Basic Information To Know About The Australian Shepherd

The Australian Shepherd (nicknamed the "Aussie") is a herding breed of dog that features in blue merle, red merle, black and red or a variety of other coat colors as well as either blue or brown eyes. The breed was largely developed in the United States during the 1800s despite their name, and they were first bred for the main purpose of herding sheep.

A few of their most recognizable features include their high level of versatility, intelligence and trainability - which help make the Australian Shepherd a suitable choice for herding, movie and television roles, guide dogs for the blind, therapy dogs, for search and rescue or as companions in active households.

The Australian Shepherd is well-known for their bold, alert and confident temperament. They are generally shy around strangers, which can make them fairly unsuitable as a guard dog.

The Australian Shepherd is also known to be highly intelligent - though only ranks equal 42nd compared to other dogs based on their ability to learn obedience commands. They are also known to be great with children who they may often try to herd without proper training - making them quite suitable as a family pet. The Australian Shepherd is usually compatible with other animals such as other dogs and pets once properly socialized.

Grooming the Australian Shepherd is a relatively easy task. They require only occasional brushing once a week and bathing not too often to avoid removing the natural oils in the coat.

The Australian Shepherd is happiest with a large yard to run around in, and they are largely unsuitable for living in an apartment.

The Australian Shepherd enjoys activities such as agility, flyball, obedience, tracking and herding. They have a high level of energy and need to be given daily exercise in the form of long walks, runs or other physical challenges to prevent destructive behavior and excessive barking.

The Australian Shepherd can make the perfect dog for an active owner or family with a large yard and a job to give them. They are suitable for anyone who is willing to commit to a small amount of grooming and take time to give them early obedience training and socialization plus ongoing mental challenges as well as take them for long daily walks and give a good amount of companionship and attention. Though they might be somewhat unsuitable as a city dog or in a less active household, if you are able to meet their needs for physical and mental challenges then the Australian Shepherd could make the ideal dog breed for you.

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