Blue Heeler mixes are becoming more popular today as more pet owners realize how fun, smart and interactive the blue heeler dog breed can be! The different hybrids can vary in personality, looks and physical characteristics quite a lot, but tend to take after their Heeler parent in terms of their intelligence and activity levels.
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The Blue Heeler Parent
The Blue Heeler (also called the Queensland heeler or Australian cattle dog) is a high energy herding dog. She is an expert at herding cattle, although this dog has also been known to herd more unusual livestock too.
This breed developed when breeders crossbred domestic sheep dogs with wild dingoes with Collies and Dalmatians. Today’s blue heeler still looks quite strikingly like a wild dingo in some ways.
Blue heelers tend to work in silence just like wild dogs do! This is because, when you are part of the food chain, it doesn’t pay to draw too much attention to yourself. However, a domestic pet Blue Heeler can and will bark. Especially if this dog doesn’t get enough exercise, enrichment, training, and socialization.
Quirky Characteristics
The blue heeler takes its name from its herding style, which is to nip at the heels of cattle to guide and direct them and protect them from predators. For this reason, a blue heeler is not typically the best breed choice if your family includes young children. Or other vulnerable prey-type family pets who may be frightened or injured by herding or nipping behaviors.
Whatever your Blue Heeler is mixed with, you need to be prepared to do a lot of running, playing, exercise, and activity together!
One of the neatest things about the blue heeler is that this breed has held the Guinness Book of World Records title for “oldest dog.” The honors go to Bluey, a blue heeler who lived to the ripe old age of 29.5 years old. More typically though, blue heelers live between 12 and 16 years. And as mixes live longer on average, this gives your potential puppy and awesome expected lifespan.
Labraheeler: Blue Heeler Labrador Retriever Mix
The Blue heeler lab mix is one of those blue heeler mixes that just makes perfect sense on all levels. What better combination than the super family friendly Lab with the playful, active, and energetic blue heeler?
A Labraheeler’s weight can range from 30 to 80 pounds, although most puppies will level out somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. You can expect to see some blue heeler influence in the coat, but the final colors and markings will also depend on the coat color of the Labrador parent (yellow, chocolate brown, black).
The typical lifespan for a Labraheeler can range anywhere from 10 to 16 years.
Your Labraheeler pup may inherit the Labrador retriever’s happy-go-lucky nature and strong drive to please you. Or you may find your puppy has a more independent temperament that is less tolerant of strangers or other family pets.
A well-socialized and trained Labraheeler can be a great choice for an individual or a family with older children who don’t mind being “herded” on occasion.
Texas Heeler: Australian Shepherd Blue Heeler Mix
The Australian shepherd blue heeler mix is one of the most common of the blue heeler mixes since these two dog breeds both share a working dog background. However, there is one area where these two purebred dog breeds are actually less similar than their names suggest.
The Australian shepherd outweighs the blue heeler by up to 15 pounds, which means your Texas Heeler puppy may weigh anywhere from 30 to 65 pounds. Although most puppies will weigh somewhere in between, averaging 40 to 50 pounds.
Interestingly, both the Australian cattle dog and the Australian shepherd dog can have similar coat colors. This means you will likely watch your puppy grow up to display a coat color and pattern characteristic of both dog breeds!
Lifespan & Temperament
The typical lifespan for a Texas Heeler can range from 12 to 16 years.
Temperament is generally easier to predict in a Texas Heeler mix because these two dogs have quite similar temperaments naturally. Both are smart, active, energetic, and keen to herd “their” people as well as other family pets and livestock.
They are naturally very loyal and highly protective and vigilant by nature. But a well socialized and trained Texas Heeler with lots of exercise and activity outlets can be a good pet choice for an individual or a family with older children.
Blue Heeler German Shepherd Mix
Both the blue heeler and the German shepherd breeds are known for their loyalty, intelligence, athletic ability and, most of all, strong protective qualities.
They can make good guard dogs, especially because each can display some reserve around people and animals not known to them. However, where the blue heeler might herd and nip you as if you were cattle as a form of protection and vigilance, the German shepherd may bark or simply place their sizable body in between you and any perceived threat.
Appearance
One thing you can count on knowing about your blue heeler mix puppy’s adult appearance is that this dog will have a lean classic face and muzzle with those characteristic upright ears!
You can also probably expect to see a coat that is a mix of the blue heeler’s blue and the German shepherd’s brown and black coat.
A fully grown blue heeler GSD mix may weigh anywhere from 30 to 95 pounds.
