Blue Heeler Behavior Problems: Common Issues and the Solutions to them

Source: pexel

Some type of common behavior is found in blue heelers when they start to develop behavior issues. These dogs have a powerful sense of strangers, and when they are detected by blue heelers, it is difficult for strangers to get rid of them in the case of robbery around such a breed.

The Australian Cattle Dog is a high-energy, extremely smart, herding dog. If their needs are not catered to they can develop behavior issues. These can include destructive behavior, nuisance barking, digging, and herding behavior.

These types of dogs are very friendly and need exercise. They have great energy levels and Intelligence. So if they do not perform any activity throughout the day their behavior starts getting changed and develop random issues such as anxiety, feeling low when they are not with their master, aggression, and temper issues, and their mental health starts to affect them. Let’s see some behavior changes in blue heelers

Blue heelers quirks

Blue heelers are known for being extremely active dogs that have a bond with a limited group of people. As a breed blue heelers have their unique quirks and personality. So let’s check out those quirks:

1. Heelers don’t like sharing their owners
2. Blue heelers are very loyal to their owner and always want their owners to be on their side. It is never comfortable to share their owners with strangers. You can train your dog from a young age that all strangers are not a threat.
3. Bored with Toys.
4. Blue heelers often get bored playing with the same toys. Once you get them at a younger age they take time to adjust and when they are given toys to play with after they grow they find the toys boring and find something interesting to utilize their time.
5. Blue heelers need attention
6. Blue heelers express their love toward their owners. They always revolve around their master to spend more time as they always want to be close to their owners as much as possible. If you want some break from your blue heeler you can engage their mind in something else that they enjoy without you.
7. Monthly Behaviors
8. Blue heelers always exhibit mouthing and nipping around their owners. They often do such acts when they are excited. This behavior can be corrected by rewarding them for not nipping and mouthing you.

Do blue heelers like water

Blue heelers are the breeds that love the water and swim. It is the best idea to make them swim in water at a young age that gives them confidence. Swimming can be one of the best exercises for blue heelers, as they have high energy levels.

Swimming helps burn energy and makes your Blue heeler tired. Once the blue heeler got trained to swim it gets very excited to swim in the water and it starts enjoying playing games with its owner in the water.

Precaution to your Blue heeler when playing with them in water:

Make sure if you introduce your dog to water if they are panicking at first, then don’t force them, just give them some rest and start over again.

If your blue heeler is learning to swim for the first time, then put on a life jacket to avoid the risk of drowning. Do check that the blue heeler has not swollen too much with water, which leads to intoxication.

Check your Blue heeler ears, wipe and dry them so it causes no infection to them.

Blue heeler behavior problems

Some of the common behavior issues are :

Aggression :

Blue heelers are not aggressive. They are a breed with a protective nature. This can be found when aggression is when proper training is not provided or they have been cornered by their owner.

It becomes difficult when blue heelers tend to be aggressive, they should be handled by professionals as every breed has to be handled in a different manner,not all breeds have the same aggression and should be handled in the same manner.

Blue heelers are not aggressive. They are a breed with a protective nature.

Digging:

This type of behavior in blue heelers is to get themselves involved in some fun rather than get bored, or they also behave in such a way when they want to run away somewhere they want to go.

Barking:

Barking is another type of behavior commonly found in blue heelers when they try to communicate something or when they are over-excited, want their owner’s attention, are going through anxiety, or are super irritated at that point.

They just bark and let their feelings out about what they wanted to convey.

Jumping on people:

Jumping on people is one of the behaviors of blue heelers as they think it is a game where they can jump on people. Such behavior can cause injury if the blue heeler hits someone with their claws while orbiting them. Owners can teach their blue heelers that this act is not appropriate to perform among random people.

Licking :

Blue heelers like to lick their owners. They like to lick your face when they start to behave annoyingly, and they just behave this way when they want to seek attention from their owner or show their love towards their owner.

Hyperactivity :

This type of behavior is found in blue heelers when they are super excited about something, or it may be due to their high energy levels. This behavior ensures your dog is super active, has a healthy mindset, and is happy around you.

Stealing food:

Here, the blue heels go to the trash to find certain objects due to the obsession created within themselves for such often leading behavior, which is rare among them.

