How long does a Australian Cattle Dog live?

The listed lifespan for a Australian Cattle Dog is 12–16 years.

How tall is a Australian Cattle Dog?

The listed height for a Australian Cattle Dog is 18–20 in (male), 17–19 in (female).

Is a Australian Cattle Dog good with children?

The AKC good-with-children score for a Australian Cattle Dog is 3 out of 5.

What is the energy level of a Australian Cattle Dog?

The AKC energy score for a Australian Cattle Dog is 5 out of 5.

Herding Group

Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Cattle Dog is a medium dog in the Herding Group. Adult weight is 35–50 lb, height is 18–20 in (male), 17–19 in (female), and the listed lifespan is 12–16 years. AKC describes the temperament as Loyal, Intelligent, Tenacious.

Last reviewed November 1, 2026.

Australian Cattle Dog dog — Photo: Eva Holderegger Walser · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons

Lifespan12–16 years

Weight35–50 lb

SizeMedium GroupHerding Group

Height

18–20 in (male), 17–19 in (female)

Energy

5 / 5

Shedding

3 / 5

Grooming

1 / 5

Trainability

4 / 5

Good with kids

3 / 5

The breed record

Across 59 single-size medium breeds, a lifespan midpoint of 14 years is about 0.7 years longer than the 13.3-year average. A midpoint adult weight of 42.5 lb is about 8.4 lb heavier than the 34.1 lb average for those medium breeds.

The listed origin is Australia. The coat is described as double, smooth, short. The AKC energy score is 5 out of 5, 0.9 points above the group average of 4.1 for the Herding Group. Shedding scores 3 out of 5. Grooming scores 1 out of 5, so home brushing covers most weeks. Trainability scores 4 out of 5, which is a biddable score. Good with children scores 3 out of 5. Good with other dogs scores 3 out of 5. AKC ranked this breed number 47 in 2025.

AKC parent-club recommended health screenings: Hip Evaluation, Elbow Evaluation, Ophthalmologist Evaluation, BAER Testing, Primary Lens Luxation (PLL) - DNA Test, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy, PRCD (PRA-prcd, PRCD) - DNA Test. These are screening tests, not a list of diseases the breed is guaranteed to develop.

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