Australian Shepherd: 5 Interesting facts about this dog breed

The original intention for creating this breed was to help farmers herd their livestock. Though it is named Australian Shepherd, you will be surprised that this dog breed is not from Australia but the US. We can trace their origin back to some shepherds imported from Australia in 1840, hence the name.

Since after the Second World War, the dog breed has been helpful to man in various ways. They were companions for cowboys during horseback riding events. Recently, homeowners have become fond of such dogs. Farmers in the west also, still find a use for them.

Due to the effort put in by breeders, they have created this versatile, intelligent, and hardworking breed. You can click on https://www.holistapet.com/dog-breeds/australian-shepherd/ to know more about the Australian Shepherd. In this article, we shall exposit on five facts about Aussies as they are also fondly called.

Interesting facts about Aussies

Before getting an Australian Shepherd, or if you own one already, here are five interesting facts you need to know.

1. Aussies love being in control

The original intent for creating this breed was to herd sheep and cattle. They were made with leadership abilities and are likely to control everyone and everything, including their owners. They are likely to start controlling other dogs and pets, as well as the kids.

The last thing you would want is to hand over the key of your home to your dog. When getting an Australian Shepherd, the first thing you might want to do is establish that you are in control. Aussies can begin to become aggressive when they feel they are in charge. They can exhibit several unfriendly characteristics when aggressive.

There are several things you should do to control the behaviour of your dog. One thing that works best is a reward when they exhibit certain good behaviours. It would help to curb the bad behaviour and encourage good ones. It will also keep you in control.

Many dog owners think that beating their dogs is the best corrective method for wrong behaviours. However, punishments only suppress these characters but do not eliminate them. The best approach for this is to try distracting them. It will not just control the aggression but put you in charge. You can click here to read more about dog aggression.

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2. Lots of training is required

Aussies are physically fit dogs. They use them during agility contests. Therefore, before getting one, you should bear in mind that you would start training them from day 1. There are several sources of training materials for dogs in general. It is better to get those specific to Australian Shepherds.

You should apply caution when allowing them to stay alone. Staying alone means that they would do whatever they like. Doing this can bring back their sense of control. You can control this by reducing the amount of time they spend alone. You should teach them some basic commands like come, stay, down, and sit.

Australian Shepherds are intelligent dogs and would not find it hard to learn new skills and commands. You can teach them a sound that will bring them to you at your call.

Aussies also love chewing. You might find this quality attractive at first. When they chew their bones and toys, they look beautiful until they start biting your expensive footwear. You can control this by keeping your shoes properly. Also, try to direct them on what to chew when they chew the wrong things.

3. Great attraction to their owners

On most occasions, these dogs want to be around their owners all the time. They want to be everywhere you are. They will occasionally brush through your legs as you walk. The attraction they exhibit is charming but requires some limits.

Aussies can fall into depression, loneliness, or aggression when you are not around them. It is the case when you don’t limit their attachment to you. You can reduce the time you spend alone with them and encourage relations with other household members.

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4. Australian Shepherds love to protect their territory

Most dogs can get very protective and jealous, especially when there are strangers around. However, the protecting nature of Aussies is one to note. They tend to see strangers as a threat to their family and home. To curb this instinct, you should try to make them socialise from puppyhood.

Mostly, aggression in this dog in its adult phase is due to a lack of proper socialisation. You can teach them to play with your kids and neighbours alike. You can teach them when to be friendly and aggressive too.

5. Aussies love barking

The fact is not very conducive for those living in small apartments. Barking is a form of communication for dogs. However, this can get disturbing and annoying, especially when the neighbours come knocking.

Many dog owners use correction devices like shock collars to punish their dogs when they bark. This solution might not be perfect as it can result in fear and aggression in the dog. However, there are better means to curbing this character.

To limit the dog’s barking trait, you would need a great deal of patience. All you might need to do is simply ignoring them whenever they bark. Doing this will cause them to use a better means of communicating. You can also give them rewards whenever they become quiet to encourage them to bark less. You can click on https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/understanding-why-dogs-bark#1 to know more about why dogs bark and how to curb excessive barking.

Conclusion

Though it has some annoying qualities (who doesn’t), Australian Shepherds are intelligent and hardworking dogs. Sally Said So Professional Dog Training provide so much help to the dog owners. With them, you get much love and good behaviour from your dog.

If you have the energy to take up the challenge of training a dog, you should get one. Australian Shepherds are intelligent and fast learners and are ready to take all your commands.