One of the first questions you should ask if you are thinking about getting an Australian Cattle Dog is: Are Australian Cattle Dogs easy to train? The quick answer is: YES. Australian Cattle Dogs are easy to train. But, not for just anybody.
A better question to ask might be: Will an Australian Cattle Dog be easy for ME to train?
Too many times someone will get an Australian Cattle Dog puppy because they are just so darn cute, but then realize what a handful they can be.
Although easy to train, many super-high-energy Australian Cattle Dogs can be pushy, demanding, overbearing, and obnoxious. (So some owners have said)
Before committing to owning an Australian Cattle Dog you should take a real good look at yourself to determine if you can be an effective leader and if you are the right person for the job.
This breed is not your normal lay-around-all-day-lap-dog, and sometimes this relationship may need professional help to survive.
Are Australian Cattle Dogs Easy to Train?
What Kind of Person Does it Take to Train an Australian Cattle Dog?
What kind of person does it take to be a successful leader of an Australian Cattle Dog?
Well, first, you need to be able to realize that this dog breed can be different than most other dogs.
Think about what it is like to be the owner of a CAT. You put out the food and water, provide a clean litter box, then sit back and wait for them to crawl on your lap and go to sleep.
Some dog breeds are just like that cat.
WARNING: AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOGS ARE NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL!
The Australian Cattle Dog has a very unique personality and needs a human with a real understanding of his special needs.
An Australian Cattle Dog is more likely to push you around the house in order to get something he wants. He is more likely to nip and bark if he learns that he can get his own way by doing that.
If he is feeling frustrated and restless from lack of exercise or direction, he may tear up your furniture just for something to do!
The happy, successful Australian Cattle Dog owner will be a person who is observant and can see when his dog is just thinking about making a bad choice.
A good owner will also be decisive so that he can make a quick decision that will lead him to an effective correction.
He will also be knowledgeable, especially about different training methods. He must know what type of correction will be effective and which will lead to a permanent change. This knowledge must be based on reality and fact, never on emotion.
(the owner or trainer who bases decisions on emotion will always do what makes himself feel good and not necessarily what is good for the dog)
This is not to say that you shouldn’t love your dog. Quite the contrary. You should love your dog so that you will do whatever is necessary to provide a happy, healthy home. A happy dog needs a home that is based on rules and limitations.
So, are Australian Cattle Dogs easy to train? Yes, but you better know what you are doing! Without proper enforcement of rules and limitation an Australian Cattle Dog can make your life severely hectic.
What are Common Characteristics of Easy-to-Train Dogs?
Baring any limiting medical condition, all dogs are trainable to some extent. However, there may be different ability levels for certain tasks and different amounts of interest shown for that task.
For example, dogs that are bred to be bird dogs or pointers may have little interest in working sheep or cattle. So the first characteristic of whether or not a dog is trainable is if he has an inherited desire to perform.
For the most part, today’s Australian Cattle Dogs are easy to train for many things, but carry a tremendous genetic desire to work cattle. It is this inherited instinct that makes Australian Cattle Dogs easy to train for herding, and, at the same time, might hinder training for other things.
In addition to an inbred desire to work, or work ethic, there are several general characteristics that make Australian Cattle Dogs east to train.
Most Australian Cattle Dogs are extremely food driven. In the very initial training stages of a task, it is necessary to do hundreds of repetitions. This will include Giving the command, receiving the proper response, and rewarding the response.
When the reward comes in the form of a treat, the food-driven Australian Cattle Dog will catch on lightening-fast! He will become very willing to please, and, will try his hardest to get that next treat.
Because the Australian Cattle Dog is such a loyal friend, he will want nothing more than to be with that ONE chosen person. When he wants to be with you it will be much easier to get his attention when you are ready to give the next command.
His extreme focus on you adds greatly to making Australian Cattle Dogs easy to train.
Characteristics that might work against being Easy to Train
One of the first factors that might work against being easy to train is the fact that Australian Cattle Dogs are bred to be in charge.
They are bred to be in charge of very large animals and to herd them where they may not want to go.
They have to be strong, persistent and brave in order to control get their job done.
This characteristic might be hard to handle for some owners who are less experienced.
Although Australian Cattle dogs are easy to train, they still have a tendency to be stand-offish, or suspicious of new situations and people.
This could lead them to need extra understanding and encouragement at times.
Sometimes when they are acting protective you may think that they are being aggressive. You will need to be educated enough to work through this behavior before it becomes a real problem.
Not only are Australian Cattle Dogs easy to train, they also make a good family dog. Check out our article HERE
