Australian Shepherd Dog Breed
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the DAGs
despite his name the Australian Shepherd
originated in the western United States
not Australia around the time of the
gold rush in the 1840s originally bred
to herd livestock he remains a working
dog breed at heart the Aussie as his
nicknamed is happiest when he has a job
to do he can be a wonderful family
companion if his intelligence and energy
are channeled into dog sports or
activities
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watching an Australian Shepherd round up
a flock of sheep is a beautiful sight
with sure in athletic movement he
directs the flock using nips barks and I
a penetrating stare that clearly says
I’m in charge intelligent hard-working
and versatile the Aussie is a
no-nonsense dog who thrives in a home
where his brains and energy are put to
good use you don’t have to keep a flock
of sheep if you live with an Aussie
although it doesn’t hurt but you do have
to keep him busy
he’s a high-energy dog who doesn’t know
the meaning of couch potato and wouldn’t
approve of it if he did because he’s got
energy to burn he needs plenty of
exercise a walk around the neighborhood
won’t cut it and at least a small yard
to help him work out his Yaya’s lacking
a job to do he becomes bored destructive
and loud for he might invent his own job
curling the kids either yours or the
neighbours chasing cars or other animals
or taking your house apart if you don’t
have the time or energy to train the
Nexxus eyes the Aussie on a daily basis
he’s not the breed for you but if you’re
interested in competitive dog sports the
Aussie is the one this agile
medium-sized dog with a dock or
naturally bobtail is a top contender in
all levels of obedience agility flyball
and herding tests he’s also successful
in such k9 careers as guide dog hearing
dog assistance dog police dog and
search-and-rescue work you can even
teach an Aussie to help you with chores
around the house such as picking up
dirty laundry off the floor and bringing
it to you you’ll probably have to fold
clean laundry yourself though the Aussie
is a real looker who stands out from the
crowd thanks to his attractive medium
length coat and dark brown yellow blue
green or amber eyes his heritage as a
working dog makes him a loyal companion
who can be protective of home and family
and aloof with strangers he gets along
with kids although he’ll probably try to
herd them unless you teach him not to
the Aussie makes life on Adventure Hill
work and play from sunrise
to sunset and win your heart with is
loyal and loving personality this
versatile breed is a wonderful working
dog in a terrific family companion but
only if that family is an active one
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Australian Shepherds need roughly 30 to
60 minutes of exercise a day preferably
with high energy activities like playing
frisbee they need a job to do as well
such as daily obedience training or
competing and hurting and agility trials
Australian Shepherds can be very
destructive and bark for long periods if
they’re not getting the exercise and
mental stimulation they need AUSA’s will
alert bark to warn you if they see or
hear something suspicious and will
protect their family and home with a
surprising fierceness although
Australian Shepherds have the reputation
for needing wide open space they do just
fine in cities if they get enough
stimulation and exercise they’re not
good apartment dogs though you will want
at least a small yard to help them get
out some of their high-energy this
herding dogs push on us with livestock
can carry over into the home and with a
timid or an experienced owner he may
assume the dominant role in the family
the breed needs a firm and confident
owner AUSA’s probably aren’t a good
choice if you’ve never had a dog before
Australian Shepherds are average hitters
and their coat needs regular maintenance
including weekly brushing to keep it
clean and prevent matting and possibly
trimming to keep by looking tidy AUSA’s
enjoyed the company of their family and
prefer to stick close to their human
pack they don’t do well stuck in the
backyard by themselves for long periods
Aussies are by nature standoffish with
people they don’t know and unless they
have regular exposure to lots of
different people
ideally beginning in puppyhood they can
become fearful of strangers this may
lead to biting out of fear and
aggression
give your Aussie lots of contact with
friends family neighbors and even
strangers to help him polish his social
skills to get a healthy dog never buy a
puppy from any responsible breeder puppy
mill or pet store look for a reputable
breeder who tests her breeding dogs to
make sure they’re free of genetic
diseases that they might pass on to the
puppies and that they have sound
temperaments
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despite his name this is an
american-born breed the Australian
Shepherd was originally developed to
herd livestock for ranchers and farmers
in the western United States and some
modern-day oz you still hold that job
there are many theories on which breeds
were used to create the Australian
Shepherd it’s likely that the Aussies
ancestors include collie and Shepherd
type dogs that were imported with
shipments of sheep from Australia during
the 1840s hence the name breeders strove
to enhance their herding ability and
create a dog who was versatile
