Australian Shepherds (Aussies)

[KnittingChick3]

We have a standard sized Aussie; he's just a year old. He's a complete nut...
My husband got him without really consulting me and I'm still mad about it. We both work long days and don't have the most active, outdoor lifestyle so this dog gets bored. He chews on everything (the door frame, the deck rails, the wire off the lawn mower...) He tries to dig out moles, he gets into the trash; once he put his foot through a plate glass window...
His favorite thing to do is untie knots. I'm not kidding. Dollar General has these rubber dog toys with holes in them and ropes winding/tied through the holes. We hang them up with a chain and he spends HOURS, mostly while we want to sleep, untying the knots and pulling that rope back through the holes.
He gets bored with games like frisbee and fetch after about 2 minutes.
My husband can take him on a six mile bike ride/run and the dog doesn't even get tired.
Don't get me wrong, I love him (most of the time). He is a sweet, loving dog; he loves to be with his people (us) and always wants to be where ever we are. He can sit for hours in his kennel in the basement while my husband works and be perfectly happy.
He's been fired from his position as guard dog. Our neighbor came to the door one day and I stood outside talking to him for 20 minutes and the dog was completely oblivious to the whole thing.
He didn't get very well socialized as a puppy although I did take him to the feed mill when I went so he isn't totally shy of people, but he FREAKS OUT around other dogs. He lunges after cars (and horses, and cows, and tractors) when I take him for walks. I'm still hoping to train that out of him.
He loves to run around the (electrified) chicken fence to make the younger hens squawk and flap around (the older birds completely ignore him). I don't know what he would do if he ever got a hold of a chicken. But he LOVES to eat chicken poop and will drag it up onto the deck for later snacking.
We have an invisible fence around 2 acres for him to roam in and even with the shocker collar on the highest setting, he figured out that if he just braces himself until it stops shocking, he can go on his merry way until it re-sets. (He once stole a dog bone from the house next door...)
So, he's only a year old and still has lots of training to learn, but he's driven me insane, caused a lot of fights between my husband and I, and destroyed stuff.
I don't know that I would recommend an Aussie to anyone; not unless you are getting an older, laid-back, trained dog or unless you have the time and dedication for training and exercising. (And whatever your relationship status, you need to get everyone who would potentially interact with the dog on the same page as you. It is counterproductive if you have different people trying to teach different commands.)

Here he is (with a haircut) rolling around in the wreckage of the aforementioned rope toy...

 

[ShrekDawg]

Great question but Matilda was calm before she started to ride with my son. That is why he chose her to go with him! Also, the two girls love each other so much but they are very, very competitive with each other! When they are together, Lucy is the boss! I always attributed the difference in personality to the eye and coat color! They are pure bread! The father is identical to Lucy and the mother is merle like Matilda... only she has one brown eye and one blue eye!

Wow that's really interesting they're from the same litter yet so different.

 

[ShrekDawg]

We have a standard sized Aussie; he's just a year old. He's a complete nut...
My husband got him without really consulting me and I'm still mad about it. We both work long days and don't have the most active, outdoor lifestyle so this dog gets bored. He chews on everything (the door frame, the deck rails, the wire off the lawn mower...) He tries to dig out moles, he gets into the trash; once he put his foot through a plate glass window...
His favorite thing to do is untie knots. I'm not kidding. Dollar General has these rubber dog toys with holes in them and ropes winding/tied through the holes. We hang them up with a chain and he spends HOURS, mostly while we want to sleep, untying the knots and pulling that rope back through the holes.
He gets bored with games like frisbee and fetch after about 2 minutes.
My husband can take him on a six mile bike ride/run and the dog doesn't even get tired.
Don't get me wrong, I love him (most of the time). He is a sweet, loving dog; he loves to be with his people (us) and always wants to be where ever we are. He can sit for hours in his kennel in the basement while my husband works and be perfectly happy.
He's been fired from his position as guard dog. Our neighbor came to the door one day and I stood outside talking to him for 20 minutes and the dog was completely oblivious to the whole thing.
He didn't get very well socialized as a puppy although I did take him to the feed mill when I went so he isn't totally shy of people, but he FREAKS OUT around other dogs. He lunges after cars (and horses, and cows, and tractors) when I take him for walks. I'm still hoping to train that out of him.
He loves to run around the (electrified) chicken fence to make the younger hens squawk and flap around (the older birds completely ignore him). I don't know what he would do if he ever got a hold of a chicken. But he LOVES to eat chicken poop and will drag it up onto the deck for later snacking.
We have an invisible fence around 2 acres for him to roam in and even with the shocker collar on the highest setting, he figured out that if he just braces himself until it stops shocking, he can go on his merry way until it re-sets. (He once stole a dog bone from the house next door...)
So, he's only a year old and still has lots of training to learn, but he's driven me insane, caused a lot of fights between my husband and I, and destroyed stuff.
I don't know that I would recommend an Aussie to anyone; not unless you are getting an older, laid-back, trained dog or unless you have the time and dedication for training and exercising. (And whatever your relationship status, you need to get everyone who would potentially interact with the dog on the same page as you. It is counterproductive if you have different people trying to teach different commands.)
View attachment 1467222
Here he is (with a haircut) rolling around in the wreckage of the aforementioned rope toy...

