Spotlight Breed: Texas Heeler

 Welcome to our Spotlight Breed article of the week. This is where we feature a fun and unique dog breed from around the globe! We are excited to spotlight the Texas Heeler today. This is a mixed breed dog – a cross between the Australian Cattle Dog and Australian Shepherd breeds. They are intelligent, hard-working, and energetic. They inherit their best qualities from both of their parents! You may be wondering how a Texas Heeler gets their name. It is obtained from Texas, the state where you are most likely to find the breed, combined with “Heeler”, the nickname of their Australian Cattle Dog parent.

Typically, the Texas Heeler does not adapt well to small home or apartment living. This is because the breed is used to having plenty of space for mental and physical stimulation. The breed can tolerate being alone for short periods of time, however, it is best that they have an owner who is not away from the house that often. The Texas Heeler is very affectionate with family. They are incredibly loyal and love to form close bonds with their “pack”. They can be affectionate with other dogs, children, and strangers as well. However, we recommend that you enroll them in obedience and socialization training to ensure success.

As we mentioned above, the Texas Heeler is very intelligent. This means that they are easy to train. These dogs are more adept at forming an association between a prompt, an action, and a consequence very quickly. Other dogs need more time, patience, and repetition during training. Just be careful though! Sometimes the Texas Heeler possesses a “what’s in it for me?” attitude which means you will need to implement positive reinforcement in your training sessions.

High-energy dogs like the Texas Heeler are always ready and waiting for action. You must keep their life exciting for them to strive to their fullest potential! Originally bred to perform a canine job of some sort, such as retrieving game for hunters or herding livestock, breeds like the Texas Heeler have the stamina to put in a full workday. They need a significant amount of exercise and mental stimulation, and they are more likely to spend time jumping, playing, and investigating any new sights and smells.

Are you looking for a breed that is fun, happy go lucky, and smart? If so, the Texas Heeler may be for you! We will leave you with our favorite quote about the breed: “Any person can be a dog parent, but it takes someone special to be a Texas Heeler parent.”