Australian Shepherd: photo and description of the breed, character, care and maintenance

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

There are millions of people in the world who love dogs. Some people like the impressive size of the great danes, others prefer the Prague ratliks, which you can easily carry in your pocket. Some people need a dog as a living toy, others - to guard the house. The Australian Shepherd is a breed that absolutely everyone likes. Even those who cannot keep these dogs at home note their cute appearance, intelligence, quick wits, devotion, diligence, loy alty, obedience.

There is another official name for the Australian Shepherd - Aussie. Perhaps someone is familiar with it. In Russia, this breed is not yet very common, but in some large cities there are already nurseries where only Aussies are grown. Let's look at the characteristics of the breed, the conditions for keeping puppies and adult animals, the rules of nutrition and education. Perhaps, after reading the article, you will want to have such a devoted and faithful four-legged friend at home.

A few words about the history of the breed

It is logical to assume that the Australian Shepherd dog came to Europe from distant Australia. However, there is no exact information explaining the history of the origin of the breed. There are only versions.

1. At the end of the 19th century, sheep breeding began to develop rapidly in America. In search of a better life, shepherds from Australia moved to this distant country, taking their dogs with them. The Americans appreciated the intelligence and endurance of the animals they brought. Crossing them with their own species, they bred a new breed - the Aussie, who took hard work and some appearance traits from Australian parents, and from American ones - endurance to weather conditions and resistance to diseases common on this continent.

2. The progenitors of Aussies are German Shepherds, who helped herd cattle. At the beginning of the 19th century, these dogs arrived in Australia with their owners, and later went to America from there.

Based on these assumptions, it is generally accepted that the Australian Shepherd breed is the result of crossing Collies, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Pyrenean Shepherds.

3. There is another version of the origin of the Aussie breed. Some believe that it was bred on the basis of the wonderful Australian coolie dog, which was excellently built, able to easily manage huge herds of animals, distinguished by endurance and hard work.

AKC (American Kennel Club) officially recognized the Aussie breed only in 1991, and the FCI standard was approved 5 years later.

Features of the breed

The Australian Shepherd is a tireless four-legged shepherd, greatcoping with sheep, goats, lambs. It was for these purposes that the breed was bred, which determines its main physical and intellectual abilities. Aussies can easily manage herd animals, make sure that they do not fight off the general group in the pasture and on the way home, protect them from uninvited guests - wolves, coyotes, bears. Having a peaceful appearance and relatively small size (as can be seen from the photos presented in the article), Australian Shepherds are distinguished by courage and fearlessness. Protecting their wards, they rush at the enemy, even much larger than them.

Of course, such abilities are required of dogs only in sheep breeding.

If you decide to buy an Aussie to protect your home, you won't be disappointed either. Your watchman will run around the territory entrusted to him dozens of times a day, and at the slightest danger he will definitely notify you of this by barking. It is possible that he will rush to uninvited visitors. However, with your family members, all Aussies will be as friendly, playful, affectionate, obedient as possible. They especially love children.

Representatives of the breed are also loyal to pets. There have been no cases of Australian Shepherds attacking cats, chickens and other animals, which many dogs often sin. In view of all these qualities, you can safely buy an Aussie for a country house. But if you are going to keep a dog on a chain, it is better to opt for another breed. Aussies without the ability to actively move and without freedom will not live long.

These dogsare used not only to protect the territory, but also in operations to search for people during earthquakes, avalanches.

They are also excellent athletes. You can practice with them in flyball, freestyle, agility, dog frisbee, springpol and other sports.

But don't expect to use this breed as a fighting dog, as Aussies and violence don't mix.

Description of the breed

If you look at photos of Australian Shepherds, you will easily notice that outwardly they can differ significantly in coat color and eye color.

Breeders say no two Aussies are the same. According to FCI standards, the Australian Shepherd breed description is as follows:

1. Head. Always in proportion to the body, without loose skin, without excessively thick or long hair falling over the eyes. The forehead is allowed to be rounded or flat, there may be a tubercle on the occipital part. The muzzle is slightly elongated. The bridge is flat. The teeth are strong. Straight or scissor bite.

2. Nose. Small, its color may vary, which is associated with coat color. It can be either black or brown. In the second case, pink dots are noticeable on it.

3. Eyes. Their incision is almond-shaped. The look is smart. In color, they can be brown, blue, amber, green. Heterochromia is also allowed (eyes of different colors).

4. Ears. In Australian Shepherds, they are small, proportional to the head, set high. Buy them notrequired. Ears should be curled forward (not standing straight, but not hanging).

5. The body is strong, muscular, slightly elongated (the distance from the neck to the back is greater than from the withers to the ground).

6. Weight height. This breed has gender differences. Bitches are more graceful, although also strong and muscular. Their height is from 46 cm to 53 cm. Males are more powerful. Their height is from 51 cm to 58 cm. The weight of individuals of both sexes can be from 16 kg to 32 kg, depending on height. Due to the fact that Aussies are somewhat smaller than many guard breeds, in particular "Germans", they are often called Mini Australian Shepherds.

