Australian Shepherd
Pic - Australian Shepherd Rescue - If considering one of these stunning dogs, do contact a Breed Rescue. They have in-depth knowledge on the breed, dogs available, and also on pairing the right dog to the right home. link below and if not near you, do search for one closer. https://www.aussierescuesocal.com/
The Australian shepherd, or Aussie as often known, originated from the USA where they were worked on cattle and sheep farms and got their name due to the association with Basque Sheepherders who cam from Australia to the Us in the 1800's to take part in the gold rush at that times, and many of them bro, brought their dogs with them - they were known as 'blue dogs'. The Americans really took to this breed (one of the working group), as they were great workers and dedicated to their handlers. They found the breed a little small and as they wanted a bigger dog, they brought in other breeds which are believed to be the Merle Collie, Scottish Collie and the Dingo for stamina.
As you can see from the pictures, they are stunning dogs. Here is a little about them to see if they would fit into your home:-
HEALTH
Autoimmune disease, Allergies, HD, Hemangiosarcoma
, Various eye problems, including Cataracts, Epilepsy
“In today’s age, with the rising cost of veterinary care, it really is a wise decision to consider medical insurance for your pets. Depending on the plan you choose, you can ensure that if your pet does develop one of the health issues the breed is prone too, that you will be covered –additionally, just knowing that any accident your pet may have will be covered, will out-weigh the monthly insurance fee for most pet owners. Our own personal choice is Genricpet as they have a ‘no limit’ policy and their rates are comparable to the rest of the industry. To find out the questions and things to look for in a Medical Insurance, please just follow this link”
As you can see from the pictures, they are stunning dogs. Here is a little about them to see if they would fit into your home:-
- Get from a KUSA Registered Breeder who is reliable, reputable, repsonsible that has only the betterment of the breed and the care of his dogs at heart.
- Puppy should never be taken away from Mom before 8 weeks of age as this is a critical period and pup learns discipline from mom and social interaction from the other pups. It also learns the basics of bite inhibition from litter mates and what behaviour does and does not work.
- Never get two pups together, especially litter mates. If the breeder recommends this - walk away.
- If you have another dog, your priority is to ensure that it is well socialized and will accept another dog into the home. All dog introductions should take place on neutral territory.
- The period between 3 - 16 weeks of age is a critical period for pups and if you want to put down a foundation of social training, puppy school should not be missed. At this time in SA your pup will be attending puppy school at about 10 weeks of age (just after 2nd set of vacs).
- Ensure your dog is sterilized at 6 months of age - liaise with your vet about this. If a breeder suggests that your dog should be kept un-terilized so that you can breed with it yourself at a later stage, or give back to the breeder for them to breed - walk away - this is not the breeder you want.
- They do like a lot of exercise as well as basic training and a large garden is your best option.
- They were bred to work and love to work, and due to their stamina can work for long periods of time and do very well in agility and sports such as fly ball. If you are not going to give a lot of exercise, this is not the dog for you.
- They love their families, but can be a bit cautious when it comes to strangers, so early and continued socialization is recommended, especially as they are likely to guard their family due to what they were bred for.
- Being from the herding breed, they are a lot like the Collie, and love to herd and often nip at ankles, so if children are around, early socialization and training is needed to ensure this does not happen.
- They are sensitive dogs and do not do well being left alone, so Alone Time training from a puppy highly recommended.
- They normally do very well with other dogs, however make sure you take to Puppy Schools as mentioned above, and do keep up the socializing.
- This breed needs daily brushing as they tend to be moderate to heavy shedders.
HEALTH
Autoimmune disease, Allergies, HD, Hemangiosarcoma
, Various eye problems, including Cataracts, Epilepsy
“In today’s age, with the rising cost of veterinary care, it really is a wise decision to consider medical insurance for your pets. Depending on the plan you choose, you can ensure that if your pet does develop one of the health issues the breed is prone too, that you will be covered –additionally, just knowing that any accident your pet may have will be covered, will out-weigh the monthly insurance fee for most pet owners. Our own personal choice is Genricpet as they have a ‘no limit’ policy and their rates are comparable to the rest of the industry. To find out the questions and things to look for in a Medical Insurance, please just follow this link”