Are you eager to learn about the Australian Shepherd Puppies? Are you going to bring these new friends home? If so, your search may end here because all the knowledge about them is available in our blog.
Now, let’s dig in with us to collect valuable and crucial knowledge for a new puppy owner- It’s you.
The Root Of Australian Shepherd Dogs
The Australian Shepherd Dog is a descendant of the Pyrenean Shepherd that belongs to Europe’s experienced herders. The root of this Aussie line stemmed from somewhere close to the Pyrenees Mountains near the border between Spain and France.
It was truly here where the residents, known by the Basque name, formed their long-standing reputation as finest-class shepherds.
At the beginning of the 1800s, Australians (at that time called Anglo people) expanded their search for rich grazing land for breeding cattle. At last, many Basques brought their loyal sheep herds in tow; they moved east- the truly pristine Australian continent, which is a wide pasture for shepherds.
By and by, Australia’s Basque herds cross-bred Collies, British dogs, and their dogs. After refining their brood, the bold Basques left the continent to move to California- a greener and wider land.
USA herdsmen applauded Basques’ shepherd dogs and supposed they were a completely Australian breed- hence the misreading name Australian Shepherds appeared. From that, Aussie dogs, further perfected in the USA, have become a symbolic part of drover culture.
Many of this brainy breed were still merrily shepherding in this West country. Some were changing their main job to rodeo performers to earn their food, and others worked as service dogs which could be rescue dogs, drug detectors, therapy dogs, and so on.
General Appearance Of Australian Shepherd Dogs
Australian Shepherd Dogs have a fairly well-proportioned body of medium size, with colors expressing personality and variety. The physical balance is the premise for their vivacity and agility.
It is coarse and moderately long for its relatively thick coat, and they have natural bobbed or docked tails.
Australian Shepherd Dogs’ eyes might come in amber, blue, brown, or any combination or variation thereof, containing marbling and flecks. They are almond-formed, not sunken nor protruding. There might be black or brown pigmentation on their eye rims.
The ears of these shepherds are average size and triangular-shaped, which are prone to the one side or attention forward completely. There are some severe faults with this body’s part of Australian shepherd dogs, like hanging ears or prick ears, to name a few.
Besides, we have two more characteristics to help you identify this animal from Australia with quite an ease, that is, muzzles and necks.
Particularly, the necks of Aussie dogs are medium length, strong, and moderately curved at their crest. Their muzzle is rounded at its tip, yet from their base to the nose is a little streamlined.
Ultimate Facts About Australian Shepherd Puppies
Size And Lifespan
The size of the Australian Shepherd is about average. Specifically, female Australian Shepherds reach a weight of 40-60 pounds and are 18-21 inches tall, while males are 20-23 inches tall and weigh about 50-65 pounds.
Each Australian shepherd dog has an average lifespan of approximately 12- 15 years.
Disposition
In some initial encounters, their streak might be rather reserved. Yet, Australian shepherd dogs are active and intelligent animals. They are seldom quarrelsome and good-natured.
The Aussie shepherd is a brainy working animal with strong guarding and herding instincts, which allows them to have the endurance to work the whole day and are faithful companions.
As a result, they were bred and raised for herding and are getting closer to human lives and becoming service dogs nowadays.
Health Concerns
The Aussie Shepherd’s coat is double-layered and waterproof. So don’t forget to brush them weekly to keep them tangle-free.
In spring, these shepherds lose their fur. At that time, brushing the coat out every two days would help separate dead fur from them. Sometimes offering them baths is useful to ensure that they would not bring insects or dirt into your apartment from their thick coats.
Due to genetic factors, the shepherd breed could be prone to epilepsy and hip dysplasia as well.
Energy Level
This dog breed is full of energy, so carrying obedience training is essential at a young age. The instinct of Aussies shepherds is a protective temperament. Thus you need to ensure that they recognize well between your family members and those who are guests. Also, if they stay alone somewhere for rather long periods, they might destroy your assets in objection because of their exuberant energy.
