Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherd: BREED BOX Country: United States Size: 35-70lb(16-32kg),18-23in(46-58cm) Temperament: Loyal Grooming: Once every couple of weeks Recognition: FCI,AKC,ANKC,KC (UK),CKC,UKC

The Australian Shepherd is an energetic breed who retains strong herding and guarding instincts even today. They are known to be very animated dogs. The Aussie is very close to their people and love to be near their families. They are adaptable and agile and they excel at all kinds of active sports such as agility, obedience and herding.

Breed History

Despite its name, the Australian Shepherd was most likely developed outside Australia. It’s believed that the Aussie was originally developed from herding and guarding dogs in the Basque region of the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France. The Basque shepherds brought their dogs with them to Australia when they emigrated. Later these same shepherds took the dogs with them to America in the 1800s where the dogs were hugely popular doing ranch work.

At different times the dogs have been called the Spanish Shepherd, the Pastor Dog, the Bob-Tail, the Blue Heeler, the New Mexican Shepherd, and the California Shepherd.

Most of the development of the Australian Shepherd has been done in the United States where they are very popular, especially for obedience, agility, herding and other dog sports. The dogs have often been used in rodeos, horse shows, movies and on television. Aussies are still very popular with ranchers in the American west as stock dogs. They are very versatile dogs and make good all-around farm dogs.

The Australian Shepherd is not registered in Australia as a native breed. The Aussie was accepted into the AKC’s Stud Book in 1991.

Appearance

In appearance the Australian Shepherd is well-balanced and slightly longer than he is tall. He is a medium-sized dog. His coat coloring gives him great individuality and variety. He has a coat of moderate length and coarseness. His tail is docked or naturally bobbed.

Males are 20-23 inches tall at the shoulder; females are 18-21 inches tall. Aussies are solidly built dogs with moderate bone.

The Aussie has an attentive, intelligent expression that is alert and eager. The eyes may be brown, blue or amber, or any combination of these colors.

Ears are triangular and moderate, set high on the head. When the dog is attentive the ears may break forward and over, to the side.

The dog’s coat color may be blue merle, black, red merle, red, all with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points. White is fine on the neck, as a collar, on the chest, legs, muzzle, underparts, and blaze on the head. White on the head should not dominate. The merles usually become darker with age.

In The Home

In the home the Aussie is a very energetic and animated companion. They are very intelligent dogs and they can be trained easily. They love to be close to their people and they are great family dogs. Since they are herding and guarding dogs, they can be reserved with strangers, but they are not aggressive.

Aussies are very adaptable dogs. They are great workers and enjoy having a job to do. They need a lot of activity to be happy. They also need plenty of vigorous daily exercise. If these dogs do not have plenty of exercise they can become destructive in the home. They do not handle boredom well. Make sure they get lots of exercise and have plenty of things to keep them occupied if you are not home.

The Aussie likes to have a purpose. They make terrific obedience dogs and they are excellent at agility and other dog sports such as flyball and frisbee. They also make good therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, service dogs and anything else where a dog needs to be trained and focused. They are still used for working and herding in the American west. If at all possible it’s good for these dogs to be working or training. Aussies learn tricks very easily.

Australian Shepherds are not good apartment dogs and they do like to have a lot of room because of their active nature. They are very loyal and good-natured. They usually get along well with other dogs. They can get along well with other pets in the household though they may try to herd them.

Aussies are usually very good with children although, once again, they may try to herd them.

It’s a good idea to provide good socialization for an Australian Shepherd puppy. Take your puppy with you when you go places. Introduce him to new things and places. Encourage friendly strangers to pet him and give him treats. Let him meet other friendly dogs on leashes. The more socialization you do with your puppy at this age, the fewer problems you will have when he’s an adult. Socialization can help prevent dog behavior problems such as separation anxiety, nuisance barking and destructive chewing.

You should also teach your Australian Shepherd puppy basic obedience commands. Aussies are very smart and it’s good for them to know basic obedience. Teach your puppy using positive reinforcement techniques such as praise and treats as rewards and he will learn very quickly.

Care

It’s relatively easy to care for the coat of an Australian Shepherd. You should brush them thoroughly about once a week to prevent any excess shedding and to prevent matting. You will also need to clean their ears regularly to prevent ear infections and trim their nails regularly.

As with all dogs, the Australian Shepherd is prone to certain health problems. If you are interested in getting an Australian Shepherd you should talk to a breeder about potential problems in the breed. Ask about health testing. Health testing can often help prevent problems from being passed along to a dog’s offspring.

Possible health problems that may occur in the Australian Shepherd include: Collie eye anomaly (CEA) and cataracts; canine hip dysplasia, Pelger-Huet syndrome, hypothyroidism, and nasal solar dermatitis. Australian Shepherds can also be susceptible to Ivermectim toxicity if they have a mutated MDR1 gene. Dogs with this gene (including many collie breeds) may need to avoid using heartworm medication that contains Ivermectin.

Where to Find an Australian Shepherd

In the United States there are two primary registries for Australian Shepherds. Working dog breeders generally register their dogs with the Australian Shepherd Club of American (ASCA). Pet and show breeders generally register their dogs with the American Kennel Club. Their parent breed club is the United States Australian Shepherd Association. You can contact either group for information about breeders. However, it’s likely that working dogs may have more drive and instinct for herding. If you intend to get a dog from a working dog breeder you should be sure that you have the time and ability to train and work with one of these dogs. Otherwise the dog may destroy your home and be very unhappy.

The United States Australian Shepherd Association also has information about rescued Aussies if you are interested in getting a dog that has been rescued.

You can always check with your local animal shelter to see if they have an Aussie. Rescue volunteers try to remove Aussies as soon as they hear about them to keep them from being put to sleep, but it’s always possible there is an Aussie in your local shelter.

• Ideal Owners: The Australian Shepherd is suited to familes with active children, or owners who have the time to go for a run with their dog
• Coat Color: Red, Liver, Blue-Merle, Black
• Life Expectancy: 13 years
• Other Names: Aussie

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