The Blue Heeler, an Australian Cattle Dog is also known as the Queensland Heeler or the Red Heeler. Dogs of this breed are known for being extremely efficient herding dogs but as a matter of fact, Blue Heelers make good guard dogs as well.

Blue Heelers are extremely intelligent dogs. They remain constantly alert and are forever loyal to their masters. They have no problems following instructions either since dogs of this breed are obedient. On top of that, they are tremendously independent dogs.

Aside from this, Blue Heelers have the physical built to suit the part as well. Their well developed muscles make them very powerful, strong, and agile dogs.

When it comes to toughness, there’s not much to worry about when it comes to these dog breeds. Blue Heelers are naturally bred to be good herding dogs. However, having these dogs around smaller children may pose as a safety issue.

As part of their background, Blue Heelers have developed the natural habit of nipping on the heels of cattle or horses while herding them. This habit has been seemingly carried on as dogs of this breed sometimes find themselves nipping on smaller children or smaller pets.

Whenever they nip on others, it isn’t usually done with the intention of hurting others but considering their weight and size, such a habit can be quite alarming. Especially since Blue Heelers, like most dogs, don’t really have a concept of what their own size really is. They can be extremely heavy and large-built, but still pounce on you as if they were puppies.

The key to this problem is to have your Blue Heeler socialized as early as possible. Blue heelers are extremely protective of their masters, but most of the time they only tend to respond to one person. If you’re someone who has a family with kids, you may want to take more precaution around Blue Heelers. Proper socialization is all about making sure that your dog is completely comfortable around the other members of your family.

In terms of their purpose as guard dogs, it is okay to simply let them be as long as they know their bounds. They should learn that not all signs of vulnerability are worthy of an attack. This along with basic training and positive reinforcement will certainly help keep your dog’s temper and behavior in check.

Blue Heelers have great potential for becoming excellent guard dogs. With a little help from you there is no doubt that they’d be able to maximize this potential.