Australian Shepherd - breed description and dog character

The Australian Shepherd, or Aussie, is a beautiful breed of dog. She is known for her incredible stamina, as well as a distinctive mind. The breed was bred in the twentieth century. She immediately won a lot of fans among dog lovers. Aussi is a great assistant and companion.

Description

The Australian Shepherd is a breed of dog that has an outstanding mind and excellent physical characteristics. She also has an amazing appearance that sets her apart from other dogs. Although Australia is mentioned in the breed name, the United States of America is the birthplace of these wonderful dogs. She was taken out to help farmers who grazed and drove cattle. Aussi is perfect for this purpose: it has an average size of about 70 cm in height and weighs 30 kg.

Having a calm and cheerful character, Australian Shepherds have become excellent companions. They are also indispensable police assistants in the capture of criminals and the search for prohibited substances and objects. They work with rescuers.

Aussi is the best guide for blind people. Today, there are many pedigree nurseries of Australian Shepherd dogs not only abroad, but also in Russia.

The Australian Shepherd has a number of common characteristics:

1. The breed requires daily training up to an hour a day. She needs to be given high physical activity. The shepherd’s test or obedience lesson will be a wonderful job for them.
2. The shepherd is an excellent protector of the house and his family. She casts her voice as danger approaches, warning her master.
3. It is not necessary to keep an Aussie in the countryside, giving her a huge space. She gets along in the city, if the owner conducts enough outdoor training with her. But, of course, a small courtyard for this dog is an ideal place to spend your energy.
4. She can become the main member of the whole family, if properly learned to use her perseverance. Only a person with a strong character and self-confident can become the owner of this breed. If before people did not keep dogs, then starting with the Australian Shepherd is clearly not worth it.

Australians just love to spend time with their families, they do not like to be away from the owner. You can not leave them for a long time, these dogs can not stand loneliness. Up to the point that they can even get sick.

Appearance

Aussi is a beautifully built dog. Her muscularity corresponds to weight and size. The backbone is well developed. Individual parts of the body have their own distinctive features:

1. Head: proportional to the body. There are dogs with a protrusion in the back of the head. The muzzle is elongated. The transition from the forehead to the muzzle itself is clearly visible.
2. Eyes: Almond-shaped, neither large nor small. They reflect the mind of the dog and her love of life and all joys. By color, they can be brown with all shades, as well as blue. Very often there are dogs with different color eyes - heterochromia.
3. The nose is small with a brown or black tint. If it is brown, it may have small dots of pink color, the so-called skin pigmentation. The color of the nose depends on the color of the shepherd.
4. The ears are also small, high set, I have a fracture in the cartilage. They balk forward. They do not stand straight, but also do not hang completely.
5. The jaw is strong with a straight or scissor bite.
6. The neck is muscular and of medium length.
7. Chest deep set, oval ribs.
8. The body is strong with excellent musculature.
9. The back of the shepherd is perfectly flat and strong, has an extension to the lower back.
10. The croup has a slightly sloping structure.
11. The abdomen is pulled into the groin.
12. Paws of the Australian Shepherd with strong bones, strong and even.
13. The tail of the shepherd does not have a certain length: it can be either short, as if trimmed, or long.
14. The coat is thick, mostly straight, but may have slight waviness. There is a thick undercoat. Short hair is observed in the region of the head and limbs, but in the neck it is longer with brushes.

The most common colors of the shepherd are black. Bluish (bleu), gray with black spots (merle), brown (red), with red spots on beige wool. On the chest and paws of the Australian Shepherd, white and piebald color occurs. Very rarely you can see a dog with a golden, sable or tiger color.

How did the breed appear?

Australian Shepherds appeared at the end of the 19th century in the United States of America. Their appearance is tied with shepherds and farmers who had their assistants Pyrenees cattle dogs. But this multinational story is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.

Some researchers of the origin of the breeds consider the ancestors of the Aussies not to be Pyrenean shepherds, but Old German ones. One of their species, namely tigers or tigers, which were shepherd dogs with a very dense coat of black and gray color. The birthplace of this dog breed was Germany. The Old German Shepherd in the mid-19th century came to Australia, and more specifically to New South Wales, to protect and help in grazing huge sheep flocks. And later, the descendants of these dogs were crossed with other breeds, as a result of which they brought an Australian shepherd, which came to the United States.

Also the ancestors of the Australians called the dogs of the Pyrenean breed, who lived in Andorra. This is a small country between Spain and France. The Pyrenean Shepherd also came to the USA at the end of the 19th century along with shepherds. They were supposed to help the Basques in the development of the American sheep industry, which was rapidly developing in the States at that time.

Another breed of dog that has had its impact on the appearance of Aussies. There was an Australian coolie. This is a very beautiful and well-developed shepherd breed, which could easily cope with a whole flock of sheep and herds of goats and cattle. The Australian coolie is very similar to the modern Australian Shepherd in both color and appearance.

US farmers were pleasantly surprised and interested in the qualities of these dog breeds. They were hardworking, hardy and obedient. From the beginning of the 20th century, breeding work began on the breeding of a new breed. For this, the Australian coolies, the Old German and Pyrenean Shepherd dogs were crossed with other breeds of shepherd dogs. As a result, it turned out to bring the Australian Shepherd.

The Australian Shepherd Club was opened in America in 1957, and after 10 years more than 20 nurseries functioned in the country. In 1977, the breed standard was officially approved.

