When you say "Aussie"...

[Bumper]

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

Exactly. I am old school, i absolutely REFUSE to call Heelers “Australian Cattle Dogs”. They are Queensland Red or Blue Heelers.

And oddly enough, Australian Shepherds are not from Australia. Basque sheep herders came to the US by way of Australia and the US ranchers took to calling their dogs Austalian shepherds, but they are a Basque bred dog.

[Simbalism]

I think shepherd, but then maybe because I own one.

[HydroPHILE]

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

^ This

[IdahoRider]

I have always thought of the Australian Shepherd whenever I hear “Aussie”.

I have always heard Australian Cattle Dogs referred to just as “Cattle Dogs” if someone wanted to shorten the name.
Sheilah

[spinandslide]

Aussies-Australian Shepherds
Cattle Dog, Heeler-Aus. Cattle Dogs

[cloudyandcallie]

@MMorgan;6017425

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.

You can read all about them in my breeders’ book “All About Aussies.” The Hartnagles of Las Rocosa were a founding family of the ASC. Elaine’s father had aussies before they were aussies. I owned a daughter of “Hud.”

What a great looking dog, OP. Blue merle has always been my favorite.

Anyone who wants to see a great Australian Cattle Dog, buy the video “Road Warrior.” The dog was great!

However, I suggest no one buy the bumper sticker “I (heart) Aussies.” I had one on my sports car once, and a guy drove up beside me and told me that he was an Aussie, from Australia. I went back to my “A Woman’s Place is in the House, and in the Senate” bumper sticker.

[Pcostx]

Aussie is short for Australian Shepherd.

Heeler or Heeler mix is short for Blue Heeler/Red Heeler, Cattle Dog, and mixes etc.

[Nauset]

Aussie = shepherd
ACD = heeler or cattle dog

[irkenequine]

I encounter this problem often.

I have a dog who is half Aussie Shepherd and half ACD. So when I first got him, the “He’s an aussie / cattle dog mix” came off as “Australian Cattle Dog mix” which is of course half true. And “Australian Shepherd / Australian Cattle dog mix” wasn’t worth the mouthful. Now I’ve settled with Aussie / Heeler mix when people ask.

[Still_Workingonit]

Aussie = Aussie Shepherd nothing else
Aussie Cattle Dog = Kelpie (normally black)

Down here - you either like BCs OR Heelers/Kelpies I run BCs, my nephew in Aussie runs a Blue Heeler and a Red Heeler

[CDE_Driver]

Aussie=Shepherd for me too.

But the ACDs in my neck of the woods and the ranches around here were always referred to as Dingos or Queensland Red or Blue Heelers.

Oh yeah…and a Kelpie is a Kelpie

[summerhorse]

I’ve never heard Aussie mean anything but an Australian shepherd. ACDs are heelers, blue heeler, red heelers or cattle dogs.