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About The Breed
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The Australian Shepherd is actually an American breed, though why it was given this name is unknown.
They were first seen arriving on ships that had brought sheep to California, USA. The farmers/ranchers where quite taken with the dogs working ability, the ‘blue’ dogs with their strange brown/blue coloured eyes, who where able to work all day without seeming to tire.
So taken with the dogs they tried them on other stock & found they possessed a natural ability to work stock, they also found that the dogs where easy to train, natural watchdogs & very good companions for the family.
The Australian shepherd was happiest though working, in any conditions, snow, rain, heat etc…
These dogs where bred to their working type dogs in America, though what breeds they where crossed with isn’t known.
But they kept producing the same type, if you look at photos of Aussies from the late 1800’s into the early 1900’s & compare them to today’s Aussie, you can see the same resemblance.
The Aussies versatile & trainable personality made them great assets to the American ranchers & their families.
Although Aussies come in many different colour's & markings, ALL Aussies show unsurpassed devotion to their families.
There are many stories about the origins of the breed & all are interesting to read.
An Indian legend tells of how Indians held the dogs in ‘reverence’ due to their blue eyes, calling them ‘ghost dogs’ thinking they where sacred, they left the settlers alone who owned such dogs, as they thought that meant they could see into the spirit world.
Aussies have also appeared in rodeo’s mainly during the 1950/60’s with Jay Sisler & his ‘blue dogs’ who did amazing tricks, like two dogs balancing on the edge of boards while held in the air, skipping, etc…
These dogs also appeared in Disney films “STUB – the greatest cow dog in the west” & “Run Appaloosa Run” many dogs of today can trace back to Jay Sislers dogs.
A lot of information can be sought on the Internet. & there is a selection of books out on the market about the Australian Shepherd.
Other places to observe are dog shows, most breeders/showers will be more than happy to talk about their dogs as well as giving you a chance to observe their dogs.
BREED STANDARD
GENERAL APPERANCE
The Aussie is a well-balanced dog with medium size & bone.
He is attentive, animated, lithe, agile, showing good strength & stamina.
Slightly longer than tall, he has a coat of moderate length & coarseness with colouring that offers variety in different colours.
In each sex, masculinity & femininity is well defined.
CHARACTERISTICS/TEMPERAMENT
The Aussie was bred to be a working dog & is very intelligent, all purpose stock dog of great character & endurance, even today some Aussies are used on ranches in America, & dogs that have never seen stock can display a strong herding instinct.
The Aussie is not the dog for everyone, being a working dog they need daily exercise at least twice a day, when alone they need to keep their minds busy (like a KONG, toys, bones etc… ) & are not the dog to be left in a yard & left.
The ASCA describes the Australian Shepherd as:
The Australian Shepherd is intelligent, primarily a working dog of strong herding & guardian instincts. He is an exceptional companion; he is versatile & easily trained, performing his assigned tasks with great style & enthusiasm.
He is reserved a little with strangers & at initial meetings, but does not exhibit shyness.
NOTE: With his being reserved at the initial meeting, this should NOT be confused with shyness, fear or aggression.
Faults: Any display of shyness, fear, and aggression is severely penalized.
As with ALL breeds of puppies socialization is very important, it is recommended that you book in for ‘puppy kinder’ or ‘obedience club’ lessons.
HEAD/SKULL
The head is clean cut, strong, dry & in proportion to the body.
The muzzle is equal in length or slightly shorter than the back skull; the muzzle tapers little from base to nose & is rounded at the tip.
The top of the skull is flat to slightly rounded; it may show slight occipital protuberance. Length & width are equal; there should be a moderate well-defined stop.
No other single factor sets the Aussie apart from other breeds & contributes as strongly to breed character as does the head. This feature distinguishes major bloodlines within the breed.
NOSE
Blue Merles & blacks have black pigmentation on the nose (and lips)
Red Merles & reds have liver (brown) pigmentation on the nose (and lips)
On the merles it is ok to have small pink spots, however they should not exceed 25% of the nose on dogs/bitches over one year of age, this is considered a serious fault.
