PekePoo vs Australian Red Heeler - Breed Comparison

When George Hall arrived in the New South Wales Colony in 1802 he set about ‘creating’ a tough working- or herding dog. By crossing Australia’s native Dingoes with Collies as well as with other herding dogs, the robust Red Heeler, also known as the Australian Cattle Dog came into being. Today he is a thick-set dog, ideally suited to working livestock.

Ranchers, particularly, were impressed with the breed’s toughness and they were sought after on cattle stations. The name actually comes from them when the dogs are herding animals, they nip at their heels to get them moving.

The Blue Heeler and the Red Heeler breed are the exact same dog, but just different colors. These Australian cattle dogs originated in Australia in the mid-1800s and adapted well to the harsh desert environment of the outback.

As a cross between a Peingese and a Poodle, your cute Peekapoo as he is also known, isn't a purebred dog. They first started making their appearance in the 1900s, in fact it was believed to be developed in the 1950s, being one of the oldest designer dog breeds.

He was bred to be a a low-shedding, hypoallergenic companion dog. Both the parent dogs have their own unique, long histories. Dog experts aren’t too sure where the Pekepoo originated from.

This dog breed isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club, because it is a hybrid breed, but it is recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.

The Muscular Body

The Red Heeler or Australian Cattle Dog is a sturdy, muscular dog with ears that are pricked and with dark, alert eyes. The tail is long. The neck, shoulders and legs of the Red Heeler are strong and muscular. The dog is longer than tall – the length of the body is greater than the height at the withers. A well fed, well exercised, well cared for Red Heeler will weight roughly 15–22 kilograms.

The Coat

There are 2 coat colours of the Reeler – red and blue, but there are are lesser varieties such as chocolate, cream, blue mottled, brindle and some with white markings. It is interesting to note that with both the Red- and the Blue Heeler, puppies are generally born white, with the coat turning to red as they mature.

These Australian Cattle Dogs display patches of solid colour, and you might well find masks over one or both eyes and a white tip to the tail. Both the Red and Blue Heeler can have a white star on the forehead which is referred to as the Bentley Mark. The Heelers have a double coat - short, straight outer hairs while the undercoat is short, fine and dense. Despite their short coat, they shed a lot.

People love these little dogs because of their lack of shedding and it having a hypoallergenic coat. The coat is soft and can be wavy to curly with some feathering around the ears and tail.

It is medium length and comes in a variety of colors such as fawn, cream, white, black, apricot or chocolate. The coat can have a mix of some of these colors too. This is a small dog that stands at between 23–26cm and weighs in the region of 4 to 9kg. He has floppy, low set ears and bright brown eyes.

Temperament:

They're such cute little dogs, loving and loyal to their human family. However, there is another side to them and they can be independent, aloof and stubborn. They’re very intelligent little dogs and will require both mental and physical stimulation to prevent boredom.

Because’s he’s so smart, you won’t have any trouble training him new skills. He’ll do well with children in the home as well as with pets, especially once he’s been trained and socialized.

He is able to settle into life in the city or the countryside. Even though he is a small dog, he will have to have his share of exercise if he is to remain healthy and content. They are dogs that love to be cuddled and petted ad he gets along well with everyone in the family.

Even though he is a true family pet, loving and loyal, he becomes a good watchdog too as he wants to protect all those he loves.

Your Australian Red Heeler needs plenty of exercise but also plenty of companionship too from his human family. He is an affectionate, playful pet but is reserved with people he doesn’t know. When socialized he is patient with children in the home but he does still have the tendency to herd them and nip at their heels. The dog builds up a strong bond with his human family, and is protective toward them, being happy to be close to his owner’s side.

Take Time out to Play

Red Heelers need activities and lots of room to play, and they therefore won’t adapt to apartment living. If you don’t live on a farm, don’t neglect your working dog as he will need lots of rough and tumble games and activities to keep him from boredom. Treat your Australian Red Heeler with the love, patience and kindness and you’ll bring out the very best from this active, loyal fur-friend of yours.

