Lyla Lindsey
The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized, athletic breed of dog, with a distinctive appearance. Despite its name, the breed is believed to have originated in California in the 19th century, where it was used as a sheep herding dog. Over time, the dogs were bred with other herding dogs, such as Border Collies, and became popular on Australian ranches, leading to their name. Australian Shepherds are known for their intelligence, energy, and playful nature, and have a unique appearance with a fluffy double coat, a lean body, and a tail that can be long, bobbed, or naturally tailless.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Size | Medium-sized |
| Body | Lean, tough, solid, muscular, robust, slightly longer than tall |
| Weight | Between 35 and 70 pounds (16 and 32 kg) |
| Height | Between 18 and 23 inches (46 and 58 cm) |
| Coat | Medium length, straight or slightly wavy, thick, weather-resistant undercoat, shiny, fluffy double coat |
| Tail | Naturally bobbed (short), docked, or long and furry |
| Eyes | May have two different coloured eyes (heterochromia), with one eye light blue and the other brown |
| Colours | Black, blue merle, red merle, red, white, copper reds, browns, tan points |
| Intelligence | Highly intelligent, adaptive intelligence, easy to train, curious |
| Energy | Energetic, lively, active, playful |
| Temperament | Loyal, protective, devoted to their owners, social |
| Working | Working dog, herding instincts |
| Health | Prone to hip dysplasia, may need hip sockets screened |
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What You'll Learn
Australian Shepherd colours
The Australian Shepherd, also known as the Aussie, is a medium-sized, athletic dog breed that usually stands between 18 and 23 inches (46 and 58 cm) and weighs between 35 and 70 pounds (16 and 32 kg). They have a moderately long and wavy double coat, with a dense undercoat and coarse topcoat. The fur is short on the face and well-feathered on the rear legs. The Aussie's tail can be naturally bobbed, docked, or long and furry.
The breed is recognised by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and comes in four acceptable colours: black, blue merle, red, and red merle. The blue merle and black Aussies have black pigmentation on the nose, lips, and eye rims, while the reds and red merles have liver-coloured pigmentation in these areas. The eyes of the Australian Shepherd can be any colour or combination of colours, from glassy blue, amber, hazel, to all shades of brown.
The black Australian Shepherds can be solid, bicolor black and white, bicolor black and tan, or tricolour. Solid black Aussies are the rarest among the black variations and usually have brown eyes ranging from amber to very dark. The red Australian Shepherds, on the other hand, are the rarest of the breed due to the recessive nature of the red-coloured gene. The red coat can vary from light cinnamon to dark chestnut, with the lightest shade appearing copper or gold under certain lighting. Red bicolor Aussies have a red and white coat, while red tricolour Aussies introduce copper or tan markings over their faces and legs.
While the four colours mentioned above are the officially recognised ones, Australian Shepherds do come in other colour combinations as well, although they would not be recognised as purebreds by the AKC. The breed is known for its striking gaze, intelligence, and playful nature, making them excellent working dogs and beloved companions.
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Australian Shepherd size
The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized, athletic breed. They typically stand between 18 and 23 inches (46 and 58 cm) tall and weigh between 35 and 70 pounds (16 and 32 kg). Males are slightly larger than females. The breed standard states that male dogs should stand between 20 and 23 inches (51 and 58 cm) tall, while females should stand between 18 and 21 inches (46 and 53 cm). However, individual animals may slightly exceed these limits.
Australian Shepherds are lean, tough ranch dogs with a striking gaze, a fluffy double coat, and a tail that can be bobbed, docked, or long and furry. They are incredibly smart, curious, and active, requiring plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. They are known to be loyal, protective, playful, and adaptive, making them excellent working dogs and family pets.
The breed is believed to have descended from ancient herding dogs from Spain that eventually made their way to Australia and then to America. They were perfected in California as sheep herding dogs and became popular with ranchers for their intelligence, athleticism, and herding abilities. Today, Australian Shepherds are still used for herding and ranching but have also found roles in law enforcement, search and rescue, therapy, and agility sports.
