How to Train the Australian Shepherd

Owning an Australian Shepherd dog can be a source of pride and joy. This breed is meant for an active lifestyle so be prepared to live one yourself. To maximize the breed’s potential, it is important to know how to train the Australian Shepherds. Commonly called Aussies, they originated from the U.S. trained as herding dog in farms. A medium sized, stout, well-balanced country dog characterized by its triangular shaped ears set high on the side of the head and slightly rounded at the tip. These animals have a masculine chest and stands evenly on all fours. Its docked bobtail is one identifying character. Masculinity or femininity is clearly defined in Australian Shepherd dogs. Height: Male 20-23 inches.) Bitches 18-21 inches (46-53cm) Weight: Dogs 50-65 pounds (25-29 kg) Bitches 40-55 pounds (18-25 kg.) Personality Aussies are fun loving and easy going animals. Playing around is one of the things they love to do. The rougher the play is the more they enjoy it. They may be playful but they are also quiet and reserved around people. Dedicated, caring and always ready to please their masters. In fact, this animal is said to possess a sixth sense about what their master wants. They love doing tasks expected of them and they do it with so much enthusiasm. Children would love this kind of breed due to their playful and energetic nature but at the same time they are wary around strangers. it is essential to get them exposed to people and other dogs at an early stage to hone their social skills and learn to discern between a friend and foe. Training Since herding is ingrained in this breed, it is imperative that they are well trained from the start to obey commands and control their exuberance especially around children lest their herding instinct gets better of them. Training an Australian Shepherd dog should involve a lot of vigorous activities in order to get the benefits in owning such a breed. An obedience training school is highly recommended for them to learn how to properly channel and control their energy. The energetic nature of Australian Shepherd needs to be channeled to productive tasks, lots of play and active training otherwise their pent up energy will result to destructive chewing and digging. They are happy when they are doing something rather than lazing around. Rough housing, playing around, jumping and running are characteristics of a normal Aussie. Australian Shepherd dogs can live up to 12 years or more. Active Aussie’s appetite is generally bigger than other dogs of the same size so ensure that you feed him plenty of high quality food. Owning this kind of breed requires a lot of preparation and commitment to get the best out of them. Known to be loyal and hardworking, life with a well-trained Australian Shepherd dogs can be enjoyable and rewarding.

Tags: Australian Shepherd Dog Training, Training an Australian Shepherd Dog, Training Australian Shepherds, Well-trained Australian Shepherd Dogs