Get to know the cutest fake Texan—the Australian Shepherd Blue Heeler mix
There are a plethora of dog breeds today. It’s impossible for one person to know all of them, but a responsible owner should know at least the necessary info on the breed of their furry companion.
Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as it sounds. There seem to be many sources online, but most of them are poorly researched, overly generalized, too subjective, or unreliable in other ways. There is a severe lack of worthwhile material on this topic on the web. The pure breeds get more attention, so you can find out quite a bit about them, but crossbreeds tend to get left behind.
Some websites do their best to provide as many facts on any breed—pure or mixed—as possible. TheDogDigest is one of the best. All of their articles are well-researched and well-rounded, so the info they offer is highly reliable. If you’re thinking of adopting a new family member, make sure you do your homework first.
Why choosing the right breed for you matters
You need to be familiar with the breed before you decide to get a puppy. It’s not enough for a dog to be attractive—you need to make sure it suits your lifestyle as well. Breeds determine the behavior of a dog more than you think. Because every breed was created with a particular purpose, dogs today still have the same drive that was drilled into them over centuries of selective breeding.
Newfoundland Dogs will always be happy in water because they were bred to save the drowning fishermen. Bulldogs will be quick to bite in a stressful situation—considering the fact that they were bred to kill bulls, is it any surprise?
Understanding your dog’s breed means figuring out the drive behind its behavior. Once you know why they do the things they do, you can use the knowledge to think of a good outlet for your pup’s urges. This can fix or prevent many problems that dog owners face on a daily basis. You need only information and patience to make it much easier to adapt—for you and your four-legged creature alike. You can save both of you a lot of frustration and make your lives so much easier.
The importance of being Texas Heeler
A mix of a Blue Heeler (also known as Australian Cattle Dog) and an Australian Shepherd is commonly known as Texas Heeler. Considering that both parent breeds come from Australia, this is more than surprising—but so is the little bombshell you’re thinking of getting.
This is a friendly, medium-sized dog with a protective streak. They vary a lot in appearance, but are usually black and fawn, with medium-length fur. Sometimes they’re spotted, and from time to time, they’ll have eyes of a different color. Far from being ugly, their appearance is not as impressive as, say, that of a Dalmatian, but at least nobody will want to make a fur coat out of your pup. Seriously though, it’s difficult to predict what your Texan Heeler pup will look like, so it’s a bit of a gamble.
What they lack in appearance, these happy fellows make up for in pure spirit. They are highly intelligent and love learning new skills and tricks. They are also a fiercely protective breed—probably due to their Shepherd origins. Dogs are generally loyal as a species, but Texas Heeler’s devotion is impressive even in the dog world.
On the flip side, if you have little children, this breed might not be suitable for you. It’s not that a Texas Heel won’t like children—they adore them. They are Shepherd dogs, though, and that means that they’ll try to herd any children who (in the dog’s opinion, obviously) put a toe out of line. They won’t harm the little ones, but the kids may feel threatened and overpowered. It might influence the children negatively, so unless you have the utmost confidence in your ability to train them, it might be better to avoid Texas Heelers until your kids grow up a bit.
This breed requires a lot of space and activity, so if you don’t have a large yard and you’re not a particularly active person, maybe you should refrain from adopting one of these cuties. Being in a small space and not getting enough exercise will make them miserable and frustrated, which can cause them to get destructive.
All in all, this breed is not great for the first-time dog parents, but it is a fiercely loyal, incredibly fun, and extremely protective bunch of man’s best friends.
Do your homework
If you want to get a Texas Heeler, visit TheDogDigest and find out more about them. Don’t forget that any dog you get is your responsibility, as is its behavior. You choose the dog, so in order to be a responsible owner, you need to account for its, and be aware that it can’t be changed but only nourished and adapted.
