Texas Heeler puppies

About the Texas Heeler

The Texas Heeler crosses the Australian Cattle Dog with the Australian Shepherd and was first bred in Texas. The cross is not recognised by the AKC. PetMD describes them as an athletic, medium sized dog of 15.9 to 29.5 kg with a lifespan similar to both parents, 12 to 16 years. The double coat is short to medium in length and easy to look after.

This dog will not be content with a ten minute walk round the block. They need work, on a farm or through daily running, agility or obedience training. Brush once or twice a week, and more when the undercoat sheds twice a year. Early socialisation and close supervision around small children and other animals help keep the herding instinct in check. Ask about the parents' hips, elbows, eyes and hearing, and about the MDR1 gene from the Australian Shepherd side, before you buy.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Texas Heeler puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire them out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow scoring radiographs of both parents
• Congenital deafness, which can be confirmed with a hearing test
• Inherited eye disease including progressive retinal atrophy, which is why both parent breed clubs recommend an eye examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist before breeding
• Multi-drug sensitivity (MDR1) from the Australian Shepherd side, detectable by DNA test and important to know before certain drugs are given

Your Texas Heeler puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Texas Heeler.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15.9 to 29.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 29.5 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Texas Heeler

Previous: Tenterfield Terrier · Next: Thai Bangkaew

Sources

• petmd.com for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type, country of origin and health notes
• Health notes from Texas Heeler breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/texas-heeler. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

No published figure for adult height, the good with children rating and the good with other dogs rating, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.

Photo: Arbor Place Gang, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.