Character Features

If the Aussie gets the right upbringing and proper training, then she becomes an active, fun and life-loving dog. She is great for all members of her family, and not just for the immediate owner. Aussies get along great with children. Outsiders are causing the Australian Shepherd to be alert. But not aggressive behavior or fear. Pets also do not cause negative feelings among Australians, especially if they grew up together. It is the responsibility of the owner to teach the Aussie to react correctly to other four-legged friends calmly and steadily.

The Australian Shepherd is very loyal to its owner, she simply adores spending all her time with him.The owner can boast that his dog has a sharp mind, she is curious and wonderfully amenable to training. They never show their anger, but only in case of danger to the family.

The owner should think through the daily routine of the Aussie so that she receives enough physical activity and uses her energy in the right direction. The Australian Shepherd is a very active animal. Therefore, if you do not walk with her and not load her, then this can cause the dog to develop depression. Also, the dog may begin to naughty in the apartment. For example, it spoils furniture and other interior items, looking for a way out of its restless energy. Therefore, the owners of the Australian Shepherd should be people leading an active lifestyle. They must have at their disposal a sufficient amount of time and effort. To pay due attention to your pets.

Care Rules

The Australian Shepherd is great for keeping in suburban private houses with spacious courtyards, and in small city apartments. If you keep the dog on the street, you need to build an aviary, which will have insulation for the winter in the form of a booth. Aussie chain retention is not welcome. In the apartment, the dog should have its own place with a couch, own dishes and toys. It should not be exposed to draft. Very dry air also adversely affects the health status of the pet.

Walk with the Australian Shepherd Dog at least twice a day for 2 hours. In the hot season, walking time can be slightly reduced, and you can also choose the coolest time of the day. It can be an early morning or late evening. The sun at this time is not so shining. The cold of Aussi is easily tolerated.

The dog needs to be given plenty to run, following the owner's commands. For games, you can choose plastic discs, a ball or run along an obstacle course. If city dwellers manage to get out of the city, then there will be no greater pleasure for the dog than rushing about in the countryside, swimming in the river. After such procedures, you should carefully examine the dog for cuts, and wash it at home under running water.

Caring for an Australian Shepherd consists of a bathing and combing procedure. There are periods of molting. It is spring and autumn, when the dog should be combed out every day, using a brush and a comb or a special device - a furminator. If there is no molt. It is enough to comb the dog 3 times a week. It is important to remember to do this. Thick Aussi wool is a wonderful home for various parasites, and there is also a risk of skin diseases, the appearance of mats.

A dog should be bathed at least 5 times a year, using special detergents for animals.

Be sure to wipe the dog’s eyes several times a month. This is done with a cotton swab dipped in chamomile broth or tea brewing.

Ears should also be cleaned a couple of times a week using special sulfur removers.

You also need to take care of the health of the teeth and buy a toothbrush and toothpaste for dogs, as well as sweets that help remove plaque from the teeth.

Some owners argue about whether to shave the Australian Shepherd or not. Sometimes this is done with good intentions to help the dog withstand the summer heat. Because thick wool is very difficult for Aussies when there is unbearable heat in the street and in the apartment. Another reason for shaving a dog is the usual laziness of the owner, who is tired of constantly removing the pet’s hair from rugs and other interior items in the apartment.

But we should not forget that dogs lack sweat glands (they are only on the paw pads). Therefore, the dog can not be cooled by natural evaporation of moisture from the body. They can only cool due to shortness of breath. The dog opens its mouth and often breathes, and unnecessary moisture evaporates through the mucous membranes of the mouth.

Uncoated dog skin is very susceptible to exposure to sunlight. Aussie shaved by the host often get burns. And the wool gets irreparable damage.

If the owner has noticed any sign of a pet’s disease, then it is urgent to consult a veterinarian. It is also necessary to consult with your doctor about what medicines should be present in your home medicine cabinet so that you can provide first aid to the dog. You should also purchase the necessary vitamins, make vaccines, treat your pet with antiparasitic drugs.

In no case should you treat dogs yourself to prevent the death of the animal.

Aussie Training

Aussi, like any other shepherd, must adapt to a new family. To do this, she needs to undergo training. In his process, the dog will get used to the owner and learn discipline and obedience.

Australian Shepherds are very trained. When training takes place, screaming and beating are unacceptable. The dog will learn much better if he knows that after the correct execution of the command she will receive some refreshments, as well as praise. Then she will study with pleasure and interest.

After passing the general training course, the Australian Shepherd becomes the most obedient and balanced among other dogs.

Aussie Health

Aussie life is not considered short. On average, this dog lives about 15 years.

Most often, these dogs suffer from diseases of the limbs, ridge. Also subject to eye damage. Present neurological diseases and autoimmune.

Once a month, you need to treat the shepherd with an ectoparasite remedy. Because ticks or fleas are parasites that are quite dangerous for the shepherd, which carry a danger to their life.

Fleas bring a dog an unpleasant sensation: itching, irritation of the skin. Your dog may be allergic to these insect bites. When a flea is combed out of its coat, the dog can swallow it. This can lead to the appearance of worms.

Ticks are carriers of very dangerous diseases, for example, babesiosis. The period from April to October is considered especially dangerous for a pet in terms of tick damage. After walking on the street, you must definitely inspect the dog for parasites. If a tick is found, it must be removed, and the bite site should be treated with a means of infection.

If after some period after the bite the dog does not behave as usual, you should immediately contact your veterinarian.

Buying an Australian Shepherd or not is the decision of every person. Only should take into account the features of its nature and content. Such an active pet is not suitable for everyone. Some people should buy calmer dogs that don't need to run, jump and play with all the time.

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