Thanks for the info! Definitely good to kmow the good and the bad. He sounds crazy/a handful but sweet aha I have nothing but time so I probably could spend a lot of time with them but at the same time, not sure I'd want one that couldn't settle. Idk. Just spent a few hours with my friends Goldens, walk/hike/swim and then hung out at the house a long time, and the one wasn't even really tired despite that. Granted, it was a short one and they often take them 10 or 12 miles so they're ridiculously in shape so it was nothing for her but still. One is going to be 5 this year and is from a breeder and the other just turned a year old and is from a puppy mill. They're her third owner, she went from the mill to a home for a few weeks then to a pet store then some college kid bought her and couldn't handle her. So she was still very young, a few months maybe, when they got her but still. They think she might be a mix though cause her snout is long and narrow and she has a totally different coat and is smaller. And a psycho lol anyway, long story short she is very sweet and is pretty calm at night but is just go go go hyper. The other one came and laid down at my feet or stood next to me and was just chill. Just wanted to be patted. This one would not sit still. And she's ball obsessed. Granted, she's still a baby, but still. Anyway, if all Aussies are like Lily then I think maybe I should just get a Golden or Lab lol although I do love Aussies and could probably handle one. But do they ever settle down and just lay down and chill? Or are they constantly moving?

 

[KnittingChick3]

Mine will just lay around when it's hot. He doesn't like the heat. He really likes laying on the porch swing, not sure why. And if we sit in one place for a while he'll eventually settle if we can survive past the point where he wants to sit his 40 + lbs in your lap, put his paw on you and scratch you, lick you, wiggle, and mess with whatever you have in your hand. I've been told by the breeder that his parents settled after a year... All dogs are different and most slow down with age; I'm really hoping he settles down soon, before I loss my mind.

 

[azurbanclucker]

Paging @ViolinPlayer123

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Aussies are bred to move cattle without too much direction from a human. So it makes them assertive, active pushy dogs that often don't follow commands well.

On the other hand they are wicked smart, active and love to talk. They aren't as active generally as some other breeds like border collies.

It's always important to make sure a breed is a good fit for your lifestyle or else everyone will be miserable.

Coats range from reasonable, to a very thick coat.

Aussies can be easy dogs, and they can be downright frustrating. Every one is an individual, and breeding lines can seem like different breeds.

Mini Aussies aren't just small Aussies. They are often crossed with breeds like sheltie which can make them more hyper. They aren't a recognized breed.

What used to be mini Aussies is now called miniature American shepherds. Toy Aussies aren't actually anything but a glorified mutt.

I personally enjoy the antics of an Aussie, though at times they can test my patience too. It does help if your dog has another dog to help it burn off excess energy, and for you to play games that challenge their thinking like hide and seek.

They have become popular lately, so that always means many get misunderstood and many get over bred, and many put to sleep because people can't handle such a pushy breed.

 

[GreatGranny]

Aussies are bred to move cattle without too much direction from a human. So it makes them assertive, active pushy dogs that often don't follow commands well.

On the other hand they are wicked smart, active and love to talk. They aren't as active generally as some other breeds like border collies.

It's always important to make sure a breed is a good fit for your lifestyle or else everyone will be miserable.

Coats range from reasonable, to a very thick coat.

Aussies can be easy dogs, and they can be downright frustrating. Every one is an individual, and breeding lines can seem like different breeds.

Mini Aussies aren't just small Aussies. They are often crossed with breeds like sheltie which can make them more hyper. They aren't a recognized breed.

What used to be mini Aussies is now called miniature American shepherds. Toy Aussies aren't actually anything but a glorified mutt.

I personally enjoy the antics of an Aussie, though at times they can test my patience too. It does help if your dog has another dog to help it burn off excess energy, and for you to play games that challenge their thinking like hide and seek.

They have become popular lately, so that always means many get misunderstood and many get over bred, and many put to sleep because people can't handle such a pushy breed.

I beg to differ about the mini... My pups are AKC registered and recognized! They are a very sought after breed and very expensive! Minis get upwards 30 pounds and as far as the toy Aussie being a mutt, I am sure there are others who would disagree with that statement as well.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I beg to differ about the mini... My pups are AKC registered and recognized! They are a very sought after breed and very expensive! Minis get upwards 30 pounds and as far as the toy Aussie being a mutt, I am sure there are others who would disagree with that statement as well.

You are correct they can be registered with the AKC. They aren't necessarily just a small Australian shepherd though, they are a separate breed.

Of course this particular debate has been going on since these other sizes were created. I'm an Australian shepherd purist and think the name Australian shepherd should only be used on the original breed which is diverse enough already.

The toys are definitely not Australian shepherds in any way shape or form. They are their own breed with many different breeds used to create them.

 

[RedDirtRambler]

B

We have 2. The only thing I dislike about them is they bark. Constantly. At everyone and everything. Even at nothing. Dear lord, the barking.
Otherwise, they're great dogs. Good with the kids, the chickens, the tortoises, the pigs, the rabbits, everyone. They do shed once a year, for 365 days. 366 on leap years. They do much better when they have a job, and are definitely a more energetic breed.

This is Copper. He's 5
View attachment 1466132

This is Charlotte. She's 2. View attachment 1466133

Beautiful puppies!

 

[Zinjifrah]

I adore my girl, but I plan on getting smaller dogs if I get any more. I've been planning that for the past twenty years, and somehow keep getting claimed by large dogs who need to be rescued...

I keep promising myself an Italian Greyhound. And I keep breaking my promise. I love Poms - they're mastiffs in a small body, great when they're raised like dogs instead of dolls. But that coat...

I was told that my Aussie is purebred, and she does look like some version of blue merle, but she's about 75 lb - way bigger than I thought a female Aussie could get. But then, somehow I ended up with a 125 lb yellow lab, too.