Breed Focus: Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherds can come in a variety of colors! (Image Source)

The Australian Shepherd is a breed known for its intelligence and energy. They will be extremely devoted to your family, but will need a large amount of exercise and ‘jobs’ to keep them out of trouble. They excel at advanced training courses such as agility and fly ball. They have become one of the top breeds for these particular sports. Australian Shepherds were originally bred for herding and farm work in the west part of the United States. (Not in Australia as many people would suspect!) With this background, they can sometimes be a little more high strung when there is a lot of activity and may even try to nip or herd small children to ‘keep them in line’. Early training is a must for this very smart breed.

 

Of course the puppies are VERY cute! (Image Source)

One thing to consider about this breed is that they will shed. Typically light shedding throughout the year but twice a year they will blow most of their coat. If you maintain a regular brushing schedule early on it will help alleviate some of the shedding around the house. There are a couple of health conditions to be aware of when seeking out this breed. Make sure that the parents have had their hips and eyes certified. This means that they are clear from hip dysplasia and several of the genetic eye conditions common in this breed. One other condition that is prevalent in this breed is call multi drug sensitivity. Patients affected by this condition, are unable to use or metabolize some common medications used in veterinary practice. The most common of these is ivermectin (frequently used in heartworm preventatives). There is a simple test that can be performed by swabbing your puppy’s cheek to see if they carry this gene. There are other medications that can be used for heartworm prevention but it is a good idea to know if your pet is a carrier for future medical needs.

This breed will excel at many sporting events!! (Image Source)

 Overall the Australian shepherd can be a great family dog. They will do best with an active life style and with people who are committed to continued training and socialization. If this sounds like it could be you then this could be a great match! For more information on this breed, please view the following websites here and here.