Get to Know the Red Heeler Dog
Proud parent of a Red Heeler who’s looking to learn more or thinking about getting a Red Heeler dog? Learn the facts about this dog here:
Quick Facts
- Weight: 35 – 45 pounds
- Height: 17 – 20 inches
Red Heelers are solid, sturdy and compact dogs with an alert, ready-to-work stance. Slightly longer than tall with curved, hanging tails, Red Heelers have muscular legs and strong necks. They have broad, somewhat rounded heads with pointy ears. Their dense, weather-resistant coats are usually red speckled with possible dark or tan markings.
Red Heeler Traits
- Protective
- Alert
- Clever
- Easily bored
- Hardworking
Who gets along with Red Heelers?
- Singles
- Active, sporty types
- Families
- Hunters
- Ranchers
What Are Red Heelers Like to Live With?
Not content with sitting around the house for hours, Red Heelers will encourage you to take them outside for exercise, play and work. They are high-energy, intelligent and active dogs with a steady attitude.
Red Heelers have a sense of independence, not requiring much in the way of cuddling or affection. Though tough and steady, they definitely appreciate praise and good treatment. Sometimes their herding instincts come into play at home. They may “herd” family members or nip lightly at heels if they want something. Red Heelers can be cautious and wary, making them excellent watchdogs.
What You Should Know About Red Heelers
Red Heelers need activities, tasks and lots of room to run; therefore, they are probably not suited for apartment living. Without open spaces and jobs to do, they can get into mischief and destructiveness.
A healthy Red Heeler can live as long as 15 years. Common health issues may include eye problems, hip dysplasia and deafness. Unless you live on a ranch, plan on keeping your Red Heeler on a leash. They are very curious and love to run and roam.
Red Heeler History
By crossing native Dingoes with Collies and other herding dogs, Australian George Elliott developed the Red Heeler, a.k.a. Australian Cattle Dog, in 1840. Ranchers were impressed with the breed’s toughness and work ethic, and they quickly became popular as cattle herders. Red Heelers continue to be popular with ranchers and cattlemen, not to mention regular pet owners.
Thumbnail: Photography © adogslifephoto | iStock / Getty Images Plus.
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26 comments on “Get to Know the Red Heeler Dog”
We’ve had red healers for years. We won’t have any other dog. Our children have them as well. They are very protective and so smart it is scary. They love attention and my husband gives them all he has. We take them in the truck on trips and never know they are there. Have stayed with them for months in an RV. The minute they come in the house they are down and resting. We only have females and have had blue males but males are more aggressive. All of ours have lived to 15 and 16 years old. Love them to death.
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We have a 15 year old Red Heeler male. He is the best dog we ever had. He was a very healthy and smart dog all his live. About 3 month ago he stopped eating the Pro Plan dry food he used to love to eat. We took him to his vet for this eating problem. The vet, that cared for him from 6 months of age, took blood tests, which revealed that he has high liver enzymes.
The vet did not offer any feeding advice and just said give him anything he likes.
We tried different brands of dry food with no success. I cooked Hamburgers, chicken, Salmon and eggs for our dog. He became very finicky and what once was rewarding for me the feeding of my dog became a very frustrating experience.
Finally we trained him back on dog food and we found that he likes Hill’s Science wet puppy food, but he eats only two small cans per day. My concern is that he is a Senior dog and he is loosing weight.
Can anyone with experience with the Senior Red Healers breed give us feeding advice, so I can help and save my dog.
Our dog is still very active and we take him on short camping trips.
Did you check for any dental issues?
Getting my 1st Rad Heeler Mix female…. wish
me luck… My last dog was a Catahoula Leopard dog
Why does a red healer and Corgi mix puppy tear up the house when you leave her bye her self
Hi there Annie,
Thanks for reaching out! You might find this article helpful on how to entertain a dog that is left home alone:
https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/are-your-dogs-home-alone-during-the-day-here-are-5-boredom-busters
Dogs willl get into mischief if they don’t have enough exercise. Try taking your babe for a walk at lat once a day. Mornings d evening works even better
Mine does the same! Shes 6 months old – red heeler corgi and she makes a mess and tears things up. She has anxiety and I have a behavioral trainer coming to help on Saturday. Any luck since September?
We crate our male, and the females really just chill, we run our dogs quite abit. They love to fetch.. we use a crickitt ball from Dicks Sporting store. They are a big superball that gently thrown goes along way!! 2.99$ bright colors are the best!! We have 4 heelers!
they do this because they are bored mine use to do it try to get antler bones for them to chew on and keep them busy
Hi I have a red heeler and mine used to do this a lot and it was so annoying I had to hide everything and put a lid on trash cans, but I did some research and I found out that dogs do this when they are bored . So we started to take her outside for at least 2 hours outside everyday and she won’t do anything bad inside anymore. If you don’t want to run or play with her you can always just throw a tennis ball and your dog will eventually get tired, that’s what I do when I am too tired. But it definitely helped a lot, I don’t have to hide anything anymore and she won’t rip or tear up things.
