Australian Shepherd

Intelligent and very alert, the Australian Shepherd gives complete devotion to his owner. All he asks in return is the chance to work. He was bred to herd livestock, and is serious and single-minded about his job.

Australian Shepherd Dog breed facts

The Australian Shepherd probably originated in the Basque region of the Pyrenees, mountains between Spain and France, but was dubbed the Australian Shepherd because of its association with Basque shepherds who came into the United States from Australia in the 1800s.

The Australian Shepherd was initially called by many names, including Spanish Shepherds, Pastor Dogs, Bob-Tails, Blues, Heelers, New Mexican Shepherds and California Shepherds.

Information you should know before owning an Australian Shepherd Dog

The Australian Shepherd is an intelligent dog with strong herding and guarding instincts.

He is an agile dog who has the stamina to work all day.

One distinguishing characteristic of the Australian Shepherd is its tail, which is usually a naturally bobbed tail or it may be docked.

The Australian Shepherd is an intelligent, active dog who requires regular exercise.

He is good natured and even tempered, although he may be initially shy with strangers. He makes a loyal companion.

Although there are many theories about the origin of the Australian Shepherd, the breed as we know it today developed exclusively in the United States. It probably originated in the Basque region of the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France, but was dubbed the Australian Shepherd because of its association with Basque shepherds who came to the United States from Australia in the 1800's.

As with most working breeds, the Australian Shepherd was initially called by many names, including Spanish Shepherd, Pastor Dog, Bob-Tail, Blue Heeler, New Mexican Shepherd, and California Shepherd.

The Australian Shepherd's popularity rose rapidly with the boom in Western-style horse riding after World War II. The breed became known to the general public via appearances in rodeos, horse shows, movies, and television programs. Its inherent versatility and trainability made it a useful asset on farms and ranches.

Ranchers continued to develop the breed, maintaining the adaptability, keen intelligence, strong herding instincts, and eye-catching appearance that originally won its admirers. As a herder, the Australian Shepherd is a loose- to medium-eyed dog. ("Eye" is a general term used to describe the way a dog controls stock with its gaze.) It will watch an entire group of animals, but not with an intense gaze. Some dogs use more eye in situations where added power is required to move stubborn or balky animals, while holding off on single animals, as in the shed.

The Aussie (as the breed is nicknamed) is a truly versatile dog. It is so sound minded that it easily adapts to various situations. Today, the Australian Shepherd serves humanity in every imaginable way: as working ranch dogs, guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf, pet therapy dogs, drug detectors, and search-and-rescue dogs.

The breed is not registered in Australia as a native breed, although Australian Shepherds have been registered by other registries since the 1950's. The United States Australian Shepherd Association works hard to maintain the breed true to type in its land of origin. The breed entered the AKC Stud Book in 1991 and entered the Herding Group in January 1993.

Is this a vulnerable breed? Yes, No	No
What size is this dog? Small, Medium, Large	Large
How much excercise is required? 30 mins a day, 1 hour a day, Over 2 hours a day	Over 2 hours a day
How long is this dog's coat? Short, Medium, Long	Medium
How much grooming is required? Once a week, More than once a week, Every day	More than once a week
Does this dog shed? Does shed, Does not shed	Does shed
What area is this dog best suited to? Town, Country, Either	Country
What size house is required for this breed? Flat/Apartment, Small House, Large House	Small House
What size of garden is required? Small Garden, Large Garden, No Garden	Large garden

	General Appearance Well balanced, length slightly greater than height. Medium size, solid and muscular. Various colours. Expression alert, keen and friendly.
	Characteristics Intelligent, strong herding and guarding instincts. Great stamina, loyal, attentive, animated, lithe, agile; able to change speed and direction instantly.
	Temperament Even disposition. May show initial reserve, never shy or aggressive.
	Eyes Brown, blue or amber, or combination including flecks and marbling. Oval shaped, of moderate size, neither protruding nor sunken. Eye rims: blue merles and blacks - black; in red merles and reds - liver/brown.
	Mouth Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Level bite tolerated.
	Neck Moderate length, strong, slightly arched; fitting smoothly into shoulders.
	Forequarters Shoulder blades long and flat, well laid back, set close at withers. Upper arms of comparable length. Legs straight from all sides, with strong oval bone. Medium length, slightly sloping pasterns.
	Body Strong, with firm level topline. Croup moderately sloping. Chest deep, of moderate width, with brisket reaching to elbow. Ribs well sprung and long. Underline shows moderate tuck-up.
	Hindquarters Same width as forequarters. Corresponding angulation of pelvis and upper tights to scapulae and upper arms. Well defined stifles, moderate angle of hock joints. Hocks well let down, perpendicular to round and parallel when viewed from rear.
	Feet Oval. Closely set, well arched toes; thick pads.
	Tail Customarily docked or may be naturally bobbed. Docked: Straight, docked to no more than 10 cms (4ins) length. Undocked: Set low following line of croup. Of moderate length. Never curled or carried over back. Well feathered. In overall balance with the rest of the dog.
	Gait / Movement Well balanced, length slightly greater than height. Medium size, solid and muscular. Various colours. Expression alert, keen and friendly.
	Coat Medium length and texture, straight to wavy, weather resistant with undercoat. Short hair on head, ears front of forelegs and below hock joints. Back of legs moderately feathered. Moderate mane, more pronounced in dogs than bitches.
	Colour Blue merle, black, red merle, red, all with or without tan points. May have white as follows: white collar no further back than point of withers at skin. White on neck as full or part collar, chest, muzzle, underparts, moderate blaze. Coloured coat surrounding pigmented eyerims.
	Size Dogs: 51-58 cms (20-23 inches). Bitches: 46-53 cms (18-21 inches).