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Catherine Spencer-Mills, HWT
Member, Oregon |
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Catherine Spencer-Mills, HWT
Member, Oregon |
| energy level: | varies from daily walks to work all day | |
| With kids -- | Kids Under 5: seldom | |
| kids 5 to10: seldom | kids over 10: seldom | |
| ease of care: | at least a weekly brushing, maybe daily twice a year during major shedding, some may need stripping, typical longish coat care. Puppies often require weekly baths. | |
| housetrainability: | easy to house train with positive methods. | |
| trainability: | extremely smart - we say the owners have to be smarter than the dog--and that may push it for some owners. They make excellent obedience & agility competitors with positive training techniques. They don't do well with the old style "obey or else", they need to think things out for themselves. | |
| lifespan: | 13 - 16 years | |
| size: | 30 - 60+ pounds | |
| (check all that apply) | ||
| standoffish: can be, with strangers | affectionate: check | |
| aggressive: some | dominant: some | |
| protective: often | eager: very | |
| stubborn: few | flighty: some | |
| possessive: can be | singleminded: some | |
| other traits: | There is a wide range of temperament depending on how they are bred/what lines they come from. A versatile herding dog, some are more intense and some are kicked back. Since they are so intelligent, they can be easy to ruin. | |
| more kid-friendly info: | Aussies and kids have to be trained to live together. It can be done, but there is usually some effort required. Most often, heel nipping and jumping up are problems. There are Aussies that seem to naturally get along fine with kids. We know of one who helps run a day care. We recommend some one familiar with Aussies evaluate the dog and potential family together. | |
| limiting disorders: | When two merles (spotty coats) are bred together, there is a 25% chance that their offspring will have two copies of the merling gene. This is called homozygous merle or lethal white. This can cause deafness, blindness and/or other internal organ dysfunctions. Physical condition at birth does not determine adult health. Additional disorders may happen as the dog ages. They are a major health risk, though some never display any apparent problems. To confuse the issue, "pintos" are not necessarily homozygous, but may have white spots on their body. There is also a risk of Collie Eye Anomaly with total blindness coming on about age 2. | |
| non-limiting disorders: | They may have allergies to corn, wheat, so great care must be taken in checking food ingredients. Missing teeth or poor bite. | |
| breed quirks: | They are herding dogs. There are a few laid back Aussies that do well in apartments with little exercise, but they are the exception to the rule. Most require exercise for mind and body on a daily basis. They can tolerate being left alone for 8 or more hours, but the time alone must be made up with additional attention morning or evening. Young dogs can get in a lot of trouble when left alone. There are many stories of the Aussie getting in and redecorating the front room while you were off to work. Imagine a bored 3-year-old with fangs instead of hands. | |
| other info | The intensity that was bred into this breed so they would 'focus' on livestock is often transferred to their human owners. Possessiveness, jealousy, and agressiveness toward other dogs or people is a possibility. We often ask a single potential owner, would you give up a relationship for your dog? It also may result in a "velcro" dog, one that insists on being at your heels every minute you are any where near. Some people are not comfortable sharing the bathroom with a dog. Again, there are a lot of variables, and an evaluation by an Aussie rescue person or breeder may assist with a placement. | |
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