6 Responses for "tell me all about australian shepherds?"

1. Skippy February 11th, 2009 at 5:58 pm 1

   First off, there is NO "mini" Aussie, official or not. Any breeder advertising them (or worse, "toys") is a breeder you RUN, don't walk from.

   Aussies have their own set of health problems, including epilepsy, which is why if you don't rescue, you'll need a good, responsible breeder (see above ^^ that's why bad breeders are BAD).

   They love kids-but that might not mean they are great with them. They are very hyper, and must be exercised regularly, and a LOT. The reason they may conflict with kids (especially preschoolers) is because they are SO energetic and get SO excited that they might scare the child, or even knock them down.

   Aussies are also extremely smart. They must be stimulated mentally, or given a job to do, or they will invent their own. These "jobs" of theirs may vary, but they are often disliked by the owners of those dogs. Being herding breeds, Aussies will also nip at the heels of others (especially children) in an attempt to herd them. This is not aggression–many think it is, but it's just drive–a fact of the breed.

   A great way to combat both the energy levels and the mental stimulation of the breed would be to get your dog involved in something like herding, agility, or something of the sort.

   Australian Shepherds are friendly dogs, especially away from home, but they can get protective of their territory so socialization is key. You'll also need to keep in mind that if you act like everything is okay, than they'll think everything is okay. They are very smart, and tend to be willing to please, so can be "easier" to train, but they can have their "stubborn" moments.

   Let's see….They can have a warning bark when strangers arrive, and of course some dogs are yappier than others. My dogs have always had free un-fenced yards and been fine, but remember to make sure your dog has good recall before letting them out completely alone and off-leash.
   References :
   Australian Shepherd owner 20+ years.

2. Amy P February 11th, 2009 at 6:39 pm 2

   http://dogbreedinfo.com/australianshepherd.htm is a great site with reliable information.
   Australian shepherds do need alot of exercise both physically and mentally. They need to be walked for an hour everyday and they love having jobs to do. They where bred for herding so are smart and energetic. Some will nip at childrens heels in an attemp to "herd" them but its all in how they are raised and trained. If your prepared to exercise it everyday and take it to obedience training, an austarlian shepherd can make a good family dog.
   References :

3. wenk February 11th, 2009 at 7:18 pm 3

   my friend has an aussie sheppard border collie mix. She is awesome, but not great around little kids. She does not like quick movements, and things like toddlers freak her out a bit. She nips at them. He took her to a vet with some behaviour background, and she said it`s in her breed to heard small things, and it`s just her nature to nip them if they run by…they`re òut of line`so to speak. Saying this, I think with better training, she would be way better with kids. She has had basically had no training and is super spoiled. Otherwise, she is super affectionate, Extremely smart, loves playing and is otherwise extremely well behaved. Sorry about the convoluted answer, I am trying to say, I think it would be ok, but def need lot`s of attention and dominance training to control the nipping!
   References :
   dog I know, lot`s of dog experience

4. oreopuppy February 11th, 2009 at 7:36 pm 4

   maybe you should go to this website. it tells about your breed and tempermant,etc
   they even give pics and you can up load your own
   http://www.breedinfo.com
   References :

5. Cloey S February 11th, 2009 at 7:42 pm 5

   I have an Australian Sheppard, I love him too death.
   Every day when I get home he greets me
   like he hasn't seen me in years, he some times smiles
   which looks like he is growling. He tends
   to nip the back of your legs as your walking out the door
   as if he does not want you too leave. He is very territorial,
   for some reason, he seems to bark at men more.
   I recently learned that if you don't socialize them when
   there are just pups they will have social problems (when meeting
   new people tend to bark alot). But all in all they are loving dogs.
   References :

6. Severt G February 11th, 2009 at 8:20 pm 6

   Jessi :), I like the look of a miniature australian shepherd. They are so cute.
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