Why Cattle Dogs have such a bad reputation with farmers?

[Guil]

Here is a video of my bluey moving cows out of the way in state forest Qld, let me know what in his method could be flagged by a professional Aussie farmer?

It's hard for us to get work like at all. Cattle dogs seem to have a bad reputation for some reasons I'm unaware.

 

 

Note: All surrounding individuals joined up as well. Pay attention to his body language, when he's implying "wait a sec", and comes back to us shortly leaving space for that one on the right handside, then returns to work once it's at a safe distance from its mates?

 

You guys reckon Bored Collies help make better steaks? How can I frame a letter to a farmer to explain that my handling is enough?

Thanks.

Edited November 10 by Guil

[asal]

This information is for everyone else who doesn't have their own stock

 

Whatever dogs or horses or motorbikes bring them in has nothing to do with the flavour of the meat, native pasture, herbal tint, lot fed different , too long between sale yard and slaughter, changes flavour and texture ,  stressed even more before slaughter great changes.... None good.

 

Best is home kill, second best, straight to slaughter facility and done that day. Taste and tenderness way better than you would ever find at a butcher or supermarket 

 

 

Edited November 11 by asal

[Guil]

I ain't expecting to get work though HR - in short, we're after those who don't sell to wollies or maccas

[SARAH DAVID]

Cattle dogs get a bad reputation with some farmers because their high energy and strong herding instincts can become a problem if they aren’t trained or managed properly

[_PL_]

 Maybe they aren't as in favour anymore because as they get older and grumpier you have to be careful of your ankles.  
As a kid, you learned who to be careful of and dogs didn't get killed if they looked at you wrong.
These days, everywhere, no matter what the breed and their inherent drive is, a dog's instinct is judged against the community expectations. 
 
My Pop always had his favourites to get the cattle jobs done. Horse, Heeler, Kelpie.  

 

[Guil]

On 21/11/2025 at 4:36 PM, SARAH DAVID said:

Cattle dogs get a bad reputation with some farmers because their high energy and strong herding instincts can become a problem if they aren’t trained or managed properly

 

I understand the information coming from you was that the ACD is too full on, can harass cattle and that there could be issues with their training or handling from a modern farmer is this correct? Let me break this down, one qualification at a time with the outcome on the same line for easy understanding.

 

High energy: Required

Strong herding instinct: Required

Improper training: Warranty issue towards trainer?

Improperly managed: Owner issue

 

The old-style ACD was bred for quiet, controlled cattle work and that’s why they put the Dingo in. A good heeler only bites as the final word, not the first.

The issue today isn’t the breed changing I believe it to actually be the handling culture. ACDs need clear boundaries to stay calm and precise. When people avoid giving firm correction, the dog ends up making its own decisions, and that’s where trouble starts.

Heelers haven’t become rough workers, the expectations and training style have.

 

In the video I've sent, did you see any signs of harassment like the ones we can see here (handling issue):

language warning on the breeder's comment, not to required to hear it

 

 

On 24/11/2025 at 12:24 PM, _PL_ said:

 Maybe they aren't as in favour anymore because as they get older and grumpier you have to be careful of your ankles.  
As a kid, you learned who to be careful of and dogs didn't get killed if they looked at you wrong.
These days, everywhere, no matter what the breed and their inherent drive is, a dog's instinct is judged against the community expectations. 
 
My Pop always had his favourites to get the cattle jobs done. Horse, Heeler, Kelpie.  

 

 

Stressed handler > stressed dog > stressed cattle.

This chain reaction is well documented in livestock behaviour research, including CSIRO and UQ work such as the McGreevy and Starling study (https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/7/12/102). Calm handlers create calm dogs and calm dogs create calm cattle. High arousal anywhere in the line makes stock harder to move.

 

I also reckon that if a dog is constantly worried about being kicked, that becomes ongoing stress in itself. Breeds that rely heavily on eye, like the Border Collie, can be more sensitive to sudden pressure or impact. They are brilliant workers but they do not take a heavy knock the same way a heeler will.

 

Heelers were bred to handle knocks, shoves and the odd kick and keep working. That is part of why the early breeders used the dingo type. Quiet workers with resilience who do not lose their head when the stock get lively.

 

Cattle stress affects meat quality. MLA’s dark cutting research shows that clearly. Calm stock produce better beef. So understanding how handler behaviour and dog behaviour feed into that chain is not a small thing at all.

 

You tell em yeah?

Edited 10 hours ago by Guil

[_PL_]

Tell who?

So if I can follow this.

You posit that Heelers are out of favour, replaced by BC. But the BC isn't built with the strength or nerve? Making the herd sketchy and stressed? And the meat a poorer quality. Is that the basics?