Australian Shepherd

The Australian Shepherd is a bold, loving, smart and energetic member of the Herding Group. These dogs have an athletic build and are medium in size. With amazing agility and a powerful body, they can work hard all day without sacrificing speed or stamina. Australian Shepherds were bred to guard livestock and to this day they have a genetic drive to herd.

The Australian Shepherd's assumed area of origin can be misleading because it is not actually an Australian Breed. Although the exact details of the dog's history is unclear, we do know that they made their way to the United States, from Australia, where they were used to herd sheep.

The widely accepted theory of the Australian Shepherd's origin suggests that the breed started when the Basque people of Europe settled in Australia, bringing with them their sheepdogs. Those Basque people later relocated to America, again bringing their dogs with them. The name “Australian Shepherd” was given due to the breed's past residence and function, but they were still largely known as the Basque dog. The Australian Shepherd we know today was largly developed in the United States.

The Australian Shepherd has been called many other names, including Spanish Shepherd, Pastor Dog, Bob-Tail, Blue Heeler, New Mexican Shepherd, and California Shepherd. Some of these names persist today, so you may have heard of one of them.

Read more on the Australian Shepherd.