Butterfly noses should not be faulted under one year of age, although faulted after one year of age some Aussies may take two to three years for the nose to become fully pigmented. This is due to the breed’s tendency for coat colouring to darken with age.
TEETH
There should be a set of strong, white teeth, which should meet in a scissor bite; an even bite is acceptable though not desirable.
Teeth broken or missing should NOT be penalized, as this is a working dog & if used for herding, accidents can occur.
EYES
The eyes should be very expressive, showing attentiveness & intelligence.
They should be almond shaped, set into the skull socket smoothly, so that the eyeball doesn’t protrude, all other eye shapes are considered faults.
Eye problems both inner & outer can be inherited: some may appear at birth, while other may appear later in the dogs life.
ALL puppies should have their eyes checked at 7-8 weeks of age, & BOTH parents should have been checked yearly by an eye specialist to make sure they are clear.
Eye colours can be blue, brown, amber or any combination of those colours, which includes marbling, flecks, and odd coloured eyes.
EARS
The ears are triangular & of moderate size & leather, set high on the side of the head.
Slightly rounded at the tip, at full attention, they break forward & over, or to one side as a rose ear.
Prick & hound type ears are a serious fault.
NECK/TOPLINE/BODY
Neck is of strong moderate length, slightly arched at the crest, fitting well into the shoulder, it is firm & implies free from throatiness &loose folds of skin.
The topline is straight & strong, level & firm from withers to hip joints. The croup is moderately sloped; the croup is the section extending from the loin to the tail above the hind legs & also includes the pelvis & associated musculature.
Chest is not broad but is deep with the lowest point reaching the elbow.
The ribs are well sprung & long; neither barrel chested nor slab sided. The underline shows moderate tuck-up.
The tail can be full, part or natural bob tailed ( docking is banned in Australia) this breed does breed natural bobbed tails.
FOREQUARTERS
Shoulder blades are long, flat, fairly close set at the withers & well laid back.
The upper arm should be relatively the same length as the shoulder blade, attaches at an approximate right angle to the shoulder line with forelegs dropping straight, on a perpendicular to the ground.
The legs are straight & strong. Bone is strong, oval rather than round.
Pasterns are of medium length & very slightly sloped, the front dewclaws may be removed.
HINDQUARTERS
The width of the hindquarters is equal to the width of the forequarters at the shoulder.
The angulations of the pelvis, hock joints are moderately bent.
The hocks (rear pasterns) are short, perendicular to the ground & parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Rear dewclaws must be removed.
FEET/PAD/NAILS
The feet are oval shaped & compact, the toes are well arched & pads are resilient.
The front paws are always larger in area; this is because they bear more weight than the rear paws.
Muscles & ligaments hold bones in the paw together; there are three bones in each of the four toes, making the pads very flexible.
These pads are attached to the bottom of the terminal joint of each toe digit; the fifth toe digit is the dewclaw, which is on the inside of the foot. it is noted a majority of Aussies are born without rear dewclaws. Rear dewclaws should always be removed, front can be optional.
The large pad that sits in the hollow of the digits at the back o f the foot bears most of the weight.
The vestigial pad that is above the front foot at the back of the pasterns bears no weight at all. This pad is sometimes called the brake.
A thick epidermal layer of skin protects & insulates the footpad. This skin also contains sweat-producing glands that keep the skin on the pads supple.
The pads are not sensitive to heat & cold like the rest of the body.
The nails (claws) on the toes grow continually & will either wear down from use or must be trimmed regularly to keep them short.
COAT
The coat is of medium texture, straight to slightly wavy, weather resistant & of moderate length with an undercoat. The quantity of undercoat varies with climate.
Hair is short & smooth on the head, outside of the ears, front of the forelegs, & below the hocks. Backs of the forelegs are moderately feathered: breeches are moderately full.
There is a moderate mane & frill, which is more pronounced in dogs than in bitches.
Non-typical coats are severe faults.
The following is a definition on each type of coat:
MODERATE COAT - This is the preferred coat on an Aussie, the inner coat is soft & downy: the outer coat (or guard hairs) is slightly harsh to the touch. It is waterproof, & will keep the dog dry & warm in rainy weather. Debris & matter from working in brush & fields does not cling to the coat, the hair does not mat & needs minimum upkeep & care, and the coat is of moderate length.
