I was offered an Australian Shepherd and I don't know much about them and I was wondering if anybody here knew much about them or their behavior or anything. I can't access any websites at the moment and that is why I am asking here.

Thanks!

They are extremely active dogs - herding dogs, in fact. They need lots of attention, tons of exercise, their minds need to be challenged.

I LOVE my Aussie... she has housebroken my other 3 dogs with her herding instinct. She is very protective of the family, meaning she barks at anything coming into the yard. She is very lovable and wonderful with small children.

She is extremely smart and will "herd" me when she is out of water or when it is time to eat.

JudyKayTee agrees: Well, my dog doesn't herd me - she calls me on my cell phone. How's that for smart?

I wish mine did that... I'm so tired of her circling me and getting all tangled up in my feet when she wants to eat or drink.

So, I couldn't do wrong in getting him? So, I take it they get along well with other dogs? I was wanting to get my dog a playmate and have another lovable animal in my home. Dogs are just so great but my dog I have now is just really dumb sometimes and I was hoping that if I got the Aussie then he could help smarten my dog up a little bit and help with house training him.

Mine gets along perfectly with my RottenLab (Rottweiler/Lab), the basset hound, AND the Newfoundland, as well as all of the children in the neighborhood.

McKinley (Mick) the aussie, housetrained all of the other dogs, albeit they were all puppies when we brought them home.

Mine gets along perfectly with my RottenLab (Rottweiler/Lab), the basset hound, AND the Newfoundland, as well as all of the children in the neighborhood.

McKinley (Mick) the aussie, housetrained all of the other dogs, albiet they were all puppies when we brought them home.

Really? That is interesting enough. I have golden retriever/boxer mix and he is very lovable and gets along with any animals so they should get along with each other then. Thanks A lot.

Taa Daa...

Australian Shepherd Breed Information (http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/information/australian-shepherd.asp)

Size 4/5 stars
Exercise 5/5 stars
Grooming 3/5 stars

They need a LOT of mental stimulation and exercise.

Thanks Shaz but I can't access any websites. My work has them blocked. What do you mean they need mental stimulation or how do you go about this?

Oh whoops, sorry... I read that you couldn't access any, but for some reason my brain didn't compute.. I will cut and paste it :p

Size 4/5
Exercise Requirements 5/5
Grooming Requirements 3/5
Weight 18 - 30 Kg (approx)
Life Span 12 - 15 Years (approx)
Appearance

The Australian Shepherd is a medium sized dog with a coat of medium length. They come in a wider range of coat colours which may or may not include white trimmings and copper. Aussies come with a range of tail lengths due to a natural bobbing gene. Some dogs will have little or no tail while others will have a full length, feathered tail. The gait is smooth and free. 'Grinning' is a characteristic of some Australian Shepherds and should not be mistaken for snarling.
History

The Australian Shepherd was actually developed in America but there is much debate over their origins. It is generally believed the dogs came to Australia from Spain, before traveling on to the United States in the late 1800's with flocks of Merino sheep and the Basque Shepherds who tended them. Another theory is they were Australian Sheepdogs derived from the Smithfield and some type of collie, possibly the German Coolie or its ancestor. The name was coined in the United Sates because of the believed link between Australia and the herding of Australian Merino Sheep. The Aussie has been elusive, at least in documentation of their origin. Nowadays they are very popular as a family pet, an obedience and agility dog, a worker and more recently as a show dog
Temperament

Initiative, affectionate, loyal, and enthusiastic. Aussies are known for their ability in obedience, agility, tracking, frisbee catching and endurance. Aussies are extremely motivated to please their owner and thus are easily trained. They will match their lifestyle to that of their owner and for this reason there are Aussies living in a diverse range of housing situations from farms to backyards to units and apartments. Aussies love their people and do require quality time with them even if it is watching TV on the couch of an evening.
Care / Grooming

Moderate, weekly brushing will keep the double coat clean and shiny. Seasonal shedding will occur but is limited if the coat is brushed regularly. It is important to watch the weight of an Aussie as they are good 'doers' and can become overweight quickly.
Health

Extremely healthy breed. Some inherited conditions of hips and eyes can occur. Ensure that parents of any pup have been tested for Hip Dysplasia and that both parents and pups have clear eye certificates.

Thanks A lot Shazzy. If I had the number for that guy, I would give him a call right now. I will definitely get him if he is still available.

Good luck!

I don't personally know the breed well but from the info I have read and what J_9 and Judy have said they sound like great dogs!

I hope you have a LOT of time for that dog.

My parents own one. Do you know if it's from working lines? If so, loook oooooout. That dog is so ballistic. I've never been able to tire her out, ever.

They need jobs to do - just walking won't do for many of them.

I hope you have a LOT of time for that dog.

My parents own one. Do you know if it's from working lines? If so, loook oooooout. That dog is so ballistic. I've never been able to tire her out, ever.

They need jobs to do - just walking wont do for many of them.



That's how I started my answer - these are dogs that need to be exercised and challenged. No question.

Don't get me wrong, I love Daisy to death, just good lord, she's 9 years old and still won't slow down.

They get bored very easy, and depending on the dog they can/will get destructive if not stimulated.

If you do decide to get an Aussie, Definitely 100% GO TO OBEDIENCE TRAINING. And try to get into something like agility or flyball.

I own 2 aussies I love the to death and I take them out for bike rides almost everyday. My girl, goes to the farm with me and loves it.
They are great dogs to have, but need extra attention with exercising. If they don't get the right amount of exercise it can create health problems for them. USUALLY they are good around little kids but be careful and watch them(they are still dogs) Make sure you do not get an all/mostly white aussie, this means they were breed merle or merle. It can cause health problems as well. (http://www.ashgi.org/articles/gen_info.htm) that's a good website to cheek out.
They are great around other animals and people, they can become protective over their owners and get aggressive towards visitors so they definatley need to be trained. Just like any other dog. I hope this helped a little. Enjoy your pup! :]