hardworking and intelligent the breed
enjoyed a popularity boom in the
post-world War two years that went hand
in hand with a renewed interest in
western-style horseback riding crowds at
rodeos or horse shows and audiences of
Western movies or TV shows were wowed by
the athletic dogs they saw working
alongside the Cowboys despite the
popular interest the breed wasn’t
recognized by the American Kennel Club
until 1993 today
the Australian Shepherd remains the same
i catching energetic clever dog that
proved so useful to ranchers and farmers
in the Old West he’s loved by many and
enjoys his life as a family companion
protector and herding dog
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slightly longer than he is tall the
Australian Shepherd stands 20 to 23
inches tall at the shoulder for males 18
to 21 inches for females on average
males weigh between 50 and 65 pounds
females 40 to 55 pounds you may see
advertisements for dogs called teacup
toy or miniature Australian Shepherds
Australian Shepherd breeders don’t
recognize these dogs as true Australian
Shepherds the breed is meant to be a
functional working dog capable of
hurting tough stock for miles in rough
country or snowdrifts and it has no
smaller size varieties
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bred to be pushy with livestock
Australian Shepherds Kenan will take the
dominant role in the home if you don’t
give them firm and confident leadership
this makes them a poor choice for
first-time or timid owners like many
herding dogs Australian Shepherds are by
nature loyal to their family but
standoffish with strangers they need
hourly socialization exposure to many
different people sights sounds and
experiences when they’re young
socialization helps ensure that your
Aussie puppy grows up to be a well
rounded dog enrolling him in a puppy
kindergarten class is a great start
inviting visitors over regularly and
taking him to busy parks stores that
allow dogs and unleash early strolls to
meet neighbors will also help him polish
his social skills
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AUSA’s are generally healthy but like
all breeds they’re prone to certain
health conditions
not all asses will get any or all of
these diseases but it’s important to be
aware of them if you’re considering this
breed if you’re buying a puppy find a
good breeder who will show you health
clearances for both your puppies parents
health clearances prove that a dog has
been tested for in cleared of a
particular condition in aussies you
should expect to see health clearances
from the orthopedic foundation for
animals for hip dysplasia elbow
dysplasia hyperthyroidism and von
Willebrand’s disease from Auburn
University for thrombo hacia and from
the canine eye registry foundation
certifying that eyes are normal
you can confirm health clearances by
checking the orthopedic Foundation for
Animals website Offutt org hip dysplasia
this is a heritable condition in which
the femur doesn’t fit snugly into the
pelvic socket of the hip joint hip
dysplasia can exist with or without
clinical signs
some dogs exhibit pain and lameness on
one or both rear legs as the dog ages
arthritis can develop 10r a screening
for hip dysplasia is done by the
orthopedic Foundation for Animals or the
University of Pennsylvania hip
Improvement Program dogs with hip
dysplasia should not be bred ask the
breeder for proof that the parents have
been tested for hip dysplasia and found
to be free of problems elbow dysplasia
this is a heritable condition common to
large breed dogs it’s thought to be
caused by different growth rates of the
three bones that make up the dog’s elbow
causing joint laxity this can lead to
painful lameness your vet may recommend
surgery to correct the problem or
medication to control the pain epilepsy
the Australian Shepherd can suffered
from epilepsy which is a disorder that
causes seizures epilepsy can be treated
with medication but it cannot be cured a
dog can live a full and healthy life
with the proper management of this
hereditary disorder deafness
toughness is fairly common in this breed
and can pose many challenges some forms
of deafness and hearing loss can be
treated with medication and surgery but
usually deafness cannot be cured living
within training a deaf dog requires
patience and time but there are many
aids on the market such as vibrating
collars to make life easier
if your Aussie is diagnosed with hearing
loss or total deafness take the time to
evaluate if you have the patience time
and ability to care for the animal
regardless of your decision it is best
to notify the breeder osteochondrosis
Dai scans this orthopedic condition
caused by improper growth of cartilage
in the joints usually occurs in the
elbows but it has been seen in the
shoulders as well it causes a painful
stiffening of the joint to the point
that the dog isn’t able to bend his
elbow it can be detected in dogs as
early as four to nine months of age over
feeding of growth formula puppy foods or
high protein foods may contribute to its
development progressive retinal atrophy
this is a degenerative eye disorder that
eventually causes blindness from the
loss of photoreceptors at the back of
the eye progressive retinal atrophy is
detectable years before the dog shows
any signs of blindness fortunately dogs
can use their other senses to compensate
for blindness and a blind dog can live a
full and happy life just don’t make it a
