Australian Shepherds, often known for their intelligence and athleticism, are one of the more distinctive and well-known dog breeds around the world. In fact, you might even have seen them in the news recently. Viking, an Australian Shepherd from the UK, recently beat 24,000 other dogs to win Best in Show at Crufts this year (which is very impressive considering Crufts is said to be the biggest dog show in the world)!
Read on to discover 11 thrilling facts about the Australian Shepherd breed.
A Little History on Australian Shepherds
1. Despite their name, Australian Shepherds are not actually an Australian breed. It’s believed that they were originally bred in Spain, then emigrated with their shepherds to Australia, with some then heading to the US in the early colonial period. This led to the dogs mistakenly being labelled as Australian!2. Along the way, Australian Shepherds have gained a multitude of names they are often known by. Some call them Spanish Shepherds, Blue Heelers, California Shepherds or even “Aussie” for short.
3. According to legend, Native Americans consider Australian Shepherds to be sacred animals due to their pale blue eyes, which link them to the spirit world. There is also a legend that heterochromatic dogs can see heaven and earth at the same time. Keep ‘an eye’ out for our explanation of heterochromatic eyes below!
Australian Shepherd Appearance
4. Australian Shepherd's medium-length coats come in a variety of different colours including black, blue merle, red merle, and can have tan, copper or white markings. They also have a thick weather-resistant undercoat.5. Due to their two coats, Australian Shepherds require additional grooming. Be prepared to brush your pup a couple of times a week to keep their coat under control and to keep them comfortable.
6. Australian Shepherd dogs have also evolved to naturally have a shorter tail due to breeding selection over time.
7. The breed is also often born with heterochromia (2 different coloured eyes) due to the merle colour gene!
Australian Shepherd Personality
8. As you may know, Australian Shepherds are very athletic dogs who have strong instincts to herd. They need plenty of physical and mental stimulation and can love learning new things through the training process! They adore having a job and certain things to do. However, be mindful of their instincts when walking in the countryside as they may give chase to any wildlife, and ensure they are kept on a lead around any livestock.9. Despite being a working breed, they adore being a part of the family and tend to form close bonds with their humans. They are often friendly but can be wary of strangers. So, socializing this breed with different people is especially important for those looking to adopt an Australian Shepherd.
10. Being easy to train and incredibly smart, Australian Shepherds excel in many canine sports such as scent work, agility, obedience, flyball, disc dog, and herding trials. It is likely you’d see this breed at any agility course or dog show such as Crufts!
Australian Shepherd Health
11. As with any breed, there are some potential medical conditions to be aware of when looking to adopt an Australian Shepherd. They are prone to; hip or elbow dysplasia, hereditary cataracts, collie eye anomaly and multi-drug sensitivity (MDR1 gene). Australian Shepherds with the merle colouration can carry inherited issues with deafness and blindness too. If you’re considering adopting an Australian Shepherd puppy, make sure to do extensive research on the line you intend to get your pooch from. Then, when you’ve introduced your new best friend into the family, we recommend taking your pup for regular vet checks.
As we couldn’t get enough of these thrilling facts on Australian Shepherds, we’ve included one more bonus fact for you all. Their intelligence and ease of training mean they are not only used for herding still today but also for many other helpful jobs. These include detecting items such as drugs, search and rescue, therapy assistance and helping the visually and audibly impaired.
Australian Shepherds are an incredibly interesting breed, with their smarts and looks they really do have the full package! If you would like to find out more on Australian Shepherd traits and facts, please do contact us. Alternatively, you could sign up for our newsletter.
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