| The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized dog, with medium bone structure, and slightly longer than he is tall. His appearance demonstrates strength and stamina, combined with unusual agility, and with well-defined masculinity or femininity. His muzzle tapers slightly to a round tip, and his almond-shaped eyes are brown, blue, amber, or any variation of combination including flecks and marbling. He may have two different colored eyes, or have bicolored or "split eyes", such as half-brown and half-blue. His triangular-shaped ears are set high at the side of his head, and are slightly rounded at the tip. Some Aussies are born with naturally short bobbed tails, others with full long tails, and others with natural partial bobs, where the tail is mid-length and appears stubby. |
| Height: |
Male: 20-23 inches; Female: 18-21 inches |
| Weight: |
Male: 55-70 pounds; Female: 35-55 pounds |
| Color(s): |
Black, red (sometimes called liver), blue merle (marbled black and gray), and red merle (marbled red and silver or buff); with or without copper points and/or white markings in various combinations on the face, chest, and legs; a black or red dog with copper and white trim is called tricolor or tri, a black or red dog with white trim but no copper is called bicolor or bi |
| Coat: |
Double; moderate length and coarseness; medium texture, straight to slightly wavy; weather resistant; moderate mane and frill; quantity of undercoat varies with climate |
| Description: |
The Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog that was developed on ranches in the Western United States. Despite its name, the breed did not in fact originate in Australia. It is believed he acquired his name because of his association with sheepherders who came to the United States from Australia. Australian Shepherds rose rapidly in popularity with the boom of western riding after World War II. They became known to the general public through rodeos, horse shows, and through Disney movies made for television. For decades, Stockmen have valued Aussies for their inherent versatility and trainability. While they continue to work as stock dogs and compete in herding trials, the breed has earned recognition in other roles due to their trainability and eagerness to please, and are highly regarded for their skills in obedience. They are highly successful Search and Rescue dogs, disaster dogs, detection dogs, guide, service, and therapy dogs. The breed's ability to adapt to a situation and think for himself, makes him an excellent all-around worker. |
| Temperament: |
The Australian Shepherd is an exceptional companion who is intelligent, faithful to his owners, and great with children. An Aussie does best with plenty of human companionship, are is often called "velcro" dog for his strong desire to always be near his owners, and for his tendency to form intense, devoted bonds with select people. He is reserved with strangers, but does not have a tendency to be aggressive. An Aussie will try to herd anything that moves, including people and all other types of animals. He is protective of his property, and is inclined to bark warnings about neighborhood activity, but he is not an obsessive barker. The Aussie is intelligent, learns quickly, and loves to play. This means that a bored, neglected, unexercised Aussie will invent his own games, activities, and jobs, which may include unwanted behaviors. |
| Training: |
The Australian Shepherd is easily trained, and will perform his assigned tasks with great style and enthusiasm. Due to his heritage, he has a tendency to chase or nip at running children, strangers, and small animals, if not properly trained, and these herding behaviors can be frightening to his "herdees". |
| Care & Grooming: |
Like all working breeds, the Aussie has considerable energy and drive and usually needs a job to do. He requires reqular exercise, and enjoys working, whether it is learning and practicing tricks, competing in dog agility, or any other physically and mentally involving activity. He often excels at dog sports such as dog agility, flyball, and frisbee. |
| Shedding: |
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| Health: |
Health problems that an Australian Shepherd can acquire include back and hip problems, vision problems, and pancreatic problems. An Aussie can develop bladder problems and urinary infections over time, and many can be epileptic. Common reported health issues noted by owners are eye problems, such as red eye, epiphora, conjunctivitis, and cataracts; dermatological issues; and respiratory problems. Other conditions that can affect the Australian Shepherd include iris coloboma, canine hip dysplasia (CHD), Pelger-Huet syndrome, hypothyroidism, and nasal solar dermatitis. When the Aussie’s ears are not covered by and completely surrounded by pigment other than white, he has increased risk for white related deafness. Excessive white on the face and ears can place an individual dog at greater risk for sunburn and subsequent skin cancer. Aussies who have a mostly white coat and blue irises, are often deaf and/or blind. In this case, the deafness and blindness are linked to having two copies of the merle gene, which disrupts pigmentation and produces these health defects. |
| Lifespan: |
12½ years median |
| Litter Size: |
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