Australian Shepherd

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN United States.
Most suited as:- Sheepdog.

SIZE An ideal Aussie will stand between 18 and 23 inches (46 to 58 cm) and weigh between 35 and 70 pounds (16 to 32 kg). Females should fall between 18" and 21" and males from 20" to 23". The large accepted variation in height reflects the varied tasks and conditions that are part of the life of an American working stockdog. A dog too small will be too easily injured, and a dog too large will not have the necessary athletic ability. Whether they work or not, all Aussies should be physically able to do the job that the breed was developed to do.

COAT
The coat comes in four colours - blue merle, solid black red merle, or solid red, with no order of preference. All may be with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points. Black and solid red dogs with both tan and white trim along with the primary colour are usually referred to as "tricolour". Eye colour can be brown, amber, blue or any combination of these. White over the eyes and ears and white body splashes can be an indication of deafness and blindness in this breed.

A hallmark of the breed is a short bobbed or docked tail in countries where docking is permitted. Some Aussies are born with naturally short bob tails, others with partial bob tails or long tails. Most breeders dock the tails when the puppies are born, and the Breed Standard calls for a tail not longer than 4".

CARE REQUIRED
Relatively little grooming is needed for its coat. During moulting the under layer of the coat is shed, requiring a good combing to remove loose hairs.

CHARACTER
The Australian Shepherd requires a family or individual who is willing to spend a lot of time with the dog. They were bred to work and may get bored if not given a task, possibly resorting to unacceptable behavior if entertainment and activity is not provided. A bored Aussie may resort to barking, chasing, digging and anything else it can find as an outlet to boredom. They require a large yard and plenty of activity.

This is not the breed for everyone. The Breed Standard states, "primarily a working dog of strong herding and guardian instincts". "Primarily" means this is a strong part of the breed's genetic makeup. The Standard also states, "reserved with strangers". Although some Aussies are quite friendly, it is typical of the breed to prefer to have little contact with people they don't know. It is also not uncommon for an Aussie to become territorial and protective of its people, their property, and what the dog considers its own space.

ANYONE WHO IS NOT PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THESE INSTINCTS SHOULD SEEK ANOTHER BREED.

TRAINING
Training is easy because the Australian Shepherd learns so quickly and eagerly. If condemned to an outing just three times a day, the Australian Shepherd may behave very tediously. In addition to a certain level of regular exercise, this breed also requires to be kept occupied. It is sensible to involve it in agility skills training, fly-ball, or obedience competitions - for which it is ideally suited.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Provided that it has been well socialized, the Australian Shepherd causes no problems with other dogs and pets. They are also generally good with children but can be a bit shy with strangers

EXERCISE
This dog needs lots of exercise, but above all it needs to be kept occupied to keep it happy. Perhaps the best home for it is with sporty people who are able every day to spend time doing things with it.