The beautiful Australian Shepherd (or Aussie for short) draws attention wherever they may go. They come in 4 colors; blue or red merle, black or red tri. They are a double coated breed that only sheds twice a year...for 6 months at a time. ? Joking aside, they do blow their coat twice a year to exchange their undercoat, but weekly brushing will keep their normal shedding down to a manageable level. Years ago I was owned by one and she drew attention no matter where we went. If you are a long time customer of ours, you may remember Taffy working in our Mukwonago store. She was my heart dog, my velcro dog, and the least "Aussie" Aussie I ever met. I had no idea how atypical of her breed she truly was until I started getting to know other Australian Shepherds. 

Aussies are a medium sized, active herding breed, with a strong herding instinct. If it moves, it can and will be herded, but to what degree is up to the individual dog. Those dogs bred from working lines will naturally have a stronger drive to herd than others. They may not be able to get all your ducks in row, but they certainly will help you keep them contained to one area, whether you are ready for them or not. ? 

If you haven't figured it out yet, Aussies need a job to do. If you don't have a job for them, they will create their own and these jobs may include (but are not limited to) excavator, paper shredder, or demolition. Don't expect an Aussie to be happy while you are away at work all day, then join you on the couch as a potato after work. They have too much energy for that. If you enjoy being active, an Aussie companion would like nothing more than to join you!  

Most Aussies stay alert to any movement or sound, and are not shy about keeping you informed of any goings on in the neighborhood. If you are looking for a watchdog, an Aussie is good about raising an alarm, whether it's someone trying to break into your house, or if the neighbor two houses away has the hiccups. I used an "Okay, thank you" command to help let Taffy know I heard her after looking to see what she was barking about. Most times, that was enough for her and she quieted. However, like most Aussies, Taffy was one smart cookie and at times decided she knew better than I did. So she would continue raising the alarm until I got her point or the presumed danger passed. 

If you've never been owned by one but think an Australian Shepherd is your next soulmate, spend some time talking with other Aussie owners. An agility or flyball course is a good place to find some. Get a list of questions and an idea of what your life and schedule really look like and talk with someone from a breed specific rescue or reputable breeder. They want the best homes for their dogs as well and should give you the best insight on the breed and how they would fit into your life. 

The Aussie Rescue of Minnesota has a very infomative (and funny) insight into living with an Australian Shepherd. Stop by and give it read, and see if this breed is for you! 

(PS - I don't currently have any Aussies at home but I have 4 Aussie grandpups. The image attached is of 2 of them, Beans and Biscotti.)