Australian Shepherds

Ranked #13,967 in Pets & Animals, #374,238 overall

The Australian Shepherd was not developed in Australia as originally thought. Just learned that this little Aussie is really American grown. It appears that although associated with Basque sheepherders who came to California through Australia, the Australian Shepherd was bred in the U.S. and exported to Australia.

Read more: Australian Shepherd - The Pet Wiki

Australian Shepherds (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)

Amazon Price: $5.32 (as of 05/28/2012)Buy Now

The Australian shepherd is a breed of herding dog that was developed on ranches in the Western United States. Despite its name, the breed, commonly known as an Aussie, did not originate in Australia They acquired their name because some of the Australian sheepdogs arrived in the United States with boatloads of Australian sheep. The breed rose gradually in popularity with the boom of western riding after World War I. They became known to the general public through rodeos, horse shows, and through Disney movies made for television.

For many years, Aussies have been valued by stockmen for their inherent versatility and trainability. While they continue to work as stockdogs and compete in herding trials, the breed has earned recognition in other roles due to their trainability and eagerness to please, and are highly regarded for their skills in obedience. Like all working breeds, the Aussie has considerable energy and drive, and usually needs a job to do. It often excels at dog sports such as dog agility, flyball, and frisbee. They are also highly successful search and rescue dogs, disaster dogs, detection dogs, guide, service, and therapy dogs.


read the rest of the Wikipedia article

The Essential Australian Shepherd (Essential (Howell))

Amazon Price: $0.98 (as of 05/28/2012)Buy Now

by

jeffryv

All photos are Creative Commons commercial use, public domain or used with permission. Totally Free Images - The Ultimate Resource Guide more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!