Life with an Aussie
Before you fall for one
Aussies are clever, loyal, funny working dogs. They are also one of the breeds most often handed in to rescues in Ireland at around eighteen months, usually because they were bought as a pretty family dog and turned into a bored, noisy, inventive adolescent. Please read this page before you fill in our questionnaire.
What the breed asks of you
Exercise and a job
Ninety minutes a day for an adult, and some of it should use their head: training, sport, scent games, stock. A walk on the lead is not enough.
Herding instinct
Many will try to round up children, bikes, cars or the cat, by circling and nipping at heels. It is trainable, but it has to be trained.
Wary of strangers
The breed standard asks for reserve with strangers. Good socialisation helps; it does not turn an Aussie into a Labrador.
Shedding
A double coat that sheds all year and blows twice a year. Brush twice a week, and expect hair on everything.
Size and cost
Bitches 46–53 cm and 16–23 kg, dogs 51–58 cm and 22–30 kg. Budget about €1,500 a year for food, insurance, vaccinations and parasite control, before training and sport.
Lifespan
Usually 12–15 years. The breed's commonest problems are hip and elbow dysplasia, eye disease, epilepsy and drug sensitivity (MDR1).
Who we usually say no to
Homes where the dog would be alone for more than five hours most days. Families who want a calm first dog for small children and have no time to train. Anyone who wants a merle 'for the colour'. Anyone who wants to breed from a puppy without health testing it first.
Saying no isn't a judgement of you. Sometimes a Border Terrier, a Labrador or an older rescue Aussie is the better answer, and we're happy to say so on the phone.