habit to move the furniture around
reputable Aussie breeders have their
dog’s eyes certified annually by a
veterinary ophthalmologist and do not
breed dogs with this disease cataracts a
cataract is an opacity on the lens of
the eye that causes difficulty in seeing
the eye of the dog will have a cloudy
appearance cataracts usually occur in
old age and sometimes can be surgically
removed to improve the dog’s vision
distinct iosys this condition occurs
when an additional row of eyelashes grow
on the oil gland in the dog’s eye and
protrude along the edge of the eyelid
this irritates the eye and you may
notice your Aussie squinting or rubbing
his eye
distinct iosys is treated surgically by
freezing the excess eyelashes with
liquid nitrogen and then remove them
this type of surgery is called kriya
revelation and is done under general
anesthesia kali eye anomaly kali eye
anomaly is an inherited condition that
can lead to blindness in some dogs it
usually occurs by the time the dog is
two years old and is diagnosed by a
veterinary ophthalmologist there is no
treatment for kali eye anomaly but as
noted above blind dogs can get around
very well using their other senses it is
important to remember that this
condition is a genetic abnormality and
your breeder should be notified if your
puppy has the condition it is also
important to spay or neuter your dog to
prevent the gene from being passed to a
new generation of puppies persistent
pupillary membranes persistent pupillary
membranes are strands of tissue in the
eye remnants of the fetal membrane that
nourished four lenses of the eyes before
birth they normally disappear by the
time of puppy is four or five weeks old
but sometimes they persist the strands
can stretch from iris – iris iris to
lens or cornea to iris and sometimes
they are found in the anterior chamber
of the eye for many dogs the strands do
not cause any problems and generally
they break down by eight weeks of age if
the strands do not break down they can
lead to cataracts or cuss corneal
opacity z’ eyedrops prescribed by your
veterinarian can help break them down
hypothyroidism hyperthyroidism is an
abnormally low level of the hormone
produced by the thyroid gland a mild
sign of the disease may be infertility
more obvious signs include obesity
mental dullness lethargy drooping of the
eyelids low energy levels and irregular
heat cycles the dog’s fur becomes coarse
and brittle and begins to fall out while
the skin becomes tough and dark
hyperthyroidism can be treated with
daily medication which must continue
throughout the dog’s life a dog
receiving daily thyroid treatment can
live a full and happy life
allergies allergies are a common ailment
in dogs allergies to certain foods are
identified and treated by eliminating
certain foods from the dog’s diet until
the culprit is discovered contact
allergies are cast by a reaction to
something that touches the dog such as
bedding flea powders dog shampoos or
other chemicals they are treated by
identifying and removing the cause of
the allergy inhalant allergies are
caused by airborne allergens such as
pollen dust and will do the appropriate
medication for inhalant allergies
depends on the severity of the allergy
ear infections are a common side effect
of inhalant allergies drug sensitivity
sensitivity to certain drugs is commonly
seen in herding breeds including
Australian Shepherds and Colley’s it is
caused by a mutation of the multi-drug
resistance gene which produces a protein
called P Kalika protein this protein
works as a pump to remove toxic
substances from the body to prevent the
harmful effects of the toxins in dogs
who show drug sensitivity that gene does
not function resulting in toxicity dogs
with this mutated gene can be sensitive
to ivermectin a medicine commonly used
in anti-parasitic products such as
heartworm preventives as well as other
drugs including chemotherapy drugs signs
of the sensitivity range from tremors
depression seizures in coordination
hypersalivation coma and even death
there is no known treatment but there is
a new genetic test that can identify
dogs with this non-functioning gene all
Australian Shepherds should be screened
cancer dogs like humans can develop
cancer there are many different types of
cancer and the success of treatment
differs for each individual case for
some forms of cancer the tumors are
surgically removed others are treated
with chemotherapy and some are treated
both surgically and medically nasal
solar dermatitis also known as collie
nose this condition generally occurs in
dogs who have little or no pig
in their nose and is not restricted to
khaalis dogs who are super sensitive to
sunlight develop lesions on the nose and
occasionally around the eyelids ranging
from light pink lesions to ulcerating
lesions the condition may be difficult
to diagnose at first because several
other diseases can cause the same
lesions if your Aussie is diagnosed with
collie nose keep him out of direct
sunlight and apply doggy sunscreen when
he goes outside the most effective way
to manage the condition is to tattoo the
dog’s nose black so the ink serves as a
shield against sunlight detached retina
an injury to the face can cause the
retina to become detached from its
underlying supportive tissues a detached
retina can lead to visual impairment or
even blindness there is no treatment for
a detached retina but many dogs live
full lives with visual impairments