They are highly versatile and trainable, making them well-suited for a variety of tasks. Australian Shepherds excel when they have a job to do and require plenty of exercise and stimulation to stay happy and healthy. Their intelligence and work ethic make them a unique and exceptional breed.
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Australian Shepherd tail
Australian Shepherds, or Aussies, are a breed of dog that has a slender body, piercing blue eyes, triangular ears, and often a long, fluffy tail. However, many people associate this breed with having short or no tail at all.
The Australian Shepherd is a herding dog, used to working with livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats. A long tail can get caught in barbed wire or crushed by cattle hooves, so historically, tails have been docked to prevent injury. This practice is still carried out by some breeders today, despite opposition and it being illegal in many countries. Docking usually occurs within three to five days of birth and can be done via banding or surgery.
However, it is important to note that Australian Shepherds can naturally have short tails, with around one in five, or 20%, born with a naturally bobbed tail. This is due to a specific gene mutation, where the dog carries the N (normal tail) and BT (natural bobtail) alleles, resulting in a genotype of N/BT. The length of the tail can vary depending on the dog's genetics, and it is possible to distinguish between a natural bobtail and a docked tail. Australian Shepherds with the N/BT genotype have a 50% chance of passing on this trait to their offspring. However, breeding two dogs with the N/BT genotype is strongly advised against, as it can result in severe health defects in the puppies.
Some Australian Shepherds may have no visible tail at all, either due to natural absence or as a result of docking. This absence of a tail does not seem to impact the dog's emotions or personality, and they can still express their feelings through body language, such as the famous Aussie wiggle.
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Australian Shepherd coat
The Australian Shepherd, or "Aussie", is a double-coated breed, with a moderately long and wavy primary coat of moderate length and texture, and a dense undercoat. The undercoat provides the Aussie's coat with a certain fluffiness or foffyness, though some Aussies have flatter hair. The Aussie's coat is short on the face and feathered on the rear of the legs. The Aussie's coat is generally fuller in show dogs than in working dogs, as a fluffy coat is desirable for show purposes, whereas a working dog prioritises work ethic over a full coat. The Aussie's coat colour can vary, with recognised colours including solid black, black with white or tan (copper) markings, red, and red with white or tan (copper) markings. The Aussie's eyes can be brown, amber, or blue.
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Australian Shepherd face
The Australian Shepherd, also known as the "Aussie", is a medium-sized, athletic dog breed. They have a moderately long and wavy double coat, with a dense undercoat and coarse topcoat. The fur on their face is short, and their legs are well-feathered. They are known for their striking gaze and lean bodies.
Aussies are highly versatile and intelligent dogs with strong herding and guardian instincts. They are loyal, playful, and protective, making them excellent companion dogs. They are also recognised as one of the smartest dog breeds and are easily trained.
The breed has a variety of facial features. Some have broad noses, similar to Beagles, while others have narrower noses, resembling Border Collies or Collies. Most have triangular-shaped folded ears, but some Aussies have large, floppy ears.
The Australian Shepherd breed is believed to have developed in California in the 19th century, through the interbreeding of various herding dogs. Despite their name, they were perfected in California, gaining recognition in 1991.
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Frequently asked questions
The Australian Shepherd has a moderately long and wavy double coat with a thick undercoat and coarse topcoat. The coat is short on the face and feathered on the rear of the legs. The colour of the coat can be black, blue merle, red merle, red, or a combination of blacks, whites, copper reds and browns.
Some Australian Shepherds are born with long tails, while others have naturally bobbed or short tails, or are born naturally tailless. Long-tailed dogs traditionally had their tails docked, although this practice is now banned in many countries.
The Australian Shepherd is a medium-sized, athletic breed. They typically stand between 18 and 23 inches (46 and 58 cm) and weigh between 35 and 70 pounds (16 and 32 kg).