Although most adult hybrids with this cross tend to weigh somewhere closer to the middle range.
Border Heeler: Blue Heeler Border Collie Mix
The Border Collie Heeler mix is another one of the best known and most popular blue heeler mixes, one with a more predictable temperament in adulthood. The blue heeler purebred dog breed owes its existence in part to the influence of the border collie and other collie breeds! This makes crossing a blue heeler and a border collie a natural choice and a smart one as well.
Both are the canine version of the traditional workaholic. Capable of and eager to run, work, and play all day without a break. This can also make the Border Heeler a bit of a handful right from the start. This dog will need near-constant activity and play and engagement and is perfectly able to find solo entertainment if it is not provided.
Border Collies and blue heelers are also similar in adult weight and size, which means your puppy will likely grow up to weigh between 30 and 55 pounds. The coat may be shorter or longer and smooth or rough, depending on which parent a puppy most takes after.
Training & life expectancy
A Border Heeler is going to have a naturally strong protective instinct, which makes this hybrid dog a great potential guard dog. However, this will also mean you need to give your young puppy plenty of ongoing training and socialization to temper those instincts appropriately.
A Border Heeler’s average life expectancy can range from 12 to 16 years. They can be a good pet choice for an adult individual or a family with older children that has plenty of time to spend on activities with their pup.
Box Heeler: Boxer Blue Heeler Mix
The Box Heeler is particularly interesting among the blue heeler mixes featured here. The boxer and the blue heeler share some breed traits in common but in other areas these two purebred dog breeds can be quite different!
The boxer is known to be patient and loving with even small children. The blue heeler, on the other hand, tends to be too restless and rough to do well with young children. However, both the boxer and the blue heeler have strong protective instincts which can make them great family guard dogs.
Coat & life expectancy
The boxer dog has a very short, neat, smooth coat that naturally tends to stay clean and shiny. The blue heeler also has a short coat, but it is more rough in texture. Both dogs tend to be somewhat “self-cleaning” and don’t need baths or brushing as frequently as many other dog breeds do.
The boxer’s primary colors are brown, black, and white and the blue heeler’s signature coat color is, of course, blue. So you may expect your puppy to show some blue and brown in the adult coat.
The typical Box Heeler life expectancy can range from 10 to 16 years. The Box Heeler is a good pet choice for adults or families with older children.
Blue Heeler Mix Puppies
These hybrid or “designer” dogs are developing into new distinctive breed lines in much the same way today’s recognized purebred dog breeds evolved. By crossing different dog breeds together to ensure genetic diversity, better health, and a certain mix of traits.
It is vital to learn as much as you can about a puppy’s parents and the breeder who has bred them. This is the only way to avoid purchasing a mix puppy from a puppy mill posing as a legitimate breeder or rescue organization!
It is true that blue heeler mix puppies are very hard to resist, so be sure you do your research before you agree to see a litter of pups. A reputable breeder of heeler mix puppies should also be willing to offer an initial guarantee of health.
As well as a take-back guarantee if your new puppy doesn’t work out for some reason.
Mixes In Rescues
Don’t forget to check with local rescue operations to see if there are any blue heeler mixes waiting for adoption. These active dogs don’t fit well with every family and you may be able to give a lovely blue heeler mix dog a new forever home!
Jessica says
I just Adopted a blue heeler golden doodle mix she is 10 weeks old. I’m trying to determine what her size may be. We have a house with three small children and a 10 year old mountain cur and so far she’s been wonderful. Does anyone have recommendations on what we might expect? Her coloring and hair is more like a collie than doodle.
Kate Smith says
I have a Border Heeler mix. Smokey is 14 months old, Black and Tan with a Bluey Collar, speckled legs and floppy ears. A really handsome young man. Started doing Obedience classes in Feb. Tests me out by only following all the Doggie smells on the grass during class but perfectly obedient at home. Protective and I don’t need an alarm clock any more as he is right there waking me up each morning with a big lick and a cuddle. Wary of strangers but hoping social skills will improve with time. My last dog was a toy poodle who i had to part with due to Cancer at 13 years old, so this boy is quite a change. Keeps me young.
Maggie says
I had a heeler mix, she was 18 when she passed. Which was the day before I was going into the hospital for surgery. She looked like a foxhound, but with a smaller head, and mixed eye color of blue and brown. She was fantastic. Well known in my neighborhood, she had different voices: her backdoor voice was distinct!
Fondly remembered by all who knew her( except a male cousin, he felt the same way!)
