It is important to know the behavior of the particular Australian Shepherd dog you are looking at. Make sure he or she is from a family line that has NOT been bred to be aggressive. The dogs from a non-aggressive line can make an excellent pet for a family with children. The aggressive lines are better for working on a farm, herding cattle or other animals.

As you are caring for your Australian Shepherd dog, you really only need to groom them and bathe when it becomes necessary. If you do see a burr or anything else stuck to their coat, remove it quickly to it won’t irritate him or matte. When you brush them, use a firm bristle brush.

She will shed a lot, so brushing will help to keep your home free of pet hair, and keeping the coat from getting tangled. You will find yourself vacuuming a lot more because of her shedding, if you are keeping her indoors. Brush her teeth a couple of times a week, great way to prevent periodontal disease.

These dogs are very intelligent and can be trained in obedience easily. Whether he be a non-aggressive or aggressive, he should go through some type of obedience training, making life easier for the both of you.

There are a variety of dog training resources here on the Internet. Learn about the Australian Shepherd dog, and utilize the best training methods on the internet and be sure and start right when you get your puppy. If you start training early you will have much greater success, teaching him early on the rules and ensuring that your new australian shepherd knows that you are the pack leader.

The reason why Australian Shepherd training is so important is because Aussies like to be in control and are a very dominant breed. They were bred to herd and control sheep and cattle, and if you don’t have a ranch, then they may want to just control you. If you have a strong personality, you may be ok, but if not, then watch out. You and your Aussie will be battling over leadership roles.

Australian Shepherd training is a must. You need to make sure you set the rules of the house early on..

These dogs are very intelligent and love to learn new things, and their goal is to make their owner happy. But in order to train your dog, you need to be willing to commit your time and energy that will be needed. If you don’t have the time, then don’t get an Aussie. You will not want an untrained Australian Shepherd as you will not be happy with him or yourself.

Another note of importance, Australian Shepherd training includes daily exercise. They are very active dogs, and love to play. They will become a handful if they aren’t able to use all that energy for something creative. Their demeanor will actually change without the proper amount of exercise. They will become very bored and antsy. When they become antsy, they become short-tempered. You will be hurting your Aussie by not giving him daily exercise.

These dogs can bond to you very quickly, so if you are looking for a pet just to have around the house, you do not want an Australian Shepherd. Training, again, is of great importance, for your dog to be happy and well adjusted, and to behave well in your home.

These dogs are very protective of their owners and their turf. They are very cautious of strangers. This will come in great when they have learned some socialization skills through their Australian Shepherd training. If you don’t have this training done, they may bite others and become very afraid of strangers. The Australian Shepherd Dog is one of the smartest and can be trained very easily.

Be Sure and check out the video below to see how incredibly effective this Australian Shepherd Training Guide is:

There are 3 different variations of black and red Australian shepherds (tri, bi and solid)

Black:

Solid Black

Black Tri

Black Bi

Blue Merele

Red

Red Merle

1. Ask for a pedigree which should include at least 3 generations. You want to be sure that both parents are ASCA registered. But you also need to know that a pedigree full of titled dogs provides no guarantee that you are getting a high quality dog. There are many great dogs that come from unknown sires and dams, and therefore, you can get a poor quality dog from the best pedigree and vice versa.

2. Ask for some references of previous customers. Talk to these dog owners, ask them about their dog and find out if these are the traits you are looking for.

3. Look at the area where the owner keeps his puppies, is the area clean and sanitary, do they have room for exercise and do they get plenty of attention?

4. The Australian Shepherd breeders should be able to answer any of your questions on health, training, housebreaking, breeding or competition. If they can’t answer these questions, then you need to find a different breeder to buy your pup from.

5. If they are conscientious breeders, then they will have specific goals for their dogs. Ask questions about the parents, why they chose these dogs for the parents.

6. Ask which puppy would be best for you and why. If they are a good breeder, they will want to find the best matched home for each puppy. The two of you can discuss what traits are important to you and your home and why.

When you are ready to ready to buy, your Australian Shepherd breeders should provide you with all the health information, registration papers, pedigree and a health record.

If you are looking to bring home a great pet…then one of the top ten breeds are the Miniature Australian Shepherd.  They are like a puppy that never grows up, they love to play.  They are very loyal, courageous and very affectionate, making a great companion for small children.  They love to be active with their child companions.  Because they are naturally protective, they make a great guardian and friend. 

The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a very attentive dog, so eager to please his owner, almost having a 6^th sense of some sort, able to predict what the owner wants before he asks.  He is very lively and agile, making him so fun to have around.  They are very easy to train because of their high intelligence.  If they are left alone too much, they can become nervous and destructive.  They need a lot of exercise and something to keep them busy…such as a job.  They become bored quite easily, so plan on giving this dog a lot of attention, keeping him busy. 

They are not fond of strangers, so socialization while a puppy is very important.  They have a natural instinct to nip people in the heel as if to herd them.  The Miniature Australian Shepherd makes a wonderful and loving companion whether he is there for play or work.

There are some working dog breeds that love to bark, the Miniature Australian Shepherd is not one of them.  They are quiet when they work, and are not very aggressive.  They will work out in an apartment if you are taking them out to walk and exercise every day.  They also do well in a small yard and do great in cold temperatures.

The Miniature Australian Shepherd has a life expectancy of 12 to 13 years.  The only health problems they seem to be prone to are deafness and blindness, especially in the merle puppies.  If your puppy has one merle parent, and one solid color parent, their health issues are fewer.  Those that are pure merle, will have more health issues. 

The smallest of the Miniature Australian Shepherd is the Tea Cup, weighing under 12 pounds.  The Toy weighs 12 to 17 pounds, and 10 to 14 inches tall.  The Miniature height is 13 to 18 inches and weighing anywhere from 20 to 40 pounds. 

The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a great choice for a family pet, especially if you have some active kids who will play with him.  They love and need a lot of attention, they need to be kept busy, and are easy to train.  When you have all of these benefits, how can you go wrong?

Anybody that works with the Australian Shepherd Rescue program are put through a thorough background check.  They will be instructed in the procedures of proper placement and care of rescue dogs.  They not only have foster homes and representatives who put in many tireless hours in caring for these wonderful dogs.  These volunteers vary from dog breeders to pet owner, each one bringing their own talents and expertise to the Australian Shepherd Rescue program.  If you want to be a volunteer, you can contact the ARPH. 

Their rescue efforts are supported by donations of those such as the Australian Shepherd Club of America ASCA, and those who love this breed.  There are affiliate clubs, donations and products from homes and fund raisers.  If you want to make a donation to the Australian Shepherd Rescue fund, you can do so with a tax deductible donation which is in accordance to the US tax code for 501(c)(3) tax deductible charity organizations. 

If you are a lover of this wonderful breed, then this organization can use your help and your donations.  You can help to support and protect this wonderful breed of Australian Shepherd dogs.

The Australian Shepherd Rescue organization is something you can also check into when you are ready to adopt one of these wonderful animals.  The ARPH is in need of good foster homes all across the United States, as well as Canada.  You can offer your home as one of these foster homes, saving these wonderful dogs.  Without you, the Australian Shepherd Rescue would not be able to help the countless Aussies that need their help and rescue.  Be a part of the rescu, provide a loving foster home, become a hero to the incredible Australian Shepherd Rescue program today!