BREED CHARACTERISTICS & TEMPERAMENT |  COLORS

Breed History

While there are many theories as to the origin of the Australian Shepherd, the breed as we know it today developed exclusively in the United States. The Australian Shepherd was given its name because of their association with the Basque sheepherders who came to the United States from Australia in the 1800's. The Aussie rose rapidly in popularity with the boom of western riding after World War II, becoming known to the general public via rodeos, horse shows, movies and television. Their inherent versatility and trainability made them useful on American farms and ranches. The American stockmen continued the development of the breed, maintaining the versatility, keen intelligence, strong herding instinct and eye-catching appearance.

Australian Shepherds have been registered by various registries since the early 1950's. In 1990, the United States Australian Shepherd Association was established as the parent club of the Australian Shepherd representing the breed to the American Kennel Club. On September 1, 1991, the AKC recognized the Australian Shepherd breed and on January 1, 1993, accepted them into the Herding Group.

Coat
Hair ranges from medium to long with a dense undercoat.

Character
This dog is intelligent and eager to learn. It is loyal and bonds closely with the family. It is generally good with children and other pets. They can be shy around strangers.

Care
Relatively little grooming is required, however a good combing is needed when shedding.

Training
Training is easy because this breed learns quickly and easily.

Activity
Not only does this dog need a lot of exercise, it needs to keep occupied. This dog is an excellent companion for people that are very active, particularly in outdoor activities.

Aussies in Action
Australian Shepherds are a highly versatile breed, and can be trained to do almost any activity. They excel at herding livestock, obedience competition, agility, tracking, Flyball, frisbee and are also used as seeing eye dogs, therapy dogs, detection work, search and rescue, and many other activities.