# Blue Heeler: temperament, farm and family (and what Bluey has to do with it)

https://casatrufa.com/en/guides/blue-heeler-temperament-farm-and-family

By Casa Trufa · Published: 2026-10-07

The Blue Heeler is the Australian Cattle Dog: a tough, loyal droving dog of 15–22 kg (33–49 lb) with very high energy. It suits farms and experienced owners who give it a daily job, and it is the most heat-tolerant of our seven breeds. It is not an apartment dog or a first dog, however much it looks like Bluey.

## In short

- Blue Heeler, Red Heeler and “pastor ganadero australiano” are the same dog: the Australian Cattle Dog.
- It is not the Australian Shepherd (Aussie): they are two different breeds.
- It is not on the “special handling” breed list in Colombia’s Law 1801 of 2016.
- It is the most heat-tolerant of the seven breeds: it works on a farm in the hot lowlands.
- Bluey is a Blue Heeler, but the one on TV doesn’t need four hours of work a day.

## Are Blue Heelers and Australian Cattle Dogs the same?

Yes. The breed is called the **Australian Cattle Dog**; the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) lists it in Spanish as [Boyero Australiano](https://www.fci.be/es/nomenclature/BOYERO-AUSTRALIANO-287.html), and in Colombia it is known as the “pastor ganadero australiano.” “Heeler” comes from *heel*: that is how it drives cattle, by nipping at their heels. “Blue” and “red” are the two coat colors.

| Name | What it is |
| --- | --- |
| Blue Heeler | An Australian Cattle Dog with a blue coat (bluish-gray speckle) |
| Red Heeler | The same dog, with a red speckled coat |
| Pastor ganadero australiano | The name most used for the breed in Colombia |
| Australian Shepherd (Aussie; “pastor australiano”) | A DIFFERENT breed: a long-haired sheepdog, often merle |

Ads confuse it with the Australian Shepherd all the time. If you are unsure which one you are being shown, look at the coat: the Heeler’s is short and harsh; the Aussie’s is long and feathered.

## What is a Blue Heeler’s temperament like?

This is a dog built to work long hours, in full sun, with cattle that weigh twenty times what it does. That explains nearly everything:

- **Tough and hardy.** It gets through long days and complains little. You have to watch that it doesn’t overdo it.
- **Loyal to one person or one family**, and reserved with strangers. It is a good watchdog without being taught.
- **Very intelligent and independent.** It learns fast and also makes its own decisions.
- **A driving instinct.** It tends to nip at heels: of cows, of bicycles and of running children.
- **Tireless.** Its energy is very high, like the Border Collie’s.

## Is the Blue Heeler a dangerous or “special handling” breed in Colombia?

No. The list of breeds classed as “special handling” (manejo especial) is in [Article 126 of Law 1801 of 2016](https://leyes.co/codigo_nacional_de_policia/126.htm), Colombia’s National Code of Security and Coexistence. It includes, among others, the Pit Bull, the Rottweiler, the Doberman and the Dogo Argentino. **The Australian Cattle Dog is not on it**, so the additional obligations that rule places on listed breeds do not apply.

Not being “dangerous” in law does not make it an easy dog. It is strong, determined and nips at heels by instinct. With clear limits, socialization from puppyhood and work, it is an extraordinary companion. Without them, it is a problem. That is why we place it with experienced owners.

## Is it a good dog for a cattle farm in the hot lowlands?

That is exactly what it was created for: driving cattle in the Australian interior. Of the seven breeds we raise, it is **the one that tolerates heat most easily**, and the only one we recommend without reservations for the Llanos (eastern plains), the Caribbean coast, the Magdalena Medio and Valle del Cauca.

On a farm in the hot lowlands (tierra caliente) it needs three things:

- **Shade and clean water** always within reach: coping with heat does not mean it never overheats.
- **Rigorous control of ticks** and other external parasites, which carry serious diseases in the hot lowlands.
- **A job.** If there are no cattle to move, give it another one: a working dog without work invents its own.

It also does well in the cool highlands. You can see how your municipality suits it, and compare it with the Bernese or the Border Collie, in [which dog suits your city’s climate](https://casatrufa.com/en/guides/which-dog-suits-your-citys-climate-in-colombia).

## Is a Blue Heeler a good family dog? What about an apartment?

For an active family, with space and with older children, yes. It is protective and very attached to its own. With very small children it is trickier: its way of “tidying up” anything that runs is with its mouth, so it needs training and supervision.

In an apartment, we don’t recommend it. It only works with athletic owners who give it several hours of activity and training every day, and even then it is an uphill life for the dog. It is not a first dog.

## What does Bluey have to do with it?

Bluey, the puppy in the Australian children’s series, is a Blue Heeler; so is her family. The show has sparked interest in the breed among families with small children — in Colombia people search “pastor ganadero australiano es Bluey” — which is precisely the home where the most care is needed.

The real dog shares Bluey’s intelligence and her love of play. It does not share the part where she settles quietly in the living room afterward. If your children want “a Bluey” and you live in an apartment, the responsible thing is to explain the difference, and to look together for a breed that does fit.

## What health tests should you ask for?

- **BAER**, the hearing test. Congenital deafness exists in the breed and only this test detects it in each ear.
- **PRA-prcd** and **PLL**, two genetic tests for eye diseases.
- **Hip dysplasia**, with X-rays.

These are the ones we publish for our parent dogs. The ranges asked on the market are in the [Blue Heeler price guide](https://casatrufa.com/en/breeds/australian-cattle-dog/price).

## Frequently asked questions

**Is a Blue Heeler the same as an Australian Shepherd?** No. The Blue Heeler is the Australian Cattle Dog, known in Colombia as the pastor ganadero australiano, and it is short-haired. The Australian Shepherd, or Aussie, is another breed, with a long coat. They share a country in the name and little else.

**Is the Australian Cattle Dog dangerous?** It is not on the “special handling” breed list in Article 126 of Colombia’s Law 1801 of 2016. It is a strong working dog that nips at heels out of driving instinct: it needs an experienced owner and training from puppyhood.

**What breed is Bluey?** A Blue Heeler, that is, an Australian Cattle Dog with a blue coat. The real dog is a working dog and needs far more activity than the one in the series.

**Which dog suits a farm in a hot climate?** Of the breeds we raise, the Australian Cattle Dog: it was developed to drive cattle under the sun and is the most heat-tolerant. It needs shade, water and tick control.

## Sources

1. [FCI: estándar n.º 287, Boyero Australiano (FCI standard No. 287, Australian Cattle Dog; page in Spanish)](https://www.fci.be/es/nomenclature/BOYERO-AUSTRALIANO-287.html)
2. [Ley 1801 de 2016, Código Nacional de Seguridad y Convivencia, artículo 126 (Law 1801 of 2016, National Police Code, article 126)](https://leyes.co/codigo_nacional_de_policia/126.htm). List of breeds classed as “special handling”