All About
Australian Shepherd

Personality traits of the Australian Shepherd vary from dog to dog. Some can be outgoing and friendly, while others are shy and reserved. Regardless of the individual dog's personality, a few things remain constant. Aussies are highly intelligent, loyal, and thrive on human companionship. Aussies are at their best when they are engaged in interaction with a person, whether it be walking, running, or fetching; and are the perfect companion for an active family.

The Australian Shepherd should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.

In general, weekly brushing sessions will keep the Australian Shepherd’s waterproof, double-layer coat looking its best. During shedding season, though, more work will be required. During this period an undercoat rake can be used every two or three days to remove the abundant dead hair, followed by a cleanup with the wire brush. Aussies often work and/or play outdoors, so it’s not unusual for them to come in dirtier than they left. But unless they’ve gotten into a particularly messy situation, they require a bath only occasionally. As with all breeds, the Aussie‘s nails should be trimmed regularly.

If you've got a yard, make sure you've also got a secure fence that your Aussie can't dig under or jump over. Underground electronic fencing won't work for this breed: Your Aussie's desire to go out and herd something will overcome any concern he might have about getting a mild shock. For the same reason, walk him on leash unless you're willing to train him to resist his urges. Your Aussie needs a half hour to an hour of stimulating activity every day, such as a run, a Frisbee game, or obedience or agility exercises. When you're not playing with your dog, puzzle toys such as Buster Cubes are a great way to keep that active mind occupied. Puppies don't need as much hard exercise as adults, and in fact, you shouldn't let them run them on hard surfaces such as concrete or let them do a lot of jumping until they're at least a year old. It could stress their still developing skeletal system and cause future joint problems. The Aussie habit of nipping and chasing is excellent for herding sheep but bad manners when it's applied to humans and other pets. Obedience class can help you curb your Aussie's herding behavior, and they help satisfy his need for mental stimulation and work, too. Aussies respond well to training methods that use positive reinforcement — rewards such as praise, play, and food — and are usually happy to take commands from their trainer. They just want to know who's in charge so they can do a good job for them.

Major concerns: cataract, CEA
Minor concerns: CHD, nasal solar dermatitis, Pelger Huet syndrome, iris coloboma
Occasionally seen: lumbar sacral syndrome, epilepsy, PRA, vWD, distichiasis, PDA, PPM
Suggested tests: hip, eye
Life span: 12-15 years
Note: This breed is often sensitive to ivermectin; however, the dosage for heartworm preventive is considered safe. Merle-to-merle breedings result in some offspring that are homozygous merle, which is detrimental to health, commonly resulting in deafness and blindness. Natural bobtail-to-natural bobtail breedings can result in some offspring with serious spinal defects.

Despite his name, this is an American-born breed. The Australian Shepherd was originally developed to herd livestock for ranchers and farmers in the western U.S., and some modern-day Aussies still hold that job. There are many theories on which breeds were used to create the Australian Shepherd. It's likely that the Aussie's ancestors include collie and shepherd-type dogs that were imported with shipments of sheep from Australia during the 1840s — hence the name. Breeders strove to enhance their herding ability and create a dog who was versatile, hard working, and intelligent. The breed enjoyed a popularity boom in the post-World War II years that went hand-in-hand with a renewed interest in Western-style horseback riding. Crowds at rodeos or horse shows, and audiences of western movies or TV shows, were wowed by the athletic dogs they saw working alongside the cowboys. Despite the popular interest, the breed wasn't recognized by the American Kennel Club until 1993. Today, the Australian Shepherd remains the same eye-catching, energetic, clever dog that proved so useful to ranchers and farmers in the old West. He's loved by many and enjoys his life as a family companion, protector, and herding dog.