Destructive behavior:

This behavior is when the blue heeler is left alone and no one pays attention to them or their daily exercise, which makes them frustrated and they chew random objects or become sad.

Herding :

Blue heeler is a working dog, and in herding, it shares a great ability to control the other livestock. If a Blue heeler is trained to herd a group of animals by its owner, it becomes the herding dog that moves animals around the field or depending on the area.

Sometimes, herding dogs are also called livestock guardian dogs. Australian cattle dogs typically nip at the heels of animals; this is the reason they are called heelers. Blue heelers are perfect for herding, which is why people choose these types of dogs.

A blue heeler herds other animals by moving the animals and pushing them forward. For herding, people tend to look for dogs that are strong, courageous, smart, protective, and ready to defend their herd, and all these qualities are present in Blue heeler which makes them perfect for herding.

Blue heelers are very friendly with children who are introduced, and the blue heelers are very close. They chase the children while playing in the yard while nipping at their heels, but they should be taught to play with children carefully so that they won’t get hurt.

How to calm your blue heeler

It is very easy for the blue heeler can calm down when they are given a proper diet, and proper exercise according to their caliber, set to stay free around the open space, make it socialize with the neighborhood, and play with them, at age two- four train it to control themselves and behave in public when your blue heeler tries to be hyper give them toys so that they can get rid of their boredom and play with them.

The blue heeler is a very intelligent and active breed so keeping it mentally fit is a must to balance the mental stimulation among these dogs. Making sure to understand the dog and its needs will help them stay free and comfortable wherever they are.

The solution to Calm Blue heeler :

1. Love :
   Take care of your dog by showing them attention when needed and loving them so that they feel they have been loved back. Take them to the vet if required. Just stay with them so they feel comfortable, and happy so that they can come out of their mental issues.
2. Training :

Training is very important for blue heelers to learn to behave in public and understand do’s and don’ts as per their owner. Training can bring good changes in your dog’s lifestyle so that your dog knows what is expected out of them.

3. Exercise:

Regular exercise is best for dogs like blue heelers as they are working dogs and want to be active for their owner. Sitting ideal can affect them. Physical exercise brings them more energy and fun which makes them calm and energetic for any work and helps in maintaining their mental balance.

4. Care :

A proper diet is very important for any dog, and proper medication and vaccination should be provided to them in time intervals. They should feel they are cared for and loved. You have to treat them like your child until they are out of their anxiety or loneliness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Are Blue Heelers prone to anxiety?

Answer: Yes, Blue Heelers are prone to anxiety as they are very active and they like to socialize with their owner. A daily walk or activities are necessary for Blue heelers as they are very energetic and if they are not given the attention they need then they tend to fall into anxiety and the breed starts going around the owner where the owner walks.

Question: Why does my Blue Heeler growl at me?

Answer: Blue heeler starts growling when they are upset about something or are angry. Many times your dog starts growling at you. This type of nature is common in dogs because it communicates things with us by brawling. If your dog is irritated, has severe pain, or gets anxiety they tend to growl so that you know they need to highlight it to you about it.

Question: Do blue heelers bark at random people?

Answer: Blue heelers tend to not bark a lot ,they are very friendly in nature. They can be stubborn at times and are not trusted among children, maybe they can hurt outsiders if given the opportunity. They just bark at people when they feel threatened by a stranger or other dogs which bark at them. They can bark at people who steal things from homes or hurt their owners or family.

Question: Why do Blue Heelers whine?

Answer: Maybe the heeler wants something from you, like food, water, a walk, or exercise, or they want to spend time with you. Blue heeler always wants their owner to be with them; if they want your attention or get bored, they tend to whine.

Another reason blue heelers tend to whine is that they are scared or in pain.

Question: Do Blue Heelers like to be left alone?

Answer: No, they are never happy being left alone, they always need their owner around them as it is a family-friendly dog, it loves to have a family bond with the owner and his family.

Final Thoughts

It is always necessary to look after your heeler as it needs attention from its owner, and if it does some weird actions such as following you, growling, or barking in a loud manner, it is necessary to step back and look after its behavior, and then take necessary actions as required. Always give your dog minimum attention so that it does not feel disconnected from you. These are the best working dogs that protect you.