QUESTION: I have a Great Dane and a Shih Tzu and they both get along great but I was wondering if the Aussie breed will be that same?
Anonymous - 5/21/2012 9:54:52 AM
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QUESTION: We just adopted a Rottweiler, Australian Shepherd 8 week old puppy. Do you feel this will be a good mix and are there any inherent training or behavior issues to look out for? He is very sweet and great with our 5 children so far. Thanks in advance!
Anonymous - 5/20/2012 4:22:27 PM
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QUESTION: I have a three year old aussie and this is the first time he has ever done something like this. We met a 14 month old siberian husky on our walk and he grabbed her in a bear hug and was acting like he was biting her and growling.....i had to force him off of her but she was ok and she still wanted to play but it was very aggressive on my dogs part..... like i said he has never done something like this and gets along with all dogs. I don't understand what happened???
Anonymous - 5/15/2012 9:11:41 AM
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I had another couple thoughts. Is your dog neutered, and was the husky spayed? If not, he may be reacting to her as an intact male. Even if he is neutered, he is reaching full maturity and this is the age you may see new or stronger behaviors out of him or any dog reaching that age. It is still possible to train intact males to have manners and self control, but taking into consideration whether his behavior is hormonally motivated is something you should do.
paws4hisglory - 5/16/2012 10:20:28 AM
That was a pretty dominant move on your dog's part. It isn't quite the same as aggression, but he did want to dominate her. The fact she still wanted to play says she was not scared or "offended" by his move, but recognized it as dominance. If he was being truly aggressive mostly likely she would have backed off and wanted nothing to do with him.
If you had both dogs on leash, that can also create frustration and cause him to over react. It is ideal to do introductions off leash in a fenced area, though I know that is not always practical when meeting dogs while you are out walking.
Another factor is once you know he may act like that you will tense up when you approach another dog, and that tension will cause him to lash out. I would suggest you work with a knowledgable behaviorist who can assess you and your dog in person, and can tailor a training program to both of you.
paws4hisglory - 5/16/2012 10:18:21 AM
QUESTION: how much do they cost
Anonymous - 5/2/2012 12:18:35 PM
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The price of any purebred puppy will vary quite a lot depending on quality of the lines, health testing (hips, eyes, other genetic issues in the breed). A well bred Aussie pup may be $600-$1500 for a pet and twice that for a show potential puppy. Like anything, it is good to find a knowledgable breeder even if you only want a puppy for a pet. A good breeder will screen their adult dogs for the genetic conditions in the breed and that will reduce the risk your puppy will inherit those. They will also be able to answer any questions about the breed and the bloodlines, and be a good support system throughout the life of the dog.
paws4hisglory - 5/6/2012 1:10:46 PM
It depends on where or who you get them from. Like if they are champion bloodline they often tend to be around 1,000. Ususally if you want just a companion that's not made for shows, then are from 500 to 900
Anonymous - 5/2/2012 6:24:35 PM
QUESTION: I want to get an Australian Shepherd dog but i need to learn more about them before i get one - can u help me please thanks
Anonymous - 5/2/2012 7:39:03 AM
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Two good websites to learn about Aussies are www.k9station.com and www.qualityaussies.webs.com
Both of these sites were created by people with a lot of first hand experience living with and training Aussies.
paws4hisglory - 5/10/2012 2:20:45 PM
My Aussie is 2 years old and he loves to play Frisbee because he likes to run and jump, they also enjoy to be taught new things, mine loves doing tricks for me because he loves treats. They also like going on walks in the morning and evening, and you should either use a harness or head collar because sometimes when they see a squirrel running they have the instinct to go after it. My Aussie has a tendency to bark a lot when he plays with my other dogs. Aussies are also very friendly and pretty much love every person or dog they meet. It's also best to crate train them when they are puppies because they do have a tendency to chew on things when bored. Now though mine is very well behaved and just sleeps when we are gone, we were able to leave him out of his crate for short periods of time when he was around 7 or 8 months and gradually if you start leaving them home for longer amounts of time they should be good. Overall my Aussie is the sweetest dog ever and I love having him.
