By Professionally Testing Australian Shepherds Breeders Can Offer Healthy Pups

Australian shepherds are a popular breed, known for their exuberance and herding skills. However they do not suit every household. If wanting to purchase Australian shepherds breeders are very willing to give you helpful advice. As well as helping with cattle and sheep work, the breed is used for detection, search and rescue, guide and therapy work. If kept as a pet they need plenty of stimulation and activity. They excel at obedience and agility trials, or fly-ball.

Australian shepherds, like most other breeds, can inherit a few health problems. Genuine breeders will not be breeding indiscriminately. A reputable breeder will only breed from his best animals. He will have had his breeding stock tested to ensure the progeny will be trouble-free. Only in this way can the breed be expected to remain genetically sound.

The breed has several distinctive features. The eye color is one. Eyes may be blue, brown or a combination of the two. There are even dogs with a single eye showing each of the two colors. Sometimes the two colors are swirled together. The coat may be a solid red or black color. However merle coats are more common, particularly blue merle which has dark or black patches on a lighter blue-grey background.

When two merle-colored dogs are bred, it is usual for a quarter of the litter to be born with a merle gene from each parent, that is, two merle genes. When this occurs the pup is often white and may be deaf and/or blind. These are generally put to sleep. If the blindness or deafness is not severe, the pup may be sold on. These find their way to rescue facilities because of the difficulties of dealing with their condition.

Another distinctive feature of the shepherd is the bobbed tail. Many of the breed are born with bobbed tails. Others will have a half- or full-tail. These sometimes have their tails docked. Naturally bob-tailed animals sometimes have pups which do not have an anus. These also have to be euthanized.

Other conditions which affect the breed are epilepsy, and respiratory and skin disorders. Problems with vision are caused by progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), iris coloboma, hereditary cataracts, conjunctivitis and red eye. There are DNA tests which can detect cataracts, MDR1 mutation and CEA (Collie Eye Anomaly). Dogs which carry the MDR1 mutation can suffer a massive reaction to administered anti-parasitic drugs.

A reputable breeder will have had his dogs tested for elbow and hip dysplasia. Patella luxation and congenital cardiac problems can also be detected by tests. Many of these problems never affect the breed. By assessing Australian shepherds breeders can ensure their pups will be as healthy as possible.

Find more information about how to find the most reputable Australian Shepherds breeders today! You can learn about how to choose the Australian Shepherds that will fit your personality and needs now.. This article, By Professionally Testing Australian Shepherds Breeders Can Offer Healthy Pups has free reprint rights.