History of Australian Cattle Dogs
The Australian Cattle Dog was originally born in Australia. It was bred to help outback ranchers round up their cattle and to withstand the harsh outback conditions. The breed is loyal and devoted to its owner. The joy of owning an Australian Cattle Dog directly relates to the breed origin, why it was bred, the general appearance, its unique traits, simple diet and easy health care. According to Katherine Buetow in “ The History of the Australian Cattle Dog” she states, “There is continuing controversy over which breeds were actually used in its development. One of the difficulties in researching the history of this breed is that there was a lot of experimentation going on in trying to find the perfect combination of dogs to make up the ultimate heeler that could live and work in the Australian outback ”( 1).
The Australian Cattle Dog was thoughtfully blended with several different dogs including the dingo, which is native to Australia, to heard cattle for ranchers on the Australian outback. Originally, ranchers let their cattle roam the outback for months or even years to fatten up before rounding them up and taking them to the market for sell. Since this round up could consist of hundreds of miles, they needed a dog that could go with them and survive the round up. This is when the Australian Cattle Dog was born (Sunset 1).
The “Australian Cattle Dog” describes the breed as a unique blend of five different dogs. The breeds are the smooth-coated collie, Dalmatian, kelpie, dingo, and the bull terrier. This diversified blend that makes up the Australian Cattle Dog was obtained by many years of trial and error. There are the blue and red varieties called the Heeler or the Queensland Heeler. The heeler breed is designed to work with cattle, sheep, hogs, and fowl (Beauchamp 10).
The trainability of the Australian Cattle Dog is a reflection of its intelligence and strong desire to please their owner. The breed can be taught to work without their owner’s supervision. They can also evaluate and solve complex situations on their own. The Australian Cattle Dog owner knows the breed for its incredible stamina, intelligence, and loyalty. This is why the Australian Cattle Dog naturally takes upon itself to be not only a protector but also a companion (Beauchamp 30).
Pit bulls are believed to have originated in the late 1700’s, when the terriers, typically small dogs bred to catch vermin, were crossbred with bulldogs, a stockier dog whose duty was to catch stray cattle. This produced a dog with a high prey drive with a medium-sized, stocky build and powerful jaws. Contrary to popular belief, the dogs were originally used in the sport of bull-baiting, where dogs would attack the cattle - not other dogs. Since the sport was executed in a pit, the dogs were dubbed ‘pit bulls’ and that name has stuck since. When the sport was banned in 1835, the people who relied on these dogs for an income turned the dogs against each other.
Brumbies are known as the feral horses that inhabit Australia- mostly throughout the Northern Territory, Queensland and scattered centrally in Western Australia. Some small mobs live within Victoria and New South Wales, but none as vast or dense in population. These horses influence the natural habitat in many ways- they reduce vegetation growth, cause soil erosion and impact upon other animals living within the ecosystem. They are seen as pests to national parks, and essentially, this is the reason for their culling- they cause more damage than they are worth. The only positive aspect a brumby herd will impose is that they maintain walking and driving tracks throughout state parks.
When the word “domestication” is used when talking about dogs, most people have the misconception that humans brought dogs into their homes on purpose, and that is was something they did consciously. However, after reading about Hare’s research it is easy to understand that this
In recent years it has been the pit bull which has come under the scrutiny of legislative bodies, as their reputation becomes more and more sullied by street crime. To say “pit bull,” however, is a vague reference to several pit bull types, which are considered separate breeds by registries like the American Kennel Club (AKC). Each type has a slightly different breeding history; many began with the breeding of bulldogs with terriers to produce a loyal, compact and tenacious breed (“American Pit Bull Terrier”). The three standard pit bull types most often mentioned by name in breed-specific legislation include the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. That is not the extent of the legislation, however, which also includes dogs that “substantially conform to the breed standards established by the American Kennel Club” (Melvindale)....
"United Kennel Club: American Pit Bull Terrier. " Ukcdogs.com, 2013. Web. 27 Nov 2013.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there is a “great deal of confusion associated with the label ‘Pit Bull,’” as it does not refer to a single breed of dog, but rather to a group of breeds with similar characteristics1. These characteristics include short hair, a wide skull and shoulders, muscle definition, stocky build and a deep jawline, the combination of which create a dog that manages to strike fear into a perfect stranger. The term ‘Pit Bull’ is derived from the bulldog, which was originally bred as a hunting dog for large game, but has since developed into a “loyal companion rather than a working dog.”1 Their history as “gripping dogs” for hunters follows them into modern society, as many of these dogs have been inhumanely pitted against one another as well as other animals for sport and for human entertainment1. It is because of these illegal fighting rings that ‘Pit Bull’ type breeds have become the subje...
Training your dog is the most important part of canine companionship. A happy dog is one who has structure and boundaries. Dogs are pack animals, and as such, they need guidance in the behavior that you expect from them. If you don't follow through in this leadership role, then the dog will naturally feel as if it is his place to do so. A dog that understands that you are the leader will naturally be easier to train.
The grey wolf has been transformed into what we, today, call a dog. After years of traveling with humans, the wolf began to change and became adapted and tame enough to socialize with humans. The environment it was placed into was one of the causes for change, and another was the role it played for humans.
Now I shall give a bit of a quick history lesson. The land of Australia had two types of people living there before the European settlers came to the country the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islanders and in 1688 a man named William Dampier was the first British man to explore Australia (Austrailian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). This is similar to how America had Native A...
There are a lot of facts and information about pit bulls that the public does not know. The media blows things way out of proportion with this breed of dog and doing simple research can shed some light. “There are three main types of ‘pit bulls,’ they are the Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers, and American Staffordshire Terriers” (Pit Bull Rescue Center). The Staffordshire bull terrier is originally from England. When it was brought over to the states it was bred with other terriers and the American Staffordshire came to be. Often times people classify dogs that look a certain way as pit bulls, when in fact they are an entirely different breed or a mix of some sort.
The American Pit Bull is considered as a genuine breed because there are various breeds of pit bull that could have been mixed with other dogs. Pit bulls were raised for baiting larger animals during the hunting seasons. With the faithfulness of t...
From the Australia’s population of 19.387 million (2001) 40% which is 7.4 million households owned at least one dog. There ...
Most cow lovers need not worry about any of this. Their cows have become welcome household pets. They have put down their steak knives and decided to dine with them, not on them. Such docile animals have now become a part of the family, and owning but a few cows has eased the problem of naming a vast herd of cattle.
Domesticated Cattle belong to the family Bovidae and sub family Bovinae, which appeared in the Miocene approximately 20 million years ago. There are more than 800 different cattle breeds recognized worldwide. Cattle are considered the most important and significant domesticated economic animal (Loftus et al. 1994). In addition to milk, cattle contribute other important commodities including meat, hides, traction and dung. The taurine and zebu cattle were probably domesticated and kept around for easy access to food, including meat, milk & their products and for their use as load-bearers and plows. The many archaeological records for domestication of wild forms of cattle (Bos primigenius) indicated that the process
You will realize that dog training basically builds a solid relationship between you and your dog. It establishes you as a pack leader. The time you spend together as a team, learning about each other, normally deepens your bond.