Aussies come in four standard colors: blue merle, red merle, red, and black. The red can be red tri, red bi, and the black can be black tri or black bi. They have a medium coat and may have either straight or wavy hair.
Australian Shepherds did not originate in Australia. They were originally bred in America, and they got their name from their working relationships with herders who came from Australia. They are thought to come from the Basque region of Spain. Basque shepherds first took their dogs with them to Australia and then to the United States, so Americans called the dogs Australian Shepherds. The breed, as we know it today, was developed solely in the United States.
Most are medium-sized; however, there are miniature and teacup (toy) varieties. A standard size Aussie is about 18-23", a mini is about 13-18" and a toy (teacup) is about 10-14".
Australian Shepherds need a job to do, even if it is getting the paper every day. Aussies are bred to herd, and if you don't give yours a job to do, they will find one on their own. Inadequate mental stimulation and exercise cause destructive behavior and misbehaving.
Australian Shepherds love to be close to their family members. They will follow you everywhere, room to room, outside, and even to the bathroom. Having one can be like having a shadow, especially if you are your Aussie's "favorite person."
Aussies can have either brown or blue eyes; The Australian Shepherd is one of a few dog breeds that commonly have two different colored eyes, called heterochromia. Aussies might have any combination of brown, blue, hazel, amber, or green eyes. Some Aussies even display more than one color within the same eye.
Australian Shepherds are very shy, apprehensive dogs. Because of this, it is important to socialize your Aussie as a puppy and to expose them to as many people and situations as possible.
The gene responsible for the signature merle coloration of some Australian Shepherds' coats also carries a blind/deaf component. Because of this, it is paramount to obtain a puppy from a reputable breeder.
Australian Shepherds are extremely intelligent dogs and need to be trained from puppyhood to curtail any mischievous behaviors before they begin to form.
Litters usually range from six to nine puppies. The average number of puppies in a litter is seven.
Like other herding breeds, the Australian Shepherd has strong instincts to bark, although this can be overcome with proper training.
While Aussies do well with other pets, they may chase and nip them due to their herding instinct
They gained popularity from rodeos. American ranchers loved Australian Shepherds because they were great herders, but Aussies rose to fame among the general population because of their frequent appearances in rodeos. Not only could Aussies help herd the bulls, but they could also perform tricks.
They’ve had many names. Australian Shepherds have also been called Spanish Shepherds (which makes more sense, given their place of origin), Pastor Dogs, Bob-Tails (more on that later), Blue Heelers, New Mexican Shepherds, and California Shepherds.
Native Americans considered them sacred. Legend has it that Native Americans called Australian Shepherds “ghost eye” and thought they were sacred. These dogs do not always have blue eyes, but pale blue, “ghostly” eyes are common among the breed.
Many have naturally short tails. In addition to having a genetic predisposition for heterochromia, (two different colored eyes) Aussies have a one-in-five chance of being born with a naturally bobbed tail. Ranchers purposely bred Aussies that had these naturally short tails because they are safer when it comes to herding.,.
Aussies are serious shedders. Some owners will claim that their Aussie only sheds twice a year…for six months at a time.
Aussies have many jobs. In addition to being herding dogs, Australian Shepherds serve as Seeing Eye dogs, hearing dogs, drug sniffing dogs, and search and rescue dogs. Because of their high intelligence, Aussies are well suited to do a wide variety of jobs.
Aussies are very agile. They excel in pet sports such as Frisbee, agility, and flyball. One Aussie was a Frisbee champion. An Australian Shepherd, named Hyper Hank, rose to fame for his Frisbee skills in the 1970s. Hank and his owner, Eldon McIntire, dominated canine Frisbee competitions, and they even got to perform at the Super Bowl and play with the Carter family at the White House.
Information by: Lenamariee APR 22, 2022, and Jan Reisen Dec 16, 2020.
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