How Big Do Blue Heelers Get? [AVERAGE HEIGHT & WEIGHT]

The Blue Heeler, also known as the Australian Cattle or Queensland Heeler, is a very energetic, active, loyal, and working dog breed. If you are interested in this dog breed, you must know how big the Blue Heeler would be when fully grown and their age of full maturity. So, keep reading to find out.

The normal Blue Heeler will stand between 17 to 20 inches tall and weigh between 30 to 50 pounds when completely grown. It usually takes 18 to 24 months to attain their full size. The males are typically a bit larger than the females; however, they are both medium-sized. 

Blue Heelers are clever, loyal, and diligent; they are still generally happy once they are kept engaged in various ways. Their most well-known characteristic is their strong loyalty.

Blue Heeler Growth Stages

The growth stages help understand what to expect and anticipate from the Blue Heeler’s birthhood until it becomes an adult. This knowledge would help you know how to care for and take care of your dog properly. So, we will be explaining further below.

Birth – Two weeks

This is the first growth stage in which a puppy Blue Heeler is birthed. During this period, the puppies are very vulnerable, as they cannot care for themselves. So, they need to rely on their mother for basically everything, including feeding, cleaning up, and warmth.

During the first two weeks of birth, the puppies will not see or hear anything. So, expect they tend to sleep more and spend more time with their mother.

Two – Four Weeks

This is a transitional week, and the puppies are expected to open their eyes gradually. During this period, their sense of smell and hearing would develop, and they could also be seen trying to stand independently.

Do not be surprised if you notice your little puppy also trying to bark. By the end of this period, the puppies would be able to begin to walk about on their own and eliminate waste themselves.

Four – Twelve weeks

The puppies’ sense of sight, sense, and hearing would have been fully developed during this period. At this stage, they begin to get familiarized with the environment, humans, and their fellow littermates.

They must be given a proper lesson on proper socialization at this stage. As they grow older, you could also notice them getting scared or looking anxious due to things like unfamiliar objects or loud noises. This is quite normal.

However, you will need to boost the dog’s confidence by using positive training methods. The dog would regain confidence and become less fearful or anxious with time.

Three – Six Months

At this time, your Blue Heeler would begin to gain more height and develop muscles. A six-month-old Blue Heeler should be about 14 inches tall, weighing about 23 – 26 pounds.

This is when you would notice your dog looking more independent and wanting to explore more.

During this period, you must ensure you give your dog proper training and ensure it recognizes you as the alpha. Failure to do this at this stage might make training more difficult as it gets older.

Seven – Nine Months

This is the stage where a Blue Heeler begins to show some signs of puberty. The male will be able to produce sperm, while the females will experience their first heat cycle.

At this point, you need to ensure you keep an eye closely on your Blue Heeler, as they tend to mate. So, ensure you do not allow them to mate at this young age.

Ten – Twelve Months

At this age, your Blue Heelers growth rate might be reduced due to the introduction of the sexual hormones. This is even more common for males. During this period, you can then decide whether to breed your Blue Heeler or not. For an owner not interested in breeding, you can take your dog to a vet for a spaying procedure.

At the end of this period, your Blue Heeler is finally approaching adulthood and should have grown about 17 – 20 inches, weighing about 33 – 36 pounds.

Adulthood

Once your Blue Heeler clocks a year old, it is safe to call it an adult. At this point, the dog would become muscular, well-built, with a compact physique. With time, the dog might begin to add more muscles and weight depending on the training and exercises it does until it gets to 2 years old and attains its final adulthood size.

Blue Heeler Weight

Blue Heelers can weigh up to fifty pounds but weigh as little as thirty pounds. The Blue Heeler can reach a height of 17 to 20 inches on average; the female dogs are usually a little smaller than the male. Thus, their weight will mostly rely on their gender. Owners and parents of Blue Heelers should be aware that these figures are only guidelines, as some dogs may be significantly larger or smaller in weight based on their breeding, lifestyle, size of their parents, and their health.

Blue Heelers are medium-sized dogs with a substantial and powerful frame that makes them ideal for their breed’s job as shepherd dogs in Australia, where they must travel great distances and over varied terrain to get the cattle towards where they should go.

Blue Heeler Growth Chart

The Blue Heeler growth chart below shows the usual weight range for this dog breed; anyone looking at this chart should remember that the number ranges are supposed to indicate what the Blue Heeler dog breed typically looks like.

Age	Weight (lbs.)
3 Months	12 – 15
4 Months	15 – 18
5 Months	20 – 24
6 Months	23 – 26
7 Months	25 – 29
8 Months	26 – 30
9 Months	27 – 31
10 Months	28 – 33
11 Months	29 – 34
12 Months	30 – 35
16 Months	31 – 45
24 Months	40 – 50

Blue Heeler Size

A little Blue Heeler is often the size of a toy; females and males stand 11 to 15 inches tall and weigh 12 to 25 pounds. According to some breeders’ ideal specifications, a Mini Blue Heeler should be 13 to 15 inches tall and weigh 15 to 20 pounds. Heelers typically reach full height and weight before reaching their maximum weight.

Around the age of 12 months, dogs like Blue Heelers cease growing. By their first year, your puppy will be near full weight, but most puppies will continue to fill out their chests until they mature between 18 and 24 months. Males take longer to mature than females, taking up to two years.

Males take longer to mature than females, taking up to two years. Compared to toy breeds, which reach full size by nine months, the Blue Heeler grows considerably more slowly, albeit not as slowly as giant dog breeds, which can maintain a healthy weight for well over two years.

Despite their high activity level, Blue Heelers must never be overfed. Overweight Blue Heelers are prone to bone and joint abnormalities such as hip dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans, and elbow dysplasia, leading to major health concerns. Choose high-quality food suitable for your puppy’s weight and age; ensure it has all the minerals, vitamins, and protein they require and is free of fillers and processed additives.

Final Thoughts

Blue Heelers are the ideal size dog for the majority of people. The only remaining question to consider before purchasing one is if you can be capable of keeping up with them. This dog breed is extremely lively and requires constant stimulation; it takes time and effort to raise this dog breed. Blue Heelers achieve their full size and weight in months, although they are not big dogs once fully grown.