7. Wool. In Aussies, it is thick, of medium hardness, of moderate length, can be straight or slightly wavy. Both females and males have a thick undercoat. In Australian Shepherds, it is difficult to give a general description of the color, since there are no clear canons on this matter. It can be black, bluish (blue), brown (red), beige with red spots, gray with black spots. In addition, there are Aussies with a brindle color, with an ermine, with a golden one and with a color in which there are all combinations of the listed shades. You can often find Australian Shepherds with a white stripe down the center of the muzzle, with a white chest and the same paws.

8. Tail. Long or short, straight.

9. Paws. Straight, muscular, with thick elastic pads.

Who Aussies are suitable for

Don't think that because the Australian Shepherd is tiny, it's perfect for a city apartment. These dogs, already at the age of 30 days, require more than just care (giveeat, wipe a puddle), and attention to your person. They definitely need to be played with, and later trained. If they went for a walk, they definitely need to run to their heart's content, overcome all sorts of obstacles, catch a thrown ball or disc. Even in the rain and in a snowstorm, they need to be given 1.5-2 hours for active activities. Otherwise, they will start wasting their energy on damaging property in the house.

Therefore, Aussies are in no way suitable for people who are used to spending their free time watching TV on the couch. They will not get along with those owners who believe that the dog should be kept on a chain.

Aussie is a dog for those who lead an active lifestyle, as well as for those who live in a private house and give their four-legged guards freedom.

Where to get a puppy

You can also buy an Aussie from an ad on the Internet, but you are unlikely to receive all the necessary documents. Taking into account the fact that prices for puppies of this breed start from 58,000-60,000 rubles, it is wiser to purchase them in specialized Australian Shepherd kennels. Although Aussies are still a new breed for Russia, some large cities have already started their professional breeding. For example, in St. Petersburg today there are 10 nurseries where you can buy purebred Aussies. Among them, “Marrandi”, “Hannimeri”, “Asteroid”, “Anservish” are especially often noted in the positive reviews of dog lovers.

In Moscow, the Australian Shepherd can be bought in 21 kennels. Among the most popular: Monigi, Volga Winner,Toradora, Freital, Pink Mist, Fantasy Show.

There are Aussie kennels in Togliatti, Yekaterinburg, Sochi, Yaroslavl, Novosibirsk.

How to choose a puppy

Of course, the main selection criterion is based on what your heart tells you. This, perhaps, will be enough if you buy an Australian Shepherd puppy in a kennel. It is unlikely that breeders who value their reputation will try to deceive you by slipping a sick or unpurebred Aussie baby.

Trust in sellers should cause such nuances of the transaction:

• You are willingly provided with all the information about the puppy and its parents.
• All questions are fully answered.
• Do not insist on getting any one puppy, but give you the right to choose.

When considering cute four-legged babies, you should consider that a he althy puppy should be plump, cheerful, playful, not shy, very active.

If you are purchasing an Australian Shepherd puppy with a plan to compete in shows, the puppy you choose must be free of any breed standard flaws. Remember, in Aussies, only size and weight change with age. The color, the shape of the head and ears, the setting of the paws, the proportions of the body remain the same as the dog had in childhood. A puppy that has the following features will not suit you:

• Ears stick out or droop completely.
• Mistake.
• Aggressive or timid disposition.
• White spots on back between tail and withers.
• Onthe muzzle is dominated by white.

How to care

In the house, the puppy immediately needs to determine the place, provide the pet with bowls for food and water, a mattress, toys. The nursery should give you a vaccination schedule. It is imperative to follow it. As a rule, the first complex vaccination is done when the puppy is 8-10 weeks old. After 3 weeks, a revaccination plus a rabies vaccination is mandatory. The third vaccination (with a complex preparation) is carried out at a time when the pet's permanent teeth grow instead of milk teeth. Then the dog is vaccinated annually, trying to carry out the procedure in the same month.

You must definitely pay attention to the condition of the coat of the Australian Shepherd. She needs to be bathed once every 30-45 days. Aussies living on the street can be watered with a hose in the summer. In winter, they clean their fur themselves, wallowing in the snow.

Dogs kept in the house should be bathed in the bathroom. After the procedure, the hair should be dried with a hairdryer, as it will dry on its own for a very long time.

In addition to water procedures, it is required to comb out the pet. Do this 2 to 4 times a week. With the help of a brush, a metal comb and a furminator, dead hairs and fluff are combed out from the dog, and the grease is distributed along the entire length of he althy hairs. Some breeders recommend shaving Aussies in the summer. This somewhat saves the animal from the heat. However, it should be noted that in dogs of this breed, sweat glands are located only on the paw pads. That is, in the heat of cooling by evaporation of moisture from the skin does not occur. Aussiecool their body only by rapid breathing through an open mouth. In addition, shaved Aussies can easily get sunburned.

Also, the following procedures are included in the care of the Australian Shepherd:

• Cutting nails (as they grow, but at least once a month).
• Regular ear cleaning. Do this every week using a wet sponge. During the procedure, you need to examine the ears for unpleasant discharge, redness, scratches.
• Brushing your teeth. Breeders recommend brushing your pet's teeth at least 2 times a week with a special brush and toothpaste for dogs.
• Eye wash. To do this, brew tea with chamomile. Wipe the eyes with a damp sponge.

