Aussie (Australian Shepherd) – breed description, character, care

Aussie or Australian Shepherd

The Aussie or Australian Shepherd Dog is a herding breed of dog that was developed (you'll be surprised!) in the United States. Today, the breed is recognised by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), the American Kennel Club (AKC), and the Kennel Club (KC).

According to expert dog breeders, Australian Shepherds are reliable and loyal companions, active pets that can cheer you up with their funny jumps. Aussies are naturally endowed with endurance and exceptional beauty, and their expressive gaze penetrates deep into the human soul.

Characteristics of the Australian Shepherd – character and temperament

The Australian Shepherd is distinguished by its cheerfulness, intelligence, and high activity. A unique feature of the Aussie is its ‘Hollywood smile’ with all 42 teeth showing when it is in a good mood. By nature, these sheepdogs are not guard dogs, but herders from birth, so they keep a close eye on sheep and return animals that have strayed from the pasture to the flock.

Owners should be prepared for the fact that during trips to the countryside, their pet will ‘bring back’ anyone who tries to lag for any reason. The Australian Shepherd is ready to obey any command from its owner with proper training, and an intelligent dog can make appropriate decisions according to the situation.

Aussies quickly establish contact with relatives during walks, as well as with domestic animals, regardless of their size. Whether it is a hamster, a cow, or chickens with ducks, this breed behaves peacefully towards them because it has no hunting instincts.

When participating in exhibitions, Australian Shepherds never bark without a command.

Breed description

Distinctive features include well-developed muscles, a thick wool coat, a short tail, and almost human-like eyes.

Appearance – what does an Aussie look like

Australian Shepherds are always recognisable by their appearance. However, this breed shares many similarities with Border Collies and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs – they also herd sheep and stand out among their relatives for their high intelligence.

External characteristics:

• proportional build;
• straight limbs with oval-shaped pads;
• at birth, the tail is short, then grows to a little over 10 cm, or is docked at an early age;
• the head is large and elongated towards the nose;
• triangular ears are not larger than average;
• almond-shaped eyes vary in colour from bright blue to light brown;
• The coat is long and thick, with a fairly dense undercoat.

Size

Males are much taller at the withers – 51-58 cm, while females grow to 46-53 cm.

There is also a miniature copy of the Australian Shepherd – the Mini Aussie, with the following dimensions: height at the withers 30-40 cm, body weight up to 25 kg.

Important! Since 2019, the International Cynological Federation has recognised the Miniature Australian Shepherd (official name – Miniature American Shepherd) as a separate breed! Please don't confuse them!

Weight

The breed standard does not specify the weight of Australian Shepherds. However, on average, their body weight ranges from 18-25 to 25-30 kg, depending on the sex of the animal.

Colour

Sheepdogs have a wide variety of coat colours, and the colour range is unique, but the official standard recognises only four variants:

1. Black.
2. Marble blue or blue marble (blue merle).
3. Red (brown).
4. Marble red or red marble (red merle).

With any colour, white or tan markings are allowed, but the primary colours must always frame the eyes.

Life expectancy of Australian Shepherds

With normal care and regular exercise at least twice a day, Aussies live between 13 and 15 years.

Shedding

Australian Shepherds shed twice a year: in spring and autumn. During this period, dead hairs must be combed out daily, for which you will need to purchase a slicker brush.

Suitable for families

Aussies will happily accompany their owner on morning or evening runs, as well as bike rides. They will happily participate in family hiking trips or walks on mountain slopes and rough terrain.

Aussies and children

This breed adores children, and Aussies are ready to spend all their free time with them, especially as companions in active games.

Attitude towards other animals

Aussies are friendly towards relatives and other animals, but they will never allow themselves to be insulted – they will respond instantly and appropriately.

Aggression

Australian Shepherds are reserved and impartial, but when there is a clear threat to their owner or members of their ‘pack,’ they become fierce predators with steel muscles and powerful jaws. When a Shepherd is ready to fight, it is best not to confront it, but to avoid it.

Intelligence

Aussies are intelligent and talented, so they learn basic commands quite quickly. In addition, these perceptive animals analyse their owners' actions and can repeat them, such as opening a gate in the fence of a country house to go for a walk. These pets never run away from home, although they can easily jump over a high wall.

Australian Shepherds are not a noisy breed.

Aussies rarely bark, so if you have a pet of this breed living in your apartment, your neighbours will never complain.

How do they cope with loneliness

Australian Shepherds value their freedom highly, but do not like to be left alone, especially locked up within four walls.