Anonymous - 5/2/2012 6:23:06 PM
QUESTION: I rescued a dog but has no idea about the breed, can anyone tell me please. He is brown colour, looks exactly like Aust. Shepherd,same size too. I checked the Border Collie but their ears are folded too. the dog I have is his ears are up not folded.
Anonymous - 4/7/2012 9:13:52 PM
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The difference that is most noticable between a Border Collie and an Australian Shepherd is that only the Border Collie has a tail, it is either natural or docked on the Aussie.
Anonymous - 5/21/2012 7:53:48 AM
QUESTION: where can you find a person to train your dogs
Anonymous - 3/30/2012 4:16:19 PM
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Anonymous - 4/21/2012 11:45:39 AM
QUESTION: I Have a 6 month old Mini Aussie. She is getting warts on the sides of her mouth. What would this be from? We have only had her 4 days.Thanks
Anonymous - 3/29/2012 3:28:12 PM
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She should see your vet ASAP.
paws4hisglory - 3/30/2012 10:20:00 AM
QUESTION: My 3 yr. old Australian Shepherd is having her first litter of pups . How long does labor normally take ?
Anonymous - 3/26/2012 6:16:34 PM
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It all depends. my aussie took about 2 hours to deliver 7 puppies. we had her lay inside of a plastic kiddie pool with a blanket so to keep the mess in one area
Anonymous - 4/22/2012 12:16:49 PM
QUESTION: We have an Australian Sheppard mix with Great Pyrenees female. How large should we expect her to get?
Anonymous - 3/25/2012 11:16:29 PM
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QUESTION: what type of antibiotic can you give to the mother of one week old pups without it hurting the puppies?
Anonymous - 3/24/2012 5:03:09 PM
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That is a question you should be asking your vet! I would think giving almost any medications to a mom with pups that age would be risky.
paws4hisglory - 3/28/2012 5:18:30 PM
QUESTION: I have a 11 week old female boxer and australian shephard mix. Can you tell me about how big it's going to be, what are medical needs if any should I be expecting and basic care needs for it. I have three kids oldest is 14 is it good with kids or should I expect temper tantrums? how about training them is it hard?
Anonymous - 3/23/2012 10:40:59 AM
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it is very hard to say how big your dog will get, but being part Aussie means it may carry the MDR1 mutation, and unless you do the DNA test for that, it's best to avoid any products with ivermectin, such as Heartguard. You can read more about this at www.busteralert.org
As for training, again it is hard to say since you probably don't know the parents of your puppy. What kind of temperament a pup inherits depends partly on the parents. Starting with a reward based training class as soon as the puppy has it's second shots would be a good place to start.
paws4hisglory - 3/24/2012 5:49:42 PM
QUESTION: how much should an australian shepherd pup of 11 weeks weigh?
Anonymous - 3/21/2012 8:40:58 AM
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That will vary widely depending on the bloodlines of the puppy. My pups weigh about 15-20 lbs at that age, and are from lines that mature to 40-60 lbs on average. My pups are very solid, being raised on a raw food diet, and they get a lot of exercise. That also will determine fitness and weight at various ages. You should ask your australian shepherd puppy's breeder what a normal weight range is for his or her pups at that age.
paws4hisglory - 3/21/2012 10:59:52 AM
QUESTION: my mixed aussie shephard keeps putting a paw on my elderly dog's head. Is this a caring behavior or dominance, or something else? Also, she licks the dogs mouth alot....is this nurture or something else? Finally, do these dogs get used for medical alerts (seizures, etc)?
Anonymous - 3/21/2012 1:40:40 AM
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The pawing behavior could be what we call obnoxious submission (acting submissive but with a pushy edge to it), or it could be an attention getting behavior. Part of figuring that out would be observing your old dog's reaction.
A dog licking at the corners of another dog's mouth is called "food begging." It goes back to wolf pups doing the same thing, often while whining, and it stimulates the adults in the pack to regurgitate food. The behavior is instinctive and is often seen with a young dog doing it to an older dog.
