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Agile, intelligent, and highly versatile, the Australian Shepherd or Aussie, is happiest when running and spending time with their owners. Their high energy and constant need to keep busy will most likely suit someone with an active lifestyle, as the Australian Shepherd will not be very fond of spending a lot of time indoors. Give them your attention, and a fun activity, and they will be wagging their tail like they’re having the absolute best time of their life.
Lifespan
13 – 15 years
Weight
19 – 29kg
Height
51-58cm for males and 46-53cm for females
Colours
Black, blue merle, red merle and red, with or without tan points
Size
Medium
UK Kennel Club Groups
Pastoral
The need-to-know
- Dog suitable for owners with some experience
- Extra training required
- Generally healthy breed
- Enjoys vigorous walks
- Enjoys more than two hours of walking a day
- Medium dog
- Minimum drool
- Requires grooming every other day
- Chatty and vocal dog
- Barks and alerts to visitors/anything unusual
- Could have issues with unknown dogs but gets along with known dogs
- Gets along with other pets with training
- Great family dog
- Needs a large garden
- Best suited to countryside
- Cannot be left alone
Generally healthy breed
The Australian Shepherd dog can suffer from:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Collie eye anomaly which is an inherited condition where the eye does not develop properly, potentially leading to blindness.
- Hereditary cataracts which is a condition where the lens in the eye becomes cloudy and this can result in blindness.
- Progressive retinal atrophy which is an inherited disorder where part of the eye degenerates and wastes away which can result in blindness.
- Cobalamin (vitamin B12) malabsorption which is a genetic problem that can lead to weakness and growth deficiencies.
- Multi-drug sensitivity, an inherited condition where affected dogs are paricularly sensitive to certain drugs.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
- Hip dysplasia screening scheme
- DNA test for hereditary cataracts which tests whether or not a dog has the potential to be affected by this condition
- Eye screening scheme
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Australian Shepherd Appearance
Solid, muscular and robust, the Australian Shepherd size is medium, and this is an athletic dog who looks like they are built to work. Slightly longer than they are tall, Aussies have a medium length coat, that should be straight or very slightly waved, with a thick weather resistant undercoat. Tails, if present, should carry decent feathering and be set in line with the croup, the muscular area on the buttocks of the dog. Some are born naturally tailless. As for the Australian Shepherd colours, they can be black, blue merle, red merle and red and might feature tan points.
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Australian Shepherd Personality
With strong working instincts, particularly the instinct to herd and drive groups of animals, and a natural suspicion of strangers, the Australian Shepherd is devoted to their owners, and loves to be a part of family life, if that family can offer the right active lifestyle. Early dog socialisation with other animals and children is vital, and Aussies must be given a job to do, and plenty of physical and mental exercise to keep them satisfied and content. For the right owner, they can be the perfect dog but like most working breeds, a bored Aussie is a nightmare to live with.
| Family-friendly: | 5/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 5/5 |
| Easy to train: | 5/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 2/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 5/5 |
| Energy level: | 5/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 2/5 |
| Shedding: | 3/5 |
With a somewhat misleading name, the Australian Shepherd is actually an American breed, bred to herd sheep imported from Australia. Shepherds from the Basque region of the Pyrenees took their native small ‘blue’ (blue merle) dogs to work in the U.S in the late 1800s to early 1900s. It is also possible that they could originate from dogs first imported from Australia, then mixed with native dogs in the U.S in the late 1800s, so there is more of a potential Australian connection.
Since they were created, bred or imported to work, working ability was significantly more important than appearance, and it is no surprise that they share many physical traits with other well established pastoral breeds.
The Aussie has remained a popular herding dog in the U.S. for over a century, particularly as although bred to herd sheep, the Aussie is also adept at working with cattle.
More recently, the Aussie has turned a paw to a variety of canine sports and proven to be a versatile and adaptable competitor in obedience, scent work, agility, disc-dog, search and rescue, and field trial competition.
Someone with a strong sense of fun, who is energetic and enjoys training and taking part in dog related activity or sports. If you can’t provide cattle or sheep to herd and move, consider agility, Disc-dog, Mantrailing, or Treibball.