Need A Lot of Exercises
Aussies Shepherds stand out with a high energy level. They are usually compared with bees that are energetic and busy with work. So if they are free day by day, they might begin damaging something in your house.
That may indicate the necessity of exercise for this breed; this step would make them happier when they live with you. Depending on your Australian Shepherd’s energy levels, an average walk can suit them.
On the other hand, if your apartment is quite small and you don’t stay indoors often or don’t have time to spare, you should consider a different breed, such as Siberian husky puppies or Maltipoo puppies, or Shih Tzu puppies.
This dog breed will be ideal when you need a great companion on treks, runs, or other outdoor activities. The key point here, we want to emphasize the word “activity” literally. Because Aussie puppies are such wonderful athletes with acute minds, there seem to be no dog activities in which they are not superior. Find one you and your companion can play to enjoy more together.
Very Sensitive
If we have to choose one word to describe Australian shepherds, “sensitive” will instantly pop up in our minds.
This dog breed is good at calibrating sound, light, their owner’s facial expression, and other things. That is why they can integrate very well.
They heed and are excited about many things around them with ease. Moreover, care should be taken a lot to avoid overstimulating your Australian puppy. Thus, allowing them more time to integrate and learn would pay huge dividends. So forget the idea of having a rough kennel for your new friend on the first day.
Australian Shepherd Puppies Care Tips
Apprehend Your Australian Shepherd’s Health
As mentioned above, an Australian shepherd puppy might be caught or infected with some health problems, so taking their health summary is one of the prerequisites. And you should also know that each puppy will have a different medical situation.
Thus you can ask for advice from the ex-owner or the vet about their routine or specific health concerns; from that, you should tailor a preclusive health schedule to follow and avoid some anticipated harm.
Only if you have cleared out your puppy’s health condition could you have the best care for them.
Picking The Correct Food
Proper and adequate feeding is crucial to assist your pet’s growth. Active dog breeds like the Aussie shepherds might have more different and more burdensome nutritional requirements than other dogs, like poodle mixes or miniature dachshunds, baby bulldogs, parti yorkies, to name a few. Thus you ought to choose this breed into thoughtful consideration before deciding to bring them to your home.
How frequently you feed your Australian puppy might vary depending on how old your dog is. Yet, by and large, with roughly 6-12 weeks-old puppies, it ought to be four meals per day; with approximately 3-6 months-old puppies, you should feed three meals per day and two meals a day for over 6-12 months-old dogs.
Furthermore, after nine months, you can also select adult dog food instead of puppy food for your Australian shepherd dogs.
Some Other Tips
Make a plan for your Australian shepherd puppy routine care to support your new friend to live better, be happier and stay healthy in your house during their lifetime. Below are some other tips you need to keep in your mind
- Watch for your puppy frequently, especially some first days they go home with you. Don’t keep doors open; store fragile and valuable things. This act would be away from trouble and keep his mouth out of these objects in your house.
- His weather-resistant fur should keep its natural grease, so it should not take a shower for him many times in a short period. Very easy and simple to groom- give him an occasional brush on his coat.
- This Aussie dog breed has good teeth in general, and you might keep him perfect by brushing his teeth around two times a week.
- Your pet is a very brainy puppy with high energy, so let his mind and his body stay active, or else he will get bored and might result in some naughty stuff.
- Keep your Australian puppy’s diet consistent, and don’t bring people food for him.
- Feeding a diet depends on his age.
- Give your pet exercise regularly, yet don’t overstimulate it some first days.
- An Aussie’s fold-over ears, can be prone to ear infections. Check occasionally for dirt or ear- wax that is easy to build up inside their ears.
Final Thoughts
Suppose you still accompany us until these final lines. In that case, we believe that you have relatively adequate practical knowledge about Australian shepherd puppies before considering bringing an Aussie dog to your house. Moreover, you also properly capture tips to take care of this new friend in your family.
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