Australian Shepherds

 

Australian Shepherds are an intelligent and athletic mid-sized dog breed for farm and family. The breed was organized with the creation of the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) in 1957 based on farm and ranch dogs from the western United States 1,2. The early Australian Shepherds were a livestock working breed developed in America, but their more distant ancestry is uncertain 1,2,3. A study published by Cell Report in 2017 showed that Australian Shepherds are genetically closely related to the Rough Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Border Collie, and other collie-type dogs from Scotland and northern England 4. They may also share some genetic heritage with the shepherding dogs of the Basque region 1,2,3.

​

In our experience, Australian Shepherds are an outstanding breed. They are very intelligent (clever, alert, quick-thinking, problem-solvers), devoted to their family, loving, playful, and full of life. They easily become irreplaceable members of the family. 

 

One trait that seems to distinguish Australian Shepherds from other breeds we have known is their strong desire to help. Our Australian Shepherds light up whenever work of any kind is being done, and they search for ways to be involved, no matter the activity. For example, when gardening, Pax will sometimes take the weeds that we have pulled and make his own separate pile. He will try to pull the wire when running a new fence, and he carries pieces of wood when cutting down a tree. Once when Zoe was a puppy and in a place where she should not be, Pax carried her to safety by the scruff of her neck. The Australian Shepherds we know will attentively look for ways to participate and assist.

​

This is an active breed. Australian Shepherds thrive when they are given the time and room to play, and they should be able to spend an adequate amount of time outdoors. Our Australian Shepherds are calm indoors, while still friendly and social.

​

​

​

​

1.  The Australian Shepherd Club of America.  asca.org.

2.  Wildhagen, P. C., History of the Australian Shepherd. Working Aussie Source.  workingaussiesource.com.

3.  American Kennel Club. akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-shepherd/.

4.  Parker, et al., Genomic Analyses Reveal the Influence of Geographic Origin, Migration, and Hybridization on Modern Dog Breed Development. Cell Reports 19, 697-708, April 25, 2017.  cell.com/cell-reports/pdf/S2211-1247(17)30456-4.pdf.

​

​