The Australian Shepherd needs at least two hours of dog exercise a day, ideally more. The Aussie also needs plenty of mental stimulation in the form of training, puppy games and puzzle solving, and this is in addition to physical exercise, not instead of! Something of a training-junkie, the Aussie is very capable of performing at a high level in a variety of canine sports and activities, so ideal owners will be those who want to compete and enjoy training as a hobby in its own right.
The Aussie Shepherd is not in need of a vast or lavish home, at least on the inside, however a large secure garden is important, as is access to a variety of interesting walks. Access to safe outdoor space for free running and training will be necessary. Better suited to quiet suburbs, rural or country living, the Australian Shepherd may find busy towns and cities overwhelming.
The Australian Shepherd needs to have a balanced diet, including all the main nutrient groups, and a constant supply of fresh water. It's also important to conduct regular body condition scores to ensure you keep your dog in ideal shape, and remember to feed them at least twice daily and in accordance with the feeding guidelines of their particular food. Proper nutrition along with care can contribute to an Australian Shepherd lifespan reaching 15 years.
Grooming Australian Shepherd Dogs
The Australian Shepherd’s coat is medium in length, with a weather-resistant undercoat. There's some feathering (longer hair) on the back of the legs and a moderate mane, which is thicker on male dogs, and makes the Australian Shepherd grooming process a bit more time consuming, but still fairly easy. A brush through two or three times a week should suffice, with more frequent grooming needed when the coat sheds - or if your Aussie is a water or mud lover! You can find out more about dog grooming and daily care with our article.
Training Australian Shepherd Dogs
Trained using positive reinforcement, the Aussie can learn any sport, activity or task that a dog can physically achieve; however, whilst this may sound appealing, it is not easy. They are easily capable of learning the wrong things every bit as fast, or faster, than the right things and so careful management must go alongside dog training. Early socialisation with children and other animals is vital, as is training a solid recall, walking on a loose lead and a ‘quiet’ cue! Aussies have done well at sports including agility, obedience, disc-dog, Hoopers, scentwork and more, and need plenty of activities to keep their minds busy and bodies content.
Are Australian Shepherds Good Family Dogs?
With children old enough to take part in training, the Aussie can make a great family dog, however the time needed to exercise and train may rule out families with very small children. Keep in mind the Australian Shepherds desire to herd, which may mean they feel inclined to show such behaviour with small children. Small children, particularly those belonging to other people, often do not like to be gathered and kept in a group by a dog!
While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with each other and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.
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Australian Shepherd Fun Facts
- The Australian Shepherd is remarkably popular with celebrities. Famous owners include actress Amanda Seyfried (The Art of Racing in the Rain — a fabulous dog film), Susan Sarandon, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, director Steven Spielberg… the list is almost endless!
The Australian Shepherd actually gained popularity from rodeos, and while their main talent was herding the bulls, they could also do impressive tricks like balancing acts, rope jumping, or walking on their front legs.
- They used to go by many names, some of which included Spanish Shepherds, Pastor Dogs, Blue Heelers, New Mexico Shepherds, or California Shepherds.
- The Australian Shepherds are often born with heterochromia, meaning that they have two different coloured eyes.
FAQs
Are Australian Shepherds good pets?
Yes, the Australian Shepherd makes for an excellent pet as they’re very eager to please, can be gentle and affectionate with family members, and are highly trainable.
Do Australian Shepherds shed a lot?
Yes, Australian Shepherds can shed considerably throughout the year given their double coat, but you should expect excessive shedding in the spring and summer months.
How intelligent are Australian Shepherds?
Australian Shepherds have a reputation for being highly intelligent dogs, but what they excel at is adaptive intelligence which makes them great at learning tricks and being easily trained.
What are Australian Shepherds known for?
Along with being herding dogs, Aussies are also excellent as narcotics detectors or search and rescue dogs.
Similar Breeds:
Australian Cattle Dog
Border Collie
Canaan Dog
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