The universal sign of a happy dog is a happily wagging tail. When your Australian Shepherd is happy, he shakes his whole rear end side to side. This incredibly endearing trait is nearly universal across all Australian Shepherds, regardless of their tail type.
It's a sign of appeasement! A dog will grin if it senses you his owner needs to be calmed down or when they are excited by greeting people or guests. Some Australian Shepherds grin so hard they sneeze, and they often wiggle their whole bodies with happiness.
Australian Shepherd dogs are one of only a few breeds that can boast the rare feature of a naturally bobbed tail. While not every Australian Shepherd dog is naturally tailless, about one in five Aussies are born without a tail.
For long tails, the ASHGI survey indicates that the most typical tail is slightly curved with the length of feathering tapering from base to tip. Tail carriage appears to be variable though carriage that is either high over the back or very low are outside the norms.
Many Have Naturally Short Tails
In addition to having a genetic predisposition for heterochromia, Aussies have a one-in-five chance of being born with a naturally bobbed tail. Ranchers purposely bred Aussies that had these naturally short tails because they are safer when it comes to herding.
While Australian Shepherds can be very affectionate, loving, and cuddly dogs with their family members, they may not act the same way at all with someone they don't know. This dog will enjoy snuggling with the people he trusts.
Dogs chase their tails for many reasons. This includes: boredom, excitement, dealing with fleas, expelling some energy (especially in puppies), or something serious like an injury.
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 have a lush, medium-length coat that is straight or slightly wavy.
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.
Pups that are destined to have eyes that are very dark, almost black, will have dark irises of a midnight blue color from the beginning. In a puppy with split or marbled eyes part of the iris is dark like this pup's eyes, and the blue area is pale. This female from the same litter has eyes that stayed blue.
Due to their generally placid and easy-going nature, they are a great family dog. They can get along well with kids due to their active and energetic lifestyle and can make for a really great companion. This makes them a great companion for a family with kids.
Australian Shepherds can often lick you to get your attention. They are very friendly dogs and love to be around people, and appreciate your attention as well as companionship. One of the most common reasons why Australian Shepherds lick is because they want to show their affection for you.
Australian Shepherd History
Their Pyrenean Shepherds crossbred with other working dogs, including Collies and Border Collies, creating the modern version of the Australian Shepherd.
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Sleep. Australian Shepherds need around 12 to 14 hours of sleep daily, depending on the energy burned during the day. Although puppies are little bundles of energy, they need 18 to 20 hours to support their growth and development.
"Dogs generally sleep on their back to cool down," McDermott says. "Dogs exchange heat through their paws, and this [position] allows them to cool off." Canines have fewer sweat glands than humans, but those they do have are mostly concentrated in their paws. Dogs release sweat there, but nowhere else on their body.
While adaptable, the loyal and devoted Australian Shepherd does best with its people nearby. They are often demanding of attention and they do not like to be left alone.
Dogs will wag their tail to convey a range of emotions: happiness, nervousness, feeling threatened, anxiety, submission and excitement. It's thought that when a dog is relaxed, its tail will sit in a resting position. This position will vary depending on the breed of dog.
Adult dogs lick each other in greeting, friendliness or deference. When your dog licks you, he may be showing his affection, or simply because your lotion or skin tastes good.
Dogs Are Reading Us
They sense our moods, follow our pointing gestures, and read us for information about what's going to happen next. That means they stare at us a lot to gain knowledge about their environment. Essentially, they are waiting for us to do something that will impact them.