Australian Shepherd History Their Pyrenean Shepherds crossbred with other working dogs, including
The breed actually developed in the United States and its progenitors came from the Basque region of the Pyrenees, between Spain and France. It is believed that Basque shepherds brought over small 'blue' dogs to work in the U.S. The sheep that were worked were imported from Australia.
Australian Shepherd, byname Aussie, also called Australian Shepherd dog, breed of herding dog that, despite its name, was developed in the western United States in the late 1800s primarily from British-derived herding dogs, most of which came to the American West via the East and Midwest, though some arrived via ...
The Australian Shepherd belongs to the UK Rural clade, alongside the Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, and Border Collie.
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).
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.
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.
Australian Shepherds and Border Collies are two popular breeds of herding dogs known for their intelligence, agility, and high energy levels. While these two breeds may look similar at first glance, they have distinct origins that have shaped their unique characteristics.
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.
About the Breed
The Australian Shepherd, a lean, tough ranch dog, is one of those 'only in America' stories: a European breed perfected in California by way of Australia. Fixtures on the rodeo circuit, they are closely associated with the cowboy life.
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.
Besides working as herding animals, Aussies serve as police dogs, narcotics detectors and competitors in obedience trials. They also make great family pets. They are a recent addition to the AKC herding group; some Aussie breeders fear AKC recognition may create undue emphasis on appearance over ability.
The answer is no — Australian shepherds are not inherently aggressive dogs. That being said, any dog of virtually any breed can display aggression given certain circumstances. For the most part, the Australian shepherd is a kind-hearted, loyal, protective dog who tends to develop very strong bonds with its owners.
The breed standards state that Australian Shepherds can come in some combination of two basic body colors (black and liver), one pattern (merle), and two trim colors (white and tan.) Of these, the pattern merle is described as two “colors”: Blue merle and red (liver) merle.
They're a very devoted breed and highly intelligent. Australian shepherds bond with their owners and family and take their role as guardians seriously. This can cause them to be protective, but also aggressive toward things they perceive as a threat if they're not properly socialized and trained.
While intelligent and hardworking, the Australian Shepherd can still be a goofy and loving family pet.
Your Aussie will bond to his family and be protective of and loyal to them. Many dog owners are surprised to learn that even though Aussies have strong guarding and herding instincts, they are sweet and cuddly indoor dogs that can even be kept in apartments.
The German Shepherd Australian Shepherd mix is a beautiful cross between the working dog breeds German Shepherd and Australian Shepherd. This crossbreed sometimes called as German Australian Shepherd, exhibits intelligence and high energy level.
Yes, as with any other dog breed, Australian Shepherds may come to develop a dislike of other dogs and may react accordingly. Several of the triggers that can cause Aussies to become aggressive with humans may cause them to become aggressive toward dogs.
Aussies with blue and red merle coats tend to be more expensive than most of the other color variations. Although blue merles are the most common coats for Aussies, they're also one of the most highly sought after.
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.
Dogs with excess white markings, sometimes referred to as mismarks, or over-marked. Australian Shepherds with too much white are usually healthy(exceptions noted below). There are entire breeds that allow far more white than typical of Aussies.