Potential health problems

Aussies are naturally healthy, but they need to be vaccinated for prevention. All herding breeds have only one negative factor: a tendency to develop juvenile cataracts. In addition, diseases common to this breed may occur, but this is not necessarily the case with your pet.

Merle-coloured individuals are most prone to hearing and vision problems, which dog breeders attribute to a recessive gene. For this reason, dogs of this colour are never bred together.

Keeping at home

Aussies require long walks with lots of physical activity so that they can burn off their accumulated energy. Otherwise, they will start to misbehave, destroy things and furniture, and when they get bored, they will become depressed.

What to feed

Australian Shepherds are not picky eaters, so their diet can consist of natural foods or ready-made feed.

When choosing dry food, premium products are preferable. Most breeders and owners of Australian Shepherds recommend Acana, Pronature, and Barking Heads for medium breeds.

As for natural feeding, it should be varied and include vegetables, fruits, berries, and bones in addition to meat. The daily norm is approximately 25 g of food per 1 kg of the dog's weight. The diet should consist of 75% meat and bones and 25% plant-based food.

Any red meat can be used, at least 2-3 times a week. The rest of the time, you can supplement the diet with tripe (beef or lamb), chicken, turkey, pork (parts that do not contain fat), fish, rabbit, horse meat, and game.

Walking and physical activity

Movement is the meaning of life for Australian Shepherds. Without it, your pet will wither away and start to get sick. Walks should be active and last at least 2-3 hours, but not during the hottest part of the day. The best option is in the morning and evening, when the sun is not so intense.

One of the best activities for Aussies is an active walk with their owner in the park, where they can roll around in the emerald grass or play ball. They love to chase various objects, such as small balls, flying discs, or Frisbees, and your pet will be ready to play with the family until it is completely exhausted, which happens very rarely.

When kept in a country house, a smart pet will find something to do on its own, and there is no reason to worry that it will run away—they get used to their owner.

Coat care

The coat is coarse, of moderate length and density, with straight or wavy bristles in some individuals. The soft undercoat changes twice a year during seasonal shedding, and its density depends entirely on weather conditions: when it is hot, it is short, and with the onset of cold weather, the density increases significantly.

The head, ears, and front legs are covered with shorter and softer wool, while the hindquarters and buttocks are much longer. Males of this breed have a well-developed mane and collar.

It is not necessary to comb Aussies often, only to prevent dermatitis or matting.

When grooming your pet, use a special metal brush with wide teeth, a slicker brush, or a Furminator.

Australian Shepherds should be bathed no more than once every 60 days, using only shampoos designed for animals with long hair.

Care requirements

Australian Shepherds have a woolly coat with a thick undercoat, so they need to be brushed regularly and daily during the shedding season.

Claws are mainly worn down during walks on hard surfaces, but if your pet does not walk on asphalt, you will need to trim them with a special tool. This procedure should be done very carefully so as not to damage the nerve endings and blood vessels located in the pulp.

Aussies' teeth should be cared for using brushes and hygienic pastes from a pet shop, where you can also buy special artificial bones for cleaning plaque.

To prevent the eyes from becoming sore, they should be periodically wiped with a solution of chamomile or tea leaves, and the ear shells should be treated with cotton pads moistened with decoctions of various herbs. You can drip a 3% peroxide solution into the ears, hold the pet's head for a while so that the wax softens and comes out, and then let it shake its head.

Cost of maintenance

Australian Shepherds do not experience discomfort when living in an apartment, and the cost of feeding them is insignificant.

Nutrition

Breeders and owners of Australian Shepherds prefer the following brands of dry food: Acana, Pronature, and Barking Heads for medium breeds.

Veterinary

Aussies are naturally healthy, so they only need to see a vet for vaccinations or in emergencies.

Mandatory procedures include annual vaccinations, tick medication (seasonally), worming medication (once every 3-6 months), and flea medication (as needed).

Dog shows

To participate in dog shows, you must pay a mandatory membership fee. Separate fees will be required for a handler and travel to the event venue.

Pros and cons of the breed

Aussies easily find common ground with everyone around them; they get especially attached to their owner and can even sense their mood. The following positive qualities explain the popularity of this breed among the population:

• highly developed intelligence, easily trainable;
• they can make independent decisions and show ingenuity;
• they are excellent companions and helpers;
• they are distinguished by their endurance, responsibility, and hard work;
• they love children, enjoy playing with them, and care for and protect them;
• complete lack of aggression towards strangers, but capable of defending their owners against attack;
• can be used as guides for blind or visually impaired people.

