Australian Shepherd
Pastor Australiano
- Sizemedium
- Weight18.1–29.5 kg
- Lives12–15 years
- Popularity in Mexico★★★
Character
Australian Shepherd temperament
A medium dog from the herding group, in twelve traits from 1 to 5:
- Energymarathoner
- Affection with familymiddle of the road
- With kidsexcellent
- With other dogsmiddle of the road
- With strangersmiddle of the road
- Playfulnessplayful for life
- Guarding instinctmiddle of the road
- Adaptabilitymiddle of the road
- Trainabilitylearns on the fly
- Barkingmiddle of the road
- Mental stimulation it needsneeds a job
- Prey driveno data yet
Distinguishing features
Australian Shepherd characteristics
- Ears
- semi-erect
- Height
- 46–58 cm
- Weight
- 18.1–29.5 kg
- Muzzle
- medium
- Coat
- double coat
- Coat length
- medium
- Colors
- blue merle, black, red merle, red
- Life expectancy
- 12–15 years
- Sheddingmiddle of the road
- Coat carea brush a month
Life expectancy
How long does a Australian Shepherd live?
12–15 years
The breed sets the range; how long each dog lives depends on its weight, its exercise, its teeth and its check-ups with the vet.
The long profile
Long profile, in Spanish for now
The long version of this breed — character, care and origins, in Lord Chucho's voice — exists in Spanish and hasn't been translated yet. The hard data on this page (traits, features, lifespan) is the same in both languages.
Buying guides
What to buy for a Australian Shepherd
What to buy, by what it needs:
What we'd give Choco
For a dog like this one
Affiliate links: it costs you the same. How they work (in Spanish)
AI image: the real product may vary KONG Classic
The classic that survives teenage-Labrador jaws. Stuff it with frozen treats and you just bought an hour of peace.
AI image: the real product may vary Chuckit! Ultra Ball
A ball that bounces evenly, floats and doesn't fall apart on day three. If your dog lives for the ball, this is THE ball.
AI image: the real product may vary Level-2 treat-dispensing puzzle
For the dog that's bored of everything: let it earn the kibble by thinking. Start at level 2; level 1 they solve in their sleep.
AI image: the real product may vary FURminator for double coats
On double-coated breeds it pulls out loose hair by the kilo. Your couch will thank you more than the dog will.
What people ask
Frequently asked questions about the Australian Shepherd
How big does a Australian Shepherd get?
An adult Australian Shepherd stands 46–58 cm at the withers and weighs 18.1–29.5 kg.
Does the Australian Shepherd need a lot of exercise?
The Australian Shepherd scores 5 out of 5 on “Energy”: marathoner. On that scale, 1 is “couch potato” and 5 is “marathoner”.
Is the Australian Shepherd good with kids?
The Australian Shepherd scores 5 out of 5 on “With kids”: excellent. On that scale, 1 is “better without kids” and 5 is “excellent”. Even with a 5, no dog should be left alone with small children: supervising them is the adult's job.
Does the Australian Shepherd get along with other dogs?
The Australian Shepherd scores 3 out of 5 on “With other dogs”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “lone wolf” and 5 is “life of the dog park”.
Is the Australian Shepherd easy to train?
The Australian Shepherd scores 5 out of 5 on “Trainability”: learns on the fly. On that scale, 1 is “negotiates every command” and 5 is “learns on the fly”.
Does the Australian Shepherd bark a lot?
The Australian Shepherd scores 3 out of 5 on “Barking”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “nearly silent” and 5 is “reports everything”.
Is the Australian Shepherd a good guard dog?
The Australian Shepherd scores 3 out of 5 on “Guarding instinct”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “not a guardian” and 5 is “born guardian”.
Does the Australian Shepherd shed a lot?
The Australian Shepherd scores 3 out of 5 on “Shedding”: right in the middle of the scale. On that scale, 1 is “barely sheds” and 5 is “hair everywhere”.
Health
We only publish each breed's health topics after reviewing them carefully. We guide you, but we're not your vet: if something about your dog worries you, the internet doesn't replace a visit to the vet.
Data on this page: 3 reference sources, including the AKC. See sources (in Spanish)