Are you up to his temperament? The #AUSSIE has enviable endurance and a strong protective instinct. Even within your family, he will retain an innate herding and guarding instinct. For every entrusted task, he is always 100 percent focused. #FOCUSED He is very intelligent and eager to learn. Therefore, he is excited about every new challenge and will show you that. Perfect if you’re looking for an animal partner who grows and learns alongside you.
At the same time, the Aussie is very people-oriented. He wants to please you and quickly learns the things you teach him. Although he is willing to submit and obey, he will not blindly follow all commands and orders. The Australian Shepherd wants to maintain a certain independence. You should also keep in mind that his high willingness to learn should not be confused with easy trainability. Your Aussie learns quickly but can also pick up the wrong things. So it’s best to bring a lot of caution, patience, and empathy. Some Aussies probably know their owners even better than they know themselves #ONEHEARTTWOSOULS
You can recognize his origin as a herding and driving dog not only by his strong work ethic and high activity level but also by his strong and muscular yet very agile and supple body. With a withers height of 51 to 58 cm for males and 46 to 53 cm for females, and a weight of up to 22 kg, the Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized but still fairly light dog. A beautiful special feature of this four-legged friend is his unusual eye colors and versatile coat. White markings are allowed, but white should never be the dominant colour. Eye colours include blue, brown, or amber. Every variation or combination of these colours, including spots and marbling, is permitted. #BEAUTY
10 Facts About the Australian Shepherd
1. The Aussie does not come from Australia but originates from North America.
2. He has a natural bobtail, also called “natural bobtail” (NBT). Since docking is banned in Germany, you’ll find all kinds of tail lengths here—from no tail at all to normal length—all natural. In the USA, the bobtail is often preferred because it supposedly leads to fewer injuries during farm work.
3. The Australian Shepherd’s base colours are Blue Merle, Red Merle, Black, and Red. However, various markings are allowed, resulting in a total of 16 permitted colour variations.
4. Similar to the coat colours, the Aussie’s eye colours vary enormously. Brown, blue, green, yellow, or amber are all possible, and marbling, spots, or speckles can occur. Two differently coloured eyes are also possible.
5. The intelligence of the Australian Shepherd was appreciated not only in herding work. This clever dog became very popular as an act in rodeo shows, where he performed many amazing tricks and amazed the audience.
6. They are medium-sized dogs, but there is also a miniature version called Miniature American Shepherds or Mini-Aussies. However, this breed is not recognized as a separate breed.
7. Aussies need a job. They are excellent for all kinds of dog sports and can even be trained as therapy, guide, and rescue dogs. However, owners should also teach their dogs that sometimes there is nothing to do; otherwise, they become true workaholics with excellent stamina. Rest periods are important for this agile dog.
8. In 1957, the ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America) was founded in Arizona. This was followed by recognition by the AKC (American Kennel Club) including a studbook, and the USASA (United States Australian Shepherd Association) was established. The breed was only recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in 1996.
9. A Merle x Merle pairing is considered a form of animal cruelty breeding in Germany and is prohibited because it often causes deafness or blindness in puppies.
10. As the Australian Shepherd ages, his coat darkens. This is especially true for the Blue Merle colour.
An Aussie is unmistakable and will always appreciate and reward the energy and work you put into him. I hope I was able to bring you closer to this wonderful breed and look forward to introducing you to more! :)
