Puppy Dog Breed Australian Shepherd
The Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog that was developed on ranches in the Western United States Despite its name the breed commonly known as an Aussie did not originate in Australia Australian Shepherds rose rapidly in popularity with the boom of western riding after World War II They became known to the general public through rodeos horse shows and through Disney movies made for television For decades Aussies have been valued by stockmen for their inherent versatility and trainability While they continue to work as stockdogs and compete in herding trials the breed has earned recognition in other roles due to their trainability and eagerness to please and are highly regarded for their skills in obedience Like all working breeds the Aussie has considerable energy and drive and usually needs a job to do It often excels at dog sports such as dog agility flyball and frisbee They are also highly successful search and rescue dogs disaster dogs…Read More about Australian Shepherd at WikiPedia
Latest Australian Shepherd Frequently Asked Questions:
i'm looking for a friendly, protective dog that can be left alone for short periods of time. is an Australian Shepherd a good choice?
Answer:The Aussie is a wonderfully intelligent and protective dog however does tend to get bored (ie get in trouble and possibly destroy something in your house) if they are not occupied or exercised regularly. You've got to remember that they are traditionally used as herding dogs so they are used to working frequently. If you are looking for a dog that looks like an Aussie but doesn't required as much exercise, you may want to try their cousins the Collie or the Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie).
hi, i would like to buy an australian shepherd in new zealand. Does anyone know where i could buy one from>? i've already tried the major nz sites, but there are none available. Even the breeders here don't have any available at this stage. thanks.
Answer:I know you could google it and there are a lot of websites that will sell you pets from different parts of the country and mail them to you. Just be careful because a lot of these places are puppy mills and they are just horrible to their pets. Just do your homework and you will find the puppy you are looking for :)
i found an australian shepherd pup that i REALLY want to adopt. I have ample room, a fenced in yard and am extremely active, so he will get lots of exercise. I also have a 18 month old son. Now he was raised with a chow mix, who died of old age a few weeks ago. He knows how to and how not to treat an animal and of course, being so young, he will be supervised anyway. And I do plan on getting the dog professional training. OK so finally my question is in your experience do Aussies do OK with kids? Now I know alot of people may say any dog who is trained will do good with kids but I have read certain dogs, including border collies don't like sudden movements and loud sudden noises, which small children often provide. So again, will an Austalian shepherd be ok with a child. thanks!
Answer:Australian Shepherds are great dogs, but they are not for everybody Here is information on the breed that will help you decide whether or not this breed is right for you. http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/australianshepherds.html http://www.akc.org/breeds/australian_shepherd/index.cfm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Shepherd http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/australianshepherd.htm
How do you tell the difference between a mini australian shepherd and regular australian shepherd? My Australian Shepherd is about 11 months old and 20 pounds. I am thinking she is a mini but I don't know because I got her from some one that got her from someone else and had no papers and I can't talk to them. Any ideas? Prople are saying different things, I dint know what is right.
Answer:At 11 months old & 20 pounds I would guess your dog is a Miniature Australian Shepherd. My 2 yr old Mini Aussie boy is 15 1/2" tall & weighs just under 18 pounds. Miniature Australian Shepherds are 14" - 18" @ the withers. Australian Shepherd females are 18" - 21" @ the withers. Australian Shepherd males are 20" - 23" @ the withers. Miniature Australian Shepherd Club of America: http://www.mascaonline.net/ Australian Shepherd Club of America: http://www.asca.org/
Im getting a dog in march and i cant decide what size of australian shepherd to get. Either Normal, miniature, or toy. And should i get a red or blue merle?
Answer:Sorry hun there IS no such thing as a "toy" or "miniature" Australian shepherd.Okay maybe they may exist but no reputable breeder will breed runts to runts to get them to that size besides no reputable registry like AKC or UKC will register them..meaning you can't show them, can't do agility can't do zip with them. I do believe I answered one of your previous questions. The fact IS that there IS no miniature or toy size variety in the breed standard according to the AKC. http://www.akc.org/breeds/australian_she… Some of the "miniatures" I've come across actually measured in at about 18 inches..which is the breed standard for the breed. Aussies are 18-23 inches. And even the United Kennel club has the same size standard for the breed: http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/Breed… Many dogs seem "healty" on the OUTSIDE..what about the INSIDE? Since NO reputable breeder breeds outside of the breed standard(18-23 inches) the breeder you got this "mini" at probably didn't do any GENETIC testing..meaning in a few years YOU can end up paying TONS of money like $1000+ in VETERINARIAN bills due to GENETIC problems common in the aussie breed. See that is why I prefer reputable breeders...hasn't went wrong yet. I love the aussie breed..been looking into getting one and seeing stupid idiotic stuff like "mini" aussies PISSES me off. If people did BREED RESEARCH before going out and getting one, they would know if a "mini" exist in their chosen breed. Heck the ones I've come across didn't even look to be aussie at ALL. Just poorly bred mutts. Overpriced mutts at that. And NO reputable dog registery worth their salt will register a "mini" or "toy" aussie. In my opinion AKC and UKC(united kennel club) are the ONLY reputable dog registries in the USA. Anything that recognizes "mini" aussies is CRAP and is in it for the money. They care for MONEY not the dogs. If you want a dog that small get a sheltie or something!
