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Australian Shepherds/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| Behaviour | 1/4/2012 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a 5 year old male Aussie. Recently I acquired another dog that is requiring alot of my ... A: What gender, age, and breed is the other dog? What is the other dog's socialization history? When ... | ||
| Aussie Puppy | 11/4/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I am new to the aussie breed, but not dogs. I have owned and trained many dogs in my life, and ... A: That sometimes happens when a pup is brought into a home with another dog. If you think about it ... | ||
| Australian Shepherd HELP | 9/11/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We have had our female since she was a puppy she is now 4 years old. This has been the BEST dog ... A: I have no way of knowing, but generally speaking, herding breeds are not as likely as other breeds ... | ||
| chewing | 8/21/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: my husband is in the army and we were living in Washington state fore about 4 months of my dogs ... A: The dog is nervous in the new environment, especially being left with "strangers" for the first time ... | ||
| 10 month old Aussie - bit our neighbor | 5/4/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I've been reading through your site and seeing some common themes. I'm sad to report we had a ... A: Regardless if you think they are appropriate, shock collars cause pain, and I've never known an ... | ||
| 10 month old Aussie - bit our neighbor | 5/3/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I've been reading through your site and seeing some common themes. I'm sad to report we had a ... A: When you say "correction collar" I'm not sure I know what you mean. Slip (choke) collar, prong ... | ||
| Aussie puppy bitting | 4/25/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My cousin purchased 2 Aussie brother and sister puppies from a pet store. We are very close and ... A: IMMEDIATELY, your cousin should take those puppies to puppy class, in separate classes and with a ... | ||
| Small animal kills | 3/14/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My aussie is very territorial. She has killed a cat, possum, rabbit, groundhogs, birds, mice, moles ... A: Dogs do know their own species if they have been at all socialized, such as in puppy class, but some ... | ||
| Australian Shepherd | 2/16/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I adpoted a 4 year old Australian Shepherd and he is great. How low can the outside temperture get ... A: I don't agree with putting a dog outside in a pen all day, if that's what you mean. Aussies are ... | ||
| Dog nipping | 2/13/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: The event usually plays out like this: she see's someone, she then has the need to say hi, she ... A: You said, "She definitely crouch's forward she leaves my side to say hi to the person(s). I would ... | ||
| Dog nipping | 2/12/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: The event usually plays out like this: she see's someone, she then has the need to say hi, she ... A: Stop correcting her! If she is nipping out of fear, this won't help, and may make matters worse. I ... | ||
| mini aussies as a running partner? | 1/12/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We currently have a 12yr old lab who is very sweet and extremely laid back. I am looking for my new ... A: Aussies are a very athletic breed, but are not for everyone. If you are used to the laid back Lab, ... | ||
| giardia | 1/8/2011 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My 5 1/2 month miniature Australian shepherd has had Guardia since her 2nd worming at nine weeks--a ... A: Yes, it is true, but it can also be brought in to the yard or home on your shoes and boots. It's ... | ||
| Aussie recent agression | 11/17/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a 10 month old male neutered Aussie who has always been friendly. We take him camping with us ... A: My suggestion is that you get an appointment with a behavior professional who can instruct you in ... | ||
| Stray puppy | 11/9/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My son brought home a puppy from the woods. I took the puppy to the vet this morning and found out ... A: I think if you have the resources to take the pup to classes, and you keep up with his socialization ... | ||
| minature australian shepard puppy | 9/26/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I am thinking about buying a new puppy. He is in a small pet shop in my area. I trust these people. ... A: Never buy a puppy from a pet store!!!!!! You may trust them, but almost all pet shop puppies come ... | ||
| training age | 9/23/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have an aussie puppy that is 4 months and 3 weeks old. I lost both of my aussies (brother and ... A: I don't think you are doing too much. These dogs love to work! As long as you are not stressing ... | ||
| Bee sting? | 9/21/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My 1 1/2 yr. old Aussie had a sudden episode a few weeks ago - ears back, frothing/drooling, slight ... A: Idiopathic epilepsy runs in Australian Shepherds, as does hypothyroidism, both of which can cause ... | ||
| aussies | 9/20/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: do you show or work ur dogs i've worked cattle all my life with aussies all those test you people ... A: I don't have any idea why you seem so upset with me. My Aussie comes from working lines (Pincie ... | ||
| Yellow Coat? | 9/18/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a australian shepherd but she isn't your normal everyday color. She is yellow, now I have ... A: It is possible to have a yellow Aussie. Here's some information on them: ... | ||
| nipping | 8/27/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: we have a loverly 1 yr old Aussie - Max. Sometimes when he's around kids (ours and others)and the ... A: You need to train the dog and the kids together:-) Firstly, the children should not be permitted to ... | ||