Renee says
We rescued a Blue Heeler / Wheaten Terrier mix a year ago, Indy, a year ago and she is amazing! Besides being absolutely striking to look at, she is the funniest, smartest, most energetic dog I have ever had. This article is right, in order to enjoy your heeler mix you HAVE to be willing to put the work in. If we want to take her for a leash walk, we have to play catch in the yard for 30 minutes first in order to get the energy out enough for her to concentrate on a walk. If you are willing to do that, these dogs are incredible!
We can’t post pictures, but if you want to see her, you can find her on instagram under the handle dognamedindy.
Lesley says
We just adopted a heeler/hound mix. All I can say is that she is the most wonderful dog. I wondered about her nipping at our ankles and herding the two other small dogs (no kids in the house, just adults) and this post helped me to learn a lot about her. Thank you!
Heather Eckert says
I have a blue heeler boxer mix with both parents purebreds. She is very very smart and loveing. I have had other heelers. She is the best dog I have ever had. I would love to find a breeder
Kate says
I’m fostering some heeler/bull arab mix puppies and want to give them the best start I can. They are six weeks old and starting to nip everything and practice snarling at each other. Without another adult dog around how can I help them be confident but also teach them to control their biting and appearance of aggressive play?
jeremey Ellis says
We just lost our 13-year-old Molly girl (Australian Kelpie/Blue Heeler) to liver cancer – she was the best dog I’ve ever owned and I believe she was a once-in-a-lifetime dog. However, I’m learning that most of the traits I loved about her where typical ACD traits. Our other dog is also a Kelpie/Heeler, but she exhibits many of the traditional Kelpie traits… I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle another Kelpie in the future, but she’s a freakin’ blast to have around, too 🙂
Blue Heelers are absolutely wonderful (for people with active lifestyles, that is) and when the time is right, I’d love to get another one!
Linda Whiteman says
we will be looking at a five month old sheepdog-blue heeler mix on Friday-from a rescue org. been looking for info on the mix but not finding much of anything; any suggestions.
JaNeen says
I’m looking at adopting one as well but there is no information I can find. How did yours turn out?
Tara says
I have a blue heeler / maremma. Any tips? He’s an awesome family dog. He’s 10 this year. I’m hoping for at least 15 years of friendship out of him.
Sally says
what is your opinion on blue heeler/golden retriever mix?
Jon Ludens says
I had a blue heeler dachshund mix we got from the humane society at 9 months. We recently had to send her to Heaven as she developed cancer. She was such a great dog, loved to play, snuggle, and travel. Incredibly smart and loyal! She had black hair, the dachshund body and tail, with heeler legs and head. So pretty! I was wondering if all doxie heelers built like this, or do some have the short dachshund legs? Most of the pics I’ve seen have dogs with short legs.
I sure miss my pal!
Mae says
I have a blue heeler catahoula mix named Ollie. He has the coloring of a heeler but the size and shape of a catahoula. He is so smart and VERY protective! I love him so much he is the best dog ever!!!
George Frew says
Hi, my new puppy, now 5 months old,got him at 14 wks ,is a 4 breed mix..mother (Bernese/Blue Heeler)..father (Black Lab/Border Collie)..gets lots of warm physical attention (loves it) & gets 1-2 + hrs outside activity.. Starts obedience training this month.. Looking forward to off lead behavior. Has shiny black short fur,bluish white chest fur With hints on paws,nose,groin.Lab ears & tail , Collie/Heeler face. BEAUTIFUL !!
agility training will follow or coincide after some obedience degrees. I have trained successfully right thru Utility. I love this dog !! -:)
Erica says
We have a rescue which we know has a heeler mother but we are not sure if the father. Is there any tips as to how to identify the likely candidate?
Any help would be appreciated!
Judy says
There’s actually DNA kits for dogs to see what their breed is and/or mixed with….
Connie Romero says
I have the same problem! My blue heeler mix is 7 weeks old, and the mother was a blue heeler, but the father is unknown. I am not sure how you or I will ever found out😞
Michele says
We used Wsdom panel DNA tes for both of our blue heeler mixes. The first , we brought home when she was close to a year old, is a blue heeler, aussie shepherd pit bull, boxer, greyhound, dalmatian mix. She is loyal, socialy awkward, and has strong herding tendencies.We have a flock of ducks and she has taken on the responsibility of putting them in at dark and keeping them out of my flower beds. She is very protective of her flock and has thwarted attacks on her ducks from
Hawks, bobcats, cats and racoons. The second little girl was only 10 weeks when she came home with us, she is blue heeler, boxer, pitbull, German, shepherd, husky mix. She is still young, we-ve only had her for a month, I have not seen any herding behaviors yet, but she is sociable and so smart, she picked up potty behaviors and basic sit, stay commands from watching our other dogs. Both of their DNA test results listed 10 different breeds, but they break it down by percentage and provide you with a family tree showing lineage. The older dog, had experienced a great deal of abuse, resulting in permanent physical injuries. Many of her behaviors that i had attributed to the abuse, are consistent with characteristics of breeds in her lineage, I found this to be both interesting and enlightening when interacting with her
Jackie K. says
I had a blue heeler/pit mix named Zoey. She was a beautiful black and brown, coat was soft, shiny, and water just would run off her. She had more heeler features than pit. Temperament share by ##both breeds.
