You should be aware of many things when looking to adopt a pet, and if you have your eyes set on the Australian Shepherd, you surely want to get to know them better, at least before you get a chance to adopt one.
And while there is numerous information available online about many dog breeds, we have summarized all the basic facts about the Australian Shepherd you need to know.
Without any further delays, let’s get right into the story.
Basic Characteristics
Here we will be talking about all the necessary things you need to know about the Australian Shepherd.
This includes the physical attributes, temperaments, training, and what you should know when it comes to grooming.
Physical Traits
Known for its heavy bone density, this breed is a medium-size canine built right for stamina.
They possess a medium-length coat density that appears black, red merle, or blue merle in color. Those with a merle skin cover have eyes that appear blue or amber.
It is also possible to find those with a distinct mix of eye colors. Due to the double layering of the coat, they have a curly or wavy texture that is soft to the touch.
This popular Aussie breed has a long point tail and short ears that appear playfully whenever the animal is excited.
At medium size, the animal stands at the height of 18 to 23 inches and weighs between 40 to 65 pounds.
You can check the Holistapet dog guides to find out more about the physical traits of this Aussie breed.
Intelligent Personality
You will be getting a pup that is highly intelligent and aware of everything around it.
Known to be self-conscious of their environment, they can be trained to be overly protective of their families.
Part of their history is that they come from an ancestry of herd dogs that were used in herding cattle and other farm animals in the wild.
So you could get them to do things for you around the house if you can train them properly.
Temperament
This breed of dogs won’t get angry quickly, but this doesn’t mean they should be pushed to the wall.
With a lovable temperament and exciting energy to back it, they are overly playful when around family.
But they are equally very territorial and won’t hesitate to be on alert if anything should invade their space.
Still, while they may look highly defensive, getting them to calm down isn’t a big deal.
With proper pampering and treat to go with, you should be able to quench their fire whenever it starts burning.
Exercise Needs
You want to get them enough playtime outdoors. For dog breeds that require a good amount of exercise, having a spacious backyard for them to play in might be best.
This doesn’t mean if you have an apartment lifestyle, they can’t also fit in. You may have to adopt a regular schedule of visiting the park and going for strolls to get them fit.
They also enjoy outdoor games a lot and would surely benefit from having play toys around them. You can check this website for more dog exercise tips.
How to Train Your Australian Shepherd?
One thing you will need to do is learn about their history. This will inform you about their earlier conquest in hunting, which means that they can easily be bred to help out with farm work.
But you must know they could be one of the worse breeds to commit to training. So you will have to put your foot down if you want them to listen to you.
Still, you don’t need to be a dog master at getting these to obey you. You should have a training routine for keeping them in check.
The key is to bond and build trust with them at the early stage. So it is best to adopt them as pups and spend quality time with them as they grow.
A breed that is overly jumpy may be difficult to give instructions to, so you will have to work on making them feel okay to socialize around you.
This will help them in staying calm when in the presence of visitors or others outside.
Caring for an Australian Shepherd
Not too many people are aware that these breeds are not friendly with other pets, so you want to make sure to keep it that way.
Having more than one of these breeds at home is best if you get them young.
Having a grown-up Aussie Shepherd and getting a new pet would surely result in commotion at home during the early stages.
But with the proper conditioning, you can get them to play along together while living under your roof.
When it comes to caring for this breed, below are some of the things you should know.
- You want to get them a good mix of protein and carbs in their diet. They should not use too much wet food without the proper essential nutrients. Water should also be part of their diet as they run around, so they stay hydrated. Treats are equally an excellent way to get them to play along, so you want to get just the right ones for them.
- Grooming is also critical for Australian Shepherds as they have a medium to long coat that needs to stay neat always. It is also good you invest in quality dog bath products so they can maintain their clean appearance. This link https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/pets/a32047729/groom-dog-at-home/ has more on dog grooming.
- Visits to the vet and regular health check is also essential to ensure they live long. So it pays if you make it a date with your vet regularly.
Final Note
There are not too many things to look at when in the market for a new house dog. But you should go for breeds that have homely temperaments.
The Australian Shepherd can be trained to be a good companion both at home and outdoors.
