At the request of two of my readers, this week my blog will be about Australian Shepherds!
Quick Facts
Australian Shepherds are commonly referred too as Aussies. Good thing too since it would be a pain to keep writing “Australian Shepherd” in this blog entry.
Although it’s name suggested that the breed originated in Australia, Aussies are actually originally from the United States. They were bred to be herding dogs, and they got their name because they were commonly used to herd Australian sheep.
Aussies come in many different colors, such as blue merle (see Figure 1) and red merle (see Figure 2). As you can see, both colors are extremely beautiful!
Figure 1
Figure 2
Australian Shepherds are NOT for everyone!
These dogs were bred to work. For that reason, they tend to have A LOT of energy. While there have been cases where Aussies have been calm and easy-going, they are generally very hyper and active. This means that they require a large amount of attention and exercise. If you have small children in the house, you should always keep an eye on them. Aussies are very playful and tend to get over-excited. They can hurt small children unintentionally.
Aussies have a double-layer coat, and I’m sure most of you know what that means. Shedding! Especially during the summer, Aussies shed a ton. If you can’t stand having dog hair around the house, an Aussie is definitely NOT for you.
Aussie Popularity
While Australian Shepherds aren’t the most popular breed of dogs, they have been becoming more popular over the years and were the 22nd most popular dog breed in the US in 2012. Not surprisingly, Labrador Retrievers and Beagles have maintained a high rank. Pomeranians have dropped a bit in their popularity ranking.
Dog Breed Popularity Rank in the US
Don’t forget to vote for next week’s blog entry topic!!!
Ryan Lee - Puppies 
I love your article! I did not know they were bred for work. Good to know before I get a dog!
It is awesome to read something that is not about engineering. It is refreshing for a change.
It’s amazing how certain dogs are bred to work. What specific jobs were the Australia Shepherds given? Thanks for the read!
They were originally bred to herd sheep. Specifically Australian sheep. That’s where they got the name Australian shepherd. Let me know if you have a request for next week!
I love this post because I love aussies. My sister has a four month old blue merle and she is full of energy and so much fun to play with. I really enjoy hearing different things about the breed.Thanks for responding to my request and I really like your blog!
Thanks! Glad you liked the post and my blog! Aww I wish I got to see your sisters dog! Aussies are so nice. My boss has one too and he has a lot of energy as well, even though he’s older