Australian Shepherd Traits
Australian Shepherd Height
43-58 cm
Australian Shepherd Weight
18-30 kg
Australian Shepherd Life Expectancy
12-15 years
Australian Shepherd Other Names
- Aussies
- Pastor Dog
- Bob-Tail
- Australian Shepherd
Australian Shepherd Appearance
- Mesomorph
- Medium-sized
- Athletic
- Muscular
- Fast
- Agile
Australian Shepherd General Character
Compassion towards the family
X
Communication with children
X
Communication with other dogs
X
Communication with strangers
X
Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized breed with an athletic build, large bones, thick fur. Thanks to their robust structure combined with their fast and agile structure, they can move non-stop all day. The most powerful aspects of the Australian Shepherds, who like to go on expeditions with their owners, play different games, have an active time, are their intelligence and loyalty. They can be runners if they are well trained and find suitable ground, but their primary job throughout history has been protection. Due to their constant desire to move, they can live in harmony with a family that can keep up with them in large houses with gardens.
Australian Shepherd History
The Australian shepherd is thought to be descended from the shepherd dogs that guarded the herds of Basque shepherds living in the Pyrenees Mountains, famous for Europe's goat. In the 1840s, along with sheep imported from Australia, they migrated as a protective species. Australian Shepherds, a mixture of Shepherd and Collie breeds, immediately attracted attention with their herding abilities, versatile learning predispositions, advanced intelligence and hard work in the lands they migrated to, and thus quickly became popular in America.
Australian shepherds have started to make a name for themselves in many parts of the world with their performances at rodeo shows, horse shows and cowboy fights like in Western movies.
Australian Shepherd Personality and Character Traits
It is seen that Australian shepherds are among the dog breeds that have compassion and love towards the family. They are generally tolerant and patient when it comes to communicating with children, but the behavior of dogs whose training has not yet been completed needs to be followed by adults. The communication of the Australian shepherds with other dogs is neither very distant nor very close.
The Australian shepherd usually behaves distantly and restrained when communicating with strangers. It is known as a breed that can adapt to external factors such as daily life changes or the weather without difficulty. Because they were used as a sheepdog in the past, they are more capable of herding animals in subjects requiring intelligence and concentration compared to general dog breeds. They are among the most prone species to education with its structure that loves hierarchy and obedience. The Australian Shepherd, which has a high tendency to bark, constantly wants to keep its brain busy and does not like to sit idle.
The Australian Shepherd, which is a very energetic breed, likes long walks, games including intermittent jogs during the day and spending active time with the people it lives with. It is difficult to live in small areas that require staying stationary for long periods of time. For this reason, they need a lively life in an area with a large garden or frequent walking by the family they live with.
Australian Shepherd Appearance
The Australian shepherd has an aesthetic and proportional body with a solid body. Known for their relaxed, free and distinctive walk, this breed has strong and muscular legs that can adapt to running all day. They have a medium-length, water-resistant, double-layered and bushy fur that allows them to adapt comfortably to rain and snowy weather conditions. The hairs of the Australian shepherd are seen to be long, short and of variable density on different parts of its body. In general, the lower layers of their feathers are short, and the outer layers are long, and straight to wavy shapes are seen. Those who live in cold climates have thicker feathers than those who live in temperate regions.
Australian shepherds with erect ears with triangular but oval crests have oval eyes in brown, amber and blue. Besides the solid colors that Australian shepherds have with a strong mouth area, a muscular jaw for hard closures, suitable for taking sharp smells and a nose that is balanced with their face, variegated colors are often found in different combinations in addition to the solid colors that Australian shepherd dogs have:
Australian Shepherd General Care
Australian Shepherd Feather Care
Australian shepherds' waterproof double-layered fur needs to be brushed weekly. This routine application ensures that their feathers maintain their healthy appearance and their skin does not become stuffy. Especially in the spring, when the shedding season comes, these brushing routines can become more frequent and can be applied
two or three times a week. It is important to comb it regularly, especially during shedding, as its dense hairs can cause the shed hair to stick to the coat and pave the way for skin problems.
The Australian Shepherd is often outside due to its endless energy. It likes to paw on natural areas such as soil, puddles and mud. Regional cleaning or bathing may be required depending on weather conditions, especially after returning from free tours in home life. However, Australian Shepherds who spend most of their time at home do not need to be bathed frequently, but regular nail checks are important under all circumstances.
Australian Shepherd Education
They need exercise and physical stimulation that develops one or one and a half hours of play, obedience and skill training every day. Therefore, it is important to provide Australian shepherd dogs with a habitat where they can move in order to be able to establish their feeding routines and maintain their physical health. When they are not playing, puzzle toys can be used to keep their minds busy. Puppies don't need as much exercise as adult dogs. It is quite risky to let dogs jump on hard floors, especially until they turn 1 year old. This condition may cause problems in the skeletal system and joint problems in the future. The daily exercise requirement for the Australian shepherd dog breed can be met with 90 minutes of play or activities or walks of 3.5-4 kilometers.
Applied obedience training can be effective in curbing the impulsive and peremptory behavior of dogs and stimulates them mentally.
Australian Shepherd Health
Australian shepherds are robust and healthy in structure. They have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years, and there is usually no obvious type of disease in their lives. However, as with all races, they may have tendencies to some health problems. For this reason, routine veterinary check-ups should not be disrupted and it is necessary to have information about some types of diseases. These diseases are:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Epilepsy
- Deafness
- Cancer
- Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)
- Collie eye anomaly
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
- Cataract
- Dysthychiasis
- Persistent pupillary membranes
- Hypothyroidism
- Nasal solar dermatitis
- Allergies
- Drug sensitivity
Australian Shepherd Nutrition
Since Australian Shepherds need a lot of movement due to their breed characteristics, the inactivity they experience, especially due to space constraints in city life, can lead to weight problems. Therefore, in parallel with the calorie consumption of dogs, the weight level should be closely monitored. If the reward foods given at the time of training get out of control, it can disrupt the nutrition pattern. The daily nutritional needs of every living thing may vary depending on its size, age, metabolism and activity level. For this reason, the most correct thing is to create a controlled and balanced diet routine with the guidance of a veterinarian.
Did you know?
- Australian Shepherds are the 135th breed of the American Kennel Club.
- The popularity of the Australian Shepherd breed increased after the Second World War, with the influence of horseback riding and Western culture. Thanks to its attractive feathers and physical characteristics, the Australian shepherd has often appeared in horse shows, movies and TV.
- In order to prevent injuries that may occur on farms and to mark dogs, the tails of Australian shepherd dogs have been shortened.
- At the point where they reach structural maturity, Australian Shepherds can become excellent runners.
- Although it has been registered by many registries since the 1950s, it has not been registered as a native breed in Australia.
- Until today, they have been named in many different ways as Pastor Dogs, Bob-Tails, Blue Heelers, New Mexican Shepherds and California Shepherds, primarily Spanish Shepherds, taking into account their place of birth.
- In 1970, thanks to their superior skills, they ensured that their names were often mentioned in Frisbee competitions.
The VetAmerican Medical Veterinary Team is a
group of experienced veterinarians. By keeping up with current veterinary sciences and animal health
practices, they aim to provide the highest standards of knowledge and treatment methods. They produce
scientifically sound, reliable content on the health and well-being of your pets.