About the Standard Australian Shepherd Coat,Eyes & Size

Quick Back Story:

The Australian Shepherd  is one of those 'only in America' stories: a European breed perfected in California by way of Australia. They are closely associated with cowboy life, agility and obedience competitions. The Australian Shepherd, the cowboy's herding dog of choice, is a medium-sized dog with a keen, penetrating gaze in the eye. Aussies exhibit an impulse to herd anything: birds, dogs, kids, etc. However, different bloodlines produce stronger or weaker herding instincts; some lines are bred for show with heavier bone and coats, whereas the stockdog is finer boned with a slimmer body. Aussies are remarkably intelligent, loyal, and trainable partners for fun, work or sport. They are commonly referred to as a “velcro dog” due to their undying desire to be with their people all day, everyday. Australian Shepherds are very active and social and have a protective nature that makes them candidates for exceptional family dogs.

They are designed to be slightly longer than they are tall. An identifying characteristic of the Australian Shepherd is the natural or docked bobtail. In each sex, masculinity and femininity are well defined. 

The breed has an even temper and is friendly and loyal to its owner. The Aussie is sensitive to strangers and needs to “thaw out” first. Due to his former use as a herding dog, he has good observation skills and often decides what to do himself. The intelligent four-legged friend needs a meaningful task that he likes to do. If he is bored, he will look for a task that may not quite correspond to the owner’s ideas.

If you are looking for an outgoing, beautiful, smart, and trusting companion, the Australian Shepherd is the dog for you!

Coat:

Aussie coats are unique amongst all individuals, however their standard coat patterns are blue merle, black with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points, red merle, red with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points, with no order of preference. Australian Shepherds have an undercoat which helps them to withstand extreme weather conditions, ranging from freezing to hot weather.

The undercoat acts similar to the insulation in your home: it helps trap warm air in the winter, with the overcoat protecting their undercoat and skin from the harsh elements. The undercoat will naturally thin out and shed during the warmer seasons, but frequent brushing will help them shed it faster. 

PLEASE DO NOT SHAVE YOUR AUSSIES. Trimming is fine, as well as clipping their front legs, faces and trousers, however your aussie will be at greater risk of skin cancer, alopecia, and overheating without their dual coats. If you shave a double coated breed, their thick, dense undercoats grow back faster and thicker to compensate for the overcoat’s lack of protection in order to try and defend their skin and bodily temperature from the elements. This causes matting and potential skin conditions. 

Eyes

The Australian Shepherd  can have any variety of eye color: ranging from brown or amber to gray or blue, as well as any combination, making this breed very unique. 

BLUE EYES DO NOT INDICATE DEAFNESS OR BLINDNESS IN THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD. 

Blue eyes in Aussies can result from the merle gene or a separate, recessive gene. Merle-related blue eyes are an extension of the merle coat pattern, while the recessive gene, like blue eye'd tris (BET's for short) which are very prominent in our program, can produce blue eyes in both merle and non-merle Aussies. 

*A quick note about blue eyes in this breed so you don’t have unrealistic expectations.* 

Each puppy has a chance of having partial blue or fully blue eyes, just like they have a chance of them being any other arrangement of colors. If both or one parent has blue eyes, the chances increase. I CANNOT 100% guarantee eye color.

However, I CAN provide you with a quality, healthy Australian Shepherd puppy produced from parents with proper balance, genetics, intelligence, temperament, and drive. 

Size:

The Standard Australian Shepherd height is 18-21” for females and 20-23” at the shoulder for males with weights ranging between 35-55 lbs and 45-65 lbs, respectively.

Useful Resources

-Breed Standard

https://www.asca.org/conformation/breed-standard

-Diseases and Defects

https://www.asca.org/the-australian-shepherd/about-aussies/health-and-genetics/diseases-and-defects/