Have you a photo of Rusty at dog-eye-level with something in it for scale?  I can't tell how tall he is -- guessing he's kinda halfway between a corgi and a heeler.

Is a blue heeler similar to an Australian cattle dog?

Welcome to the site, Amber!

Wow.

There's someone here named.... Anne Pinkerton I think.  She has a border cardy.

I've often fantasized about a Pembroke with both copies of the dwarfing gene deleted -- I work in a genetics lab -- the dwarfing gene is well-known, quite interesting, a long thread about it here somewhere -- what would a Pembroke be like without it?

Presumably, your dog has 1 copy.  I'd like to see more photos of your dog.

I've met only 1 Australian kelpie -- looked like about the physique I'd want -- but I sure like the Pembroke personality.