Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog c 1936

In northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, the stumpy-tailed dogs were preferred. Known as the Timmins' Biter found popularity in the more remote districts of north-west New South Wales and southern Queensland. As a drovers' dogs, this breed had plenty of daylight under it and was a tireless worker of cattle on large holdings and long-distance droving in rough country.

History of the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

Australian Cattle Dog with Short Tail

One theory of the Stumpy's history is that around 1830 the Smithfield arrived in Queensland as well as Tasmania with the early settlers and was crossed with the Dingo. This cross increased the hardiness of the breed which could cope with the harsh temperatures and rough terrain of Queensland. However these dogs proved to be a bit headstrong and their bite was too hard^[4].

Another theory is that, because the Cur Dog was one of the types of dogs was used in developing the Australian Cattle dog, tailless or short tailed pups often occurred in early litters. Certainly by 1871, one of Thomas Hall's former competitors Jack Timmins bought some of these and selectively bred them to create a different strain of Cattle Dog that was even more courageous and could cope with semi-wild cattle on even larger holdings as well as travelling long distances in rough country.

Whether or not a combination of these two theories paints the real picture, certainly these dogs became known as 'Timmins Biters. They assisted in the further opening up of Queensland for cattle farmers. Their style of working is described as hard, unsophisticated and as uncompromising as the men that worked them.

Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs

By the early 1900s road stock transport had became the preferred way of transporting cattle to market. These reduced demand for such hard dogs. Because Stock men in this region seemed to prefer the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs, Queensland created its own Breed Standard. Four dogs and three bitches were listed in the Queensland Board of Control's Stud Book in 1926. Around 1935 it was written:

... the red bobtail known by drovers as Timmin's breed, the black bob-tail or old English cur-dog... all crossed with the dingo, have played their part in the production of a working dog peculiar to Australian conditions. The result, in general appearance, is that of a small thick-set dingo but with better expression. The polygot (sic) [mixture of] ancestry is responsible for all shades of red, blue and tan mottling, and a tail either like that of a dingo - not too long with plenty of brush - or as illustrated, a natural stumpy tail, reflecting the bob-tail influence for which the old Queensland Kennel Club framed a standard in 1918^[3].

Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

Another Breed Standard was written in 1938, stating that even red speckled markings were accepted on the head as were medium sized red spots on the body^[7a].

In 1958 when the Australian National Kennel Council was formed, they decided to amend the Breed Standards for all the Australian breeds. Until 1963 there had been a separate Breed Standard for the Australian Cattle Dog and the Stumpy-tail Cattle Dog. At that time the two breeds could occur in the same litter, the breeder registering each pup separately as either a Cattle Dog or a Stumpy Tail.

Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

However, in the late 1960's the Queensland Control Council (Kennel Club) put a stop to this and de-registered all Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog breeders. One rebel breeder remained, Mrs Iris Heale who could not keep the breed alive single handed.

The Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog becomes a pure Breed

As a result of this de-registration, there were so few registered male stumpy Tails and probably no registered bitches, by 1988, the breed was facing extinction. Consequently, a system was devised to identify various degrees of pure breeding that could be used for future breed development^[2].

This began with a Meeting of the Australian Breeds Committee (NSW) on 25th July 1988. It was called to discuss progress on the regeneration of the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog and begin a controlled Breed Development Register. This would aim to

1. Classify unregistered purebred Stumpys so that by the 3rd generation they could be registered.
2. The breeding programme would be controlled by breed wardens consisting of ANKC licensed judges of Australian Working Breeds.
3. Keep a Register of all known Stumpys
4. Adopt the original Breed Standard.

In 1989 the ANKC resurrected the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog with this complicated 'Development Breeding Programme'. In two short years later, 74 Stumpys had been classified and three litters had made it to the Register^[1].

Then each State had a panel of inspectors to grade dogs so they could be placed on the ANKC Development Register. There were 4 grades as follows:

1. 100% ANKC Registered Pure Breeds on the ANKC Register
2. 100% Pure Breeds that had proof of their pedigree but were not on the ANKC register
3. Apparently pure bred 'typey' dogs with at least 3 grandparents known to be pure
4. Apparently untypey animals with at least one grandparent (25% pure blood) but carrying tan markings^[7].

In 2007 an Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog, Grand Champion Ambajaya High Tail It won Best Exhibit in Group at the Sydney Royal, proving that today's Stumpys can hold their own in the showring. Today, we have registered Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs which, if not working cattle are such versatile dogs, can compete admirably in modern day disciplines like Obedience and Agility Trials.

