The Australian cattle dog is an original cattle herding breed. He is highly intelligent, trustworthy and loyal and will need a lot of mental and physical exercise. The perfect dog if you have an active lifestyle and are considering agility, flyball or any other canine sport. This dog learns super quickly and if he does not get training then is highly likely to teach himself a few tricks of his own such as herding the family and nipping their heels. Common to herding dogs, they don't adapt well to an environment with limited space. An outlet for their high level of energy such as regular work or activity that they can do routinely would be ideal for them. This dog may become a barker and may even be destructive if his lifestyle does not match his needs and the park once a day is not enough for him. , his loyal and protective instincts make him the protector over their owners or family, they need kind and consistent training from an early age. He is also a big rough player so may not be suitable as a companion for small, fragile pets but otherwise likes other dogs and enjoys a rough and tumble. They are intelligent, obedient and respond quickly to commands. The perfect owner for this dog is one that has a dog friendly rural lifestyle or works outdoors and has a home with a fair amount of land.