Australian Shepherd Aussie

Family: Canidae

Description The Australian Shepherd is a dog of medium size with a well balanced build. Its muzzle is fairly long and tapered, its ears set high and triangular, and its eyes medium and oval. Eyes may be brown, blue or amber, and are often marbled or flecked.
The Aussie's coat may be straight or a little wavy. It is short and smooth with the exceptions of the back of the forelegs, breeches, mane and frill. Many Australian Shepherds have naturally short tails, and those that do not are usually docked shortly after birth. Coat colors include blue merle, red merle, solid black, and solid red, and may have white markings or copper points.
Aussies with two copies of the merle gene will turn out mostly white. Some unscrupulous or ill-advised breeders sell these dogs at a premium due to their rarity, but most of these dogs suffer from serious health problems.

Care and Feeding Australian Shepherds do well on diets that include lamb, poultry, oats, potato and wheat. Aussies are easy to groom, requiring only occasional brushing and as-needed bathing. For longer or feathered coats, brushing is more important to help avoid matting and tangling.
Many Australian Shepherds are born with short tails, but tails over 4 inches long are usually docked at 2 to 3 days of age. Rear dewclaws are usually removed, and front dewclaws may or may not be removed when the dog is very young.

Australian Shepherds need yearly checkups to stay healthy. Vaccinations are due as follows:

• 6-8 weeks: Distemper, Leptospirosis, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza, Parvo, and Corona virus (DHLPPC)
• 10-12 weeks: Second DHLPPC
• 14-16 weeks: Third DHLPPC and rabies
• Annually: DHLPPC and rabies booster
  

Aussies shed moderately. If kept indoors, regular vacuuming of carpet and furniture is recommended. Some Australian Shepherds have allergies, so extra cleaning may be necessary.