Are you a Great Home for An Australian Shepherd?

A trend of new puppy owners is to research the breed, and the suitability of the breed on the internet alone. I refer to this as the “E” or EDUCATION portion of the learning process and the internet is indeed a valuable tool to utilize. There are however two other “E’s” that are equally important in the process, EXPOSURE and EXPERIENCE.

Exposure comes from spending time around Australian Shepherds. Meet as many different Aussies as you can. Talk with the owners. Babysit your friend’s Australian Shepherd while they are on vacation, go to doggie cay care centers and watch Australian Shepherds in action. Visit dog parks and observe the energy level of this working dog.

Experience comes from more in-depth, immersed exposure to the breed. Most often this can be accomplished by attending an all-day Australian Shepherd dog show, making appointments to visit quality breeders at their homes, attending dog training classes where there are Australian Shepherds in attendance. Experience is attained from exposure over time.

After all three “E’s” have been obtained, you will be able to make a truly educated decision about whether an Australian Shepherd is the dog for you and your family.