Some Aussies can be trained to be seizure alert dogs. It isn't so much about what breed the dog is, but does it have the temperament traits to fit this kind of work.
paws4hisglory - 3/21/2012 11:02:13 AM
QUESTION: I have an Aussie that is just over a year old. She has never shed her fur. I have heard that they shed every 7 months which is fine but she still has her same coat and it is getting so warm out we are tempted to cut it. Is this something that we should refrain from doing? I only ask because she was fixed 5 months ago and still has not grown her hair back on her belly where she had the surgery. We live in MN so it's important that she has a good coat of fur for winter time again. What are your thoughts?
Anonymous - 3/17/2012 12:20:31 AM
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It doesn't sound normal that your aussie hasn't grown her coat back in so long a time, especially since you live in a cold climate. I would consider having her thyroid tested. It is not recommended to shave Aussies as it can damage the coat, and cause it not to grow back in correctly. Brush her often and if you don't already, use a top quality diet. I also recommend a human grade salmon oil supplement (the kind you get in the vitamin/supplement section at the store.) It will help keep her skin and coat healthy.
paws4hisglory - 3/19/2012 7:31:25 PM
QUESTION: Im thinking about getting a lab/beagle/australian mix puppy in about two weeks but I also have a small yorkie and a small shih tzu dog also. Will this new pup get along just fine with my other dogs are are my yorkie and shih tzu not gonna get along well with this new pup?
Anonymous - 3/10/2012 10:12:48 PM
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Any puppy will get along just fine with another dog. Just depends on if your dogs are fine with pups. Labs, Beagles, and Aussies are all great dogs very loyal breeds.
mydog6225 - 3/12/2012 4:47:38 PM
QUESTION: MY SHEPHERD ALWAYS HAS RUNNY BOWEL MOVEMENTS WITH BLOOD IN IT - WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE?
Anonymous - 3/6/2012 9:03:48 AM
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There are a number of reasons this could be happening, and all should be diagnosed by your vet. Take the dog and a stool sample to the vet as soon as possible. Some causes include giardia, coccidia, irritable bowel sydndrome, a heavy (and potentially fatal) load of intestinal parasites, a partial GI blockage or other things. It is not good for it to continue so PLEASE seek medical help for your dog!
paws4hisglory - 3/7/2012 2:33:00 PM
QUESTION: Is it still a purebred Aussie that can be registered if you breed a toy Aussie with a miniature or regular sized Aussie? Please do not guess on this answer. This is VERY important.
Anonymous - 2/27/2012 7:29:18 PM
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Absolutely not. These are different breeds! The AKC just accepted into the FSS program what was formerly called the "Miniature Australian Shepherd" as the "Miniature American Shepherd". The "toy" is yet another breed. Kind of think of it as the Doberman Pinscher and the Miniature Pinscher. They resemble each other but are not the same breed nor are they size varieties of the same breed. Or Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs. Sure, they resemble each other but Shelties are not "mini collies."
You can look up this info on the AKC website if you want. There will still be "breeders" that insist the "toy" and "mini" are size varieties of the true Australian Shepherd, but both the AKC and ASCA standard are clear that there are no size varieties. The original breeder of the "mini" also called her creation a different breed, though she used some real Aussies in the development. She never intended it to be a size variety.
paws4hisglory - 2/29/2012 9:59:17 AM
QUESTION: Are austrailain shepherds afraid of water ?
Anonymous - 2/27/2012 10:04:52 AM
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My aussie loves water and will sneak in the shower when he can! Loves the hose and getting wet. We are buying him a dog pool this summer:)
Anonymous - 4/18/2012 4:44:13 PM
No, in fact, most austrailain shepherds love the water. Mine go swimming in the pond behind our house pretty often chasing the ducks and geese. So, if you live near water it is quite fine with the Aussie you are referring to.
Anonymous - 2/27/2012 7:26:31 PM
QUESTION: I have a Shba inu. Is a miniature Australian Shepherd a good companian?
