The Australian Shepherd is one of the most energetic types of dogs. However, they are very local and playful. Speaking of size, most of the dogs are medium in size. These types of dogs are considered herding and working dogs.

Therefore, the Aussie will be a better choice if you are one of the most energetic people and need a companion or a pet. However, the dog breed originated in the United States (US) from Europe via Australia, as the name suggests.

One more thing here in the intro, the Aussie is pretty intelligent. This means they are also outstanding learners, which you will notice in the training sessions.

Breed Overview

Now, it’s time to look closely at the overview of the Australian breed. Once you know the facts regarding the dog, you will be able to relate to the content easily. From our point of view, the overview looks impressive. 

GROUPHerding
HEIGHT18 to 21 inches (female), 20 to 23 inches (male)
WEIGHT40 to 55 pounds (female), 50 to 65 pounds (male)
COATMedium double coat
COAT COLORBlue merle, red merle, black, or red; all colors may have white markings and tan (copper) points
IFE SPAN12 to 15 years
TEMPERAMENTIntelligent, active, energetic
HYPOALLERGENICNo
ORIGIN United States

Characteristics of the Australian Shepherd

The Australian Shephard is pretty much always energetic and bred to work. They come with the highest energy level and can remain active for a long period.

However, they need regular physical exercise because they are so playful and enthusiastic. To be more precise, you need to provide them with actual training at regular intervals. This breed of dog is highly intelligent.

Affection LevelMedium
FriendlinessMedium
Kid-FriendlyHigh
Pet-FriendlyMedium
Exercise NeedsHigh
PlayfulnessHigh
Energy LevelHigh
TrainabilityHigh
IntelligenceHigh
Tendency to BarkMedium
Amount of SheddingMedium

History of the Australian Shepherd

The Australian Shephard was first introduced in the United States, but it has a long origin history. The Aussie first descended from Europe with the help of the Basque people. The Basque people took the dog from Europe to Australia back in the 1800s. 

As time advanced, the Basque people started to move to California, and thus, the dogs entered the United States. American Kannel Club first recognized this type of dog breed in the United States in 1991, and the breed has become popular.

Australian Shepherd Care

Like any other dog, you must be very careful when caring for the Aussie. It will be better if you follow the below section carefully to know what to do regarding caring for the Australian Shephard. 

Exercise

As the Aussies are pretty much energetic, they need frequent exercise. End of the day, they become frustrated if they don’t get many chances to exercise regularly. So, what you should need to do is to make a schedule on your own and give at least one hour each day to the exercise session of your dog.

You can start with simple gameplay. As mentioned before, the Australian Shephard is very intelligent. So if you can provide them with enough exercise scope, they will learn a lot. You can use different types of toys, in this case, also. 

Ensure you have a secure fence so the dog can’t run after a car or bicycle.

Grooming

You need to need o properly be extra careful if your car medium issue will remain the same when we talk about the Australian Shephard. They are also medium double-coated dogs. Therefore, you must brush them regularly like people take care of their long hair. 

Well, brushing 5-7 times a month is bare enough, and we need to increase the brushing time when it is winter. It may take a long time to groom the Australian Shephard, but you must keep patience and take care of the dogs properly. 

Besides, we don’t forget to cut the nails of the Aussie when they grow much bigger. Cleaning the ears is also a task that you should never avoid. 

RELATED: Top 5 Best Brush for Australian Shepherd Dogs

Training

Most Australian Shepherds are fast learners. This means that if you can train the dogs properly, they can be very obedient. Therefore, what you need to do is to ensure that the dog is getting enough training sessions.

Besides, try to teach the dogs the rules of socialization early. As the dogs are pretty energetic, they need to be properly trained in socialization so they can’t be destructive to others. 

Besides, the training session can start with the basic commands. Therefore, you should also try to involve the dog in different dog games; doing so will reduce your effort while training your dog. 

This type of dog loves to work. So, you should utilize the opportunity. 

Australian Shepherd Dog Breed

Common Health Problems

The Australian Shephard is a healthy dog breed except for some minor health issues. This means that if you are careful enough about the regular care of this type of dog, the dog can have a life of nearly 12–15 years. 

But we highly recommend you learn about the generic type before buying or adopting any dog of that breed. However, some of the most common health issues Australian Shepherds may face are listed below.

  • Cataracts
  • Epilepsy
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Hearing and sight impairments

Diet and Nutrition

As dogs are the most energetic, you need to focus enough on diet and nutrition. Though the food you provide the dogs depends on their size, overall health, and condition. But, according to experts and users, two meals a day is bare enough for this type of dog. 

You can get advice from the nutritionist in this case. Besides, you must provide this dog with adequate water to prevent dehydration. Make sure the water is fresh enough.

Where to Adopt or Buy an Australian Shepherd

This is important whenever people want to buy a dog. The right place is essential to have a healthy and energetic dog. However, it will be better, and you will have many chances of adapting to the Australian Shephard. 

You can find this breed of dog in the nearest animal shelter center. Besides, there is some authorized organization that delivers different types of dogs. Therefore, we want you to think twice before adopting this dog with more energy level than other dogs.

However, talking about the pricing, you may have to spend nearly $100-$2000. Which is not a small amount of money, by the way. Ask the local dog recipe team whether they have any Australian Shepherds available. 

Australian Shepherd Overview

Pros:

  • Playful and energetic.
  • Trainable and hard working.
  • Strong herding instinct

Cons:

  • It may become destructive sometimes.
  • Afraid of strangers.

More Dog Breeds and Further Research

You have money in your pocket and want to adopt or buy a dog. But spending your money without having enough information about the dog you tend to buy doesn’t make sense. 

Similarly, if you want to be an owner of an Australian Shepherd, you need to know a lot about it from various sources. The source may be an owner of this dog, an expert, or a responsible organization that works with the dog.

However, we would like to provide some of the sources you may find helpful.

  • Miniature American Shepherd
  • Border collie
  • Australian cattle dog

We hope you will get enough information from the sources. 

Australian Shepherd (Aussie): FAQs

1. Are Australian Shepherds Good Family Dogs?

Yes, they are. They love to spend time in a friendly environment. But, sometimes, they become more aggressive. So, it will be better to keep children away from the dog until it is trained enough.

2. What Were Australian Shepherds Bred For?

Australian shepherds were explicitly developed to herd sheep. They can, however, succeed in other dog sports and occupations.

3. Are Australian Shepherds Good Apartment Dogs?

Due to their high activity level, Aussies aren’t usually suitable apartment dogs. It will be better if you give them enough scope to grow ideally. But, if the apartment is significant, then it will be OK. 

Final Words

Now you have a decent piece of information regarding Australian Shephard. So. if you are wondering about buying or adopting this type of dog, you will find this article as a guideline. 

Besides, make sure you tackle the energy level of the Aussie, as they are highly energetic. You will be better if you determine whether you can make enough time to train them. However, if you ask our opinion in this case, we won’t demotivate you.

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Ashraful Islam, Founder and CEO of Best Dog Care Tips is a dedicated animal lover with extensive knowledge in pet care. He created the website to provide valuable information and resources to fellow pet lovers. Ashraful’s passion for improving the lives of pets and their owners shines through his commitment to sharing expert advice and innovative pet care solutions.