MyDogBreeds
St. Bernard is originated from Switzerland but Queensland Heeler is originated from Australia. St. Bernard may grow 20 cm / 8 inches higher than Queensland Heeler. St. Bernard may weigh 68 kg / 150 pounds more than Queensland Heeler. St. Bernard may live 5 years less than Queensland Heeler. St. Bernard may have more litter size than Queensland Heeler. St. Bernard requires High maintenance. But Queensland Heeler requires Low maintenance
The St Bernard breed was once called the Alpine Cattle Dogs or the Alpine Mountain Dogs. They have always been farm dogs and mountain dogs in the French and Swiss Alps. They come from the border land of Switzerland and France. They were herding dogs, hunting, search and rescue, watchdogs and draft dogs.
Their ancestors are considered to include the Sennenhunds and molosser breeds that came to the Alps with the ancient Romans. There are four Sennenhund breeds that are believed to have contributed to the original St. Bernard. These included the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund), the Appenzeller (Appenzeller Sennenhund), the Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund) and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog (Entlebucher Sennenhund) Today the St. Bernard is considered a Molossoid breed.
The first we know of the St. Bernard in any written records was in 1707 at the Great St. Bernard Pass and Great St. Bernard Hospice run by monks. There were found paintings of the dogs dating back into the late 1600’s. It is told that Barry saved upward of 100 people in the St. Bernard pass, and it is from these stories that the dogs gained their snow rescue reputation.
The St. Bernard of that time did not look like the St. Bernard does today as there was much crossbreeding. Many dogs dies during rescues in the avalanches of the mid 1800’s and so they Saint was crossed with the Newfoundland to preserve the breed. You can today see the resemblance in the build and looks of the two breeds. This cross brought about the long haired St. Bernard whose fur was too heavy for rescues.
The St. Bernards of mountain rescue fame were only about the size of a German Shepherd dog and were short haired. After crossing with the Newfoundland and moving into clubs and dogs shows, they have been bred to be much larger. Before the stud book was closed, it is thought that many larger breeds such as the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the English Mastiff, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Rottweiler, the Great Pyrenees, the English Bulldog, the Great Dane, the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Boxer and the Caucasian Oycharka all contributed to today’s St. Bernard.
In 1884 The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded and the breed entered the Swiss Stud book as its first entry in 1884. It was 1888 when the standard was approved and the breed became the national dog of Switzerland. Before the name St. Bernard came to be common, these dogs might be called, Barry Dogs, Alepnmastiff, Noble Steeds or Saint Dogs.
The dogs came to England in the early 1800s and to the United States soon after. They were recognized by the European kennel clubs first and by the early 1900’s they were the most popular breed in the AKC.
Another name for Queensland Heeler is Australian Cattle Dog or Blue Heeler.
These dogs have always been known for herding cattle. The term ‘Heeler’ comes from the dog’s working style – nipping and biting at the cattle’s hooves.
He was was an Australian cattle dog for Australian settlers in the 1800s. It is believed that Thomas Hall created one of the foundations of the Australian Cattle Dog breed by crossing crossing sheepdogs with Dingos.
The Blue-colored dogs have been the most popular, being known as the Blue Heeler.
Today’s St. Bernard is not a large dog, he is a giant dog. Weighing in at 140-200 pounds and standing 28 to 35 inches tall, he is a lot of dog. Bred with mastiffs and large mountain dogs, they have proportional and powerful build. They are strong, sturdy and well muscled. They have either a smooth or rough (short or long) coat. Their eyes are brown or occasionally blue. They have tight lids, and square heads and muzzles.
There are two coat types called smooth and rough, or short and long. The smooth shorter coat is tough, flat and close against the body and the long, rough coat is dense, wavy and heavy around the legs, neck and ruff. Both types have long tails that hang low and are heavy. Saints are known to slobber, drool and snore.
The Queensland Heeler is a medium sized dog that stands between 43 and 51cm in height, both male and female. The dog weighs in the region of 15 to 22kg.
He has a short double coat with colors being blue, mottled blue and also red speckled. You’ll also find black and tan coloring on this active dog.
