The Australian Shepherd also known as an “Aussie” is tough ranch dogs used mostly on farms. Despite its name, they were brought up on ranches in the Western United States during the 19th Century. Australian Shepherd’s popularity grew after World War II when they were involved in Western Riding including rodeos and horse shows. They are a medium sized dog with a life expectancy ranging anywhere from 12-15 years.
The coats of these dogs can come in all different kinds of colors, including merle (dark blotches on top of a lighter shade in the background of the same color, giving a marbled look.) Merle can have a red or blue tint color. Not only is the coat a beautiful trait, but their eyes are just as unique with brown amber, blue, green, hazel, eyes that are different colors. For example, one eye blue and one eye green. Aussies are known to sometimes have a “split” colored eye, which is where half of the eye is one color and the second half is another color.
Although most of this breed are born with long, full tails, it has been tradition to bob the tails to prevent injury when the dog is working. Some can even be born with naturally bobbed or shorter tails. Aussies have strong urges to herd things like cows, birds, dogs, even kids and are extremely intelligent with lots of energy. These dogs herd livestock by nipping at the animals’ heels, so it is important to be aware of this habit and correct it as soon as possible.
One important thing to note about Australian Shepherds is that there are two types: those bred for herding and those bred for dog shows. The herding dogs tend to be smaller, thinner, with smaller coats than show dogs. These traits make them more agile to work all day long. If you are looking to add an Australian Sheperd to your family, you need to be prepared for an active and loving companion!