Australian Shepherds have a friendly and good-natured personality. They also remain protective of those they love. Their herding background means that they can be a bit bossy. If the situation gets hostile, they might reveal a more aggressive side protect their family.
Temperament and Personality
Since Australian Shepherds were bred to be pushy leaders with livestock, they will assume a dominant role in your home if you don't give them firm leadership. This can mean that an Australian Shepherd is not a good choice for first-time or timid dog owners.
Aussies are active, protective, friendly dogs that love to please and be loyal to their owners. They also have territorial instincts that can make them naturally possessive of their owners and home.
For the most part, the Australian shepherd is a kind-hearted, loyal, protective dog who tends to develop very strong bonds with its owners. But it's important to understand that because of their long history of working on the ranch herding cattle, this breed can display certain behaviors that may prove challenging.
Cons! The Australian Shepherd develops a strong bond with its owner that won't easily break. If this breed doesn't have an outlet for its bundled up energy, then it may start destroying objects around the home. This breed will complete any task or job you give it.
Most Australian Shepherds should begin calming down at two years of age. At this point, they're considered mature dogs who can better regulate their energy. That said, not all Aussies will tone it down at this age. It may take them reaching seniority for their energy to drop off.
Australian Shepherds are known for their fierce loyalty with one person, that doesn't mean every Shepherd will act like that. Some Shepherds might not build a particularly strong bond with any one family member. Others might like one of you more than another, but they don't sit on you to show it.
Aussies can be very clingy. They crave human companionship and love being included in pretty much everything you do, including being involved in all family activity. Since they require an active lifestyle, they will want to join in everything and anything that is going on around them.
Aussies are people-oriented dogs who tend to follow their family from room to room just to be near them. They require plenty of attention. Being left alone for too long may cause the intelligent, energetic Australian Shepherd to create her own fun—often through destructive behaviors or barking.
Australian Shepherd
Despite their high energy, Aussies are usually quiet. They may bark to alert their owners of a stranger or an unfamiliar situation but other than that, you won't hear much from them. This fits the self-controlled personality that Aussies possess.
Australian Shepherds are born herders, and this trait extends to their human family. If your Aussie often tries to herd you by circling around, nudging, or pushing you in a particular direction, it's a clear sign of their instinctual love and care for you.
An active yet easy-going dog, the Australian shepherd loves to romp with children and tends to get along well with other pets. Australian shepherds are great family pets, herding animals, police dogs and competitors in obedience trials.
Yes, as with any other dog breed, Australian Shepherds may come to develop a dislike of other dogs and may react accordingly. Several of the triggers that can cause Aussies to become aggressive with humans may cause them to become aggressive toward dogs.
The hypersensitivity to motions makes nipping the feet or legs or people their favorite pastime. It's not unusual for Australian Shepherd puppy owners to struggle walking from point A to point B without having a land shark puppy attached to their legs! It also doesn't help that these pups are very energetic.
Australian Shepherds, along with many herding breeds, are known to have high anxiety during storms, especially the intense ones. Spayed or neutered, abused, and abandoned are more likely to be “thunder-phobic”.
Australian shepherds are prone to worry, but only under certain conditions. The majority of Australian shepherds who have a regular schedule and live in a serene environment do not exhibit signs of anxiousness. However, this breed does not do well without a schedule or frequent attention from their owners.
Always look at the parent breeds in your pup to determine if he will have a greater risk of anxiety. Some breeds that have a predisposition for anxiety are: Australian Shepherd.
Like most shepherds, Australian Shepherds were bred to be herding dogs. Years of selective breeding has imparted deep instincts into your Shepherd. The desire to herd is as natural to your Australian Shepherd as their need for a pack.
Male Australian Shepherds tend to be more affectionate and exuberant throughout life, often forming strong attachments to their people. They are also known for being steadfast, reliable, and less moody than females.
Lack of socialization: Dogs that haven't been adequately socialized to new people or animals may react with barking out of fear or uncertainty. Separation anxiety: If an Australian Shepherd is experiencing separation anxiety, they may bark excessively when left alone or when they sense their owner is about to leave.
All puppies and young dogs experience a period of extreme activity. In Aussies, it should stop at around 2-3 years of age. But don't worry!
The Aussie's desire to cuddle
Some breeds are, by nature, more affectionate than others. While the Aussie will typically reserve cuddling for one person or a group of trusted people, sometimes he won't want to cuddle at all.
Adult Australian Shepherds need around 12 to 14 hours of sleep daily, depending on how much energy they burn during the day.