Training plays an important role in raising a pet. Teaching Aussies is required from the very first day, as he appeared in your house. He needs to gently, but persistently repeat what is possible and what is not. For example, you can not jump on the sofa, gnaw books, suck on the corners of furniture. If this is not done right away, the dog can become a little tyrant.

It is advisable to train a pet with an instructor for more serious training elements. Yelling or hitting a puppy is not allowed.

What to feed

Dog breeders are advised to feed an adult Australian Shepherd only with high-quality dry food. However, many Aussie owners prefer to give their pet natural food. I must say that you will have a lot of trouble with this, since not all food is suitable for animals of this breed. They caneat:

• Offal.
• Meat (beef, rabbit, horsemeat, boneless poultry).
• Seasonal fruits.
• Sea fish without bones.
• Vegetables (boiled or raw).
• Grains.
• Boiled eggs (no more than 2 times a week).
• Fat-free cottage cheese and kefir.

It is strictly forbidden to feed Aussies with the following products:

• Sweets.
• Baking.
• Bird bones.
• Spicy food.
• Sour cream.
• Fatty meat, milk.
• Fried and smoked foods.
• Beans.

The feeding schedule should be something like this:

• Up to 2 months - 6 times a day.
• From 2 to 4 months - 4 times.
• From 4 to 6 months - 3 times.
• From 7 months - 2 times.

How to raise puppies

If you are planning to start breeding Aussies yourself, you need to learn a few rules. Usually, an Australian Shepherd has 6-9 puppies in a litter. Females give birth on their own. After that, they may have spotting for up to 14 days. This is normal. An alarm should be caused by scarlet and copious discharge, purulent, green, brown, with an unpleasant odor.

A bitch may have mild diarrhea and a slight fever after giving birth.

Feed a young mother on the first day in moderation. The menu may include light cereals, broth. Meat should not be given, since bitches who have given birth, as a rule, eat the afterbirth. Their combination with meat can cause significant he alth complications. From the second day it can befeed her the food she is used to. During lactation, the dog needs vitamins, which include calcium.

A bitch with puppies should definitely be provided with a quiet, calm corner, spacious enough for the mother to lie down in it without the risk of crushing her baby.

After walking the bitch, she definitely needs to wash her paws, and treat her nipples with a solution of "Furacilin". It is important to check your dog's mammary glands regularly for lumps leading to mastitis.

Babies should be constantly in the field of view of their mom. She decides when to feed them, when to lick them, and when to leave them alone.

Approximately from the 45th day, lactation in bitches ends. Puppies start independent life. However, their transfer to regular food begins much earlier. Like human children, they need to gradually introduce complementary foods. Start it when the puppies are 3 weeks old. Only one new product is always introduced as a complementary food, waiting until the puppy's body gets used to it.

First on the menu should be a balanced food for newborn puppies. If not, you can get by with low-fat cottage cheese and ground beef, from which you need to make small balls.

After 5-6 days, buckwheat or rice porridge can be added to the diet. After another 5-7 days, fish and vegetables are introduced.

Diseases

Australian Shepherds live up to 14-15 years. They are in good he alth. Their weak points are the spine, paws, eyes. They are susceptible to autoimmune and neurologicalailments. Most Common Diseases in Aussies:

• Cataract.
• Epilepsy.
• Hearing problems.
• Hip Dysplasia.

You should see your veterinarian if your Australian Shepherd shows these symptoms:

• No food.
• Lethargy, unwillingness to play, run.
• Yellow whites of the eyes.
• Brown urine.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Squatting on the hind legs.
• Temperature.

Fleas can annoy dogs. You can understand that they have appeared by the constant itching of the animal. Now there are a lot of drugs that help to cope with fleas - from shampoos to drops that need to be rubbed into the skin at the withers.

Another problem with Aussie owners is ticks. The dog can pick them up on a walk. Therefore, every time you return home, you need to carefully examine the body of the animal, especially the ears, stomach, and muzzle. Having found the parasite, it should be removed in the same way that ticks are removed from the body of people. It is important not to tear off the insect, but to clamp it with tweezers and carefully remove it in a circular motion. If the tick has stuck in a place where the dog cannot reach with its tongue, you can lubricate it with petroleum jelly. Without air flow, it will crawl out by itself.

Aussies can suffer significantly from tick bites. Therefore, pets in the warm season need to be treated with drugs such as Frontline, Advantix. Apply the product according to the instructions attached to it.

Reviews

Those who have an Australian Shepherd leave feedback about the animalvery favorable. Featured Values:

• Very smart.
• Easy to learn.
• Smart.
• Hardworking.
• The Devotees.
• Affectionate (especially with children).
• Do not require a haircut.

Remarkable guards and shepherds.

Noted deficiencies:

• May be jealous.
• Some Aussies have complex personalities.

However, the owners love their pets so much that even flaws are proudly called features of the breed.