Anonymous - 2/26/2012 7:22:34 PM
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Most Shiba Inus are independent dogs and do not like canine companionship. If your Shiba Inu is good with other dogs then I would look around your local shelters for a good match.
Anonymous - 3/7/2012 3:37:38 PM
QUESTION: How often can i leave an Aussie at home alone before it gets destructive?
Anonymous - 2/26/2012 9:38:19 AM
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That will totally depend on the individual dog, and many other factors such as how much physical and mental exericise the dog gets when you are at home. Aussies tend to be smart and driven, so do get bored and destructive if their needs for mental stimulation and physical exercise are not met.
paws4hisglory - 2/29/2012 10:01:27 AM
QUESTION: I am thinking about breeding my standard blue merle female austrailian shepherd to a mini red merle male, should I be concerned for genetic problems and is this pairing common for the breed?
Anonymous - 2/21/2012 10:51:47 PM
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Breeding Merle to Merle always creates a risk of blind and or deaf pups. Genetically I would never consider it!
ronnajw - 5/9/2012 12:15:42 AM
That's two different breeds. You would not be able to register the pups.
Anonymous - 2/22/2012 1:57:03 PM
First of all, these are really two different breeds, so it is a crossbreeding(mixbreed) not a purebreeding. And, breeding two merles of any breed will result in a number of blind and/or deaf puppies in the litter. I really can't think of many good reasons to purposefully produce puppies with such serious health defects.
Also, both of these breeds can have genetic health issues so any dog bred should, at a minimum, have an OFA rating on hips and elbows (by x-ray), an annual CERF eye exam, MDR1 testing and HSF4 hereditary cataract test. Minis also should have tests for CEA and PRA (eye diseases which cause blindness.) Breeding any dog without proper health screening is irresponsible and just adds to the population of unsound or unwanted dogs.
Go to www.ashgi.org and read the articles on health screening.
paws4hisglory - 2/22/2012 12:36:57 PM
QUESTION: Are aussie pups born mostly white and color up later as do blue heeler pups or are they born with color?
Anonymous - 2/8/2012 8:57:11 PM
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No, mostly white Aussies will stay mostly white, and are usually the result of breeding two merle parents. Most of the time the mostly white pups (called pattern white) are bline or deaf, or both. If not totally blind, many have eye deformaties. Some are born totally without eyes.
The color genetics in Aussies are not the same as in heelers so don't follow the same pattern.
Even in colored Aussies, the markings don't change much. The copper or tan points will possibly get more rich or noticable, and white on faces may shrink some, but it doesn't totally go away.
paws4hisglory - 2/12/2012 10:10:19 AM
QUESTION: what does an austrailian shepherd and chihuahua look like?
Anonymous - 1/6/2012 12:52:40 PM
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QUESTION: Are Aussies usually very vocal?
I have met alot who bark excessively.
Just want to be prepared for this behavior.
Thanks
Anonymous - 1/4/2012 10:23:48 PM
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My three aussies are very vocal but only when there is something or someone outside our house. Also If we start talking to them and asking questions like "Bath time?" or "Wanna go for a walk" they bark their heads off till it happens. But the barking never bothered me and they stopped right away if we told them to.
Anonymous - 1/5/2012 8:50:23 PM
Most Aussies are pretty vocal. You can work on training them to stop when told, but the trait is pretty strong in the breed and some just can't seem to help themselves. I always tell people not to get an Aussie if barking will really bother them.
paws4hisglory - 1/5/2012 5:27:25 PM
QUESTION: Hi there! I have a three year old Aussie Shepherd mix who is very active. My husband and I run him everday for three miles and feed him a cup and half in the morning and night, as well as treat after both meals. Basie, his name, has lost 9 pounds since November 2010, which is good because he was over weight back then and the doctor recommend that we feed him less. However, I have noticed that he is lethargic lately, especcially after running and eating. I don't wnt to feed him too little, but just enough so that he stays active and healthy. Any suggestions?
Anonymous - 1/2/2012 9:48:13 PM
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If he was my dog I'd have him thoroughly checked by the vet. It doesn't sound normal for an Aussie mix to be lethargic after normal exercise. I would have his heart and other things checked.
