Aussie's

[lynxgal]

Wondering if anyone here has or has had an Australian Sheppard.  If so, what has been your experience with them especially adding them to your current pack?

Years ago I had an Australian Blue Heeler.  It was the most loyal dog I have ever had.  I know from experience that they do not do that well in a pack and I am curious about the Sheppards.

I'm also looking for a breed that could be trained for a bit of service work.  I have started to train Piper to help me out and she is taking to it but she is not "my" dog she is my Hubby's dog and is not always around when I could use her.

Any suggestions out there?

[AngelMyne]

I have an Aussie! Hes my second and hes being trained as a service dog between my self and a pro trainer.

My first was a very laid back dog. loved a frisbee, and did fine with other dogs and people. and animals of ALL types. that was important for me the wildlife rehaber...

and they do invent ways to destroy things when they are not worked enough. and they will get bored with their toys and need a changing variety...

YOU HAVE AND MUST SPEND ALOT OF TIME SOCIALIZING THIS BREED CONSISTANTLY AND CONSTANTLY, OR THEY CAN BECOME SHY AND AGGRESSIVE.

thats the big thing Ive learned.

[lynxgal]

Thanks for the info!  I'm thinking that an Aussie may not be a good fit. :(  My energy levels may not be a match for an Aussie.  

I think I'm going to keep searching but I think another Golden or Golden x  may be what we should get.

Thanks again.

[Ghilly]

I had an Australian Shepherd for 15 years.  She was SUCH a great dog!  I swear, she was brighter than a lot of people I've known in my life, seriously.

The thing I have found out with Aussies, though, is that just because they are exceptionally bright does not equate to easy to train, but this is true of many of the more intelligent breeds.  There's a big difference between intelligent and eager to please.  It is actually easier to train a dog of average intelligence who is eager to please than it is to train an uber-intelligent dog who can problem solve and think for itself.  Dogs who think for themselves and can problem-solve are not as apt to just accept what is being taught to them, they are more likely to try to figure out another way to do what you are attempting to get them to do.  It's a case of having to out-think them to be able to train them.  

Aussies need a job to do.  Even if it's something simple, these dogs cannot just lay around the house all day waiting for their person to come home or waiting for those two or three walks that the average person takes their dog on every day.  If an Aussie is allowed to sit idle just waiting, he will invent something to keep himself busy, and very often this turns out badly for the owner, since the dog's idea of "busy work" and the owner's idea usually vary wildly.

If, for example, you have a fenced in yard and the dog can be outdoors safely, a simple thing to teach them to do is to pick up sticks and other debris in the yard and put it in a pile.  This saves you from having to clean your yard and it gives the dog something to do.  You might consider getting Kong toy and stuffing it with peanut butter or some other treat that is acceptable for dogs to eat and let him work at getting the peanut butter out of the Kong.  A Buster Cube is another good idea.  You fill it with dog food or treats and as the dog rolls it around, the food and treats fall out and the dog is rewarded with a bite to eat for figuring out how to get the food out of the cube.

Aussies are exceptionally good at agility courses and at flyball.  Getting involved in one of these activities would be great fun for both of you, and there are local clubs in almost every county around the country for dog agility/flyball, etc.  If you're interested in finding a group like this near you, simply Google "dog agility, [your county]" and read some of the links that come up. Another good part about this is that when you are socializing with other people who have similar breeds and interests, they can give you tons of good advice and pointers on training and living with a dog whose mind is as active as his body.
It's also a lot of fun to go to obedience classes, flyball matches, agility matches, etc.  It's a great day out for both you and your dog!

Ghilly