Welcome!

To begin the journey learning about Australian Shepherds, lets dive in to their origin.

First things first, the Australian Shepherd isn’t actually from Australia, they were brought over to America from Europe for herding purposes in the 19th century.  There are many different speculations as to how the Aussie got its name since they are not from Australia. One story states that they got their name based off the colors of their coats. A typical Australian Shepherd has a blue merle colored coat, many dog breeds from Australia also share this characteristic. However, there are many different stories as to how they got their name, but no one  knows for sure.

    

When the breed arrived in the 19th century, they flourished on the ranches of America’s Midwest. The Australian Shepherd became popular after World War II because of horse shows and rodeos. People saw how intelligent this breed is combined with their amazing work ethic. The Australian Shepherd can herd anything, ranging from ducks and geese to sheep and horses. If there is something that needs to be done on a farm, the Aussie can take care of it. Today this dog is loved by millions, families and farmers alike.

For more history about Australian Shepherds check out these sites:

• Australian Shepherd History
• Faded memories of Australian Shepherds