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Australian Shepherd Dog

Australian Shepherd Dog

These dogs are often compared to the Border Collie dog breed. Solid and muscular, they are slightly longer than they are tall, standing at 51-58cm (males) and 46-53cm (females). They generally weigh 19-29kg depending on their sex and build. The coat comes in black, blue merle, red merle, and red, with or without tan points. See the breed standard for full details.

The need-to-know
  • Dog suitable for experienced owners
  • Some training required
  • Enjoys vigorous walks
  • Enjoys walking more than two hours a day
  • Medium dog
  • Some drool
  • Requires grooming every other day
  • Non hypoallergenic breed
  • Very vocal dog
  • Guard dog. Barks and alerts
  • May require training to live with other pets
  • May require training to live with kids

Personality

This dog has strong herding instincts and loves to be part of family life, thriving on the companionship of his owners. They can be initially reserved with new people so early socialisation is essential. Ongoing training and a combination of physical and mental stimulation is also important to satisfy his considerable intelligence and energy.

History and Origins

Surprisingly, the Australian Shepherd dog breed is actually American! Shepherds from the Basque region of the Pyrenees took small 'blue' dogs to work in the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s to work with sheep. The Australian part of the name comes from the sheep that they worked with that were imported from Australia. Another theory suggests that the dogs immigrated first to Australia and then to the U.S. When they first arrived in the south-western United States in the late 1800s, the dogs were initially allowed to interbreed with other shepherd dogs, to enhance working ability. A breed club was established in the U.S. in 1957.

Dog with red collar looking out the window
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