Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

There is a little known breed of Heeler called the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog. Though similar, the Australian Stumpy is not an Australian Cattle Dog with a docked tail. 

Another name for this breed is the Smithfield Heeler, a name given to it by a family called Smithfield, who helped developed this specific breed.

The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is the cross of the Smithfield, a black and white bob tail with a dense coat, square body, and a head like a wedge with a dingo. A drover named Timmins crossed the Smithfield with the dingo known as Timmins bitters.

These red bob tails were mated with blue merle smooth coated collies. This produced both red and blue or blue mottled bob dogs. Some of the blue puppies were born with black patches on their head and some black patches on their body. By selecting the two, the absence of the tail became fixed.

The Australian Stumpy Cattle Dog is similar to its’ cousin Heeler but has a few differences. When puppies are born they have no tails or just little stumps, they are not docked the way Red and Blue Heelers sometimes are.

Another difference between the breeds is the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog does not have tan markings and their build is more square opposed to the Australian Cattle Dog where as their build is longer in the body. The Australian Stumpy is also believed to be more active than their cousin Heelers. Origins of the two breeds are similar, yet they are two different types of cattle dogs.

Where does the stumpy tail come from? It goes back centuries in Britain when docking tails meant farmers would be exempt from paying taxes on their working dogs. This custom was abandoned in 1796, because other breeds were being were mutilated to avoid the tax. The custom of docking is still practiced today.

The Stumpy is thought to be the first pure bred from Australia and one of the best for working Cattle. The Stumpy has proven it can stand side by side with its’ Heeler cousin when it comes to herding cattle. This relatively uncommon breed of Australian Heeler is a tireless worker with workaholic characteristics. Even on the hottest day the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog will be on the go. 

The Stumpy is very loyal and protective with good working qualities. They are a very well liked breed of Heeler. This breed lives about 15 years with little health problems. Health issues are the same as in the Australian Cattle Dog, hip and elbow dysphasia, blindness and deafness. The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is a wonderful breed who will become part of the family.