About the Australian Cattle Dog
To Quote directly from the AKC Website: "The compact but muscular Australian Cattle Dog, also called Blue Heeler or Queensland Heeler, is related to Australia's famous wild dog, the Dingo. These resilient herders are intelligent enough to routinely outsmart their owners.
Standing between 17 to 20 inches at the shoulder, the Australian Cattle Dog is a sturdy, hard-muscled herder of strength and agility. The ACD is born with a white coat that turns blue-gray or red. Both coat varieties feature distinctive mottling or specking patterns. ACDs have immense work drive and excel at hunting, chasing, and, of course, moving livestock. Their boundless energy and supple gait make them excellent running partners. ACDs are true-blue loyal, famously smart, ever alert, and wary of strangers. If an ACD isn't challenged, he easily becomes bored and gets into mischief. It is recommended that ACD owners participate with their dog in some work, sport, or regular exercise to keep him mentally and physically fit."
General Information
according to the AKC website
Height
18-20 inches for Males
17-19 inches for Females
Weight
35-50 pounds
Life Expectancy
12-16 years
Health Testing
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): To quote from the VCA website: "Atrophy means the partial or complete wasting of a body part. Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), is a group of degenerative diseases that affect these photoreceptor cells. With this disease, the cells deteriorate over time, eventually leading to blindness in the affected dog." A DNA test can be done to determine if a dog is clear, a carrier of the gene, or affected for this disease.
Click this link to learn more from VCA
Progressive retinal Atrophy, Rod-cone dysplasia 4 (PRA-RCD4): To quote from Paw Print Genetics: "a late-onset inherited eye disease affecting dogs. Affected dogs begin showing clinical symptoms related to retinal degeneration between 7 to 12 years of age. Initial clinical signs of progressive retinal atrophy involve changes in reflectivity and appearance of a structure behind the Retina called the Tapetum that can be observed on a veterinary eye exam. Progression of the disease leads to thinning of the retinal blood vessels, signifying decreased blood flow to the retina. Affected dogs initially have vision loss in dim light (night blindness) and loss of peripheral vision, eventually progressing to complete blindness in most affected dogs."
Click this link to learn more from Paw Print Genetics
Primary Lens Luxation (PLL): To quote from the OFA website: "The lens of the eye normally lies immediately behind the iris and the pupil, and is suspended in place by a series of fibers, called zonular ligaments. It functions to focus light rays on the retina, in the back of the eye. When partial or complete breakdown of the zonular ligaments occurs, the lens may become partially dislocated (Lens Subluxation) or fully dislocated (Lens Luxation) from the lens’ normal position." A DNA test can be done to determine if a dog is clear, a carrier, or affected for this disease as well.
Click this link to learn more from OFA
A dog that is a carrier should never be bred to another dog that is a carrier for the same genetic disease. And a dog that is affected for a genetic disease should never be bred at all. See the simple Punnett Square below provided by Animal Labs. Click this link to learn more.
Clear: the tested dog does not carry the gene at all
Carrier: the tested dog carries one (1) copy of the gene but does not have the genetic disease
Affected: the tested dog carries both copies of the gene and does have the genetic disease which may need to be medically treated by a veterinarian