| Grooming | 8/23/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: 2 days ago, we took our red merle to a groomer. I did not want him shaved becuase I don't like the ... A: Dandruff, dry hair, and dirt is not usually an excuse to shave a dog unless the dog had parasites or ... | ||
| Sensitive to sound | 8/20/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My aussie is EXTREMELY sensitive to abrupt noises. Especially popping sounds - i.e. fireworks, ... A: It's not uncommon in a lot of breeds, including Aussies. There is a very good article on noise ... | ||
| biting | 7/24/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: Overall my Aussie is a wonderful dog however when i was cleaning some dog biscuits that fell on the ... A: Time out is an appropriate punishment for children, but rarely for dogs. They simply don't make the ... | ||
| Barking | 7/20/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have an Australian Shepherd and he hates strangers. On walks, we've trained him not to bark or ... A: If you read the Australian Shepherd breed standard, it does say that they are dogs with "strong ... | ||
| Rogue, Tebow And Bam bam | 7/17/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have 2 Aussie healer mixes that we adopted,they were dropped on the side of the road in the same ... A: Without seeing this, I have no idea which dog is really starting the problem, because it isn't ... | ||
| Pattern Whites | 7/16/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We bred our blue merle female to a male black tri, who has a great bloodline. Niether of them have ... A: Well, not knowing the dogs, that's difficult to answer. Although most pattern whites come from ... | ||
| my dog barks constantly while playing. | 7/13/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: She is a australian shepherd/labrador. She is a wonderful dog other than her constant barking while ... A: One helpful thing you can do is NOT to bark back:-) So, avoid telling her to be quiet! Until you ... | ||
| weight of an aussie | 7/11/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a female australian shephard that weighs 19 pounds. I took her to the vet and she wants to do ... A: Yes, I do think you should follow up with that. Aussies do have a wide range of sizes and weights, ... | ||
| help they shaved my aussie | 6/29/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: Is there aything I can do for the shaved coat I have read several stories good and bad I hope his ... A: How unfortunate. The coat may or may not grow back exactly as it was, but it will grow back ... | ||
| My 5 Year old aussi | 6/21/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I adopted my 5 year old Australian shepherd two years ago from the humane society. He came with an ... A: The first thing I would work on is his behavior on leash. There's a really good book called "Click ... | ||
| Crying, howling Kelpie Cros | 5/24/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We have a 11 month Kelpie cross, we got it off th farm when it was 10 weeks old possible, mother and ... A: You could try a citronella collar, which does not use electric shock. But the better method is ... | ||
| Should we adopt this aussie?? | 5/2/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: First a little background. My husband and I are anxious to adopt a new puppy. We had a 14-year-old ... A: Aussies are very, very active dogs, but can be kept busy with interactive toys, food puzzles, ... | ||
| aggression | 4/29/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My Aussie is dog aggressive,since she was a pup.I want to trial her as she is really good,but ... A: I agree that you should find a good clicker trainer and work on this. Spaying is not likely to ... | ||
| Overly White Face in A Tri Colord Dog | 4/6/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I am going to be getting a female pure breed Australian Shepherd in about a month, when she turns 8 ... A: The way that you assess your dog for the possibility of eye issues is: You ask the breeder for the ... | ||
| Weining from crate | 3/19/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We are trying to wean our dog from his crate he is 10 month old Aussie. He is crated when we are at ... A: Digging and destructive behavior are often symptomatic of a dog that is bored. Aussies are not a ... | ||
| 10 wk. old wont quit herding! | 2/24/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: we recently got a 10 wk. old mini and whenever we go for a walk with him, he will start to try and ... A: And you bought an Aussie why??? These are herding dogs:-))) The truth is that they need early ... | ||
| Potty Training | 2/24/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We have a 12 week old Aussie, we got him when he was 8 weeks. We are keeping him in the house, but ... A: Maybe it will be more helpful if I just give you the info that all my students get. It may be that ... | ||
| 2nd aussie | 2/22/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: we have a 15 month old spayed female australian shepherd. we are considering getting another aussie ... A: Adult dogs usually treat very young puppies with care, however, you should not get a second dog ... | ||
| Running mate and food requirements | 2/21/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a 7 month old aussie male, he is about 37lbs. He is a running mate for my dad and goes ... A: Without seeing your dog's condition, I really can't comment. However, if your dog has a "waistline" ... | ||
Australian Shepherds
Answers by Expert:
Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I'm happy to answer questions about the Aussie breed and temperament, and basic information about working lines versus show lines, training your Aussie, grooming your Aussie, and what it's like to live with a dog breed that's smart and versatile, but isn't for everyone.
Experience
Professional trainer, and Aussie owner.
Organizations
IPDTA, APDT, Truly Dog Friendly, Therapy Dogs, Inc.
Education/Credentials
B.S., Diploma in Dog Obedience Instruction, Graduate, NY School of Dog Grooming, Certified Advanced Pet Care Technician (American Pet Care Assn.)
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