An intelligent and very affectionate breed, Australian Shepherd dogs are currently gaining popularity around the country. While many people have assumed their origin to be within Australia due to their name, the breed actually originated within the United States. Bred for herding and as stock dogs in the West, the breed was developed by Australian stock hands living in the US, which is where the name Aussie is derived from.
In America, the Australian Shepherd gained popularity through the movies after the end of World War II. Many western films used the dogs, they were easy to train and suited the role of the working dog well. Disney in particular made many films with Australian Shepherds in lead roles.
In Australian the breed has gained much popularity in the last decade, with more and more breeders establishing themselves.
Appearance
The Aussie Shepherd comes in many colour variation; solid red and solid black, red tri, black tri, blue merle and red merle. Bred as both show dogs and working dogs, there are divisions in opinion in what features are desirable. Show dogs are preferred to have heavier bone structure, a fuller coat and a full white collar. Those that have 75% white to there coats, or white around the eyes are deemed a mismark and while not suitable for showing, still make excellent pets and working dogs. Working dogs are bred for their ability, rather than formation.
Deemed a medium sized dog, the average Aussie will grown to around 18 and 23 inches tall and will weigh in somewhere around 18 – 25 kg. On average, they live to thirteen years of age.
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Australian Shepherds is their eye colour. Eyes can be blue, amber or brown, often Aussie’s will have one eye of each colour.
Some Australian Shepherds are born without a tail, some have a small bob and some have a large full sized tail. In some countries the tail will be docked for show purposes, this was done in Australia until a few years ago when the practice became illegal.
Temperament
Australian Shepherds are very intelligent dogs. They will pick up any kind of training quickly and easily. They excel at agility and herding, they also love flyball and similar games. An active breed, they need regular walks, and activities to keep their mind occupied as well.
A social dog, Aussies love to be a part of a family environment, and are happiest when the whole family is together. Australian Shepherds will always want to be close to their master, they are well known for following their owners into any room of the house.
Working and Tasks
Bred for herding, Aussies will always do well as stock dogs or in any rural setting. In the suburbs you will need to make sure that they get regular exercise and toys to play with within the backyard.
Health
Australian Shepherds like many purebred dogs can have some health issues. If you are looking for a puppy be sure to find out if there is any history of hip or eye problems (see eye products), but good breeders will always be up front about this.