Australian Shepherd Dogs Information

Written by: Debbie Moore

Copyright 1997 to 2010 Dogs and Puppies Central
All rights reserved.

Alternate Names: Aussie, Aussie Shepherd, Spanish Shepherd, Pastor Dog, Bob-Tail, New Mexican Shepherd, Blue Heeler, and California Shepherd.

Common Misspellings:  Minature Aussie, Minature Australian Shepherd, Australian Shepherd, Australian Sheperd

Learn all about Australian Shepherd Dogs and Puppies through our indepth guide to the Australian Shepherd dog breed. You'll find solid information about Australian Shepherd dog history, Australian Shepherd life expectancy Australian Shepherd dog appearance, Australian Shepherd temperament and personality, Australian Shepherd health problems, Australian Shepherd puppy care, training Australian Shepherd puppy dogs and more. Also includes important information about choosing a responsible Australian Shepherd dog breeder.

Known as one of the most intelligent breeds of dog in the world, the Australian Shepherd is a wonderful and seemingly tireless companion. Bred for the task of tending unruly sheep, these beautiful canines require athletic humans to keep up with their fast-paced lifestyles.

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Australian Shepherd Facts

The Australian Shepherd Dog Breed In Brief

Country of Origin: Australia

Australian Shepherd Height: 14-18 inches for Miniature Aussies, 18-23 inches average for standard

Australian Shepherd Weight: 17-35 pounds average for Miniature Australian Shepherds, 40-65 pounds for standard

Australian Shepherd Color Variations: Solid, merle

Australian Shepherd Size Variations: Miniature Australian Shepherd, Standard Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherd Exercise Needs: Demanding

Australian Shepherd Grooming Demands: Moderate

Australian Shepherd Trainability: Moderate

Australian Shepherd Life Expectancy: 12-13 years

Average Australian Shepherd Prices: $750 to $2500, depending on Pedigree

Good With Children: Yes, with supervision.

Good With Other Pets: Usually

Breed Group: Herding

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Australian Shepherd Dog History

With origins as mottled as his coat, the Australian Shepherd is a unique little working animal that has been capturing the hearts of dog lovers since the end of WWII. While it is believed that this beautiful breed may have originated near the Basque region of the Pyrenees Mountains, he was dubbed the Australian Shepherd, due to his close association with the Basque shepherds who made their way into the United States, from Australia, during the 1800’s. In fact, the Australian Shepherd is not even registered in Australia as a native breed, despite the dog’s gaining recognition throughout the world since the 1950’s. Regardless of his origins, however, this beautiful dog was further developed within the United States, where he was not only recognized as a registered breed, but he was also quick to gain popularity, featured in various rodeos and wild west shows, movies and on the television. In no time flat, the Australian Shepherd became a part of Western culture.

A favorite amongst ranchers, the Australian Shepherd is an excellent herder, able to control sheep, cattle and even horses, through a complex collection of movements, techniques and, of course, the herding 'eye' (a term which refers to the herding dog's ability to control the herd through eye contact). This dog is extremely attentive and quick, allowing him to not only notice the calf that is about to break from the herd but, even more, allowing him to head said calf off before it gets more than a few bounds away. At times, these movements are so quick, and so precise, it seems like the Australian Shepherd knows what each member of the herd is going to do, before they even do it.

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Australian Shepherd Dog Appearance

As if the intelligence and extreme trainability of the Australian Shepherd wasn't draw enough, this scruffy little dog is truly a prince amongst the canine world as well. Sporting coats of red, black, or the more exotic red or blue merle, they are a sight to behold and their eyes are jewel-like, ranging in shade from amber and blue to a rich brown, as well as mottled, marbled and flecked, with any combination of the mentioned colors. It's not uncommon to find yourself captured by an attentive mismatched gaze; a sight which only helps add to this wonderful breed’s allure. Additionally, the Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized herding dog, standing only 20-23 inches at the top of the shoulder, which makes him small enough to comfortably enjoy life both inside and outside the house.

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Australian Shepherd Grooming

While the Australian Shepherd may not require weekly trips to the groomers, he falls under the high maintenance category, simply due to the fact that he requires frequent and diligent brushing. While the Australian Shepherd's coat rarely gets mats and needs no trimming, in order to keep it in good condition, Aussies do shed. In fact, Aussies can shed a lot, all year round. If you’re interested in one of these wonderful dogs, it’s best to keep in mind that you may spend a lot of time vacuuming the floor and the furniture with this hairy bundle of joy.

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Australian Shepherd Exercise Needs

One downfall of the Australian Shepherd is that they are a very active dog and do require a good deal of exercise, so they are not well-adapted to a city lifestyle in an apartment, unless you’re prepared to spend a lot of time down at the local dog park - of course, they are also known to make excellent Frisbee dogs, with their athletic frames and high-energy personalities, so this may be an option for you yet!