Your Pekepoo is such a gentle, sweet dog, making the perfect family pet. He is gentle, loving and amicable with his human family and wants to be involved in all their activities.

Coming from the Poodle and the Pekingese, he will have inherited some personality from each of these two popular dog breeds.

He is coming into your home ready to make you a splendid pet and companion and he asks nothing more than good care from you as a responsible dog owner.

Eye Problems

The Australian Cattle Dog is quite often affected by progressive retinal atrophy, an eye condition where the rods and cones in the retina of the eye deteriorate later in life, and it could lead to blindness. This eye illness is an autosomal recessive trait, and even if the dog doesn’t develop the condition himself, he can be a carrier of the affected gene.

Fractures

The Heeler is just bursting with personality and energy and a study of dogs diagnosed at veterinary colleges described fractures and ligament tears as one of the most common conditions treated with the Australian Red Heeler.

General Health

You love your Australian Red Heeler and you want to take good care of him. Check with your vet because at 8 weeks he should be starting with his first puppy vaccinations.

To keep your best friend healthy and happy, watch his diet, ensure he gets plenty of exercise, brush his teeth regularly to remove plaque build-up, and always call your veterinarian when you see he is ill and isn’t his usual boisterous self.

As with any dog, there are certain common dog ailments that you want to watch out for in your Pekepoo. Brachycephalic airway syndrome is one as well as dental disease and obesity.

Brachycephalic airway syndrome:

Because your Pekepoo has a somewhat squashed face, he may have abnormalities in the upper airways. Dogs with this syndrome have heavier breathing than other dogs and he might even have a cough. The troublesome part is that these breathing difficulties can put pressure on the cardiovascular system.

Obesity:

Small breed dogs are always at an increased risk of being obese and being obese can mean your dog possibly developing osteoarthritis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure as well as other diseases.

Grooming

The Australian Red Heeler is a low maintenance dog. He does shed quite a bit so you’ll need to brush his coat at least twice a week to remove loose hairs and to keep his coat lustrous. When your dog has been in a particularly dusty area, you you wipe his coat down with a damp cloth. As with all dogs, you’ll want to check his teeth, ears, eyes and nails regularly to avoid health problems.

Training

If you care for your working- and herding dog you’ll train him to that he becomes a good family dog and companion. The Red Heeler has plenty of energy and stamina and if he grows up untrained and un-socialized, you could see him becoming aggressive towards other animals and even your own children. He certainly becomes over-protective of his territory if not socialized. Train him as he is an intelligent breed and responds well to training.

Diet

Any vet will tell you of the critical importance of a proper diet and exercise routine for your dog. He’s an active, smart dog with loads of energy and you want to keep his diet consistent with this energy. Speak to your vet about what food would suit your pet best, because a high quality diet appropriate to his age, his body size and his energy levels will be important. Along with high quality foods which include a good intake of raw meat, your dog must always have access to a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Diet:

Your small designer Peekapoo will do well on a high quality kibble diet. Always check out the packaging and see how much to feed a small dog like this. It is better to give a dog 2 smaller meals a day as composed to one because with one they tend to gobble it up which can lead to a serious condition known as bloat.

Dogs love simplicity and consistency with their food, but it is always to your dog’s benefit to feed him some home-made food too. Some chopped up boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some vegetables such as spinach, carrots and sweet potato added into the kibble occasionally will do him the world of good. Every now and again a little bit of raw meat can also be given.

Never leave your pet without a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

Lively and energetic, your Peekapoo is going to need daily exercise. He will love the chance to sniff around and explore on your daily walks but he is ready to become more involved than that and will join you with hikes and swimming too. He is happiest when spending activity times with his human family. As with any dog, just make sure he doesn’t overdo it, especially on a hot day.

Grooming:

To keep your Pekepoo’s hair tangle-free, you’ll need to brush it twice a week. If you feel that his hair is getting too unruly, you can take him to the doggy parlor and have it trimmed into a shorter style. They’ll clip his nails at the same time, check inside his mouth for any signs of dental disease and check inside his ears too for dental infection.