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Australian Shepherds/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| 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" ... | ||
| Aussie Grooming question | 2/18/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I did not know it was bad for my Aussie's coat to shave him, and had it done three summers before a ... A: Unfortunately, I can't tell you that. Some dogs regrow the guard hair, others never do, which is ... | ||
| Mini Aussie Shepherd biting and eating everything! | 2/3/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My boyfriend and I bought a Miniature Australian Shepherd about a month ago and she is now 3 1/2 ... A: You may want to crate train her, so that she can be left in a safe place while you can't watch her. ... | ||
| Aussie biting | 1/30/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: ..usually somebody else has already asked what I need to know so I haven't needed to ask personally. ... A: If they are play fighting, and there is give and take between them, that is normal. If there is ... | ||
| How old should my dog be before putting him outside | 1/24/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My son got an Australian Shepherd for Christmas from his girlfriend and I am left to raise it with ... A: This dog needs socialization with other puppies, training, and environmental enrichment, or you will ... | ||
| aussie mix | 1/21/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a question about my 2 mths ausie mix (red heeler and aust shep) We bought her from a store ... A: Puppy nipping, especially in the herders, is normal, but there are things you *must* do with herders ... | ||
| Thinking about a Aussie | 1/8/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: My Fiance and I are thinking of bringing a Aussie into our little family. We have a cat and a 9 mnth ... A: Aussies are dogs with "strong herding and guarding instinct" according to the breed standard. They ... | ||
| Aussie Behavior | 1/7/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We have a 1 1/2 yr old Australian Shepard who has been a fun loving and wonderful pet, however, I ... A: Firstly, don't ever leave him unattended again, especially tied, and especially among strangers. ... | ||
| Australian Shepard/Cattle Dog Mix | 1/4/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I recently adopted a dog from animal control. They claim it is a seven month old Australian ... A: Don't lay on the floor if she nips - that way she won't practice any inappropriate behavior;-) ... | ||
| mini aussies | 1/2/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a two-year-old mini aussie, and we recently purchased a puppy from the same breeder. I am ... A: Actually, I think if it were me, I would say that my dog has Australian Shepherd breeding, but ... | ||
| mini aussies | 1/1/2010 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a two-year-old mini aussie, and we recently purchased a puppy from the same breeder. I am ... A: Mini, toy, doesn't matter - you've been had to a certain extent. The time to have done your ... | ||
| weight | 12/17/2009 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: I have a female aussie who is 10 months old. She now weights 53 lbs. I don't think she is ... A: 53 pounds does sound very heavy for a purebred Aussie female, especially one so young. But, the way ... | ||
| Excessive hair loss and ltos of scratching and bititng? | 12/14/2009 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: 'My aussie is turing two in 2 weeks and for the past 3 months he ahs been scratching and biting and ... A: If you think the dog has fleas, part some of his hair and look for "flea dirt" (also look to see if ... | ||
| australian shepperds | 12/8/2009 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: How do these dogs do outside in snowy freezing temperatures. they have a dog house but they seem to ... A: Aussies are good all weather dogs, as they have a "wash n wear" double coat. However, I don't ... | ||
| 16 week old Austrialiamn/German Shepherd Pup - Leash Training | 12/7/2009 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We have a 16 week old Austrailian/German shepherd mix. Our problem is really opposite of what most ... A: If she's already 16 weeks old and has not had the experiences she needs with regard to ... | ||
| Citronella collar? | 11/11/2009 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We have a 7-month aussie that enjoys chasing, cornering & nipping at our cat. On an aside, we have ... A: An old stock dog trainer once told me that it was easier to teach an Aussie not to herd cats, ... | ||
| Housebreaking Issue | 11/11/2009 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: We have an 8 1/2 month toy aussie (he is 17 lbs) and I am having trouble with housebreaking. He ... A: Most standard Aussies are house trained in 2-3 months. He may know that there is a preferred toilet ... | ||
| staying outside in cold weather | 11/8/2009 | Anne Springer, B.S., Dip., CAPCT |
| Q: i have a 2 year old minature australian shepherd and last winter, i kept it in the house at night.. ... A: I don't understand why you would want to. Aussies are an affectionate breed that hates isolation, ... | ||
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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