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Let's talk about Australian Shepherd dogs! Please share you experiences, thoughts and feelings about the Australian Shepherd dog and Australian Shepherd puppies.

Originally Posted by admin

Let's talk about Australian Shepherd dogs! Please share you experiences, thoughts and feelings about the Australian Shepherd dog and Australian Shepherd puppies.

This was the only way I can post is if I do a reply..
I have 9 Australian Shepherds 4 males 2 neutered and 5 female 2 spayed for right now but I am getting two more spayed.I have been breeding aussie for 8 years...

Australian Shepherd nice breed but i heard they have a lot of health problems

Originally Posted by Irena

Australian Shepherd nice breed but i heard they have a lot of health problems

All of mine all healthy.

i say it because in other furum from other breeder i heard that this breed has weeknes for heard problems and deafth

Originally Posted by Irena

i say it because in other furum from other breeder i heard that this breed has weeknes for heard problems and deafth

Are you trying to say that some can't heard and they die from it...Your spilling is not that good I am not picking on you..Some heard and some don't.

no imeant that some of them have heart problems and most of them are also deaf

Originally Posted by Irena

no imeant that some of them have heart problems and most of them are also deaf

I don't know where you get your info but any dog can have heart problem and only white aussie from a merle to merle breeding MAY be death.I have been breeding Aussie for 8 years.All my dogs have testing done before I breed that is health and hips and eyes...I think before you say stuff like that I would do some research on the bred.If most aussie are deaf them why are they real good workers?your dogs after hear the commades to know where you want them.

Originally Posted by Irena

no imeant that some of them have heart problems and most of them are also deaf

Homozygous merles and dogs which have extensive white markings on their heads, especially on or around the ears, may suffer some degree of hearing loss due to lack of pigment in the inner ear. The degree of hearing loss can vary and may occur only in one ear. A BAER test may be necessary to determine the degree of loss.

Pigment cells play an important part in the process of translating the mechanical vibration that is a sound wave into the electrical impulse which can travel via nerves to the brain. The inner ear contains a tiny organ called a cochlea. It is shaped rather like a snail's shell. It contains a fluid and is lined with tiny hair-like structures called cillia. Sound vibrates the air. The vibrations travel through the ear canal and ultimately vibrates the fluid within the cochlea. Those vibrations wiggle the cilia, which connect with nerve endings.

A pigment cell plays a key role in connecting each cilium to it's corresponding nerve. It “translates” the mechanical vibration into a electrical impulse. If it is absent, this translation can’t take place. The more pigment cells that are missing, the greater the hearing loss.

Dogs with considerable amounts of white on or immediately surrounding the ear are more likely to also be lacking pigment within the ear.

Responsibly bred Aussies have no more risk of these health problems than any other breed :roll:

Originally Posted by emma_pen

Responsibly bred Aussies have no more risk of these health problems than any other breed :roll:

Thank you.

thank you for the explaning , i think i just finaly understod why lack of pigmentation causes deaf

Originally Posted by Irena

thank you for the explaning , i think i just finaly understod why lack of pigmentation causes deaf

and why is that?????

what you traing to do test me? i think i finnished this in my school :?

anyway its what you said the lack of pigmantation is lack off cell who not only give the dog his color but also a lack of ability to translating the mechanical vibration that is a sound wave into the electrical impulse which can travel via nerves to the brain.
and so dogswho are Homozygous merles and dogs which have extensive white markings on their heads, especially on or around the ears, may suffer some degree of hearing loss due to lack of pigment in the inner ear.
icoped your word for better expelnation

Hi Everyone

I am another proud Aussie owner and my boy is now 8 years old and he has never shown any signs of ill health.
Yes, the breed ,like any breed, can have problems,but on the whole most of them are healthy.

:lol: Just wanted to post our website on here for everyone to check out. I am not done with the wesite, but will be adding things every free minute I get. Please come visit and check out our puppies and family members. Would love to have your company!!

We raise miniature australian shepherds, we love the breed, very, very smart, all of our dogs work, and they are a part of our family!!!
Hope to meet you all that are interested in this breed.
:!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:
WWW.JBARLMINIAUSSIES.COM
:wink:

Originally Posted by emma_pen

Responsibly bred Aussies have no more risk of these health problems than any other breed :roll:

I agree.
I have heard that some can have an inherited weakness in their eyes, but the safeguard against this is to simply talk to a good breeder and check the breeding line.
It is said to be a very loyal breed.

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I used to have an australian shepherd but I'm starting to think that she was a mix. I haven't seen any others like her. She was black and reddish tan with white on her chest and her coat was shorter than all the ones I've seen, not too much shorter, maybe by an inch, her tail was also a half tail. We thought they cut it or she had an accident until she had pups and they were all born with very short tails. Does anyone have pictures to post?

I am just replying to the general topic on this forum - Australian Shepherds. We have one female Australian Shepherd - about nine months old, Sophie. She is a red merle. I think she has a very good temperament, as in she doesn't seem scared by anything and she never seems mean at all (only growls when spooked by strangers for instance - has never growled at me).

She seems to pretty much want to be the top dog - but I don't know if that is just the breed or how we raised her. I think I have mostly figured her out lately. I can get her to sit, stay on a leash without holding on to it - even with the kids walking around her or even outside. But, she isn't very good if we let her free (we have 20 acres of land) - she'll try and jump up on us, and as of late will run off to the neighbors. So, I never let her off leash except in her dog run.

Also, she seems to think that my husband isn't top dog - even though he's a big guy with a dominant personality - he's had more problems with her than I have. And, when people come over she isn't very good with them. For instance, my babysitter turned me down if she had to take care of the dog too.

I love animals, but have allergies, so mostly we keep her outside, but we bring her inside every day too and take her on walks. I'm wondering if others keep their Aussies outside or inside and if you have any wandering or jumping problems (when Sophie jumps up - like I said if she's off leash - she jumps up as high as your head).

Oh, and she is very healthy

I have had two wonderful male, tri-color Austrailian Shepherds. I can tell you that aside from being beautiful, both were (we still have one, Kako'o) superb family dogs (and we're a family of 6). They have a good temperment, are easily trained and good companions to the family. They also can be good protectors. They are hearding dogs and will "round-up" the kids in the yard and will occasionally knock down a toddler.

As far as health issues, both of my dogs are healthy - though one has an eye disease that is not common but not scarce in this breed. Beyond that, I would reccommend this breed to most who are able to provide proper running space - they need lots of space to run about as they are full of energy. Not the kind of dog for apartment dwellers!

Hope this has helped some. I did try to upload a picture of my beautiful boy but it was too large a file... trust me, he's gorgous!