This dog was bred to nip the heels of running cattle all day, and a bored, under-exercised Cattle Dog will redirect that instinct onto joggers, bicycles, other pets, and children's ankles — it is not a mellow companion breed no matter how it looks in photos.
14years, median
1.5 years above the all-dog median of 12.5.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 167 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 13.2 to 15.1 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, medium breeds as a group had a median of 12.5 years and medium-muzzled breeds 12.8. This breed is medium and medium-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
Australian Cattle Dog Club of America sets the tests a Australian Cattle Dog needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Hip Dysplasia (OFA Evaluation, OVC Evaluation, or PennHIP Evaluation)
- Elbow Dysplasia (OFA or OVC Evaluation)
- Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist (minimum age 24 months; results registered with OFA)
- prcd-Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) DNA test
- Congenital Deafness (OFA evaluation based on BAER test)
- Primary Lens Luxation DNA test (required since 10/6/2014)
When to spay or neuter an Australian Cattle Dog: the UC Davis study of 35 breeds has a suggested guideline for the breed. For males it is any age. For females, 6 months or later. The spay and neuter page has the numbers behind it and what the guidelines say for a dog this size.
- Patellar Luxation (OFA Evaluation, minimum age 1 year)
- Cardiac Evaluation (Congenital or Advanced Cardiac Exam)
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy RCD4 DNA test
- PennHIP evaluation at 6 months (laxity measurement)
- Radiographic consultation for OCD of the hocks
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Australian Cattle Dog near you
Shelters and rescues list Australian Cattle Dogs and Australian Cattle Dog mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Australian Cattle Dog
Cattle Dogs need serious daily work, not just a walk around the block — herding, agility, long runs, or a real job — or the intelligence and energy turn into digging, escaping, and obsessive fixation on movement. They bond hard to one person, are naturally wary of strangers, and the famous 'mouthiness' (nipping at heels, hands, and clothing) is instinct, not bad manners, and needs to be actively trained out from puppyhood.
Health you should know about
- Congenital hereditary sensorineural deafness — a peer-reviewed study of the breed found about 10.8% of dogs had some degree of deafness (roughly 7.5% in one ear, 3.3% in both); breeders are advised to BAER-test litters.
- Progressive retinal atrophy — inherited, gradual retinal degeneration that leads to blindness.
- Hip dysplasia — a malformed hip joint; reported as occurring less frequently in this breed than in many other working/herding breeds, but still screened for.
- Elbow dysplasia — a hereditary joint condition contributing to lameness and arthritis.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Australian Cattle Dog? Australian dog and cat names, 120 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 5 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 5 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.