|
Although he
appears similar to his cousin, the Australian Cattle Dog, the Stumpy is
the original Australian Working Dog. He actually pre-dates the ACD by
almost 50 years. The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog is a sturdy, strong dog with great stamina and
the endurance to work for long periods under every possible condition. He
has a double coat that is short, straight, and dense and blue
or blue mottled in colour, or an even red speckle all over. For the
"blue", black marking may be present on the body and for the
"red speckle", red patches may be present on the body. Muscular and powerful,
this dog stands up to
20 inches tall at the shoulder and is naturally bobtailed.
Uncommon in the show ring, the Stumpy is famous in the country for his
inborn ability to control cattle. His loyalty, courage, and strength are
legendary. The Stumpy has a
well developed sense of personal space that should be respected. Naturally
wary and suspicious of strangers, he makes an alert watchdog and watchful guardian of
his master, his family, his property, and his herd. He is confident,
outgoing, and obedient dog who is very capable of
independent thought and quick reactions. However, he was bred to work along side
his master and wants and needs his master's attention.
The Stumpy is generally
a one-owner dog who will interact well with other members of the family.
Like any other dog, training and socialization should begin early for the
development of good manners.
The Australian Stumpy
Tail Cattle Dog is an tireless worker who has the stamina to cover up to
20 kilometres a day while "at work". Therefore, he
is happiest in a rural or
semi-rural environment where he has lots of outdoor activities
to channel energy. He is very active so daily exercise is
mandatory, as is a fenced yard.
|
