Medium-sized, rugged working dog with naturally short tail, bred for herding cattle in harsh Australian conditions. This compact, athletic breed combines intelligence, stamina, and exceptional herding prowess.
Developed in the early-to-mid 1800s by Australian cattlemen crossing British herding dogs (such as the Smithfield) with native Australian dingo-type dogs. Bred specifically for working ability and natural bob-tail, developing parallel to the Australian Cattle Dog as an independent herding breed.
“The "Stumpy" possesses a natural aptitude in the working and control of cattle, and a loyal, courageous and devoted disposition. It is ever alert, watchful and obedient, though suspicious of strangers. At all times it must be amenable to handling in the Show ring”
Quoted from FCI standard n°351. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Drawn from sources, not opinion: FCI breed standard; Downs et al. 2014, Veterinary Ophthalmology. An empty column means we hold nothing for that side, not that there is nothing to say.
What a judge marks the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.
Marked heavily against a specimen in the ring.
Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.
The Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog standard is published by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale), the international federation of pedigree-dog clubs, and it is what show judges apply. This section sums up what it says about coat and colour. It does not assess any one animal: use it to know what to ask the breeder.
The outer coat is moderately short, straight, dense and of medium harsh texture.
The undercoat is short, dense and soft.
The coat around the neck is longer, forming mild ruff.
The hair on the head, legs and feet, is short
Permissible
Shortened from FCI standard n°351 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.
The colours and patterns the standard admits, and what it prefers, discourages or disqualifies in each. An accepted colour says nothing about health. Quotations from the FCI are in English, as the standard publishes them; the headings are ours.
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog in general; any individual animal can differ.
Known hereditary risks for the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
1 condition documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Documented in this breed, but no source says how many of its dogs carry or have them. That is a gap in the evidence, not a sign they are rare.
An inherited degeneration of the retina that starts as night blindness in adulthood and slowly progresses to blindness; there is no treatment. It is recessive. It has been found in this breed, which ranked among the breeds most likely to carry it in an analysis of commercial testing data, though only 59 of its dogs were in that dataset.
What to ask for
DNA test for prcd-PRA on both parents
An inherited degeneration of the retina that starts as night blindness in adulthood and slowly progresses to blindness; there is no treatment. It is recessive. It has been found in this breed, which ranked among the breeds most likely to carry it in an analysis of commercial testing data, though only 59 of its dogs were in that dataset.
What to ask for
DNA test for prcd-PRA on both parents
