Australian Shepherd

Description:
Longer than it is in height, the Australian shepherd has a medium length coat that is full of different colors, and has a big size tail when it is born. This dog should look symmetrical, resistant, and agile. The head of this dog has a clean and strong cut to it; the skull should be somewhat rounded and straight; the muzzle narrows softly towards the nose and it has a moderate stop. The neck is high, and has a medium size length; the body should look firm, and the superior line should be straight. The chest should look wide, and the front lumbar region should look strong and wide. The tail should not be over ten centimeters in length. These dogs' legs should look balanced and should support the dogs body well, should be somewhat angled, and sufficiently inclined by the shoulders. This dog's coat has a medium texture that protects it from harsh weather, however its coat should not look exaggerated in quantity. The colors of this dog include blue merle, bluish liver color, black, and red. The distributions of the colors on its coat vary from roan, spotty, mottled, spots, and dispersed marks. The height of the males is generally around fifty to fifty-eight centimeters and around forty-six to fifty three centimeters in the case of the females.

Ideal owner:
This dog is a dog that likes to think. Its instinctive and protective with those it has in its care, making it reserved with strangers. As a family dog, this fellow is loyal and devoted, but it is also very brave. The Australian shepherd likes to take the initiative, it is a very ingenious worker, and very adaptable. In Texas these dogs often work under very hot conditions while there are others that work in very cold weather. This dog needs a lot of exercise and a way to let its talents out; inside the house this dog is very educated and affectionate.

Growth:
There are a variety of distinct lineages of breeding in this breed, therefore its size and the speed in which it grows varies. Newborn puppies can weigh anywhere between 250 to 500 grams, as an adult this dog could weigh up thirty-five kilograms when it reaches full maturity which is at the age of three years of age. The bigger ones have a very spectacular growth pattern and many times their skeleton is stronger than its muscular growth, which often times makes the dog's legs look longer. During this time it will be necessary to feed it adequately; this is actually vital to avoiding potential articulation problems. Exercise will need to be done according to how the dog is growing as well; you can ask your veterinarian about this factor. This breed tends to change its coat color often too. Puppies are born with pink noses, which darken with time. If the dog is born with a copper color it will become more intense a few weeks after it is born. The correct mouth closure will be able to get checked once the dog is over six months old. It is advisable to get rid of the dewclaws at a young age, if the dog has them.

General health:
The Australian shepherd is a very strong breed, and is very adaptable to its environment and resistant to diseases. The biggest problems this dog has are due to lesions in accidents – this breed has a tendency to chasing bicycles, cars, and other objects in movement, in its insatiable desire to guide – and obviously those that work with cattle are exposed to kicks from the cattle. If you are looking into getting one of these dogs make sure to ask the breeder for the certificates of the OFA and CERF as hip dysphasia, progressive retina atrophy and loosening of the retina have been seen in this breed. Another ocular problem that has been seen in this breed is a problem with small eyes, collie eyes and cataracts. Some of these dogs have also become deaf, blind and had other abnormalities such as kidney stones. The amount of care this dog requires is considerable but not excessive or too demanding. Mats on the coat can be avoided by providing an adequate high quality diet. There is a high incidence of solar nasal dermatitis. This dog has a life span of around twelve to fifteen years.