By Ashish Jain
Australian Shepherd is every bit as graceful as its more famous German variety. And like German Shepherd, these too, are bred as herd dogs, trained and nourished to take care of cattle. Also referred to as "Aussie", they first appeared in Australia in the early 1800s and come in colors ranging from near black to blue merle. The original purpose of this breed was to serve as guardians for sheep and cattle herds, but it did not take very long for them to build a reputation for sharp intelligence and unfailing loyalty.
They also come in a number of sizes from sleek and gangling to short and stout. They weight from 35 to 65, and some of them have now the famous one-blue-one-brown-eye combination. Quite a prankster, the Aussies' capacity for 'humor' is matchless among dogs.
However, the Aussie is not for everyone. Having been bred as a herd dog it does not take well to the apartment living of the modern day. It needs space to move and play around. They have no patience to sit and watch television alongside other family members. Their idea of socialization is going out in open, jog around a little and play around a lot. So, if you are one of those television-after-office kind, the Aussie is certainly not for you. It is energetic to the extremes and would try its best to pull you in an active game. Do not expect it to lie at your feet while you type away on your computer or do easy chit chat on phone. You may live in a apartment and it will be happy so long as evenings are his and he gets to play "canine frisbee" or catch-me-if-you-can every evening without fail.
Once you are home from office, it would either want you to indulge with him in a wrestling match or take him out. If you don't do either, he would find something to do all by himself, which may not be a good news, for they have the reputation for chewing and eating anything that allows their teeth to sink in.
It is highly intelligent and has this deep rooted tendency to closely 'investigate' everything. If you are cooking, it may come in to smell and check if the pots smell good and if you are in the shower it may jump in to join you. Besides, they are not really very welcoming hosts. Their sense of humor goes to dogs (other dogs, that is) when it comes to entertaining an unknown guest. They would stare and growl if a guest drops in unannounced. So, if you are getting an Aussie, tell your friends not to ring the bell every time they happen to pass by, for the Aussie is not going to like it. They are kind to children and are staunch protectors of the family.
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