QuestionMy Fiance and I are thinking of bringing a Aussie into our little family. We have a cat and a 9 mnth collie cross already. I was wondering How there temperment is? How high energy are they? I just want to make sure that a aussie will fit into our family before me make the commitment.
All the best
Stacy
AnswerAussies are dogs with "strong herding and guarding instinct" according to the breed standard. They can be wonderful dogs, very smart. But, they need a job to do or may think one up on their own (such as herding and nipping at your vacuum or your kids). This is a breed that you should either rescue from a reputable source, such as ARPH (they can assess the dog for its suitability for cats & other dogs, or for kids, if you plan to have any). With a puppy, training class should start by age 10 weeks! Don't wait - these are dogs that will outsmart you, and they don't take kindly to manhandling, so do find a positive or clicker trainer. They need extensive socialization and even then may turn out to be very reserved with strangers. Some are actually guardy to the point of not letting "intruders" near you, so if that would bother you, or your lifestyle isn't suited to farm dogs, then opt for a show breeder who has softer dogs, and not a stock dog breeder. Show breeders can be found by going to www.akc.org. This breed has a small gene pool and can have eye or hip disorders, as well as hypothyroidism or epilepsy. So, you want a breeder that takes the precaution of doing genetic screening on all breeding stock, plus is showing the dog (it's hard to gait properly if you have bad hips). Those are the drawbacks - but you will not find a more loyal or smart companion if you have the right home. I once heard this:
"I asked God for a friend, so he sent me an Australian Shepherd."