Australian Shepherd

Size:	Medium
Energy:	High
Barking:	High
Coat:	Medium/Long
Shedding:	Little

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• Description

  These medium sized dogs are slightly longer than they are tall. They are solid and muscular. They are often compared to the Border Collie. Their gait demonstrates the agility and stamina that a sheepdog would need.

  Color

  Coat colors include, black, blue merle, red and red merle. Merle is a mottled color that darkens as the dog ages. All colors have white markings on the chest, legs, under the muzzle and as a blaze on the forehead.

  Category Size

  Medium

  Coat Length

  Medium/Long

  Weight/Height Range

  Dogs ideally measure between 20-23 inches at the withers, and females between 18-21 inches. They should weigh in the region of 35-70 lbs, the dogs at the top end of the scale and the females at the bottom.

  HEIGHT	MIN	MAX	WEIGHT	MIN	MAX
  Female	18"	21"	Female	35 lbs.	70 lbs.
  Male	20"	23"	Male	35 lbs.	70 lbs.

  Ailments

  Being collies, the Australian Shepherd has inherited some of the collie eye diseases, among them collie eye anomaly, Coloboma, an abnormal development of the eye and microopthalmia, an abnormally small eye. Cataracts, retinal detachments and progressive retinal atrophy (a degeneration of light receptors in the eye) are other eye problems to watch out for. All breeding dogs should be screened for eye problems and prospective owners should ask to see the eye certificates of a puppy's parents. Hip dysplasia is another disease that can be screened for, although it is harder to eliminate entirely through breeding as the condition can be exacerbated by poor nutrition and improper exercise in pups. Epilepsy has been known to occur in Aussies as well as some blood diseases. Pelger Huet disease causes anomalies of white blood cells but does not seem to have any clinical significance.

  Suitable Breed for Allergy Sufferers

  No

  Common Ailments

  Bones (Developmental) - Hip dysplasia, Brain (Acquired) - Seizure (fit, epileptic fit) - Unknown causes i.e. epilepsy/idiopathic epilepsy, Eye - Cataract - Hereditary, Eye - Collie eye anomaly, Eye - Coloboma, Eye - Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), Eye - Retinal detachment, Haemolymphatic - Bleeding disorders - Von Williebrands disease, Micropthalmia

• Personality

  It is recommended that you socialize Aussies early, as they can be a bit shy with strangers. It is also good for them to get used to children, other dogs and pets at an early age if one wants relations to go smoothly. The herding instinct is very strong in this breed and they must be taught that not all children take kindly to being herded. It is probably best to keep Aussies in a well-fenced yard and on leashes when out for a walk as they may otherwise feel compelled to herd traffic, which can be fatal. This is a one person or family dog so they do make good protectors. They are very vocal and have a peculiar bark-howl combination that can be utilized in their guarding capacity. This is not the best breed for novice dog owners.

  Intelligence

  Australian Shepherds are eager to learn and please their owner. As a result, this is an easy to train breed, although they can be rather dominant. It is also a breed that must be trained, as it needs something to occupy its mind. Aussies were bred to work and without a purpose in life they become bored and can develop destructive behaviors.

  Energy

  High

  Tendency To Bark

  High

  Overall Exercise Requirement

  Long walks are essential but are still not enough. Roadwork and free running are both needed for the good of the dog. This dog will work well in obedience, agility, fly ball or herding, all areas where he will do himself and his trainer proud.

  Suitability for Personal Protection

  High

  Suitability as a Guard Dog

  Medium

  Suitability for Children

  Medium

  Ease of Transportation

  High

  Level of Distress caused if left alone

  Medium

  Level of aggression

  Medium

  Other animal compatibility

  Low

• Grooming & Showing

  Aussies do shed and it is advisable to comb with a coarse, double toothed comb during molting season.

  Grooming requirements

  < Once a week

  Trimming required

  Occasional

  Tendency to shed hair

  Little

  Show characteristics

  An Australian Shepherd's head should have a flat skull or moderate dome. Equal in length to the back of the skull, the muzzle should be neither massive or snipey but round, and only slightly tapered. A scissor or level bite is permitted. Colors for the eyes can be very interesting with blue, brown, one blue and one brown, flecked or mottled, all accepted. Almond in shape, the eyes should be wide set and show an alert and intelligent expression. Blue merles and black dogs should have black eye rims, while red and red merles can have liver eye rims. Noses also play the color game with black nostrils asked for in the darker dogs, while red dogs can have brown noses. Merles can have pink spots on their noses, so long as the spots cover less than 25% of the nose. Noses should be triangular in shape and moderate in size, folding forward at the top. The neck is strong and slightly arched sporting a ruff above the finely boned shoulders, which create close-set withers. The chest is deeper than it is wide and the ribs are well-sprung but not barrel shaped. There is a moderate tuck-up to the abdomen. Equal in size to the shoulder blade, the upper arm should be made of dense bone and appear perfectly straight in the front view. In profile, it will appear that the pastern has a slight angle. The elbows should be parallel with the body. Moderate, straight, broad and strong are the adjectives used to describe the back and loins. The hindquarters should be of equal width with the forequarters, while the rump has a long slope to the legs. The femur is long and the hocks are moderately bent and fairly well let down. Oval feet with deep pads and arched toes complete the legs. A natural bobtail usually occurs with the tail, if not, it should be docked to no less than 4 inches. Coat colors include, black, blue merle, red and red merle. Merle is a mottled color that darkens as the dog ages. All colors have white markings on the chest, legs, under the muzzle and as a blaze on the forehead. White should not predominate on the head and white on the chest should not extend beyond the shoulders. White markings between the withers and tail disqualify the dog.

  Breed classification

  Australian Shepherd Dogs belong to the Herding group and are used for sheep herding, as companions and seen in the show-ring.

• Origin

  The Australian Shepherd is not Australian! The breed was actually developed in the United States and its progenitors came from the Basque region of the Pyrenees, between Spain and France. It is believed that Basque shepherds brought over small 'blue' dogs to work in the U.S. The sheep that were worked were imported from Australia. Another theory has it that the dogs immigrated first to Australia and then to the U.S. Regardless, the actual breed was refined and established as The Australian Shepherd in the United States. Of course, it had several other names before deciding on the somewhat misleading title. Spanish Shepherd, was one name tried out, Pastor Dogs, Bob-tails, Blues, Heelers, New Mexican Sheepdog and Californian Sheepdog, have all been applied to the Australian Shepherd. Arriving in the Southwestern United States in the late 1800s – early 1900s, the dogs were, at first, allowed to interbreed with other shepherd dogs. The emphasis was on the dog's ability to work, not its appearance. An Australian Shepherd dog club originated in the U.S. in 1957 but it wasn't until 1976 that the breed standard was written and American Kennel Club recognition did not occur until 1992.

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• next: Australian Terrier