Where to get an Aussie

Now that you have decided to bring a furry friend into your house, where do you get one? This blog post will give you all the information you need on how adopt your Aussie, and all of the options you have.

Rescue

A good place to start is Facebook, my favorite page is Australian Shepherd Rescue.  This page posts daily about different Australian Shepherds that need rescuing all around the country. The page’s posts consist of a picture of the Aussie up for adoption with a link. When you go to this link you will learn more about this specific dog to see if this one would fit in with your home life.

Another website that is great for finding not only Australian Shepherds, but almost any animal is Rescue Me. This website has dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, farm animals, small mammals, reptiles/ amphibians, pet birds, wildlife, and wild birds all up for adoption.

You won’t have much luck finding an Australian Shepherd at your local SPCA. The Aussie is a pure bred dog that probably won’t be surrendered to an SPCA. If they do have an Aussie, chances are high it is mixed with something else. The reason pure bred dogs won’t be found here is because they have special requirements that other dogs don’t. After reading some of my blogs, could you imagine putting an Aussie in a cage all day? That pup would be miserable. If someone surrenders an Aussie to their SPCA, then the employees will give that dog to a rescue. Rescues can then find a foster home and begin advertising.

Once you find the Australian Shepherd you want to adopt, you send a message to the company, or person selling him. The owner will then send you an application. Linked is an example of an application, but they all differ. Although the applications differ, they all have the same goal. The goal of an adoption application is to see if you are fit to own the type of animal and breed you are trying to rescue. For an example, the Australian Shepherd adoption forms will ask if you have ever owned an Aussie before, or if you know anyone that has. It will then ask for several personal references to see if you are fit. The application will go very in depth. It’ll ask for your medical history, your marital status, past animals you’ve owned, and if you’re planning on having children.

Rescuing a dog is not a quick and easy task. Sometimes the company or the person fostering the dog will ask for an in-person interview, and will come to your house to see if it is fit for a dog.  When they come to your house they will look for a yard, and a safe environment for an Australian Shepherd.

Even though rescuing an Aussie takes time, it is worth it knowing you’re saving the life of a sweet animal.

Breeder

Along with rescues, breeders have websites and Facebook pages. A good website to use is AKC Puppy Finder.  Here you will select everything you’re looking for in your Aussie puppy and then you will get matched up with the perfect one for you.

Getting an Australian Shepherd from a breeder is much different than getting one from a rescue. For starters, the application process is much easier. You still have to fill out an application, but it is not as in depth as a rescue application. You’ll have to say if you’ve owned an Aussie before, if you know someone who has, and your home life (kids, spouse, if you have a yard, etc.).

Another perk to using a breeder, is you are guaranteed a healthy dog. If you bring your new Aussie pup home and they have some sort of illness, like cancer, some breeders will let you take it back and pick out another one. That might seem harsh, but if you have other dogs or pets at home, you don’t want them getting sick. Other breeders might help you with the vet bill and give you a discount on a future dog. However, most breeders take the puppies to a vet before giving them to their forever home so you know you’re getting the very best.

A con to getting an Aussie from a breeder, is the price. All dogs from a breeder are more expensive than rescuing one. However, a way to make the puppy cheaper is to not purchase their papers. If you choose to not purchase their papers, it means you don’t have proof that it is a pure bred Aussie. This means you can’t breed him in the future.

However, a nice thing about breeders, is you get pictures and videos as soon as yours is born!

Good luck finding your forever friend!