When you say "Aussie"...

[GoForAGallop]

…what breed do you mean?

I call my little dog an “Aussie mix,” meaning an Australian Cattle Dog mix. It occurred to me that some people think of “Aussie” as Australian Shepherds…like the receptionist at the vet’s office today who went “Really? She doesn’t really look like one…”

So I’m just wondering what breed automatically jumps to mind when you think “Aussie.” I suspect it’s the shepherds…but what do you call the other ones? Cattle dogs?

For fun, here’s a picture of my pretty girl:

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It’s a poor quality cell pic, but you can see her gorgeous ears.

[jacksmom]

aussie has always been a shepherd to me. i refer to the cattle dogs as heelers.

[CosMonster]

I’m with jacksmom. Aussies are shepherds, ACDs are heelers.

[Cielo_Azure]

[QUOTE=CosMonster;6017216]
I’m with jacksmom. Aussies are shepherds, ACDs are heelers.[/QUOTE]

ditto

[GoForAGallop]

Thanks guys! I have no idea why “Heeler” escaped my mind…fried from finals, I guess!

But you’re right, that’s what the cattle dogs are known as around here, too.

[candysgirl]

Aussie = Australian Shepherd

Australian Cattle dogs are ACDs, heelers or cattle dogs.

[Burbank]

yeah I always called my ACD mix a heeler, aussies have always been the shepards in my mind

[HPFarmette]

I think shepherd, and call the other ones cattle dogs. But I heard that Australian shepherds really have no connection with Australia, anybody know the facts?

[EquusArtist]

@candysgirl;6017249

Aussie = Australian Shepherd

Australian Cattle dogs are ACDs, heelers or cattle dogs.

Me too…although I do refer to Australian Cattle Dogs as Cattle Dogs exclusively.

[MMorgan]

[QUOTE=HPFarmette;6017304]
I think shepherd, and call the other ones cattle dogs. But I heard that Australian shepherds really have no connection with Australia, anybody know the facts?[/QUOTE]

Aussies are said to have descended from Basque herding dogs and developed here, in the American west. Their name reportedly originated from being used to herd Australian sheep. To me, they remind me a lot of Border Collies.

[HPFarmette]

Thank you. That makes sense. BTW, border collies rule.:lol:

[PRS]

Aussie = Autralian Shepherd.

Australian Cattle Dog = Heeler or Blue Heeler in my area.

[CosMonster]

[QUOTE=EquusArtist;6017359]
Me too…although I do refer to Australian Cattle Dogs as Cattle Dogs exclusively.[/QUOTE]

Is there a reason for that or is it a regional/habit thing? I just ask because I had someone freak out on me when I called her dogs heelers (they were ACDs and I said something like, “Oh, I have heelers too!”). That’s the accepted term for them around here, whether you’re talking to breeders of top working dogs or just casual owners (I know a few breeders who use them in working trials but I don’t know any show breeders, so I was thinking it might be a show thing). It sure seemed to bug that lady though so I’m wondering if she was crazy or if there really is some negative association with the word in some circles.

[PRS]

[QUOTE=CosMonster;6017879]
Is there a reason for that or is it a regional/habit thing? I just ask because I had someone freak out on me when I called her dogs heelers (they were ACDs and I said something like, “Oh, I have heelers too!”). That’s the accepted term for them around here, whether you’re talking to breeders of top working dogs or just casual owners. It sure seemed to bug that lady though so I’m wondering if she was crazy or if there really is some negative association with the word in some circles.[/QUOTE]

Having worked as a vendor at dog shows…I can tell you for sure, based on my observations, that there are just as many crazy dog people as there are crazy horse people.

[MMorgan]

CosMonster, I think it might be that “heeler” is considered a slang term, but I’m also interested in knowing the reason for referring to them exclusively as Cattle Dogs.

[Arizona_DQ]

[QUOTE=PRS;6017888]
Having worked as a vendor at dog shows…I can tell you for sure, based on my observations, that there are just as many crazy dog people as there are crazy horse people.[/QUOTE]

Like calling someone’s “Paint” a “Pinto”…:winkgrin:

[Nezzy]

[QUOTE=jacksmom;6017128]
aussie has always been a shepherd to me. i refer to the cattle dogs as heelers.[/QUOTE]

THIS

[danceronice]

[QUOTE=jacksmom;6017128]
aussie has always been a shepherd to me. i refer to the cattle dogs as heelers.[/QUOTE]

Yep. “Aussie” is a shepherd (funnily, as the breed’s not actually Australian) and Cattle Dogs are heelers. (A habit which I picked up in Victoria, AUS, so it’s not an AMERICAN regionalism but it might be an Australian one.)

[bits619]

And then there’s the magical version, too, usually found on Craigslist but can be anywhere.
“Blue healers”

[danceronice]

[QUOTE=bits619;6018062]
And then there’s the magical version, too, usually found on Craigslist but can be anywhere.
“Blue healers”
;-)[/QUOTE]

Do they perform the laying on of paws?