Reasons for and against having an Australian Shepherd as a pet

The Australian Shepherd is the quintessential herding dog. It rose to fame as a sheep herder and, although it probably originated in the Pyrenees mountain, it was exported to Australia and other sheep-raising areas. It is known by a few other names, but the best known is the Australian Shepherd or Aussie.

He is a very recognizable dog due to his unique eye color coupled with his beautiful merle coat color. It is normally born with a short tail and if it is longer than 4 inches, it is usually amputated. He is stocky, muscular in build, and has extraordinary balance, which partly explains why he is so good at herding along with his intelligence. If you have a very active lifestyle and want a companion that is easy to train, you may want to consider an Aussie for your next pet.

Advantages:

An Australian Shepherd is a loving breed of dog that loves to play and never seems to lose his puppy qualities. For this reason, he is a great dog if you have children in your home. He gets along very well with other dogs and pets, as well as all humans.

Although he likes to play, he is easy to train and seems to know what you want him to do. Like most dogs, you must show that you are the leader of the pack. Once you do this, the Aussie is easy to get along with and will be very happy to follow his lead.

The Australian Shepherd loves to please everyone and is very protective of his family. Given the opportunity, his pet will do well when trained to be a guard dog. They have great insight as well as being intuitive. Your pet will know what is expected of him and therefore it is easier to train.

An Australian pet is not aggressive, unless it is herding animals. He is protective and a loyal friend, which makes him a good family dog. This dog likes nothing more than herding cattle, so if you have animals that need to round up, this is the dog for you. Herding seems to be instinctive as they have been known to try to herd chickens, geese and even children.

Cons:

You need to keep your Australian Shepherd pet properly trained and exercised regularly to keep it happy and content. Before you can start training them, make sure they know that you are the leader of the pack. He can easily get nervous and bored when he is not recognized. It requires human interaction on a daily basis to prevent it from becoming bored and possibly destructive.

The Aussie is a great dog, but he has too much energy to be a house dog. He must be very active every day. If you don’t have a large backyard or can’t get your pet out for plenty of exercise every day, you should consider a different breed of dog.

Although Australian Shepherds are hardy dogs, there is a problem that can appear in them. The gene that produces their pretty merle coloration is also a factor that can cause blindness and deafness. Puppies should be checked for deafness and cataracts. Aussies with bobtails can sometimes develop serious spinal defects. Hip dysplasia is another possible problem in some of these dogs. These conditions are not found in all of them and should not be considered serious enough to deter you from considering one as a pet or helper.

Like most dogs, Aussies need proper training to be the best pet. Fortunately, this pet has above average intelligence, as well as fidelity and loyalty found in few other pets. If you need a good friend to also help out around the farm or ranch, do yourself a favor and check out the Australian Shepherd. You’ll be happy you did.