blue heeler

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

blue heeler (plural blue heelers)

1. (Australia) A blue-coated variety of the Australian Cattle Dog breed.
   • 2003, Larry McMurtry, Duane's Depressed‎, page 75:

     Shorty the Sixth, as he was sometimes called, had been a very winning puppy, and they had kept him at home until he began to exhibit the same tendencies that Duane's blue heelers always exhibited, that is, a tendency to herd children in the same way they would have herded cattle or sheep: they nipped their heels.

   • 2007, Graham Greenwood, A Truckie's Dream: The Allan Scott Story : His Official Biography‎, page 113:

     He always has his blue heeler dog in his office tucked away under his feet or near the door.

   • 2008, Elizabeth Bruce, A Show Off, Just Like Your Father‎, page 92:

     For some time, Dan and Pat had been at me to get a dog so we took a trip to the Yagoona RSPCA and came back with a blue heeler pup.

2. (Australia, slang) A police officer.
   • 2008, Deborah N. David, The Janus Project‎, page 382:

     “Take a gander son, but be quick about it,” he said lighting a cigarette. “The blue heelers come by here and start snoopin about.”