MyDogBreeds
Welsh Springer Spaniel is originated from United Kingdom but Austrailian Blue Heeler is originated from Australia. Both Welsh Springer Spaniel and Austrailian Blue Heeler are having almost same height. Both Welsh Springer Spaniel and Austrailian Blue Heeler are having almost same weight. Both Welsh Springer Spaniel and Austrailian Blue Heeler has almost same life span. Both Welsh Springer Spaniel and Austrailian Blue Heeler has almost same litter size. Welsh Springer Spaniel requires Moderate maintenance. But Austrailian Blue Heeler requires High maintenance
The Welsh Springer Spaniel is thought to be an old Land Spaniel similar to the English Springer Spaniel. They were pretty mush an unknown breed until they won a string of dog trials and became more popular. Following this surge the breed was recognized by the UKC in 1902 and were named the Welsh Springer Spaniel. No one really knows when the breed was developed and cannot be traced because of lack of documentation. They were brought to America in the early 1900’s and were recognized as a breed by the AKC (American Kennel Club) in 1906.
There are images of a dog looking a lot like the Welsh Springer Spaniel in old prints and pictures. The pictures are of a dog known as a Land Spaniel very much like the Welsh Springer Spaniel. These dogs were thought to be preserved by the Welsh and originally called the Welsh Starter. It was a hunting breed working with falcons.
At one point the breed was called the Welsh Spaniel and was also in the UK studbook as a Cocker Spaniel or a Welsh Cocker. There were several different types of Cocker Spaniels including the English Cocker, the Welsh Cocker, the Devonshire Cocker. The Welsh Cocker Spaniel was a solid dark color while the Welsh and Devonshire Cockers were liver colored.
Following World War II there were no dogs left in Wales or anywhere else in the United Kingdom whose parents were registered pedigree. The unregistered dogs were used to restart the breed and these dogs are the ancestors of the modern Welsh Springer Spaniel.
The breed is still rare with only 299 registered in the UK in 2016. They are listed now a vulnerable Native Breed.
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 breed is a medium size, solid and compact dog bred to work. Their forequarters are angled and there hindquarters are well developed. This is a very good looking breed that is only red with white markings. A hard working dog bred to hunt. They are slighter longer than tall and are not penalized as long as the height tis not greater than the length.
The tail in docked except in countries where it is illegal to do so. Their eyes should be brown. Noses are black or brown. The ears are small with a fethering like most setters. The show and field styles are the same. They are confused with the Engolish Springer Spaniel even though there are many differences. But both breeds are born to hunt and “spring” at the prey. They are smaller than the English Springer Spaniel and larger than the English Cocker Spaniel.
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.
1Children friendliness yes they love their own children, but might be wary of others.
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.
• Eye Diseases – Glaucoma can cause blindness; Entropian – eyelids curl inwards and can damage the cornea.
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.
1Feeding the puppy active puppy. Feed breed specific or medium breed high quality dogfood. Feed ½ -3/4 cup in 2-3 meals
2.Feeding the adult active breed. Feed breed specific or medium breed high quality dogfood. Feed 1-1/2 cup in 1-2meals
4. Games and Exercises – Needs a secure fenced yard. Loves sports and outdoor activity. Agility, obedience, rally, tracking and loves to run, bike and hike.
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.