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if you’ve got a yard make sure you’ve
also got a secure fence that your Aussie
can’t dig under or jump over underground
electronic fencing won’t work for this
breed your AUSA’s desire to go out and
heard something will overcome any
concern he might have about getting a
mild shock for the same reason walk him
on leash unless you’re willing to train
him to resist his urges your Aussie
needs a half hour to an hour of
stimulating activity every day such as a
run a frisbee game or obedience or
agility exercises when you are not
playing with your dog puzzle toys such
as buster cubes are a great way to keep
that active mind occupied puppies don’t
need as much hard exercise as adults and
in fact you shouldn’t let them run them
on hard surfaces such as concrete or let
them do a lot of jumping until they’re
at least a year old it could stress
they’re still developing skeletal system
and cause future joint problems the
Aussie habit of nipping and chasing is
excellent for hurting sheep but bad
manners when it’s applied to humans and
other pets obedience class can help you
curb neuroses herding behavior and they
help satisfy his need for mental
stimulation and work – Aussies respond
well to training methods that use
positive reinforcement rewards such as
praise play and food and are usually
happy to take commands from their
trainer they just want to know who’s in
charge so they can do a good job for
them
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the Australian Shepherd has a medium
length water-resistant coat to keep him
comfortable in rain and snow offsets and
cold climates have a heavier undercoat
than those who live in sunnier areas
straight or wavy hair covers the body
with short smooth hair on the head
enters the front of the foot legs and
below the hills known as the hocks and
dog terms moderate feathering or a
longer fringe of hair covers the back of
the foot legs and the britches the
Pantaloon like fur on the upper part of
the hind legs there’s long profuse hair
which is especially thick and full and
males on the neck and chest Australian
Shepherds come in several colors blue
merle red merle red tricolour white
black and tan and black a Merle coat has
a patchwork of dark blotches against a
lighter background so with a blue merle
dog has black patches on grey and a red
merle dog has red patches on beige
Murrells tend to become darker with age
if you’re wondering whether the
Australian Shepherd sheds the answer is
yes the breed sheds year round but more
heavily during spring as he loses his
winter coat brush the AUSA’s coat weekly
perhaps more often during shedding
season to prevent matting before you
start brushing spritz the coat with a
dog hair conditioner diluted with water
to detangle then using a slicker brush
stroke in the direction the hair grows
being sure to get all the way down to
the skin don’t just run it over the top
of the coat and undercoat Rick is also
handy for removing excess hair mats are
common behind the ears and you may need
to work through them with a stripping
comb you can find any of these grooming
tools in a good pet supply store if you
keep him brushed your Aussie should need
a bath only when he’s dirty which
probably won’t be more than a few times
a year use a shampoo made for dogs to
avoid drying out his skin and coat
grooming sessions are a good time to
check your dog’s overall condition
before you start brushing check your dog
for sores rashes dry skin or signs of
infection such as
Flo Mason or tenderness check eyes for
goopy discharge and ears for foreign
objects such as burrs or foxtails
the coat should look shiny not don’t a
dull coat could indicate a need for a
better diet or more frequent grooming
trim nails on a regular basis to prevent
painful splintering if you can here the
nails clicking on the floor they’re too
long you may also want to keep your
Aussie looking tidy by trimming the hair
on and around the ears on the feet and
between the toes and around the tail
area if you are uncomfortable handling
anything but the grooming basics try a
professional groomer
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Australian Shepherds are hurting dogs
and many consider kids part of their
flock so you’ll need to teach your
Aussie that chasing and nipping at kids
to herd them isn’t allowed once they
learn this lesson AUSA’s make wonderful
companions for families with kids always
teach children how to approach in touch
dogs and always supervise any
interactions between dogs and young
children to prevent any biting or ear or
tail pulling on the part of either party
teach your child never to approach any
dog while he’s eating or sleeping or to
try to take the dog’s food away no dog
no matter how friendly should ever be
left unsupervised with a child they can
get along with other pets too although
they may try to herd them this may not
go over too well especially with cats
keep an eye on your Aussie when other
pets are around until he learns that
they’re not members of his flock
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AUSA’s are often adopted without any
clearer understanding of what goes into
owning one there are many offsets in
need of adoption and/or fostering if you
don’t see a rescue listed for your area
contact the national breed club or a
local breed club and they can point you
toward an aussie rescue
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