The blue heeler, or the Australian cattle dog, is an all-time herding star! If you’re thinking about getting one, you’re probably wondering, how big do blue heelers get?
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the factors that affect blue heelers’ growth and shed light on how big blue heelers get and when they stop growing. Stick around!
How Big Can a Blue Heeler Get?
A fully grown blue heeler will range between 17-20 inches in height and about 50 pounds as far as weight. With their muscular yet compact frames and strong endurance, heelers make perfect candidates for stock dogs.
These excellent herding dogs will differ in weight from the moment they’re born until they reach full maturity. The rate of your blue heeler’s growth will fluctuate monthly as follows:
Newborn
Ideally, a healthy newborn blue heeler puppy should weigh between 7 to 10 pounds. During this phase, the puppy is extremely sensitive and dependent on his mother.
At such an age, the puppy’s food is mainly the mother’s milk. That’ll be enough to provide the needed nutrients and immunity. However, it’s not enough to help the dog put on notable weight.
3 Months of Age
Up to 3 months of age, your blue heeler’s growth won’t be drastic, yet the dog will get more muscular.
He’ll gain an average of 3 pounds and weigh approximately 12 to 13 pounds. He’s the most energetic and playful at this age.
Also, remember that this is the age you get him started on potty training and bladder control.
4 Months of Age
Starting from the age of 4 months, your puppy will be at the peak of the growth rate and start gaining weight rapidly.
Your dog can gain nearly 2 pounds monthly as he reaches full maturity and final weight.
Adulthood
Your blue heeler doggo will be a big boy at the age of 1.5-2 years. Your dog’s growth rate will decline as he achieves his final size.
According to AKC blue heeler’s breed standards, your dog’s final height should be 18 to 20 inches if it’s a male or 17 to 19 if it’s a female.
Moreover, the weight can vary from a lightweight dog of 35 pounds to a muscular dog of 50 pounds.
When Does a Blue Heeler Stop Growing?
As a medium-sized breed, the blue heelers grow relatively faster than other larger dogs. What determines the end of a dog’s growing phase is the healing of the growth plates.
These plates, at the end of long bones, remain soft for a certain duration. This allows bone cells to divide and build upon them. Subsequently, the bones get longer and the dog gets taller until the cells fill the plates.
Studies show that at 12 months, the blue heeler’s growth plates will heal, the dog’s final height is determined, and his growth stops. Meanwhile, the dog’s weight can still vary significantly until 18 or 24 months of age.
What Factors Affect the Blue Heelers Growth?
Now that you know how big a blue heeler can get, let’s talk about the factors that can affect a blue heeler’s growth.
Physical Activity
As a working breed, blue heelers must move a lot! Physical activity is one of the main pillars for the growth of your blue heeler’s bones, tissue, and muscles.
From the age of 3 months, your pooch needs obedience training and socialization classes. Such classes can help your blue heeler to be on his best manners.
Most dogs will be on the calmer side when they reach 1 year of age. On the contrary, the blue heelers reserve their puppy energy at 12 months old.
Thus, daily training and mental stimulation for around 2 hours daily is a great way to keep your blue heeler from tearing your house apart.
Nutrition
Your pet’s food has a leading role in either aiding or stunting a puppy’s growth. Given that Blue heelers are highly dynamic, their food must cover their elevated energy needs. Only high-quality food can keep track of your blue heeler’s dietary needs.
For starters, a blue heeler’s diet mainly depends on meat-based protein, which fuels the tissue and muscle extensively. The issue with low-grade dog food is that it uses plant-based protein, which a dog’s stomach can’t digest properly.
On top of that, your dog needs healthy fats and superfoods, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are seldom found in low-quality products.
Luckily, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has set some ground rules for pet food nutritional adequacy.
That said, you should always check your blue heeler’s food for a statement from AAFCO and proper labeling. This ensures you’re offering your dog a balanced meal with all the needed nutrients.
Genetics
While you might think this factor is out of your control, getting your blue heeler from a breeder could put you in charge a bit.
The breeder can provide information about your dog’s predicted weight and height based on the parents’ characteristics
Does Spaying or Neutering Stunt Blue Heelers’ Growth?
Contrary to common belief, spaying or neutering your dog doesn’t stunt their growth.
However, studies found that sometimes these procedures might delay the healing of the growth plate. This can increase your dog’s final size. This is notable when you spay or neuter your pup before six months of age.
In Summary
If you’re welcoming a blue heeler into your family, you might wonder, how big do blue heelers get?
The answer is 17-20 inches in height and 35-50 pounds in weight. Bear in mind that there are slight variations between males and females.
As medium-sized dogs, blue heelers will reach their definite size early at about 12 months old. However, your dog might add on some weight till the age of 2 years old.
Normally, factors like diet, physical activity level, and genetics affect your blue heeler’s growth rate. On the other hand, spaying and neutering will have no effect on your growing dog.
Having read this post, you’re all set to welcome that new blue heeler into your family and watch them grow safely at your home.
