Australian Shepherd
&
'Personality'
Australian Shepherds & Their Characteristics
The Australian Shepherd is a wonderful breed — highly intelligent and always by your side. Aussies are funny, mischievous, and at heart eternal teenagers. When they feel playful or a bit silly, they may even grin at you — this is often called the “Aussie smile”!
This should not be confused with showing teeth in a threatening way; it is simply their unique way of greeting you — and it’s incredibly amusing.
Aussies also absolutely love water and swimming! They can be real little “mud pigs” at times, always playing enthusiastically and noisily — that’s just part of who they are. Once an Aussie has stolen your heart, you’ll never want another breed. They may greet you with plenty of excitement and noise, and they are very much present in daily life.
An Aussie is also extremely loyal and will follow you everywhere — whether you get up from your chair or simply go to the bathroom. So it’s important to be prepared for the fact that you will rarely be alone.
Despite this strong “people person” trait, an Australian Shepherd is happiest living inside the home as a true family member. Aussies that are kept only in kennels or confined to a fenced yard will require a great deal of daily human interaction to remain mentally and emotionally healthy.
Isolation or exclusion from family life can negatively affect their personality and may lead to frustration and excessive barking.
Do not forget that an Australian Shepherd is — and always will be — a herding and working dog at heart.
Anything that moves quickly may trigger their instinct to chase, which they usually see as a game, not as aggression.
Their high intelligence makes them suitable for a wide variety of working roles, such as search and rescue dogs, detection dogs, assistance dogs for the visually impaired, and therapy dogs for people in need.
They are also excellent watchdogs and can be very protective of their family.
In short, the Aussie is a truly wonderful dog — great with children and other pets. You can teach them almost anything, as they are highly eager to learn and will do their very best to please you.
The Aussie is also naturally a clean dog, which means that house training usually goes very smoothly. Of course, they do require proper coat care: regular brushing helps prevent tangles. One big advantage is that the Aussie has a self-cleaning coat — let them dry after a muddy adventure, and you’ll find the dirt on the floor instead of in their coat.
They are also extremely talented in a wide range of dog sports, such as frisbee, agility, flyball, obedience with clicker training, dog dancing, and of course herding, which is what they were originally bred for.
At the same time, they are perfectly suited as family dogs and love going on long walks in the forest or along the beach.
Here in our home, the dogs are truly part of our family. They live freely and have two hectares of space to release their energy and play together. Sadie and Jeffrey also ensure that the care of our dogs runs smoothly and consistently.
If, after reading this, you feel that the Aussie is the right dog for you — and that you can offer what they need in terms of love, attention, exercise and mental stimulation — or if you still have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Of course, the nicest way is always to visit and meet them in person.
Here with us, it truly is an Aussie Haven!
We hope you can find all the information you are looking for on our website regarding the Australian Shepherd, their care and their health. Topics such as eye conditions, hip and elbow dysplasia (HD/ED) and the MDR1 mutation are explained, and during a visit we are happy to tell you more about what you need to know about the Aussie — including conditions that can occur in the breed, such as epilepsy and degenerative myelopathy (DM), as seen in many dog breeds.
