Австралийская овчарка — MITPhotograph of the breed Australian Shepherd

MITPhotograph of the breed Australian Shepherd

Australian Shepherd

Австралийская овчарка (аусси)

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Австралийская овчарка представляет собой гармоничное сочетание миловидной внешности и гибкого интеллекта. Эти собаки известны на весь мир как надёжные и преданные компаньоны, которые поднимут настроение своими забавными выходками.

What to know before you buy

Australian Shepherd Size and Physical Characteristics Male Australian shepherds stand 20 to 23 inches tall and weigh roughly 50 to 65 pounds, while female Aussies stand 18 to 21 inches tall and weigh about 40 to 55 pounds. Both males and females have robust, muscular builds and are naturally athletic.

Additionally, Aussies have a slightly wavy, medium-length coat with a thick, weather-resistant undercoat to protect their skin. They’re identified by their unique coloring, which includes shades of red merle, blue merle, black and red. They also have white markings and tan points around their face, chest and legs. Their tails are naturally short, and some Aussies are born tailless.

Trait ratings

The 1–5 scale describes how pronounced a trait is in the breed. Both ends are named explicitly — without that the number means nothing.

Training and control

Learning speed5/5

1 — Learns new things slowly, needs many repetitions5 — Picks up new skills in a handful of repetitions

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Relearning flexibility3/5

1 — Holds firmly to the old way, relearns with difficulty5 — Readily accepts a new rule in place of the old one

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Decision independence3/5

1 — Waits for instructions, makes almost no decisions itself5 — Acts on its own decision without looking to the handler

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Recall reliability4/5

1 — Off lead, the recall does not work5 — Comes back on the first signal even under strong distraction

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Inhibitory control4/5

1 — Acts on impulse, cannot hold back5 — Waits for the release signal even under strong temptation

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Temperament and reactivity to the environment

Excitability4/5

1 — Stays calm even during play, with guests or when getting ready for a walk5 — Gets excited instantly by any noticeable event

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Activity and exercise

Exercise needs5/5

1 — Short walks are enough5 — Needs hours of activity daily, or behaviour deteriorates

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Endurance5/5

1 — Tires quickly, cannot handle long distances5 — Can keep moving for many hours at a stretch

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Ability to settle3/5

1 — At home almost always wants something to do, never unwinds5 — Rests quietly after exercise and asks for nothing

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Risks and unwanted tendencies

Wanderlust / roaming2/5

1 — Stays close, does not extend the distance on its own5 — Readily goes far and keeps going regardless of the person

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Prey drive / chasing3/5

1 — Barely reacts to running animals5 — Launches after a moving target and ignores commands

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Barking tendency3/5

1 — Barks rarely and with reason5 — Barks often and for many reasons

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Howling tendency2/5

1 — Practically never howls5 — Howls often and at length

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Destructiveness3/5

1 — Indifferent to belongings5 — With nothing to do, regularly takes the place apart

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Digging tendency2/5

1 — Digs rarely5 — Digs a lot and willingly, including under fences

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Separation anxiety3/5

1 — Takes being alone calmly5 — Becomes markedly distressed when left alone

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Territoriality and resource guarding3/5

1 — Guards neither territory nor resources5 — Actively guards territory and resources, reacts hard

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Social behaviour

Human orientation5/5

1 — Works and walks by itself, rarely seeks contact5 — Keeps the owner in focus at all times and seeks to work together

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Tolerance of children4/5

1 — Copes badly with children, needs to be kept apart5 — Tolerant of noise and rough handling

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Attitude to strangers3/5

1 — Wary of strangers or avoids them5 — Open and friendly with people it does not know

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Attitude to other dogs3/5

1 — Gets into conflicts with other dogs5 — Calm and sociable with any dog

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Attitude to cats and small animals3/5

1 — Treats small animals as prey5 — Lives calmly with cats and small animals

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Tolerance of being alone2/5

1 — Copes badly with even a few hours alone5 — Stays alone for a working day without trouble

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Daily life and grooming

Shedding4/5

1 — Hardly any hair around the home5 — Sheds heavily; in season the hair is everywhere

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Grooming effort3/5

1 — Minimal grooming5 — Needs frequent professional grooming

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Drooling1/5

1 — Hardly drools at all5 — Drools constantly, on clothes and furniture

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Space requirements4/5

1 — Comfortable even in a small flat5 — Needs a house with a plot

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Climate tolerance

Heat tolerance2/5

1 — Copes badly with heat, high risk of overheating5 — Copes well with heat

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium

Cold tolerance4/5

1 — Gets cold, needs protection5 — Excellent in cold, can live and work in frost

Source: expert judgement · confidence: medium