Meet the Aussie Shepherd – a stunning, loving and laid-back dog, the Australian Shepherd is easily confused with the Border Collie, but this breed is very much its own stand-alone breed that has plenty to offer.
Chutney and Scooter, the Aussie Shepherds and our July Dogs of the Month for 2026.
🌎 Not so Aussie After All!
Their name is somewhat deceiving. Believe it or not, the Australian Shepherd (also known as the Aussie or Aussie Shepherd) was developed in America. Their ancestry is believed to include herding dogs brought to America by Basque shepherds from the Pyrenees region, with some of these dogs having also traveled through Australia. The exact history of the breed is debated, but the Australian Shepherd we know today was developed as a working breed in the United States.
👀 They’ve got the look!
The Aussie Shepherd is a medium-sized breed of dog, with females reaching up to 53.5cm and males up to 58.5cm. They can weigh up to around 29kg.
Their double coat has a slight wave to it and is built for weather resistance. They have a moderate-sized mane, which stands out more in males than females. Acceptable coat colours include blue merle, black, red merle (also known as liver merle) and solid red, with or without white markings and/or tan points. They can be bi-coloured or tri-coloured.
They are often born with a natural bobtail, although some can be born with tails that are slightly longer than the breed standard and some are born with full tails. Tail docking for cosmetic or breed-standard reasons is illegal in Australia, and an Aussie can live with a longer-than-expected tail without any health concerns.
🧼 Keep on Grooming!
Although Aussie Shepherds appear to have a full and luscious double coat, their coat is generally easy to maintain, requiring regular brushing, with close focus when they are around water to ensure their coat is thoroughly dried and to help avoid hot spots. They only require bathing as needed and are moderate to heavy shedders throughout the year.
🧠 The Personality of the Aussie Shepherd
Being a working breed, the Aussie Shepherd is naturally intelligent. They are loyal and have the stamina to run all day long.
They require a home that can provide them with plenty of stimulation, both physical and mental, as they can become bored very easily without this. They enjoy being active outdoors and prefer a home where they have a yard to enjoy. They thrive on having a job or challenge to tackle and, if given the opportunity to work, will take it and run (quite literally!). They require plenty of daily exercise and need, at minimum, one long walk. They will happily join you for a job or a run and can keep up alongside a bike too.
Without enough exercise and mental enrichment, the Aussie Shepherd can easily become destructive and look for ways to entertain themselves.
They are a laid-back and loveable breed that can have a puppy-like personality even as they enter their golden years. They are confident and brave and can make great watchdogs. They are generally great with children, other dogs and other animals in the home, providing they are well socialised from a young age. They are happy to be within the home and around the family and will happily spend time indoors, providing they have had the chance to get out and exercise too.
❤️ The Healthy Aussie
A sturdy breed, the Aussie Shepherd is, in general, considered a healthy breed.
As with other breeds, merle colouring can be associated with certain inherited health concerns. The greatest concern occurs when two merle dogs are bred together, as puppies inheriting two copies of the merle gene can have serious eye defects and may be deaf. Responsible breeders should carefully health test breeding dogs.
Breeding two naturally bobtailed Aussies together can also increase the risk of puppies developing spinal defects, which is another reason responsible breeding practices and thorough health records are important when choosing a pup.
The breed can also be prone to hip dysplasia, making health screening of breeding parents important. The average lifespan of the breed is around 12–15 years.
🔎 Aussie Spotting Tip! ←
Did you know an easy way to spot the difference between an Aussie Shepherd and a Border Collie is their ears? Border Collies can have ears that prick up or fold forward, while Aussie Shepherds typically have triangular ears that fold forward and sit high on the head.
👀 So, next time you see an Aussie, check out those ears! 🐶
