NO, Owners agree, Australian Cattle Dogs are not aggressive. But, they are courageous, and will stand their ground when necessary.
Featured Image: Eva Holderegger Walser
Of course, there are exceptions to any rule, and all breeds contain individuals with varying temperaments, but, as a whole, Australian Cattle Dogs are not known for being aggressive or exhibiting aggression.
Many of the things that you may read or hear about the Australian Cattle Dog are really true about any breed.
Things like: They need exercise, they bark, they are cautious or suspicious, they need a lot of socialization, they might chase anything that moves, they might show aggression towards other animals or people.
These are all true, BUT, they are not necessarily true of only Australian Cattle Dogs. They can be true of any dog of any breed. These things, even if sometimes true, do not make Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive.
(Link here to our article How much exercise an Australian Cattle Dog really needs.)
What Does it Mean: "Are Australian Cattle Dogs Aggressive"?
The question means that people want to know if the Australian Cattle Dog, because of his breed, is inherently aggressive.
Are Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive by birth?
Are they born aggressive?
If they were, if they were born aggressive, they would all be aggressive. Owners will tell you that just is not the case.
Genetics does not make Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive.
Are Blue Heelers Aggressive?
No, owners agree, Blue Heelers are NOT agressive as a breed.
Some Common Misconceptions
Here are some common misconceptions and reasons often mentioned to answer “are Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive?”
Recently found on the internet searching for: Are Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive?
“Many Australian Cattle Dogs are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex.”
That in itself does not answer the question “Are Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive”?
How about this correction: “Many DOGS are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of ANY sex.”
Yes, some dogs are aggressive. But not because they are of any particular breed. Rather, because they are dogs who have learned to be aggressive.
Also found on the internet searching for: Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive?
“Unsocialized Cattle Dogs may become aggressive towards other dogs later in life, and they can be very territorial”.
ANY dog left unsocialized may become aggressive towards other dogs later in life. Again, it is not breed-specific.
Maybe these ideas are promoted because of a misunderstanding of what real aggression is. Barking does not necessarily make Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive.
What Really is Aggression?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Aggression is: “a forceful action or procedure (such as an unprovoked attack) especially when intended to dominate…”
The key to this definition is the word “forceful” and the phrase “unprovoked attack.”
If you are walking down a public street, minding your own business, and from out of nowhere a dog runs up and attacks you, that is an unprovoked, forceful attack. That is an aggressive dog.
If you are sitting in your own living room, and some stranger breaks in and starts to push you around, and your dog bites them, that is not an unprovoked attack, and your dog is not necessarily an aggressive dog. He is simply doing his job.
When can a dog’s reaction be considered provoked and when is it unprovoked? When is it serious enough to be considered forceful? Is he just doing his job or is he being aggressive?
As a responsible dog owner, you must know what reactions can be accepted and which should never be tolerated.
This is where we may have a disagreement with the dog. His idea of sufficient provocation to react might not be the same as ours.
Regardless of breed, the structure, limitations and accountability that a dog lives with are vital in shaping his personality.
Signs of Impending Dog Aggression
Dogs usually telegraph their actions through a series of escalating signs, either quiet body language postures or sounds meant to communicate whatever he is feeling.
If we learn to recognize and understand these signs, we should be able to tell in advance when aggressive behavior is about to occur. With this advanced warning, we may have time to interrupt the behavior or move to safety.
Signs that your Australian Cattle Dog might be aggressive
Here are some warning signs of aggression:
- An intense stare, possibly showing the whites of the eyes.
- Body posture becoming still and ridged.
- Lowering of the head and neck in a “guarding” posture.
- Curling of the lips, showing the teeth, a classic snarl.
- Growling, deep guttural bark.
- The hair on the back standing up.
- A change in the normal happy position of the tail.
- Advancing boldly.
- Snapping without actually making contact.
- Nipping and Biting-leading to…
- An Outright Attack
Reasons for Aggressive Behavior in Dogs
When a dog exhibits aggressive behavior, he has just made a decision to do so. Based on the information he has at a particular time, he is trying to force an outcome.
If you look at the situation from his point of view, you can try to figure out his motivation or what he is trying to accomplish.
Doing this will give us certain categories or types of aggression.
Are Some Australian Cattle Dogs Aggressive?
Let’s take a look at some reasons why an Australian Cattle Dog, or any dog, might act aggressively.
Categories of Aggressive Dog Behavior
Here are some of the motivations that might cause the dog to show aggression.