He is strong, lean and muscular with medium sized ears that are erect. The eyes are dark and alert, the legs straight and strong. The tail can be docked or left long.
The Australian Cattle Dog is a high-energy working dog that you won’t easily find lying around. The alert eyes are consistently looking around for action and he can’t be bored otherwise he could resort to digging or other destructive behavior.
He is loving to his entire human family, but being particularly attached to just one family member. He is also protective, taking his guarding role of his family seriously.
He gets on well with children and other pets but you’ve just got to keep your eyes on him around children as when excited he can give a nip or two.
Training and socialization will be important for this dog, particularly because he can be strong-headed, willful and stubborn.
3.Adaptability no - these are giant dogs that need a lot of room. A large fenced yard or farm is best. They won’t do well in an apartment. They need exercise every day and loping around a yard is very good for them. They love to play in the snow, carry a backpack or pull a cart. They love to have a “job”
4.Learning ability – They are smart and highly trainable if motivated. They may appear lazy but they are just laid back and need a motivation.
Active, intelligent, feisty, brave, playful, loving – these are just some of the wonderful characteristics you get when you bring a Queensland Heeler into your home.
True, he is independent, self-willed and stubborn, but training and socialization can take away all the rough edges.
He forms a strong bond with his human owner, and once you’ve had one of these amazing dogs in your life, you’ll be convinced that dogs are truly man’s best friend.
The first problem this breed faces is how fast they grow and gain weight. This can lead to serious health issues if not controlled. Their bones can be damaged by this excessively fast rate of growth. Other issues facing the breed include:
Australian Cattle Dogs are healthy. Every dog, even the most healthiest breeds, can succumb to some of the common dog illnesses there are.
This is an inherited condition, so if you’re looking for a puppy, be careful about the breeder you buy from.
This is another inherited condition where the thighbone of the dog doesn't fit properly into the hip joint. Your dog is usually so active but with this problem he may well be in pain and actually be lame. Your pet can even develop arthritis . The idea is to get your pet to the vet because it can be unbearable to see him in pain and unable to get around.
This eye disease can mean deterioration of the retina. You'll recognize the signs when you see your dog unable to navigate around your home during the night. He is night blind but later on he can’t see during the day either.
1.Feeding the puppy – You want to control their growth. Do not overfeed, and make sure they exercise but not too much. Feed a high quality large breed puppy food 3-4 X a day in small amounts.
2.Feeding the adult – The problem you face with he adult St. Bernard is the potential for Bloat. Don’t over feed. Don’t feed before or after strenuous exercise. Feed 2-3 X a day in smaller amounts to prevent Bloat. Feed a high quality breed specific food if possible or an extra large breed formula.
4. Games and Exercises They need exercise but not as much as you might think. The St. Bernard is a laid back lumbering character so don’t over exercise her. They enjoy weight and cart pulling but they are not athletes who enjoy frisbee or agility. Search and rescue trials and tracking trials are perfect athletic endeavors for them.
To cope with his life on the Australian Outback, the Queensland Heeler is known to be a low maintenance dog.
The thick coat does shed and it can get dusty so a good brush twice a week is all that is basically required for this dog. If his nails don’t wear down naturally, you will need to have them trimmed. As with every dog, you will need to give attention to his ears and teeth.
This is an extremely active dog. He is going to be needing both mental and physical stimulation to avoid boredom, after all he is used to an active lifestyle herding cattle. Hikes, swimming, running – you name it – he’ll join you with all your activities.
Your Queensland Heeler is such a vibrant dog, full of the joys of living, and you want to ensure he has good food to eat to ensure he stays like that.
For convenience you get some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods. Your Blue Heeler is such a wonderful companion dog that you want to spoil him a bit and give him some delicious home-made food too. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a healthy choice for your pet – plain and simple just like dogs love it. Chop it up and add it into the high quality dry kibble a couple of times a week.
Some raw meat added in from time to time will help his skin and coat remain healthy. Never leave him without a constant source of fresh, cool water.