Collie vs Blue Healer - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

It was in 1802 that George Hall arrived in New South Wales, establishing 2 cattle stations. He had a problem – getting his thousands of cattle to the Sydney markets. He began looking at the prospect of a droving dog and imported a number of dogs of which a blue mottled dog emerged.

The dogs were crossed with dingoes and by 1840 the Halls Heelers were used by the Halls. However with the death of one of the Halls, their cattle stations went to action and the dogs, the Halls Heelers became available.

The dogs attracted attention, and the term ‘Australian Cattle Dog’ was adopted. The name referred to those dogs coming from Thomas Hall's ‘Heelers’. There have been many arguments about the origin of the breed, but the red or blue offspring known as Hall's Heelers were proven cattle drovers, and with further breeding experiments which included the Australian Kelpie, dingoes and the Dalmation, by 1893, the tough, robust working breed known as the Blue Heeler or the Australian Cattle Dog came about.

The Collie is a herding dog from Scotland and is also known by other names such as Rough Collie or Lassie Collie.

The first Collies used to be more in size as today’s Border Collies and they were also essentially black. Queen Victoria stepped in to save the Collie from obscurity, bringing some back to England where their popularity soared.

The looks started changing as they were bred and in 1860 they were shown at a dog show in Birmingham, England as ‘Scotch Sheep Dogs’.Later on the sable coat color was introduced.

In 1879 the first Collie was imported to the United States and a club for the dog breed was formed in 1886.

Blue Heelers are medium-sized, sturdy, compact dogs who are somewhat longer than tall. The female Blue Heeler measures roughly 43–48cm at the withers, while the male measures about 46–51cm. If your Blue Heeler is in tip top condition, he’ll weigh about 15 to 22 kilograms. They are muscular with pointed, erect ears, dark eyes and long tails which are mostly hanging downwards. Their dense coats are blue- or red speckled and sometimes with tan markings.

The Blue Heeler is a ball of energy and he is clever too. You won’t find him sitting around for too long, and if there is sign of a walk or a ball game, he’s in! He is an independent dog, and although he makes a wonderful family pet, he tends to attach himself to that one special person in his life. He is a natural watchdog and protector of his human family.

The modern Collie is a medium to large sized dog that stands at 51 – 61cm and weighs between 20 – 29kg. You could say that the popularity of the Collie grew because of the dog Lassie, a Rough Collie dog in the film ‘Lassie Come Home’. People who saw this film learned what a wonderful pet the dog could be.

The Collie has two looks – the full coat which is known as the Rough Collie and the shorter coated Collie known as the Smooth variety. The coat comes in different colors but is essentially tri-colored in white, tan and black tips. The Collie has erect ears and a long, feathery tail.

Temperament:

Temperament of a dog is affected by a number of factors, including lifestyle of owners, heredity as well as whether the dog had training and socialization.

The Collie is a good-natured, friendly dog with no aggressiveness in him. He adapts well to city and country life, so long as he is with his human family, but he will need lots of exercise.

He will do well with training and socialization, turning into an even more splendid pet than he already is. He loves the children in the home and loves playing with them and watching over them. The Collie is intelligent and loyal and is easily trained.

Training and socializing of your Blue Heeler will ensure that your dog does what you want him to. The Blue Heeler is an intelligent, responsive dog and training can benefit him, turning him into an outstanding family pet, good with children and other pets in the home.

He is a playful, affectionate pet who doesn’t take easily to strangers, and this is what makes him such an excellent guard dog.

Your Blue Heeler is not an apartment dog as he requires a lot of exercise, and cooping him indoors for too long with nothing to do can lead to destructive behavior.

Head-strong, independent and robust, your Blue Heeler will need a firm owner who is boss. Add to the firm owner a lot of love and care, and you’ll have a devoted friend.

Your Collie is an intelligent dog who will need physical exercise as well as mental stimulation too, otherwise he can develop some destructive behavior patterns that could be avoided just by seeing to his exercise needs.

He is easy to train and is a sensitive dog, wanting to learn and wanting to please.

A well trained Collie makes a wonderful pet. He is such a loyal dog that he will go to the ends of the earth for his owner, and guarantees to be every bit as affectionate, brave and loyal as the film-star dog, Lassie.

Australian cattle dogs are healthy and can live up to 15 years of age, but even so there are some genetic conditions that you will need to be aware of following

Eye issues which includes progressive retinal atrophy – this disease is an inherited disease of the retina of the eye where the rod cells are destined to die. Fortunately it is not painful for the dog. There are different types of inherited retinal degenerative diseases in dogs but going into detail with them is beyond the scope of this article. For more information you can chat to your vet.

Recessive piebald elleles - the Blue Heeler has recessive piebald alleles which can produce white in the skin and coat and which is linked to congenital hereditary deafness.

The Collie is a healthy dog breed generally, but just like with all other dogs, they are also prone to certain health conditions. It’s not to say that your Collie will get these diseases, but it can be beneficial to you and your pet’s health to be aware of them if you’re looking at the Collie as a pet.

Collie Nose:

This is a condition where the skin of the nose peels and oozes and left untreated, it can be painful for your pet and could even lead to cancer.

Collie Eye Anomaly:

This is an inherited eye disease that can actually lead to blindness. When certain parts of the eye don't develop properly it can lead to CEA - a genetic disease found in Collies as well as other dog breeds. The disease is also known as Choroidal Hypoplasia and brings about changes and abnormalities in the eye.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is an abnormal formation of the hip socket and certainly dogs with hip dysplasia should never be bred as it can lead to pain and lameness.

Provide Plenty of Exercise

Remember that your Blue Heeler was once a full time cattle dog where he used to become totally and utterly exhausted from herding cattle. This is what he loved – the activity. If you have a Blue Heeler, you will need to provide him with plenty of exercise.

If you live on a farm, your Blue Heeler will be in his element because he can run, walk and swim to his heart’s content. If you keep your Blue Heeler in your back garden, you will need to provide him with ball games, rope games, long walks, running on a leash as you cycle and other activities.

Grooming

Your Blue Heeler has a short, weather-resistant double coat. He’s not a heavy shedder, but he will have his share of seasonal shedding, so it’s a good idea to get into the habit of brushing him at least twice a week. This will get rid of all those loose hairs and keep his skin healthy by getting the blood flowing and distributing his natural oils.

Feeding

Giving the best dog food for your Blue Heeler will come from either your home made food or a top quality commercially manufactured dog food. He is such a high energy dog, that your veterinarian can advise you on a dog food specially designed for high energy breeds.

These foods are well balanced and are enriched with amino acids and vitamins, promoting healthy bones and joints. Remember to include some raw meat into your dog’s diet and to ensure a constant source of cool, fresh water.

General care

Ensure your Blue Heeler’s ongoing health by paying attention to ears, nails and teeth.

Grooming:

The Collie will need grooming because of his long hair, and you will need to brush it at least twice a week to rid it of loose hairs and to keep it free from tangles. This is especially important if you live in the country and he leads an active lifestyle running through fields.

Keep a constant check on your Collie’s ears because dirt build-up can lead to an ear infection. Your vet can advise you on how to clean your dog’s ears. Make sure you have your Collie’s nails trimmed.

Diet:

To cater for your Collie’s size and activity levels, make sure to feed him good food that meets his nutritional needs. Protein is the most important nutritional need for dogs, and apart from feeding your dog quality kibble, protein should also come from raw, animal-based sources such as meat, fish and poultry.

You can also include some cooked brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken to provide variety. Make sure he always has fresh, cool water available.