WAVY COAT – This is soft to touch & is acceptable, but is not as functional, it is slightly waterproof, but does tend to pick up debris, this coat does need combing & can tend to mat especially behind the ears, the coat is of moderate length.
HEAVY COAT– This is slightly harsh, with the double coat a little longer. It is admired in the conformation ring & it has all the desired character of the preferred Aussie coat, but it is not quite as desirable for the brush working dogs as debris may cling to the longer hair. It does not mat & takes little care & upkeep.
LONG FLOWING COAT – This is usually very soft & is very undesirable for an Aussie. It is not a moderate coat & tends to pick up any kind of debris; it does take a huge amount of combing, bathing & upkeep to keep the dog in condition & looking good. The coat tends to mat more, this coat is considered faulty.
SHORT HAIR COAT – This can be soft or harsh but is very similar to the accepted ‘Moderate Straight’ coat, except that it is short. It is neither typical nor desirable & should not be promoted in the breed; this coat is considered a fault.
PUFFED COAT - This coat is slightly harsh with a soft very thick undercoat. Some dogs look like this after they have been sheared to make a long coat even. This length is natural on some dogs but it has a longer ruff & leg feathers, it is semi waterproof, but can tend to knot & mat, it is considered undesirable & is a fault.
CURLY COAT – This is very soft to touch, it is not waterproof & can easily mat & tangle. It will also distort the build of a dog with back curls; the coat is not desirable for breeding or showing & is a fault.
WIREHAIR COAT – This coat is very harsh & like a wirehaired dog’s coat: it is stiff to the touch & is not functional for a working dog, it is non typical, & considered a fault.
COLOUR
All colours are strong, clear & rich: the 4 recognized colours in the breed are:
Blue merle, red merle, black & red, with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no preference.
The blue merle & black have black pigmentation on the nose, lips, & eye rims.
The red merle & red have liver pigmentation on the nose, lips, & eye rims.
Merles characteristically become darker with age.
On all colours, the areas surrounding the ears & eyes are dominated by colour other than white. The hairline for the white collar does not exceed the point of the withers at the skin (either in part or as a full collar) chest, legs, muzzle, underparts, blaze on the head, & white extension from under part up to four inches measuring from a horizontal line at the elbow.
White on the head should not predominate & the eyes must be fully surrounded by colour & pigment.
Disqualifications: White body splashes, which means white on the body between the withers & tail, on the sides between elbows & back of hindquarters on all colours.
GAIT
The Australian Shepherd has a smooth, free & easy gait; he exhibits great agility of movement with a well-balanced, ground covering stride.
Fore & hind legs move straight & parallel with the center of the body. As speed increases, the feet (front & rear) converge towards the centerline of gravity of the dog, while the topline remains firm & level.
The Australian Shepherd must be agile & be able to change direction or gait instantly.
The correct built Aussie will maintain balance & symmetry when set in motion, the individual that meets the ideals of structure should also meet the standard's description of gait, as to move correctly, he must be built accordingly.
The Aussie employs several gaits under working conditions but depends primarily on the trot. The trot is a two beat, diagonal gait, in which the front foot & the opposite hind foot move at the same time. The Aussie must be able to cover ground in a minimum number of steps without sacrificing the agility which is necessary for sudden changes, in order to produce ground covering stride as well as agility, the Aussie can not be overly angulated. Meaning, ground-covering stride necessitates moderate angulation.
When viewing the Aussie from the front (coming towards you) the legs converge towards the dog’s center of gravity, almost forming an imaginary ‘V’ as measured from the point of the shoulder & extending through the middle of the leg to the middle of the foot. The toes are plainly visible & remain pointed towards the front, so the foot lands squarely on its pads when striking the ground.
When viewing the Aussie from the back (moving away from you) the legs converge towards the dog’s center of gravity, almost forming an imaginary ‘V’ as measured from the hip joint & extending through the middle of the leg & hock to the mid-point of the foot. When the foot is extended, its pad should be plainly visible. The foot when striking the ground should land squarely.
