Australian Shepherd
Learn about the temperament and personality of the Australian Shepherd. Discover what he's like to live with, his traits and characteristics and how he generally behaves. And look at lots of Australian Shepherd photos.
| Australian Shepherd: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Training |  |
Explain rating |
| Intelligence | |
Explain rating |
| Shedding |  |
Explain rating |
| Watchdog |  |
Explain rating |
| Guard Dog |  |
Explain rating |
| Popularity | |
Explain rating |
| Size |  |
Explain rating |
| Agility | |
Explain rating |
| Good with Kids |  |
Explain rating |
Australian Shepherd Temperament
The Australian Shepherd, lovingly called an "Aussie," is a highly intelligent, incredibly energetic, people-loving dog who needs to have a job to do. They need lots and lots of exercise and will fit in well with an active person or family. They are bred to herd, and might try to herd anything, including you, your children, your neighbor's child on a bicycle, innocent strangers jogging past your house, ducks, squirrels, cats, and cars. You will need a fence to keep them off the road. They also have strong guarding instincts, and want to be near their family at all times. Originally bred as all-purpose farm dogs, Aussies were left to supervise the children while the parents worked in the fields. They are good with children, except for the occasional nipping at their heels to herd them into position. They will follow you from room to room and supervise you in the bathroom. They are very affectionate and will want to lick your face. They are assertive by nature, highly territorial and can be pushy. They are very protective of their family and home, and are cautious around strangers. They need lots of mental stimulation and physical exercise, or problem behaviors will arise. They are the opposite of the couch potato dog. They need to have a sense of purpose, which is why so many of them excel in obedience and agility competitions. They are highly trainable, versatile, and are quick learners. They usually love to play ball and Frisbee, and many of them enjoy swimming. If you are in the market for a full-time center of attention family pet, full of exuberance and demanding of your attention, then an Aussie might be for you. They are good-natured, eager to please, and remarkably loyal. But they will need to be at the top of your priority list.
Australian Shepherd Training
The Australian Shepherd is very intelligent and easy to train. He learns new commands very fast.
Australian Shepherd Shedding
The Australian Shepherd is a very heavy shedder. He sheds an awful lot of hair! You'll find hair all over your home, stuck to everything! You'll probably even find it in the butter!
Australian Shepherd Grooming
The medium-length coat of the Australian Shepherd only requires an occasional brushing. But because he sheds excessively you may find yourself brushing him daily to remove loose hair. (What you get out with a brush doesn't fall out in your home!)
Adopt an Australian Shepherd
Australian Shepherd Photos
Rating: Ease of training
Tells you how easy or difficult a breed is to train.
A higher rating means the breed is easier to train, a lower rating means the breed is harder to train.
An easy to train breed require less time and patience to train.
Rating: Intelligence
Tells you how intelligent a breed is in terms of how quickly it can learn commands from humans. A higher rating means the breed will learn your commands faster (and is therefore generally considered to be more intelligent), while a lower rating means the breed will learn your commands more slowly (and is therefore generally considered to be less intelligent).
Keep in mind that this is only one way to measure a dog's intelligence and a low rating might still mean the breed is highly intelligent in other ways.
Rating: Shedding
Tells you how much hair the breed sheds. The higher the rating the more hair the breed sheds.
Rating: Watchdog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a watchdog and raising the alarm when a stranger approaches. A higher rating means the breed will bark vigorously to warn you of a stranger's presence on your property. A low rating means the breed probably won't bark much if a stranger enters your property.
Rating: Guard dog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a guard dog due to the appearance, size, and strength of the breed. A breed with a high guard dog rating will make an intruder think twice before stepping foot on your property.
Rating: Popularity
Tells you how popular the breed is in terms of ownership. A higher rating means that more people own the breed. The more popular a breed is the easier it is to find and purchase one because there are more breeders breeding it.
Rating: Size
Tells you how large or small the breed is. A lower rating means the breed is smaller and a higher rating means the breed is larger. It gives you a quick idea of how physically large or small the breed is compared with all the other breeds.
Rating: Agility
Tells you how agile the breed is. A higher rating means the breed is fast and nimble on its feet while a lower rating means the breed is heavier and slower on its feet.
Rating: Good with kids
Tells you how good the breed is with children. A higher rating means the breed is good with children. Note: all breeds are generally good with kids when they're raised with them.
