Personality: Aussies are active yet easy-going dogs that love to romp with children. They tend to get along well with other pets.
It's best to seek the advice of a professional dog trainer or enroll your pet in dog training courses. Note that Aussies who aren't aggressive toward their human family members could still show aggression toward other dogs or pets.
If they are not provided with these activities, they will display behaviors such as obsessive barking, anxiety, as well as aggression towards other dogs, including fear-biting and lunging. Australian Shepherds will bark at strangers, loud noises, and other animals as a way of getting rid of all that excess energy.
Strong guardian instincts Aussies are protective watchdogs. Reserved with strangers Aussies are closely attached to their family but do not tend to seek contact with strangers, or easily accept strangers as “friends.” This does not mean they are shy or aggressive. Aussies are selective in their social interactions.
While Australian Shepherds can be very affectionate, loving, and cuddly dogs with their family members, they may not act the same way at all with someone they don't know. This dog will enjoy snuggling with the people he trusts.
Aussies are people-oriented dogs who tend to follow their family from room to room just to be near them. They require plenty of attention. Being left alone for too long may cause the intelligent, energetic Australian Shepherd to create her own fun—often through destructive behaviors or barking.
Australian Shepherds are known for their fierce loyalty with one person, that doesn't mean every Shepherd will act like that. Some Shepherds might not build a particularly strong bond with any one family member. Others might like one of you more than another, but they don't sit on you to show it.
Most Australian Shepherds should begin calming down at two years of age. At this point, they're considered mature dogs who can better regulate their energy. That said, not all Aussies will tone it down at this age. It may take them reaching seniority for their energy to drop off.
Cons! The Australian Shepherd develops a strong bond with its owner that won't easily break. If this breed doesn't have an outlet for its bundled up energy, then it may start destroying objects around the home. This breed will complete any task or job you give it.
Australian Shepherd
Despite their high energy, Aussies are usually quiet. They may bark to alert their owners of a stranger or an unfamiliar situation but other than that, you won't hear much from them. This fits the self-controlled personality that Aussies possess.
Female Aussie shepherds are said to be more sensitive and laid back than males, making them easier to handle. They can make great companions for those looking for an intelligent and loyal pet.
Aussies are active, protective, friendly dogs that love to please and be loyal to their owners. They also have territorial instincts that can make them naturally possessive of their owners and home.
Aussies are very sociable dogs. They can feel lonely when they're left alone often and are prone to suffering from separation anxiety. This is when dogs feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety over being apart from their owners.
Rage syndrome is a rare seizure disorder in dogs, characterized by explosive aggression. Rage syndrome. Other names. A22, episodic dyscontrol, stimulus-responsive psychomotor epilepsy, Mental lapse aggression syndrome. The Malinois was the first breed to have a specific genetic polymorphism linked to rage syndrome.
Australian Shepherds are highly energetic and maintain their energy levels through their adult life and sometimes into their senior years. As a result, consistent exercise and mental stimulation is a must for this breed. Without an outlet for their energy, the Australian Shepherd may develop destructive behaviors.
Australian Shepherds, along with many herding breeds, are known to have high anxiety during storms, especially the intense ones. Spayed or neutered, abused, and abandoned are more likely to be “thunder-phobic”.
Australian shepherds are prone to worry, but only under certain conditions. The majority of Australian shepherds who have a regular schedule and live in a serene environment do not exhibit signs of anxiousness. However, this breed does not do well without a schedule or frequent attention from their owners.
In addition to being herding dogs, Australian Shepherds serve as Seeing Eye dogs, hearing dogs, drug-sniffing dogs, and search and rescue dogs. Because of their high intelligence, Aussies are well-suited to do a wide variety of jobs.
All puppies and young dogs experience a period of extreme activity. In Aussies, it should stop at around 2-3 years of age. But don't worry!
About the Breed
Being a medium-sized dog, Australian Shepherds, on average, weigh between 40-65 pounds and stand 18-23 inches in height. Their expected lifespan is 12-15 years.
An active yet easy-going dog, the Australian shepherd loves to romp with children and tends to get along well with other pets. Australian shepherds are great family pets, herding animals, police dogs and competitors in obedience trials.
"Dogs generally sleep on their back to cool down," McDermott says. "Dogs exchange heat through their paws, and this [position] allows them to cool off." Canines have fewer sweat glands than humans, but those they do have are mostly concentrated in their paws. Dogs release sweat there, but nowhere else on their body.
Australian Shepherds tend to whine for all sorts of reasons, such as to get your attention or if they're sick or injured. If you can rule out a medical condition, then the next step to quiet your Aussie is to train them not to whine. Failing to indulge in their bad behavior will clue them in to stop. Good luck!