23 Oct Interesting Facts about the Australian Shepherd Dog Breed

Australian Shepherd is intelligent and versatile. He is an energetic dog that is ideal for guarding a flock of sheep. He needs a lot of exercises, so a yard is necessary for him to do daily activities. If he isn’t active, he will be bored. If you don’t have the time and energy for training and exercise daily, this breed isn’t for you. The Australian Shepherd is an agile, medium-sized dog with a raised tail and is obedient. He’s also successful as a family dog, guide dog, assistance dog, police dog, and search and rescue dog. This dog is a loyal companion that protects the home and family. He is a good friend to children, although he’s better suited to herds. Australian Shepherd is loyal and loving. To know this breed, stay tuned to the end of the article.

Appearance characteristics of the Australian Shepherd

• Breed classification: herding dog
• Weight in males: (22-29) kg, weight in females: (18-25) kg.
• Height in males: (50-58) cm, in females: (46-53) cm.
• Lifespan: 12 to 15 years

Highlights of the Australian Shepherd breed

• The Australian Shepherd needs about 30 to 60 minutes of exercise daily, preferably with high-energy activities such as Frisbee.
• Australian Shepherds become very destructive if you don’t exercise them for a long time.
• This dog is very protective of his family.
• He needs a lot of space for exercise and activity, so he isn’t suitable for apartments.
• The Australian Shepherd is a herding dog suitable for keeping livestock.
• It would help if you brushed this breed once a week to prevent hair loss.
• Australian Shepherd enjoys being with their family.
• They are inherently incompatible with people if not trained and socialized and will attack and bite strangers.

History of the Australian Shepherd

The Australian Shepherd originated in Spain, and shepherds used them as working dogs. This breed was mainly developed in the United States. They were brought to Australia by shepherds who migrated there in the late 19th century. Then these dogs were taken to the American continent, where they named them Australian Shepherds. However, others believe that the breed first appeared in the United States when European settlers brought the dogs there. During that time, they gained a reputation as devoted dogs with above-average intelligence in the working environment. They were very capable of doing their job without the need for a shepherd around them.

The breed only arrived in the UK in the mid-1980s, and over the years, these charming dogs have become popular as working dogs, pets, and companion dogs. In recent times, they have been trained as guide dogs for the blind, search and rescue dogs, and are also trained to assist the disabled. Many Australian Shepherds are used as therapy dogs in nursing homes and hospitals, showing their versatility and intelligence.

The character of the Australian Shepherd breed

Like most herding dogs, the Australian Shepherd is loyal to his family but doesn’t get along well with strangers. They need early socialization.

Australian Shepherd diseases and health

Australian Shepherds are generally healthy, but like all breeds, they’re prone to some diseases.

Hip Dysplasia

It’s a hereditary disease in which the femur isn’t positioned correctly in the hip joint. You may not notice any discomfort in a dog with hip dysplasia. The vet can diagnose this disease by X-ray screening. Hip dysplasia is hereditary but can also be caused by environmental factors, such as rapid growth from a high-calorie diet or injuries from jumping or falling.

Elbow Dysplasia

This is a common hereditary disease in the large dog breed. It’s thought to cause joint laxity due to the further growth of the three bones that make up the dog’s elbow. This disease leads to pain and lameness. Your vet may recommend surgery for treatment or medication to control pain.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a disorder that causes seizures. You can control it with medication, but it can’t be cured. A dog can live a healthy life by adequately managing this inherited disorder.

Deafness

Deafness is relatively common in this breed. the vet can treat some types of deafness and hearing loss with medicine and surgery, but usually, deafness can’t be cured. The life and training of a deaf dog require a lot of patience and time.

Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)

This orthopedic condition, caused by improper cartilage growth in the joints, usually occurs in the elbows and sometimes in the shoulders. This disease causes the joints to become stiff and painful, so the dog can’t bend his elbows.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

This disease is a degenerative eye disorder that affects many breeds. Blindness caused by PRA is a slow process caused by the loss of photoreceptors in the back of the eye.

Cataract

This disease causes clouding of the eye lens and vision problems. Cataracts usually occur at any age and can be treated by surgery and cataract removal.

Distichiasis

This problem causes eye irritation, and your dog may experience double vision and rub his eyes. Surgery is performed by freezing the excess eyelashes with liquid nitrogen and removing them. This type of surgery is called compilation and the vet performs it under general anesthesia.

Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPM)

This disease can lead to cataracts or clouding of the cornea. Eye drops prescribed by a veterinarian can help with this disease.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a lack of hormones produced by the thyroid gland, which occurs in the neck. Mild symptoms of this disease may be infertility. The most obvious symptom of this disease is obesity, lethargy, drooping eyelids, low energy, and irregular heat cycle. The dog’s skin becomes coarse and brittle and starts to loosen. The vet can treat with daily replacement thyroid pills throughout the dog’s life.

Allergy

Allergies are a common disease in dogs. Identifying allergenic foods and treating them by eliminating those foods, avoiding contact with allergenic materials that the dog may touch, such as bedding, flea powder, dog shampoo, or other chemicals, and avoiding contact with inhaled allergens such as airborne allergens such as dust and mold are effective in treating this disease. The right medicine for inhalant allergies depends on the severity of the allergy. An ear infection is a common side effect of inhalation allergy.

Cancer

There are many types of cancer, and treatment success varies for each case. For some types of cancer, the vet surgically removes tumors; he treats others with chemotherapy and some with surgery and drugs.

Solar Nasal Dermatitis

Dogs are susceptible to sunlight, developing lesions on the nose and sometimes around the eyelids, causing ulcers.

Retinal detachment

A hit in the face can cause retinal detachment. It can lead to visual impairment or even blindness. There’s no cure for retinal detachment, but many dogs live whole lives with vision impairment.

Australian Shepherd training 

The Australian Shepherd needs an enclosed yard to run. Your dog needs an hour and a half of stimulating activity each day, such as jogging, Frisbee, obedience, or agility exercises. Puppies don’t need to exercise as hard as adults; they are naturally very interested in chasing. Australian Shepherds are well-trained, and you should give them rewards such as praise, play, and treats.

Nutrition

It’s better to have 1 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food daily, divided into two meals. An adult dog’s food depends on size, age, body metabolism, and activity level. If you aren’t sure about your dog’s overweight, you can keep your dog in ideal condition by measuring food and feeding him twice a day.

Grooming

He has straight or wavy hair, known for short straight hair on the head and ears, in front of the front legs, and under the heels. 

• The Australian Shepherd needs brushing once a week to prevent shedding. 
• Bathing is recommended only when necessary with dry shampoo. 
• Before brushing, check your dog’s body for sores, itching, dry skin, or signs of infection such as inflammation or sensitivity. 
• Eye and ear examinations are necessary for foreign objects. 
• Hair should be shiny. 
• Trim his nails once or twice a month. If you can hear the nails on the floor, they are too long.
• A dog’s toenails have blood vessels, and if you trim the nails too much, they cause bleeding.

Compatibility with children and other pets

Australian Shepherd is compatible with children if he grows up with them. However, adults should supervise children’s activities with dogs. Australian Shepherd is also consistent with other animals, primarily if you have been raising them with other animals.

To wrap up

The Australian Shepard is very agile and has a lot of energy. Therefore, you should provide him with a yard, even a small one, so that he can drain his energy. You should also have a lot of time to spend with him. The versatile Australian Shepherd is very loyal and kind and is considered a good companion for families and children. But as mentioned, if he doesn’t drain his energy, he will become bored and depressed. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, activity, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs so they count the moments for the next session.