When viewing the Aussie from the side, he should reveal a smooth, effortless transition between fore & hind assemblies, or it reveals a lack of balance. Regardless of how stunning or exaggerated the reach & drive (side gait) are, an Aussie lacking in correctness either coming or going is expanding valuable energy unnecessarily, causing early fatigue.
Remember “Moderate, Correct & balanced” are the key words.
Front movement faults: Pin toes, Paddling, elbows out, crossing over, single tracking/interfering, not converging.
Rear movement faults: cow hocked, not converging, too close, crossing over, single tracking/interfering, bow hocked.
Side movement faults: overreaching, back kick out
SIZE/WEIGHT/AGE/SUBSTANCE
Dogs have more ruff, their head & body are broader than females. The ideal size is between 20-23 inches (51cm-58.5cm) in height, measured from the wither.
Weight for dogs is about 22-28kilos
Bitches are more feminine, more refined, less ruff & finer head/body. The ideal size for bitches is 18-21 inches (45.5cm – 53.5cm) at the wither.
Weight for bitches is 17-22kilos
Aussies can live for 10-14yrs if looked after properly, so before buying one make sure YOU can commit yourself for those years.
**********NOTE: Quality is not to be sacrificed in favor of size**********
Substance: Solidly built with moderate bone. Structure in the male reflects masculinity without coarseness. Bitches appear more feminine without being slight of bone.
Males should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
OTHER DISQUALIFICATIONS
Monorchidism & cryptorchidism - These are both serious hereditary faults that affect the reproductive ability of the animal.
FINDING THE RIGHT BREEDER FOR YOU
When choosing a puppy/mature dog it is wise to contact your state Canine Association who can you put you in touch with reputable breeders.
Most breeders if you live close enough, don’t mind you coming to look at their kennels & dogs, if unable to do this then even going to a local dog show & talking to breeders, this way you can see the dogs.
Buying from registered breeders (you can check with your local canine association who can tell you if they are a current member) you can be assured that the breeding stock has been health tested to make sure there are no know problems, & most breeders will be able to show you the cleared papers, if they are unable to show you hip/elbow/eye results for their breeding stock I wouldn't reccommened buying a puppy from them.
ALL dogs should be tested for the following:
EYES- these should be tested each year, especially breeding stock, by a specialist
HIPS/ELBOWS – These are checked when the dog is about 18mths old, the dog is sedated & x-rays are taken, and then sent to a specialist.
DNA TESTING - There are now DNA tests avaliable to Australian Shepherd breeders here in Australia & most owners are having their breeding stock tested for the ones that are avaliable, most breeders will be happy to tell you what tests their dogs have had.
You should be looking for a breeder who socializes their puppies, most breeders feel responsible for bringing the puppies into the world, & they want to make sure they are going to kind, caring, well loved homes, as well as one who will take the puppy back if you no longer want it.
Ask how many litters they have per year, most responsible breeders will only have a few litters per year & also the age of they breed their dogs, responsible breeders normally wait until a bitch/dog is 2-3 years before bringing them into their breeding program, this allows the dog enough time to mature & also to see if any underlaying health problems crop up, & how they turn out conformation wise.
Most breeders will ask questions or get the buyer to fill out a form with questions like this on it:
· Do you have a preference for a male/female??
· Do you want a companion/pet or do you wish to show??
· What interests do you hope to eventually do??
· Do you plan on training your Aussie in basic obedience??
· Have you ever had an Aussie before (or any other dog)?
· Who is in the family, & ages??
· Who will be training/handling the dog mostly??
· Do you have a secure fenced yard??
· How large is the yard??
· Can you provide the exercise one/twice/three times daily??
· What area do you live in, rural, suburbia??
· Do you work & what hours will the dog be alone??
· If you are not showing/breeding will the dog be de-sexed??
(most breeders will give you a rebate which after the dog is ‘fixed’ you send in the vet's certificate saying its been done to the breeder & they will send you a payment)
As remember the Aussie is a working dog, he will get bored if he has to sit in a small yard all day with no one about, & that is when he will start to dig, bark, etc… this is a breed that wants to be with his family.
Hopefully this has helped you learn more about this breed :)
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