Blue Heeler is an Australian cattle herding dog, which is extremely popular for physical activities, high energy, intelligence, cautiousness and wilfulness. They are medium in size, weigh not more than 30 pounds and need a skillful owner to handle their high level of activities. Blue Heelers are also commonly referred as Australian cattle dogs. They have blueish speckles all over the body and some might also have black, blue or tan markings on the head. Tips for Training a Blue Heeler While training a Blue Heeler you have to work with his natural instinct of a herding dog. The name 'Heeler' comes from the dog's habit of nipping at cattle's, sometimes even people's heels, while herding them. Know Your Dog Well Training a Blue Heeler is almost the same job as of training any other dog. Just that, his enormous energy and wilfulness, might take some more time to puzzle out who is training whom. Remember that knowing your dog well is the key to successfully train him. Know his requirements like when he needs to go to the bathroom or when he is in a mood to play. Take the charge as a dog trainer confidently, just have a good attitude. Keep in mind, don't start any training activity while you are in a bad mood. Start training with exercise Physical activities of Blue Heelers are very important as they have a lot of energy and endurance. He should know his name, so that you can always call his name and he'll understand that he is being told something. So, the first step of training your Blue Heeler is that he should know his name. You can do this by calling him, talking to him, patting him and waving hand to call him while taking his name. You can clap or whistle while calling him by his name to help him understand. Training to Follow Commands If you want him to sit, say 'sit followed by his name' in a bit higher, clear voice and demanding tone. While you say this, hold him by your hand, softly pull up the leash and gently push his booty downwards. If he doesn't sit, again tell him 'sit', if you keep doing this for a few times, your dog is sure to understand it. Now teach him 'down'. Make him sit and hold a treat in your hand, show it to him by calling his name. Now place it in front of him and say 'down'. Guide him downward towards the floor after saying 'down'. Blue Heelers are intelligent and perform very well in obedience rings and agility classes like pointed ears, alert eyes, etc. Training for Desirable Behavior Around Humans One of the most challenging part of Blue Heeler dog training is teaching him not to nip children or adults. Blue Heeler's herding nip is a pinch more than a nip and though it may not leave any marks on the skin, it can bruise. Remember that 'not to nip', is against the Heeler's inherent aptitude to herd, so you have to be careful while training him. Also, children must be aware of this characteristic of the cattle dog. Once you teach your Heeler the basic dog obedience courses like sit, stand, down, leave it and give me commands these will be useful to you while you curtail his desire to nip. Dog leash training is also important along with the above-mentioned training tips. After your every attempt of training your dog, whenever he does it the right way, you must give him a treat. You should also praise him by clapping and moving your hand on his back softly and patting him. He'll also understand that he has done it right this time. Make sure that you also keep him well-groomed. Combing needs to be done everyday with a firm brush so as to keep the mites and ticks at bay. You must also regularly clean his eyes and ears. Training a Blue Heeler puppy is easier than training a grown up Heeler. Blue Heelers are known for their intelligence and obedience, which make the task of training them interesting and easy.