- Fear. By far, the most common type of aggression is due to fear. Fear is a very strong, unpleasant. innate emotion. A fearful dog is anticipating danger. If he feels that he cannot flee from the danger, he will fight in an attempt to eventually feel safe. Because fear can be caused by many different situations, it can also be a part of other types of aggression.
- Territorial. Dogs are very territorial. They will act to protect themselves and their families from anyone or anything intruding into their home area.
- Possessive. Also called Resource Guarding, is probably due to their innate instinct for survival. This can include toys or food.
- Pain. Feeling pain might trigger the dog’s anticipation of danger and be related to fear. Veterinarians deal with this on a daily basis. This is also the reason to never leave small children alone with dogs, ever.
- Predatory. Driven by an instinct for survival. Never forget that the dog is a predator and is drawn to chase, bite, shake, kill and eat smaller animals.
Do Dogs Have to be Aggressive to be Good Herders?
Think about what it means to be a herding dog. From their beginning in the early 1800s, drovers used dogs to help them move cattle. They had to keep the herd together, not allowing strays to wander off. The herd had to be moved in a certain direction, not just scattered around everywhere.
None of these requirements would make Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive.
They couldn’t afford to have aggressive dogs that would just attack and chase the cattle. How could that kind of dog be helpful? How could that kind of dog be trained to contain and push cattle on command?
Herding dogs had to be brave so as not to back down from a threatening cow. They had to be determined and tenacious to keep after the ones who would continually test them. They also had to be strong and hearty because the days could be long and hard.
Most of all, they had to be trainable in order to learn to do the job correctly.
Aggression is simply not a part of any quality needed to be a good herding dog.
What Dog Breeds can be Aggressive?
An individual is more driven or controlled genetically as a result of his species than by his breed.
All dogs will feel fear at some time.
Any dog will bark at a knock on the door.
All dogs can be affected by pain.
Any dog, regardless of breed, will chase a cat or rabbit if it runs.
When it comes to these inherited characteristics that involve survival, each and every breed carries these traits. So, sure, some Australian Cattle Dogs might be aggressive, but, it is not necessarily a breed characteristic.
Any dog of any breed can be affected by the things that cause aggression.
Whether the dog responds aggressively or not depends on several things.
Every dog has his own level of tolerance. A little kid pinching the skin of one dog might be a minor annoyance, but to another dog, it might be enough to set it into a rage.
The dog that rages over what we would consider a minor annoyance is reacting without provocation and being aggressive.
We need to be the ones who decide what is a proper provocation, not the dog.
If we don’t set proper limitations and hold them accountable, they will just make it up on their own. This will usually lead to their innate, species driven tendencies being magnified.
Here is a video showing an Australian Cattle Dog that has learned to act aggressively. Take a couple of minutes to watch it and see how one experienced trainer solves the problem. This dog was very lucky to have an owner who recognized the problem and made a commitment to get help.
Video credit Dream Come True K9, LLC
Proper Training is a Must to Avoid Australian Cattle Dog Aggressive Behavior
Proper, consistent training is a must to avoid not only aggression but, any unwanted behavior. From the very first day a new puppy or dog comes home, he needs to be introduced to the concept that the human calls the shots, makes the decisions, sets the boundaries, and is in charge of all of the limitations.
That innate herding desire needs to be satisfied one way or another. You have heard that this is a dog that needs a job? Well, his job must consist of exercise and structure. Structure means boundaries.
It is the owner’s responsibility to know what boundaries to set and how to go about setting them. Pretty much all unwanted behavior, including aggression, stems from the dog not having or not understanding these limitations.
Without having this proper structure in place, you might wake up one morning and wonder how your dog got to be so unruly.
Are Australian Cattle Dogs aggressive?
Learning to Give Your Dog Proper Training
First, it is important to recognize the fact that ALL dogs need training. Remember that providing structure on the little things will lead to having control over the bigger things.
Next, make a commitment to your dog that you will do your very best to see to it that he receives the training that he needs. Whether you can learn to do it yourself, or if you need to seek professional help, commit to doing what needs to be done.
Finally, learn all about the different types of training and the philosophy behind each. Learn which ones actually work and which ones do not. Do your homework! Don’t be fooled by a method that cannot show results. Follow or work with a trainer that can prove real success.
Video credit Milligan Valley
6 Basics to Teach Every Dog to Help Avoid Aggression
- Walk on a leash without pulling
- Sit
- Stay
- Come
- Down
- Place
When you have learned to correctly teach your dog these six basic life skills, you will have the “tools” to take control and be an effective leader. You will be able to prevent him from being totally out of control and self-absorbed. He will understand that you are the human in charge and he is there to obey you.