She loved belly rubs and ear massages and she was always trying to herd me. However, I lost her on December 5, 2019; she was only 2 years and five months old. She was so smart, energetic, loved children, thought everybody was her friend, and go anywhere I went. She was also protective of me. She would wake me every morning. She played well with my daughter’s toy poodle.
Meg Austwick says
Sorry to hear about your loss, Zoey sounds like she was a great mix.
Courteney says
I have a 10 y/o heeler/Jack Russell mix and 2 (sisters) 11 month old heeler/collie mixes. They are all very different, even the sisters one looks more cattle dog but a/ collie temperament and the other is more collie in shape/size but cattle dog temperament. Can’t imagine not having a heeler, but the sisters I spent money on extensive training for them to help with behaviors
Sue Hinton says
I have a Border collie/Blue heeler mix I think? Came as a puppy from my brother-in-laws farm to us 15 years ago!
She is deaf now and cloudy eyes and a huge growth on her side. Had her clipped to cope with our hot weather this spring and she loves it. So much more energy. I get cartrophen injections for her every 6 weeks now to cope with the arthritis too.
She is a really clever dog and responded well to verbal commands when she could hear.
Lucky all her training was done young.
She is probably on her last legs now but what a great personality this mix has been.
Sharyn says
We’ve been helping at a no-kill shelter called Lara’s in Mexia, Texas. There’s a beautifully well-trained heeler mix there. We’re interested in another dog which stays in the cage with the heeler, but we would love to see this heeler adopted. She’s lovely and gentle and plays well with the one we want to adopt.
Debbie Smith says
I had a smooth collie blue heeler mix and he was strong willed as a pup. Very tough, strong, protective and affectionate. He was so smart, my mother came to live with me when she was dying. She never cared much for animals but my boomer won her over. He stayed with her and watched over her. She told him to go get your Mommy (me) in the middle of the night and he had a difficult time waking me but didn’t give up till I woke up. I thought he wanted out but he took me to my Mom who was in distress. He was so handsome and great with other dogs that we’re polite, great with all kids. Very loyal and excellent protector.
Jason says
I have a blue heeler gsp mix and it’s the best dog I could have asked for very smart loves walks and car rides she is pretty co dependent and just loves all people and spending time with me
Denise says
What is a gsp breed? Thankyou.
Lucy says
GSP stands for German Shorthaired Pointer 🙂
Ashley says
Ohhh me too she is amazing!
Leti Pike says
I think my new pup may be a Blue Heeler GSP mix. Can you share pictures of yours?
Dawn says
I think I do too! Idk how to post pics here :/
Meg Austwick says
Hi Dawn, you can’t upload photos here, but if you would like to submit a photo to share we may be able to add it to the article. You can send photos to [email protected]
hanson brayden says
I’m getting a blue heeler today and im so thankful and happy! do you guys have any good care suggestions and or scheduals I could go by?
sharon says
Spend LOTS of time with your new friend. Your patience thru puppy time will be rewarded. Remember–VERY smart, Loyal, sensitive, velcro-dog. My wonderful friend learned to go for walks without a leash and collar (in nature parts of city & after dark on the n’hood sidewalks) stopped at street corners – did NOT chase rabbits and squirrels, understood oh so much, my NO! stance and NOT GOOD ! face was understood. AVOID Mistakes I made that ended with attempted bites when young.. LOUD MUSIC & Activity lead to herding instinct. (parade,dance hall, ball game – all with moving people = NOT GOOD) Maybe a personal trait but Long car rides were never liked… Getting there was wonderful (two hours to cabin.) Have Fun – talk to your new friend !
Rachel Callahan says
I have a blue heeler rat terrier mix – any training tips or ANYTHING would be helpful he’s a handful but i love him. He just does not understand NO!
Robert Fox says
what ACD MIX of the brown and white faced pup mix on the first page