Fun Facts. SMILE! According to people who own or who have owned Australian Shepherds, this breed will actually smile and show all their teeth. Apparently Aussies are most likely to smile when they've been caught doing something mischievous.
Some Australian Shepherds tend to “grin”, not to be mistaken for baring their teeth, when feeling silly or goofy. It's a sign of appeasement!
Aussies are known to bare teeth when they smile, one of only a few breeds to do so. Although they are not obsessive barkers, they will bark to protect their property, and warn you of nearby activity.
Aside from cuddling, Aussies show affection by bringing you toys, nudging you with their noses, sitting on you, and showing their bellies to you. By putting himself in a vulnerable position, he's showing that he trusts you.
"How do you know that the Aussie Smile means that your dog is happy," you ask? "Because I've never seen 'the smile' when I'm headed out the door without him in the morning, but it's always there when I return home in the evening."
'Ta' means 'thank you'. "A: Can you please pass me the sauce? B: Sure, here you go. A: Ta."
“How ya goin'?” is the ultimate Aussie greeting. If you're not from Australia, this mash-up of “How are you?” and “Where are you going?” might leave you a little perplexed. If it helps, think of how the Brits say “y'alright?” - it requires no detailed response. In fact, a simple “hey!” will suffice.
Just as humans stare into the eyes of someone they adore, dogs will stare at their owners to express affection. In fact, mutual staring between humans and dogs releases oxytocin, known as the love hormone.
Aussies can be very clingy. They crave human companionship and love being included in pretty much everything you do, including being involved in all family activity. Since they require an active lifestyle, they will want to join in everything and anything that is going on around them.
The Australian Shepherd will choose one person in the family and then want to spend lots of their time around that person, including sitting on them. Their loyalty is unwavering, so your Shepherd might become your new shadow by your side.
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. While an Aussie may be left home alone for four to six hours at a time, crate training may be necessary for the dog's safety.
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.
And while Australian Shepherds are some of the most trainable dogs, they are also one of the most stubborn and moody breeds. Part of this depends on their individual personalities, but part of it is also attributed their breed.
When your dog licks you, he may be showing his affection, or simply because your lotion or skin tastes good. A compulsive licker may have unintentionally been taught this behavior by his owner: He learns that licking gets him attention, even if it's negative.
Do Australian Shepherds get lonely? 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.
The behavior is a good sign that your dog is happy at home, happy with you, and happy with any other pets or friends that he might encounter throughout the day. As a general rule, Australian Shepherds need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation in order to feel happy.
“The main reason dogs follow us to the bathroom is because they like to be where we are,” Dr. Coppola explains. “Dogs are obligate social animals, which means socialization is a genuinely natural behavior for them. This is part of what makes them such fantastically loyal companions.”
Australian shepherds are active and thoroughly enjoy being outside. Owners of this breed enjoy playing Frisbee at the beach, going to the park, and camping outdoors. This breed has a passion for living life to the fullest and people who live with Australian shepherds are said to have a lot of friends.
Their cute little bobtail butts wag their whole body when they greet you.
Dogs that have double or water-repellant coats, like Australian Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Akitas, Labrador Retrievers, and Newfoundlands, may only need baths every few months. Bathing them more often than necessary can cause dry skin.
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.
McDonald's research found that 55 per cent of Australians called the company Macca's and they have submitted the word to the Macquarie Dictionary for consideration. It's an Australian habit to abbreviate names. So Barry becomes Bazza, Warren becomes Waz and anyone whose surname begins with Mc is likely to become Macca.
Here in Australia, however, McDonald's most prevalent nickname is “Macca's”. A recent branding survey commissioned by McDonald's Australia found that 55 per cent of Australians refer to the company by its local slang name.