Australian Shepherd Dog - Everything You Want to Know

Even though this breed is called an Australian Shepherd Dog, it is actually an American breed that was raised to work on cattle ranches. They grow to be 18 to 23 inches tall, which makes them a mid-sized active breed, and they weigh anywhere between 35 to 70 pounds. The coat of an Australian Shepherd dog is a beautiful medium length and can be either straight or wavy. They can be in several colors, red, black, blue merle, or red merle, as well as certain markings. They are very healthy breed, with very few health problems, of which may include deafness, hip dysplasia, and sight problems.

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.

Just like human beings, dogs are also affected by some hereditary diseases that can affect them from birth.  For the Australian Shepherd Dog, there are genetic diseases which can create an impact in the life of the dog from the time it is born.  There are some dogs however, who may not show any manifestation of the disease early in life.  Because these are hereditary diseases, we know that it would be impossible to cure it.  So if you want to get a dog that is completely healthy, get a puppy from a known breeder.  Reputable dog breeders give you the assurance of selling only Aussies with no health problems.

Among the common hereditary diseases affecting the Australian Shepherd are:

1.    Eye Cataracts

Aussies are known to be prone of having cataracts, but not all cases can be traced as hereditary in nature, but in cases where both eyes are involved, there is a high probability for it to be traced as hereditary.  Most Aussies develop cataracts as early as 1 year or as late as 7-8 years of age, but it would usually appear when they are 2-3 years old.  Detection and early treatment should be done to prevent complications that can lead to blindness.

2.    Iris Coloboma

This is another eye problem where there is a gap in the structure of the eye, which can cause sensitivity to bright light.

3.    Distichaisis

With this hereditary condition, the dog’s eyelashes grow towards the eyes and not away.  This will actually cause discomfort to the dog.  Surgery may be required ASAP before the cornea is damaged.

4.    Epilepsy

There are some dogs that may be fortunate of having seizure attacks that are very mild but there are also some with severe attacks and may need to be under medication to have it under control.  The sad thing is, it is a lifelong condition and blood tests may be required regularly to check on the proper level of medication.

If you plan on owning an Australian Shepherd dog and you want to be sure you won’t have problems in the future, make sure you buy it from a reputable dealer.  You may ask around or ask friends who also own Aussies and get your dog from the same breeder where they got theirs.