What Is It About Australian Shepherd Dogs That We Love So Much?
With a lifespan of almost 15 years, one of the best dog breeds to have around a house is the Australian Shepherd. Not only are they one of the most beautiful looking dogs, but they also have the best personalities. We look at some of the positive traits that make these the more prevalent ones to keep as our pets.
Positive Traits of Australian Shepherds
With high energy and easy to train personality, not everyone would like a dog that keeps them on their feet. Nevertheless, many homes with children would undoubtedly choose to keep these guys as their house and outdoor pets any day of the week.So if you are looking to adopt one of them or to buy them, this link can give you a good idea of what you will be getting into.
There are a few positive traits of these breeds, some of these are included below:
- They are one of the most loyal and eager to please puppy’s
- Their high intelligence levels make them easy to train and understand things
- They love sports and do well at any competitive event that you may enter them into
- If you are looking for a dog that can be housetrained, it is this one
- They are very protective of their families, in a good way
Reasons Not to Keep an Australian Shepherd
Who wouldn’t want to keep these puppy’s in their home? Of course, everyone would love one, however, not everyone can keep them. If for instance, you are a first-time dog owner, it may not be a great idea to keep these breeds as your first pet, not just because they have so much energy but also because you need to know how to train them and must remain an active candidate in their daily lives.
Another reason not to have them as pets is if you are allergic to dog hair, they will get their hair all over your couch and clothes. Another reason you may need to rethink them is if you have other dogs in the home; even though they are easy to get along with, if you have other dogs in your household, these breeds needs to know they are the alpha-male and will drop their authority at any chance they get to make sure the other furies know their place.
Sometimes this may be a good thing especially if you want to train your other pets and let your Shepherd dog take the lead.
Lastly, if you are a working family that is rarely at home, the worse thing you can do is to leave these guys alone at home, as they can suffer from anxiety disorders and separation issues.
An Assortment of Colors
If you haven’t seen one yet, be sure to google some images of them, as these are one of the most attractive puppies’ around and come in an assortment of different colours. They have been known to be bred in colours ranging from, Red, to multicolour spectrums of Black with copper trim, Blue merle with copper trim, red merle white and copper, red with white trim, grey with black spots, black and white, to name a few.
These are all variations of the 4 known and accepted colours by the Australian Shepherd Breed Clubs: https://www.ascuk.co.uk/, and they are the red Merle, Blue Merle, Black Tri and Red Tri. Any other colour variations need to be checked by the official authorities as this can affect their health in the long run.
Other Factors toPay Heed To
Because these guys were originally bred to herd animals, such as on a farm or ranch, it is in their natural psyche to want to herd other animals. This should not be mistaken for a prey drive but rather something they are bound to do harmlessly, especially around smaller pets.
Nevertheless, this trait does not make them annoying or manic, but rather they will safely roam around any compound and play with things they find in and around the house, however, they are not meant for small spaces like apartments or studio flats, so make sure you have a large enough house, such as one in the countryside, so they can roam freely and run around exhausting all their pent-up natural energy.
Another thing to take note of with this type of dog is if you have neighbours, it may not be a suitable time to get this breed, as some of them love their voices and may bark for a little too much. If you do train them while they are still young, they can learn to stop doing this and only bark when necessary.
If you live near a water body such as a lake, or the sea, they will be the happiest dogs alive, as they love water, especially going for a dip during summer months. But don’t assume that all of them do, and as such, never force them to go inside of any water unless they do it themselves.
They can be prone to getting skin allergies so a regular check at the vet is recommended, as is also a good grooming routine and the right tools for this purpose. They will shed their hair during the spring and summer months, so catching this before the season starts will avoid any balls of hair getting inside and on top of everything in your house.
These are just a few of the things that we love so much about them!