Originally bred in the United States as herding dogs, not Australia as the name might suggest, the Australian Shepherd is a high-energy dog and wonderful family companion, similar to the Border Collie. What is it about this dog that makes it such a popular pet?
The Australian Shepherd is an energetic, affectionate and intelligent breed that is incredibly loyal to its owners. These dogs benefit from early socialisation as they can be guarded around strangers.
To know whether these friendly furry medium-sized dogs might be a good fit for you, we have put together their most common personality traits!
While there are common traits that Aussies embody, not all of them are the same. According to the Australian Shepherd Association, here are the most common traits in an Australian Shepherd dog.
Thanks to their high intelligence levels, these dogs are quick learners, easy to train and very eager to please their owners.
Many Aussies are used as police dogs due to their quick wit and ability to learn a great number of commands. According to the Australian Shepherd Club, an Aussie also makes for an excellent rescue dog.
This breed requires lots of exercise and mental stimulation; otherwise, they can become bored and cause trouble in your household.
As the name suggests, Australian Shepherds have been and are still used to herd livestock. These instincts might get the best of them, and they could exhibit such behaviours with other pets and even small kids. Like similar dog breeds, Australian Shepherds benefit from daily obedience training and early socialisation from a young age to help them manage these tendencies.
Aussies are high-energy dogs that require vigorous exercise. This athletic breed excels at canine sports, events and agility trials.
Unless you have a house with a fenced-in yard where it can go run, you should ensure your Australian Shepherd receives enough exercise to prevent it from suffering from health issues associated with excess weight.
An Aussie is a wonderful family pet, and they even make excellent assistance dogs. This type of dog will be a lifelong loyal companion, and you’ll always have a great running companion if you are leading an active lifestyle.
Yes, if your Aussie puppy has been well-socialised from an early age, your dog will be able to live harmoniously with other dogs.
Due to being a herding breed, these dogs tend to nip at other pets they think they could associate with livestock. This impulse can be difficult to control and can potentially cause issues with other animals you have at your house, especially smaller ones.
Yes, Aussies are a kid-friendly breed that makes a brilliant companion for your children. However, it’s best always to teach your children the right behaviour around dogs, as they can play a bit too rough with these normally friendly dogs and upset them.
Small kids might also experience the Aussie’s shepherding skills, so it’s best to keep an eye on them while they’re playing with their furry friend.
Aussies can be quite protective of their owners, especially around strangers. Because of this, it’s best to ensure your Australian Shepherd goes through early socialisation to prevent any potentially aggressive behaviour.
Because this breed is incredibly intelligent, they need an adequate amount of mental stimulation as they otherwise become bored quickly and might start chewing, barking etc.
Aussies bond closely with their owners and always want to spend quality time with them. They can develop separation anxiety quickly; you should not leave them alone for too long.
Like other herding breeds, Australian Shepherds tend to be more vocal than other dogs. However, this should not be seen as a general issue, as this is a major way of communication for dogs.
Yes, these dogs are incredibly active, and therefore their diet should be adjusted to your dog’s food according to their calorie consumption and feed them high-quality dog food. They will enjoy dog sports, playing frisbee or going for long walks with their owners.
Many of the Australian Shepherd personality traits are common in this breed, but not one Australian Shepherd puppy is like the other.
While you can look into the behaviour of the puppy’s parents to see what your pup might turn out to be like as an adult dog, it’s just as much about nurture as it is about nature.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) always advises you to get your puppy from a reputable breeder and get in touch with the national breed club to understand which parents have been used for breeding dogs to look into the traits you might encounter throughout your dog’s life.
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