoing health by paying attention to ears, nails and teeth.