Color change is rarer in adults, but it does occur more frequently than previously supposed. In at least one bloodline of Aussie there is a progressive silvering of the muzzle and face that is not due to geriatric effects. Several distinct types of color change are known to occur in the breed.
Black and red color Australian Shepherds will often have fur darkens in coloring as they grow and change throughout their lives. For the Merle-style fur coat of this breed, the blue and red can have a progressive darkening with them starting their lives as a puppy of a lighter color.
Solid black and red coats are the least common coats among Aussie dogs, with solid red being the absolute rarest. The red-colored gene is recessive in dogs, meaning red fur must be present in both parents to make a red-colored pup.
Aussies are cotton ball fluffy when they're tiny and then they loose all that fluff and have this thin, soft, wispy chicken feather coat for a while during their adolescent phase. As they get closer to being 1 year old they finally get a long, slightly more dense and coarse adult coat (see pics below).
Sometimes, the reason your dog's fur is turning white is a condition call vitiligo. Vitiligo is a rare skin condition that can cause pigment loss in certain patches of skin and fur. While the causes of vitiligo are unknown, many scientists believe that the condition is hereditary.
Aussies are best suited for families with an active lifestyle and a large fenced yard. They need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation to prevent boredom. They can weigh between 35 and 70 pounds and have an average life span of 12-13 years.
Probably the most common type of color change is that of progressive darkening. Many blue merles and red merles are born with their merle areas fairly light. As the years go by they darken until in old age blue merles can resemble black tris and red merles can resemble red tris (or bis, or selfs).
Puppies lose their puppy coats between 4-to-6 months of age, although this time frame varies widely from breed to breed and can start at 12 weeks or wait until they're one year old. You might not notice your puppy shedding, especially if she is a shorthaired breed, or the change could be dramatic.
The dominant coat color in Australian shepherds is black and white. This is why they are the most popular color. The red coat color is recessive. Therefore the puppy will need to inherit two recessive red coat color genes to show a red coat color.
You can determine whether a black dog is red factored several ways: If it has a liver parent or offspring, by doing a DNA test, or by breeding it to a liver colored dog to see if you get liver puppies.
In the 1800s, the Basques began migrating to Australia to keep sheep. Their Pyrenean Shepherds crossbred with other working dogs, including Collies and Border Collies, creating the modern version of the Australian Shepherd.
A mismark is a simply a dog that has markings that are outside the desired boundaries. The PhotoGrid included with this post shows two examples of common mismark Aussies. White body splashes, white ears on Tri or Bi dogs and excessive white over the face or entire head are just a few examples to show you.
If your puppy is properly introduced to the water, many of them do end up liking to swim. This breed wasn't particularly bred to be around water, however. They are herding dogs, which means that they traditionally spent much of their life on land. They don't have the innate love of water that some other breeds have.
Yes, German Shepherd puppies change color as they develop into adulthood. Apart from color, you'll notice that the length, density, and texture will change as well. Even after they completely shed their puppy coat and grow their permanent adult coat, you can still expect to see some subtle changes in color.
The Australian Shepherd is one of a few dog breeds that commonly have two different colored eyes, called heterochromia. Aussies might have any combination of brown, blue, hazel, amber, or green eyes. Some Aussies even display more than one color within the same eye.
All puppies have blue (or bluish) eyes when they first open them. But by the time they're about 16 weeks old, their eyes change to their true color—typically brown. So, if you've got a young, blue-eyed pup at home now, keep in mind their eye color may change.
They, like some other animals, have their one chosen person, which is probably you if your dog sits on you all the time. When the Australian Shepherd chooses their person, they begin to exhibit loyalty towards you, even to an extreme degree.
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.
Yes! Like most dogs, Aussies (and Mini Aussies) are active and outdoorsy, but still best suited to indoor living. Medium-large-sized homes with gardens are best, but they can do well in smaller homes, too. Just so long as they get everything they need to be happy and healthy!
Aussies shed year-round with two heavy shedding seasons in the spring and fall. These two types of shedding occur because Australian shepherds have a double coat. The Australian shepherd's coat features a dense undercoat and a slightly coarse topcoat (sometimes referred to as the outer coat).
At 2-3 years of age, Mini Aussies are considered mentally developed and will be better at regulating their energy levels. In other words, they will start to calm down! That said, Aussies are naturally active dogs and will remain so into old age.
The quick answer is, no, you shouldn't shave your dog in summer. And this doesn't just apply to super-furry Northern breeds, but to other double-coated breeds as well. Herding breeds like Aussie Shepherds, Border Collies and Shelties are double-coated.
The breed is considered highly intelligent and easy to train. Aussies are known for being especially eager to please their owners. True to their herding instincts, Aussies are very protective of their families and territory and will let you know if strangers approach, but they are not considered aggressive.
A dilute's color will be slate blue in all the places one would expect black or roughly the color of a Weimeraner in the places you would expect liver, depending on whether the dogs is otherwise black/blue merle or red/red merle. There will be no true black or liver spots on a dilute. Merles can be dilutes.
What colors can Aussie noses be? The nose in blacks and blue merles must be black and reds are to have liver colored noses. Under the ASCA standard, pink on the nose in a dog one year or older is considered a fault and a Dudley (entirely pink) nose is a disqualification.