Is an Aussie the right dog for you?
Because Australian Shepherds are an energetic breed with strong herding and guarding instincts, they require daily exercise. Although sometimes reserved with strangers, they are “people” dogs and want to always be with their families. Their thick coats mean heavy shedding at least twice a year and frequent brushing.
The Australian Shepherd is an intelligent, medium-sized dog of strong herding and guardian instincts. He is also a delightful and loyal companion and a great family dog. He loves to be part of the daily hustle and bustle and enjoys riding in the vehicle just to be with his beloved master. He is easy to train, easy to house break and eager to please.
Animated, adaptable and agile, the Australian Shepherd lives for his job, which can still involve herding livestock and working as an all-purpose farm and ranch dog. He needs a lot of activity and a sense of purpose to be truly content. Today, due to the breed’s intelligence and versatility, “Aussies” also excel in competitive events such as agility, obedience, rally, tracking and herding.
Aussies have been used as utility dogs to the physically handicapped, hearing aid dogs, police and narcotics dogs and search and rescue dogs. Many go with their masters as volunteers to children's homes and nursing homes to do therapy work. Truly, the Australian Shepherd is a highly versatile dog.
Aussies are very active dogs that need daily exercise to prevent them from becoming bored or frustrated and developing destructive habits. Because of their high energy level, combined with high intelligence, Aussies need to be given a "job" to perform, be it shepherding the children, protecting the house, comforting the ill or aged, herding livestock or competing in dog events. Mostly they just want to be with their owners, doing whatever is asked of them.
One of the most frequent reasons Aussies are turned over to rescue groups is because their owners didn't realize how much energy the breed has, and weren't willing to channel that energy through training. Aussies are also quite demanding of their owners' time and attention and want to be constantly with them, following them from room to room in the house and going along on errands.
Breed Standards
The Australian Shepherd comes in four acceptable colors: black, blue merle (a mixture of gray and black), red (ranging from light cinnamon to liver), and red merle (a mixture of red with silver or buff). A variety of white and tan markings may appear on the face, chest, front and rear legs. The outer coat is of moderate length, with a texture that is straight to wavy and weather resistant. The undercoat is soft and dense, and the amount varies with climate. Tails are naturally bobbed or docked. Ears are moderately sized, and break forward and over, or to the side as rose ears. Males weigh approximately 50 to 65 pounds, measuring from 20 to 23 inches, and females weigh about 40 to 55 pounds, measuring from 18 to 21 inches.
The eyes of the Australian Shepherd are perhaps one of his most commented on features because of the variety of colors. They may be any color or combination of colors from glassy blue, amber, hazel, to all shades of brown. Eyes may also be a combination of these colors known as a marbled eye. The eyes are to be almond in shape.
Breed History
The Australian Shepherd's roots reach back to the Basque region of the Pyrenees Mountains that lie between France and Spain. The Basques were, and still are, excellent shepherds, and they developed dogs to aid them in their work. Some of the herders traveled to Australia to care for sheep and the dogs went with them. In the 1800's, when Australian sheep were exported to the United States, some of the shepherds and their dogs went along. Descendents of those herders still work with sheep in the far western U.S. where they live in trailers – now motorized – that resemble the horse-drawn caravans their ancestors used. They still communicate in their own dialect.
The dogs we now know as Aussies developed from interbreeding those Basque dogs with equally talented American farm dogs of no particular breed. Because, in American minds, anything from Australia was “Australian” and the dogs herded sheep, the resulting dogs were misnamed Australian Shepherds. In the early days, when the breed was still coalescing, they were known by many names including Spanish Shepherd, Pastor Dog, Bob-Tail, Blue Heeler, New Mexican Shepherd and California Shepherd.
With a rise in interest of all things Western after World War II, the general public got to know Aussies through rodeos, horse shows, movies and television. American stockmen recognized the utility and versatility of Aussies on the farm and ranch and they continued the development of the breed, maintaining the versatility, keen intelligence, strong herding instinct and eye-catching appearance.
Australian Shepherds are considered an original American breed and have been registered by various registries since the early 1950's. In 1990, the United States Australian Shepherd Association was established as the parent club of the Australian Shepherd representing the breed to the American Kennel Club. On Sept. 1, 1991, the AKC recognized the Australian Shepherd breed and on Jan. 1, 1993, accepted them into the Herding Group.