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Australian Shepherd Temperament

The Aussie, as he is affectionately known, is a sweet-tempered dog and rarely aggressive with other animals. He can be, at times, somewhat shy and does best with quiet voices and gentle, slow touches. If you're expecting a lot of traffic or noisy visitors, it's probably safest to provide your Australian Shepherd with a quiet place that he can retreat to, should noise levels become too much to bear.

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Australian Shepherd Training

A very quick and intelligent dog, the Australian Shepherd is sometimes seen as a bit of a challange to train. While the combination of their intelligence, happy-go-lucky personality, and athletic ability makes them perfect dogs for agility training, getting these independent thinkers to work with you takes patience and a gentle hand. The Australian Shepherd will also react in a very stubborn or shy manner to any who apply a heavy hand or stern voice. Persistence and a whole lot of patience are the best techniques to bring to these training sessions. Be patient and try to remember that he doesn't mean to be impudent, but he's used to tending sheep, not rolling over and playing dead.

Australian Shepherd Health

Like any breed of dog, the Australian Shepherd is subject to a variety of health concerns. Your best bet is, when deciding to choose a new Australian Shepherd puppy, check around with several breeders and ask about the various health issues that can affect these beautiful little dogs. A reputable breeder should be well-versed in the health concerns and should be able to give you more details, as well as showing you the sire and dam of your potential puppy. Some of the health problems that can affect Australian Shepherds include:

Hip dysplasia
Cataracts
Ocular or iris coloboma
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Distichiasis
Epilepsy
Heart problems
Thyroid problems
Merle-to-merle breedings resulting in deafness

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Is the Australian Shepherd Right For You?

Fans of the breed are quick to say that you're bound to fall in love with the keen Australian Shepherd and why not? What is not to love about this gorgeous and highly intelligent canines? For many, the Australian Shepherd may seem like the perfect pet.

Nevertheless, it's important to weigh the facts when you take any new pet into consideration - How much time do you have to spend with a dog? How much time do you have to devote to his training? While Australian Shepherds can be fairly independent, they still respond well to company and slow training. Particularly young dogs do not do well when left for long periods of time. Also take into consideration that these are very high energy dogs and need a fair amount of exercise - if you don't have the time to make a commitment to a dog such as this, you might prefer someone more tame and laid back. If you don't mind the exercise level and aren't adverse to a bit of dog hair, then the Australian Shepherd may be the perfect dog for you!

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Australian Shepherd Prices

Average Australian Shepherd Price: $750 - $1000

Price always varies when it comes to the purchase of a quality, home-raised healthy Australian Shepherd dog or puppy. It's of utmost importance that you place the most weight on acquiring a great Australian Shepherd puppy from a highly responsible, reputable breeder, and put the price as a secondary concern in making your decision.

Buying a Australian Shepherd dog or puppy at a cheap price from a breeder of questionable reputation can be a one-way ticket to heartbreak and great additional expense throughout the dog's life, should your Australian Shepherd puppy have hereditary health problems or behavior and temperament issues (which very often is the case with cheap-priced puppies). Buying from a highly reputable Australian Shepherd breeder is your best insurance for acquiring a well socialized, healthy puppy of stable temperament.

Australian Shepherd prices also will vary according to the puppy's conformation; puppies placed as pets and companions will generally be less expensive as show-quality Australian Shepherd puppies intended to be shown in conformation.

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Finding Australian Shepherd Puppies For Sale By Reputable Breeders

If you are ready to add an adorable Australian Shepherd puppy to your family, be sure to check out Dogs and Puppies Central's directory of Australian Shepherd Puppies For Sale, where you will find photos and information posted by reputable Australian Shepherd breeders. We actively screen Australian Shepherd breeders who wish to advertise on our service by asking that they meet and follow our Guidelines For Responsible Dog Breeders. We also ask for - and check - three references from each breeder.

By performing an initial dog breeder screening, it is our hope that we can help put you in touch with a caring, responsible Australian Shepherd breeder near you. We cannot physically inspect the premises and dogs owned by breeders advertising with us, so you need to be responsible for doing the final inspection and interview.

Let's stop the cruelty of puppy mills. Please help us keep money out of the hands of puppy mills, back yard breeders and pet stores. Buy your Australian Shepherd puppy only from a responsible, caring hobby breeder that raises their dogs and puppies in a loving home environment.

When you locate that perfect Australian Shepherd puppy - please be sure to send us some photos to be included in our growing gallery of Australian Shepherd dog and puppy pictures!

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Additional Australian Shepherd Resources:

• Australian Shepherd Wikipedia Profile
• AKC Australian Shepherd Breed Profile
• Australian Shepherd Pictures
• Australian Shepherd Videos

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