MyDogBreeds
Red Heeler is originated from Australia but Belgian Shepherd is originated from Belgium. Red Heeler may grow 15 cm / 5 inches shorter than Belgian Shepherd. Red Heeler may weigh 14 kg / 30 pounds lesser than Belgian Shepherd. Both Red Heeler and Belgian Shepherd has almost same life span. Both Red Heeler and Belgian Shepherd has almost same litter size. Red Heeler requires Low maintenance. But Belgian Shepherd requires Moderate maintenance
Known also as the Australian Cattle Dog, the Red Heeler is also known as the Blue Heeler. This is a breed of herding dog originally developed in Australia.
These dogs are known for their stamina and resilience with driving cattle over long distances in hot weather and across rough terrain.
It was George Eliott who developed the Red Heeler – crossing native Dingoes with Collies and other herding dogs.
In America, the breed was fully recognised in September 1980.
There are different varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – but these all differ only in color, length and texture of coat. The interesting aspect of the names of the different Belgian Shepherds, is that the names of the different varieties are taken from the individual towns in Belguim from which each variety comes from.
This breed dates back to the middle ages, but it was only in 1891 that Professor A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School established standards for the types and actually separated- and distinguishing them. In the UK they are shown as one breed.
The Red Heeler is a medium-sized dog standing at between 43 to 51 cm in height and weighing in the region of 14 – 16 kg.
He is muscular, with a sturdy build. The coat of this robust dog is shortish and thick and quite often you’ll find a white star marking on he forehead. The coat is a blue-grey color or reddish. The tail of this dog is long and the ears are erect.
The Red Heeler has always been a working dog so he is energetic and lively, being independent and strong-willed.
He is super intelligent too and can be easily trained and socialized. He is a dog that simply loves the outdoors and if you don’t live on a farm, he is going to need lots of exercise.
He gets on well with kids and other pets, but children should be taught to respect him and be kind towards him, otherwise he might not tolerate them. He is a loyal, protective dog, wanting to ensure the safety of his human family.
The Belgian Shepherd is a well proportioned, muscular medium-to-large dog breed. There are the different varieties but they generally stands at 56 – 66cm in height and weighs anything from 25 to 30kg. You get the short haired Malinois and then you also get the Belgian Tervuren and the Groenendal which are fairly long-haired varieties. Their colour shades vary so you can find black with white markings on the chest and feet, you can find light to dark brown and some are even inclined to be brown.
All the varieties have long tails, pointed, fully erect ears and black noses. While the Belgian Shepherd isn’t an aggressive dog, he makes an excellent guard dog, being alert, highly energetic and intelligent and easy to train. As with most other dogs, you’ll want to see to it that he is trained and socialized because then he makes a super pet suited to life with a family where there are children and other pets. He has an independent nature and is loyal and protective with his human family.
When you bring a Red Heeler into your home, you must know that you’re never going to have a dull moment. They’re not content to lie around with nothing to do. These popular dogs literally coax you to come out and to be active.
Red Heelers need lots of activities and lots of room, so they aren’t particularly suited to life in the city. Large properties and plenty to do is what they ask for.
Your Red Heeler is going to make a splendid pet, loyal and devoted, the perfect example of man’s best friend.
Energy is a big factor with this beautiful dog, so before you consider one as a pet, be sure that you can take care of his exercise needs. He belongs to the working group of dogs so he won’t enjoy just lazing around day after day. He is wired to be herding livestock and that natural instinct doesn’t disappear once he becomes a pet in your home. With so much energy, he wants a nice sized garden and wouldn’t do well cooped up indoors at all.
He is a strong, loving dog, and in exchange for your care of him, he will be a loyal, loving, protective friend who will love you to the end.
Your Red Heeler can live to be 15 years of age with good care. Every dog however, can fall prey to some of the many common dog diseases there are, some of which can be -
There are quite a lot of congenital and inherited musculoskeletal disorders in dogs, with some of the more common ones being hip dysplasia and muscular dystrophy for instance.
There are some of these musculosceletal problems which can be fatal. Some of the typical symptoms you’ll see with these problems are difficulty climbing stairs or jumping, loss of muscle mass in the hind limbs, arthritis and lameness.
The retina of the eye is that light-sensitive part and which is part of the central nervous system. With retinal degeneration, the cells decline, leading to impaired vision and sometimes even blindness.
Some symptoms to look out for include dilated pupils, night blindness and the inability to see clearly in bright light. The disease worsens over times with sudden blindness being quite common with older dogs. Your vet will want a thorough history of your dog’s health.
Other dog diseases to be very aware of are cancer, obesity, bloat, hip dysplasia and epilepsy.
The Belgian Shepherd is a hardy dog so if you do your part to provide him with good quality nutrition from the food he eats and you exercise him, he’ll reach the 10-14 years allotted to him.
Just like with any dog, there will be some minor concerns that you need to watch out for -
epilepsy, eye problems, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.
remember to check his teeth and for ticks and parasites as both, if just left, can jeopardise his health seriously.
see that he get his first puppy vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age.
The Red Heeler is an active dog, and apart from walks which will give him the chance to sniff around, he will need lots of other forms of exercise. Rope pulling games he’ll love and running after a ball will please him because it takes him back to days when he used to run around and herd livestock.
If you’re an outdoorsy type of person who loves hiking in the wilds and swimming in rivers, you can count this dog in.
You can look at the Red Heeler as a low maintenance dog. He does shed, but a good brush of the coat twice a week will be excellent for him. If he doesn’t wear his nails down naturally, you will need to trim them. Also, while you are brushing him, check his ears and eyes and inside his mouth to make sure he is clear of all infections.
Red Heelers rely on good food for their resilience and stamina, and for convenience it is good to have commercially manufactured dog food as a backup. The best is home-made food which is easy to prepare and totally uncomplicated.
Simply add into one big pot chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This food can all be chopped up, refrigerated and added warmed up and in small portions to your pet's dry kibble once or twice a week. Simple and tasty, your Red Heeler will love it and thrive on it too.
Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.
Your Belgian Shepherd is an energetic dog breed who is social and who wants to be included in your family activities. You can’t just keep him cooped up in your back yard and expect him to do well. He’ll need daily exercise – walks, swims if there is water close by, chasing the ball as well as your companionship.
These dogs are shedders so you’ll certainly be needing to watch your clothes for hairs. You will need to give them a good brush at least twice a week to get rid of all that loose hair and to keep his coat shiny and in tip top condition. Also, he likes the closeness the brushing provides between him and his human caretaker.
The Belgian Shepherd is a robust, healthy breed of dog, but many ill dogs are brought to veterinary clinics because they are suffering with itchy skin problems, they have digestive problems and they’re generally run down. This is because they aren’t provided with a varied and balanced diet plan. Apart from eating a quality dry- or wet dog food as recommended by your vet, he’ll most certainly need some raw meat in his diet too.