The Aussiedor is a cross between an Australian Shepherd and a Labrador. The Labrador has been America's most popular dog since 1991, so crossing them with an Aussie is something special. These pups are a real family dog — loyal, intelligent, obedient and affectionate.
The Australian Shepherd, or Aussie for short, is one of the most popular breeds in the United States. Their boundless energy and high intelligence make them fun, entertaining, and hardworking pets and assistance dogs.
But Aussie shepherds aren't only common in purebred form — they also occur as mixed-breed mutts, who each vary in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways. We'll share some of our favorite Australian shepherd mixes below and explain some of their characteristics, so you can decide if one would work well with your family.
Your Mini Yorkshire Aussie is a mix of the Miniature Australian Shepherd (or Mini American Shepherd) and Yorkshire Terrier and, as such, can take on the appearance traits of one or both of the parent breeds.
Wanting a smaller version of this already wonderful canine, dog breeders began breeding the smallest Australian Shepherds together. The result being the Miniature Australian Shepherd. Today, these dogs remain a popular choice for singles and families all over.
The Miniature Australian Shepherd began to be developed in the 1960s by breeding small Australian Shepherds. The desired size was reached in the mid-1970s. While the MAS is small, it can still be used for work and competition but is a bit happier in a family home.
History of the Australian Shepherd
In the 1800s, some of the indigenous Basque people took their dogs from this region and traveled to Australia, hoping to find more cattle land. The Basque herding dogs then were crossed with border collies and other dogs in Australia. And eventually they made their way to California.
Australian shepherd colors and patterns can vary greatly, but the United States Australian Shepherd Association recognizes these four major categories: black, red, red merle, and blue merle (merle being the genetic pattern that occurs in a dog's coat, often appearing as speckled patches of color).
The Miniature American Shepherd resembles a small Australian Shepherd. True herders in spite of their compact size, Minis are bright, self-motivated workers and endearingly loyal and lively companion dogs who have an affinity for horses.
Splooting is a great stretch for the animals' hips. Splooting also allows the animal to cool themselves by pressing their belly into the ground or against tile floors. Owners may notice that their pets sploot more often when they are younger.
Why, yes. But while certain breeds originated in North America, there's only one wild dog we can claim: the Carolina Dog. The Carolina dog looks an awful lot like the Australian dingo, and is sometimes called the “American Dingo” or “Dixie Dingo” because of its Southern roots.
While the term "Aussie dog" is commonly used to reference the Australian shepherd, there is a variety of similar dog breeds, like Kelpies, Koolies, and Australian cattle dogs, that are actually native to the continent.
Australians, colloquially known as Aussies, are the citizens, nationals and individuals associated with the country of Australia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or ethno-cultural.
Australian Whites
The four breeds of sheep that were selected to develop the breed were chosen for specific traits they could bring to the breed. These breeds were the Poll Dorset, Texel, White Dorper and Van Rooy.
Aussies with mostly white coats can be produced when two merles are bred together. Merle is the patch-work coloring (black and grey or liver and buff) most associated with the breed.
The solid red coat of an Australian shepherd is the rarest color. This Australian shepherd coat color, which ranges from deep reddish to lighter shades of red, is the rarest color. To create a solid red coat, breeders must strategically pair dogs with the ee recessive form of the E gene.
Red Bi – Red and White. The Merle Pattern. A blue merle is a black dog with the merle pattern; a red merle is a liver dog with the merle pattern.
A Toy Australian Shepherd is the smallest Australian Shepherd size. They are the same size as a Teacup Australian Shepherd. Like the Teacup Australian Shepherd, the “toy” size of Australian Shepherd is not officially recognised by kennel clubs.
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.
Despite being medium-sized herding dogs, the German Shepherd vs Australian Shepherd are two unique breeds. They have different origins and distinct personalities. For example, Australian Shepherds are ranch dogs from the United States, but German Shepherds are native to Germany's farming communities.
'Out of Africa' stated that the first humans to colonise Australia came from a recent migration of Homo sapiens through South-east Asia. These people belonged to a single genetic lineage and were the descendants of a population that originated in Africa.
Aussies are active yet easy-going dogs that love to romp with children. They tend to get along well with other pets. The breed is considered highly intelligent and easy to train. Aussies are known for being especially eager to please their owners.
Australian Shepherd dogs are one of only a few breeds that can boast the rare feature of a naturally bobbed tail. While not every Australian Shepherd dog is naturally tailless, about one in five Aussies are born without a tail.
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.