Australian Shepherd Breed Information:

Appearance:

The breed is a medium-sized dog built for agility. They stand anywhere from 18 to 24 inches off of the ground and can weigh between 40 and 65 pounds. While there are many things, like its pointed ears, that make it very distinctive, the Australian Shepherd is known for its blue, amber, or  mismatched-colored eyes.

Australian Shepherds have very thick, medium-length coats that cover their entire bodies. This allows them to live comfortably in the cold, but Australian Shepherds that live in warmer areas will adapt by shedding their thicker coats down.In terms of color, Australian Shepherds have a wide variety of mixed color patterns. Some can be beige with a red tint, while others can have up to three colors mixed in.

Behaviour:

While some Australian Shepherds are shy by nature, getting them used to being social will always help them to become at least a little more outgoing in the future.Australian Shepherds are known for being really good family dogs, so they are normally great with children. They are smart and crafty, though, so it's not smart to have children walk them where there will be other animals around.

Some individuals are great with other dogs, while others aren't. It really depends on their upbringing and whether or not they were socialized early on. Some Australian Shepherds end up behaving very well with all people and animals; it really just depends on the dog.Australian Shepherds aren't really popular as guard dogs, but most of them will bark when they get nervous or anxious, so they will usually alert their owners if intruders are around. Still, people looking for great guard dogs probably should look for another breed as their top choice.All Australian Shepherds are different,so they will all react differently to being left alone. Some will be absolutely fine with it, while others will incessantly bark until someone comes home. Like with all other breeds, though, they shouldn't be left alone for too long or they could destroy things in the house and become depressed.

Training:

Australian Shepherds are very smart dogs. They work hard to earn their owners' praise, so once you get through to them the first time, it's usually smooth sailing from there. All it takes to train an Australian Shepherd is a little bit of repetition and some treats.People are usually amazed by how easily Australian Shepherds learn all of the basic commands. They can learn them very quickly and move on to tougher commands and tricks at a very early age if trained properly.

You'll often find that once an Australian Shepherd knows that it is doing something correctly, it can't wait to move on to the next command or trick.People who fail to train their Australian Shepherd will find it's a very hard breed to live with. They have a natural herding instinct, so they can destroy homes and even attempt to herd people if they haven't been taught to control themselves. People absolutely have to be willing and able to train this breed.

Exercise:

Australian Shepherds are workers by nature, so they have an inherent need to run around and exercise. Outdoorsy types will absolutely love Australian Shepherds because there aren't too many breeds out there that love to fetch and just run around in the open than the Australian Shepherd.

It's hard to get an Australian Shepherd tired, but they should be walked as much as possible to keep them from becoming bored inside the house. A couple of long walks every day and a little bit more exercise does this breed well.

Grooming:

The good thing about Australian Shepherds, as far as grooming goes, is that they stay relatively clean, so they won't need too many baths. The only times that they need to be bathed is when they start to smell or when they get dirt all over them.Of course, cleaning the ears, nails, and teeth is also necessary to keep an Australian Shepherd in great health. All of this grooming only takes about an hour or two a week, so while it may seem like a lot, it's something that you can definitely get used to.

Health:

Who Should Own one:

A big house and yard isn't absolutely necessary for a Australian Shepherd, but owners with smaller homes need to be ready to give their Australian Shepherds a lot of exercise outside to make up for less space in their homes. An Australian Shepherd just needs to wear itself out each day to be happy, so owners who take the time to let their dogs do that will have very happy Australian Shepherds.Australian Shepherds are almost as good as it gets when it comes to family dogs, because most of them love interacting with people and the more people there are to interact with, the happier the dog.

Who Shouldn't Own one:

Conclusion:

Australian Shepherd breeders, Australia

Tuscamada Australian Shepherds

Inneslake Shetland Sheepdog & Australian Shepherds

Roadsend Australian Shepherds