Comparison between the Australian Cattle Dog and the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

	Australian Cattle Dog	Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
General Appearance	A strong compact, symmetrically built working dog, conveying the impression of great agility, strength and endurance.	A well proportioned working dog, rather square in profile with a hard-bitten, rugged appearance, capable of long periods of arduous work.
Tail	The tail should approximately reach the hock and carry a good brush. Set moderately low, at rest it should hang in a slight curve. During movement or excitement it may be raised, but not past a vertical line drawn through the root.	The undocked tail is of a natural length not exceeding 10 centimetres (4 inches), Set on high but not carried much above the level of the back.
	Australian Cattle Dog	Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Colour	1. Blue, blue-mottled or blue speckled with or without black, blue or tan markings on the head but not desirable on the body. Tan undercoat is permissible providing it does not show through the blue outer coat. 2. Red speckle all over including a red undercoat with or without darker even red markings on the head but not on the body. Blues may have tan markings in the normal back and tan coat pattern.	1. Blue Mottle or Blue Speckle with or without black markings on the head and body. Must have the same coloured undercoat. 2. Red Speckle with or without red markings on the head or body but without any blue showing through the undercoat or on the head. Blues and Reds may NOT have tan markings in the normal black and tan coat pattern.
Size	Dogs 46-51 cms (18-20 ins) at withers with bitches 43-48 cms (17-19 ins).	Dogs 46-51 cms (18-20 ins) at withers with bitches 43-48 cms (17-19 ins).
	Australian Cattle Dog	Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Skull	The skull is broad and slightly curved between the ears with muscular cheeks. It has a slight but definite stop.	The flat skull is broad between the ears, with muscular cheeks. It has a slight but definite stop.
Foreface	The foreface is broad and well filled in under the eyes with a deep and powerful underjaw, tight lips and a black nose. The skull and muzzle have parallel head planes.	The foreface is well filled up under the eyes with deep powerful jaws and a black nose.
Mouth	Normal scissors bite with sound, strong teeth.	Normal scissors bite with sound, strong teeth.
Eyes	The oval shaped eyes should be of medium size, and dark brown in colour.	The almond shaped eyes should be of moderate size, and dark brown in colour.
Ears	The pricked, thick textured ears should be of moderate size, broad at the base and moderately pointed. They are set wide apart with the inside of the ear fairly well furnished with hair.	The pricked, thick textured ears are moderately small, and almost pointed. They are set high on the skull yet well apart, with the inside the ear well furnished with hair.
	Australian Cattle Dog	Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Neck	Extremely strong and muscular, of medium length, free from dewlap.	Exceptionally strong and muscular of medium length, free from dewlap.
Legs	The forelegs should be straight and parallel when viewed from the front and have strong, round bone extending to the feet. But when viewed from the side, the pasterns show their flexibility by being angled slightly.	The forelegs are well boned, muscular and straight when viewed from either the side or front, with very strong flexible pasterns.
Feet	The feet should be round and the toes short and well arched. The pads are hard and deep, with short, strong nails.	The feet should be round and strong with deep pads and strong, short dark nails.
Body	The length of body from the point of breast bone, in a straight line to the buttocks, is greater than the height at the withers, as 10 is to 9. The shoulders are strong, sloping, muscular and well angulated but not too close at the point of the withers. The chest is deep, muscular and moderately broad and the ribs well sprung. The back is level and strong with muscular strong loins and muscular, and a rather long and sloping croup. The hindquarters have long, broad and well developed thighs, well turned stifles and short strong hocks.	The length of the body from the point of the breast-bone to the buttocks should be equal to the height of the withers, ensuring the dog is square in profile. The shoulders are clean, muscular and sloping. The chest is moderately broad and ribs are well sprung. The back is level, broad and strong with deep and muscular loins. The hindquarters are broad, powerful and muscular, with well developed thighs, moderately turned stifles and short hocks.
	Australian Cattle Dog	Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Gait	The tireless action is sound, free and supple and capable of moving quickly and suddenly with the powerful thrust of the hindquarters. The shoulders and forelegs should be in unison but when the dog stops it should stand four square.	The tireless movement is sound, true, free and supple, capable of moving quickly and suddenly. The shoulders and forelegs should be in unison with powerful thrust of the hindquarters.
Coat	The double coat has a close rain-resisting outer-coat and a short, dense close undercoat. The coat is longer and thicker along the neck and behind the legs and on the breeching. As an average, the hairs on the body should be from 2.5 to 4 cms (approx. 1-1.5 ins) in length.	The double coat has an outer coat that is moderately short, straight, dense with a 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.

References and Further Reading

^[1] Australian Made 'Australian Breeds Feature' Redevelopment of the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog how it all Began' by Keith Cook Page 28.

^[2] Noreen L Clarke 'A Dog Called Blue' Published by Writelight Pty Ltd for Noreen L Clarke PO Box 48 Wallacia NSW 2745 Australia Chapter 2 'The Hall's Heeler' page 11

^[2a] Ibid., B M Merchant Chapter 11 'The Redevelopment of the Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog' Page 123

^[3] H.D.Caldwell, 'The Courier Mail Dog Book' Published by Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd (circa 1935) Page 17

^[4] Dr H.J. Hewson-Fruend B Sc (Hons) BA (ProfWrit) PhD (Syd) 'Rescuing a Unique Australian' PAL Digest Vol 1 No 3 April 1991Page 10

^[7] Frances Sefton, 'Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs - They are on the Way Back' Editor 'National Dog Magazine' Page 5

^[7a] Ibid.,(continued from Page 3) Page 70