Australian Shepherds have a few minor flaws:

• they cannot live without active movement;
• they shed a lot of fur when molting;
• they cannot be left alone, locked up;
• They do not tolerate hot climates well.

Dog experts say that Aussies aren't a good fit for people who don't have experience raising self-sufficient and independent animals.

Breed history

Expert cynologists believe that the ancestors of Australian sheepdogs were local dogs bred by shepherds to guard flocks, including Old German Tigers and Border Collies. Based on successful selective breeding, a versatile herding dog with tremendous endurance was developed. Aussies are capable of making appropriate decisions without waiting for commands from humans.

When the wool market began to develop actively in the United States at the end of the 19th century, the primary focus was on sheep imported by sea from Australia, as they were rich in high-quality wool. Along with them, several dogs of a previously unseen breed were also brought over. Australian sheepdogs quickly gained popularity among livestock farmers in the western states, and the first breeder registered in the United States was Juanita Eli. When she saw a blue-colored dog accompanying a shipment of Australian merino sheep, she became interested and began a breeding program, which resulted in her developing a unique breed of Australian dogs from English collies, Basque, and Spanish sheepdogs.

Jay Howard Sisler, a ranch owner in Idaho, became famous for his trained Aussie dogs, which performed unique tricks that no one else has been able to replicate. It was his dogs that starred in films, after which the popularity of Australian Shepherds skyrocketed not only in the United States but around the world.

Three generations of American farmers named Hartneglam, who were involved in sheep breeding, played an active role in the development of the breed.

One version claims that Australian sheepdogs were bred with the participation of Pyrenean, Bernese, and Collie relatives, although many experts disagree with this.

Interesting facts about Aussies:

• In European countries, they are called Spanish sheepdogs because their ancestors came from the Iberian Peninsula.
• During military operations, they served as ‘postmen,’ delivering orders from headquarters to the front lines.
• Native American tribes believed that blue-eyed Aussies could communicate with spirits and bring good news to the tribe, which is why the breed is often mentioned in stories and legends.
• they participate in sports competitions because they perform quite complex acrobatic tricks while playing;
• They rank 17th in the list of the world's most popular breeds.
• Individuals with different coloured eyes are often found.
• Since the beginning of 2010, all breeders in kennels have been undergoing DNA testing so that breeders can register their offspring with the American Aussey Club.

Similar breeds

Many dog lovers often confuse Australian Shepherds with other sheepdogs because they have quite a lot in common.

Australian Shepherd

These tireless and harmoniously built dogs have an intelligent and alert expression, with a height at the withers varying depending on gender: females are smaller, at 43-48 cm, while the more robust males are slightly taller, at 46-52 cm. Their body weight ranges from 16 to 23 kg, and their life expectancy is up to 15 years.

Unlike Aussies, their coat is quite smooth and does not get wet in rain or snow due to their thick undercoat.

The name ‘Australian cattle dog’ suits them perfectly, as they are active, energetic, and cannot sit still for long, with a muscular body adapted to long runs.

Border Collie

Dog experts claim that this breed is the undisputed leader in the world rankings for intelligence among its relatives and is widely used as a working dog or good-natured companion.

Bred in the 1570s, its country of origin is Great Britain.

Weight: 15-20 kg; height: 50-52 cm for males and 47-52 cm for females; average lifespan: 12-15 years.

They do not feel comfortable in city apartments – they need freedom and space. They do not conflict with other pets, but behave as leaders with small pets, demanding unquestioning obedience. Border Collies are not born as friendly companions, but they will become so after undergoing training. However, they remain freedom-loving, so they cannot be kept in an enclosure or on a chain.

They are unrivalled in agility, but in real life, they can perform the duties of a guide dog, and Border Collies are often involved in rescue and search operations.

Bernese Mountain Dog

This is a gentle and good-natured giant with an attractive ‘smile.’ It originates from Sweden and was bred in the first decade of the last century. Males weigh 39-50 kg, females 36-48 kg, and their height also varies accordingly: 64-70 and 58-66 cm. They live on average 8 to 10 years.

These dogs become loyal helpers, good-natured giants who treat all members of the ‘pack’ equally and forgive children for any mischief. They are easy to train and quickly learn commands. They have inherited good skills from their ancestors, which they use with pleasure. Having such a tall guard in the yard of a country cottage guarantees the safety of your property.

Conclusion

Australian Shepherds are intelligent and freedom-loving animals that are good-natured towards children and do not conflict with other pets. However, they are only suitable for people who prefer an active lifestyle.

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