Mary Allen
The Australian Shepherd is particularly popular for its beautiful coat color, ice-blue eyes, and friendly nature. Here you will find everything you always wanted to know about the active and clever dog breed.
History of the Australian Shepherd
When one hears the name Australian Shepherd, one might assume that the breed originated in Australia. Contrary to its name, the Australian Shepherd originally comes from the USA. In the early 19th century, many immigrants from Europe and Australia moved to the States with cattle and herding dogs.
Versatile and reliable herding dogs were needed on the new American farms. The farmers wanted a dog that could both keep the cattle in check and protect the farm. Because many herding dogs arrived in the United States along with “Australian Sheep,” the theory arose that the dogs were therefore called “Australian Shepherds.”
The Australian Shepherds first gained notoriety at rodeo shows in the 1950s and 60s. Idaho farmer Jay Sisler taught his Australian Shepherd amazing tricks and the handsome dogs wowed the crowd. Some now wanted to own such an intelligent and beautiful dog themselves. The breed had thus made the leap from a simple herding dog to a popular family dog.
The Australian Shepherd Club of America was founded in Arizona in 1957. The Australian Shepherd was not officially recognized until 1996 by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI). Together with the Border Collie and other herding dogs, the dog breed is classified in FCI Group 1, Section 1. In Germany, the breed became increasingly popular along with western riding over the course of the 1990s.
Traits and Character Traits
The Australian Shepherd is an intelligent and persistent dog that can work with concentration over long periods of time. The breed has an even temper and is friendly and loyal to its owner. The Aussie is sensitive to strangers and needs to “thaw out” first. He also has a strong guard instinct and is protective of his family. Due to his former use as a herding dog, he has good observation skills and often decides what to do himself. The intelligent four-legged friend needs a meaningful task that he likes to do independently and conscientiously. If he is bored, he will look for a task that may not quite correspond to the owner’s ideas.
The Australian Shepherd is very eager to learn and can therefore be trained well. However, he does not tolerate any inconsistency from his owner. He gets along well with other pets but tends to guard anything that moves due to his strong protective instinct. Joggers, cars, or children playing can also stimulate this herding instinct. Dogs are very affectionate towards their people and prefer to be with them everywhere and at all times. In general, it can be said that the Aussie is a great all-around farm dog that wants to be challenged in a variety of ways and needs a lot of exercise.
Getting an Australian Shepherd
What do I need to pay attention to when purchasing?
The Australian Shepherd is by no means a dog for everyone. Anyone considering buying a Shepherd puppy should be aware that the dog has a life expectancy of 13 to 15 years. During this time you have to keep your four-legged friend busy and challenge him so that you can be happy together. This also means that the demanding four-legged friend cannot be alone at home all day. You should also be aware that the dog is not very small with a size of almost 55 cm and a small city apartment does not offer enough space.
The purchase price of an Australian Shepherd can vary greatly and depends on where you buy the dog. Expect to pay around €1000 for a puppy from a reputable breeder. If you adopt a dog from an animal shelter or get an adult dog from an emergency, you can get away with it much more cheaply.
The Australian Shepherd is available in the four basic colors Blue Merle, Red Merle, Black, and Red as well as 12 other variants. The Aussie’s eyes vary enormously in coloring and can be brown, blue, green, yellow, or amber. Some dogs also have different colored eyes.
Puppy development and education
Australian Shepherds are late developers and usually only fully grown at the age of 3-4 years. At the age of 6-12 months they reach their sexual maturity and sparkle with energy and drive. Sufficient activity and consistent obedience training are essential during this period. As an owner, you should now also teach your dog that sometimes there is no activity for him. If you exhaust him for hours every day at a young age, he will develop into a real movement junkie with immense stamina. Such dogs are difficult to control and often cannot sit still for a second.