We rescued a red heeler mix this summer. We are her 3rd home in 3 years because first owner was in hospital then the next had a young baby and old dog and no time for her. She is now 4. She had a great time with us this summer and we taught her to swim and she lives to jump in lake after a tennis ball. However we live in northern WI and now she is stuck inside the house and our daughter left for college. I have a muscular disorder and often cannot walk her and am bedbound half the day. Needless to say, she is bored to death and depressed. I had found someone interested who lost their heeler, when we only had her for two months. Family wouldn’t let me place her. She has also attacked one of our cats, who cannot even come out with the family anymore if she’s around. I have the chance to place her with the other family and need to convince mine that it is best for her happiness to have a better fit even tho we love her and would miss her. She is smart, loyal, obedient but not fulfilled at all and I feel horrible for her. I believe we saved her but also think our purpose may have been to do that temporarily and now she can be happier in the other home. I do fear her being in a 4th home again as she has abandonment issues of course. she is dominant with other dogs and now we cannot have family or friends watch her of we leave town for the day. Those weret deal breakers: not getting along with cats or other dogs. But my real issue is about her needs and how our life does not fit her needs for half the year.
Hi Jody,
Sorry to hear you’re experiencing this. We suggest reaching out to the shelter / organization that you rescued her from to see if they might be able to help you find a solution. Thank you for caring!
I am caring for a 1/2 red healer, 1/4 dobbie, 1/4 pitty. She is 90 lbs. She recently lost her best buddy (a 14 year old pitty). She gets along with the two cats and they like to play (the younger male cat anyway). Also the family of two adults, and three children will be absent for at least one more month and one half. And, then again, for another six months. Coco is very energetic, and loves to run. Unfortunately, I work and am away from this home most of the time. I feel so bad for the dog and do not understand people who want these animals when they do not give them what they need (not want). I am very familiar with pure bred pitty’s and they are the best. But of course if they DO NOT get to run every day for at least 1 hour, that all changes. I am wondering if it is the same for Coco? She was also recently spayed. She has a cage but I don’t like to put her in it. I am not certain that the owner gets that this is a breathing animal that has NEEDS. Or, am I just to sensitive? I sense that this dog is quite distressed and worried. Everyone is gone all at once. She finds clothes of the children to sleep with. I am going to start to put her in her cage when I go to work so I do not have to clean up all she finds to do during the day. My real concern is that what happens to this kind of dog if she does not get her exercise and also being alone most of the time. I know with a Pitty if they do not get to run and if they do not get attention (they think they are lap dogs even when full grown) they go slowly insane. Am I being too sensitive? I believe that this is very unkind to the animal. I hope I am wrong because of who owns it. HELP!
You just have to work with Red Heelers. It just takes a lot of time and dedication . I got my puppy @3 mos. I was ready to give up but started to take him to pet smart and our trainer was wonderful . She knew how to help . He does still nip and bite but lot less than when we got him. The main thing that helped is that I love animals in all totality . I will not give up on mine. You have to give the time to trust you , and they really will .
Good Luck !!!
Lots of exercise will help them !!!!
My cat doesn’t like dogs. My heeler want to play with the cat. If the cat growls, the dog “growls’ but in a funny, friendly way. If the cat hisses, the dog lets out a heavy ‘ha” breath. It’s so funny. It’s almost as if the dog is trying to learn the cats language.
But don’t worry. I’ve seen both animals getting along even sleeping side by side. The cat only reacts if she realizes someone is watching. And, for the dogs safety, we never leave any of our dogs alone with the neurotic cat.
I have a year old red heeler male. I’ve had him about 5 months now. Is it true this breed doesn’t get along with cats?
I’ve had to separate the two as my cat is frightened of him. The dog barks and wants to get close to the cat. I’ve tried introducing them as I held onto his collar. But, I just don’t want to take any chances of either one getting hurt.
I have a simple question. Is it best to not put a cat in a home with a red heeler? I don’t want to take any chances.
I’m sure it might depend on the dog, but over all, what’s your thoughts?
We have a 1 year old Red Heeler/Lab mix we adopted a few months ago. He is fine with our 2 cats. Well he’s actually scared of our 14 year old grumpy cat. Him and the other cat get alone fine and will lay next to each other on my bed.
You just have to work with Red Heelers. It just takes a lot of time and dedication . I got my puppy @3 mos. I was ready to give up but started to take him to pet smart and our trainer was wonderful . She knew how to help . He does still nip and bite but lot less than when we got him. The main thing that helped is that I love animals in all totality . I will not give up on mine. You have to give the time to trust you , and they really will .
Good Luck !!!
Lots of exercise will help them !!!!
I just rescued a red heeler today. It seems that someone abandoned him at the mailboxes. Never had a heeler but we have 6 other dogs. I cant wait to work w him.all the info has been very useful.
Thank you
Our boy Dusty is 11 months now and came from Alabama as a rescue. We finally are getting him out of his kennel all the time. We went through a big bucket of toys, several rugs, a charger cord for the phone, even the micro wave and tv got knocked off the counter and bit the dust. We are loving him more than ever, give him plenty of treats, buy new toys all the time. He is so smart, can even come by the table and makes noises and when I ask him what he wants he looks up at the top of the fridge, which is where the treats are kept. He sleeps up in our bed with our other 9 year old rescue and they get along great, grandchildren love him, but he does like to nip at the couple that jump around. He has many of the same traits listed.
We have a 9 year old blue heeler that has been the best dog ever! He does well with kids, big dogs, small dogs, lizards, and even a cat. We loved this breed so much we actually just adopted a 5 month old red heeler. He came from a a dog hoarding situation. He is very skittish now but were hoping he’ll turn out just like our blue heeler ghost.
Hi, it seemed like they are active dogs too like Pitbulls and Rottweilers? Can they be left alone with small children or elderly people? Thank you so much!
My family has 2 red heelers and you are right, they can get along well with families! They are very active and smart!