As for how much you are giving him, so much depends on the quality and formula of food, and what his ideal weight is. A cup and a half of Purina Dog chow is not the same as a cup and a half of Evo, for example. Evo has far more concentrated nutrition and dog chow is mostly filler and grain.
paws4hisglory - 1/5/2012 5:24:04 PM
QUESTION: Do all aussies have a docked tail. If not what determines this?
Anonymous - 12/29/2011 3:58:28 PM
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Some Aussies are born with full length tails and are docked shortly after birth. Some have the Natural Bobtail gene, which is a dominant trait. If so their tails will be shorter than full length, but can be anything from a short nub to half or longer. Most breeders still dock the tails to the normal shorter length.
In Europe docking has been banned so you will see more full tailed Aussies there. In the US, some people want full tailed Aussies to compete in various dog sports.
It is good to make sure a puppy is not docked too short, as it can interfere with their ability to defecate. Some vets and some breeders who do their own tails seem to think shorter is better, but it is not good for the dog. Leaving a few bone lengths in the tail still gives the standard look but doesn't affect the dog's ability to defecate.
paws4hisglory - 12/31/2011 5:43:26 PM
QUESTION: do ausssies need something to herd ? i really love them but i don't own livestock. i jog every day and want to do agility. and are they cuddly???
Anonymous - 12/23/2011 2:07:44 PM
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I have owned three aussies and they never needed to herd anything. When My siblings and I were younger we would go play with them and run around and their herd instinct would kick in but they have never NEEDED to herd anything. A daily jog should be good enough for them to get their energy out. We also once took our oldest out to a friends house who had cattle and he didn't know what to do with them. He just stayed on his side of the fenced and barked at them. They are also excellent at agility and are naturals. I taught my mini to jump and weave and I have no training myself in agility.
Anonymous - 1/5/2012 8:48:22 PM
We have a 1 year old Aussie and he LOVES to cuddle. Loves to be hugged and snuggle on the couch. He especially likes a belly rub and will paw you if you stop to soon. As far as the herding he hasn't shown sign of it yet besides getting upset if you go to another room and he can't follow you. But he is still young...
Anonymous - 12/26/2011 1:21:56 PM
QUESTION: I have a new 9 week old aussie puppy had for about a week now....he whines and whines and whines he has food and water and has been let out to potty but he still whines from time to time. I tell him no no but then he will whine louder. Is this normal he dont act like he is in any pain or anything just sits there and whines. how can i get him to stop
Anonymous - 12/6/2011 7:53:28 PM
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It is possible your aussie is still stressed from going to a new home, and is missing his littermates or mom, or both. Try to engage him in some fun play, training (keep it positive and short), or other things to give him other things to think about. Usually over time, the behavior will change.
Of course if he hasn't been to the vet since you got him, that would be good too, so you can make sure there is no physical problem. Is the food he is on a good brand? Sometimes feeding a lower quality food will make them not want to eat it, and that could cause some stress or whining.
paws4hisglory - 12/9/2011 5:52:03 PM
First speak with his breeder to get a history of the Aussie's usual behavior, is he missing his litter mates and mom.. Were you provided with a blanket of teady from his old pen or house? Is he bored? Or does he have a noticeable health concern? Maybe some good walks and obidince traing in combination with positive reinforcment redrirect his attention; or go to the vet :)
Anonymous - 12/7/2011 11:36:18 AM
QUESTION: How much do Australian Shepherd's shed?
Anonymous - 12/4/2011 6:55:22 PM
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The Australian Shepherd breed does have a double coat so it will shed, but how much has more to do with health and especially nutrition, than anything else. I feed my dogs a raw diet with some premium dry food, and salmon oil and other supplements, so my Aussies shed far less than most. Feeding the mid or low grade foods will cause the dog to shed more, as it won't have such health skin and coat. Adding a human grade, fresh source of omega oils like salmon oil will help reduce shedding though.
paws4hisglory - 12/6/2011 5:41:33 PM