Australian Shepherd temperament has been bred for generations to create the perfect working dog. Lively and smart, these popular ranch dogs are also loyal and affectionate. Herding is the Australian Shepherd’s favorite activity and they need active, engaged, human companions to channel their instincts, drive, and energy. Australian Shepherds’ personalities can be a good match for older kids, in families that enjoy training and interacting with, their dogs.
Contents
- Australian Shepherd temperament traits
- Are Australian Shepherds good with kids?
- Are they as smart as they seem?
- Protectiveness and aggression
Today I’ll share top tips for managing the Aussie Shepherd’s behavioral traits, and to see what sort of lifestyles are the best fit for this very clever pup. It’s easy to fall in love with the Aussie dog’s looks. But it’s important to understand the Australian Shepherd personality you will be bringing into your home. This dog is no couch potato!
Australian Shepherd Temperament Traits
Australian Shepherds are a herding breed. That means that they have been bred for certain personality traits that are useful in a working dog. And those Australian Shepherd personality traits are still carried in most Aussies today, even though your puppy’s ancestors may have been pets for several generations.
There are three key aspects to your Australian Shepherd temperament that are specifically affected by their origins.
- Co-operation
- Intelligence
- Drive / energy
Dogs that are bred to work with humans are usually highly co-operative and this characteristic is seen in both our herding and our sporting dog breeds. This ability is vital in a dog that is often obeying commands at great distances from their handler. Intelligence is of course important in any dog that has to learn and work with people.
Like other herding breeds, Australian Shepherd have a lot of energy and a lot of ‘drive’. And that acts like an energy pump, increasing the dog’s inclination to be active busy, and generally race around a lot! That can have an impact on your family.
Intelligence
The Australian Shepherd is a highly intelligent breed. These dogs are good at problem solving and quick to learn. Their origins as a working breed mean that many generations of dogs have been selected for theses abilities. But pet Aussies are smart too.
Being smart is not just about inherited intelligence. It’s also about confidence, and the willingness to have a go at solving new problems. And can enhance this by training your Aussie puppy from an early age.
Are They Easy To Train?
Australian Shepherds were first used for herding. In many places, they still do this! Working dogs need to respond well to training and commands. This breed forms strong bonds with their owners. They are also very eager to please. So, they can take really well to training!
In 2018 Wilson studied the behavior of over 82 breeds. He used results of the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). He suggests Australian Shepherds are very open to training. This is a great study if you want to compare the Australian Shepherd to the other breeds studied. But, were these findings supported by others?
A study by Eken Asp used over 3,500 questionnaire results. They compare the temperaments of working and non-working dogs. Their findings suggest working breeds are easier to train than non-working dogs. In fact they suggest working breeds were actually around 10% more open to training than non-working breeds.
Active training is a great way to burn energy while also getting a well behaved dog! Train your Australian Shepherd from a young age for best results. But keep putting time and effort into training, even as your dog grows. This is just as important as an ability to learn when training a dog!
Are Australian Shepherds Friendly?
If you have a big family, or want a dog to take everywhere, you’ll need one that is friendly. If well socialized your puppy could end up doing well in this respect, but they are always likely to be more interested in their families than random strangers. One major fear with nerves around strangers is aggression. Especially when your dog is territorial, like the Australian Shepherd often is.
Are Australian Shepherds Aggressive?
Dogs who aren’t socialized can be aggressive in new situations. But the reaction to bark or even bite when afraid isn’t just something that comes from being kept away from new experiences. Aussies are slightly naturally nervous of novel experiences, and people they haven’t met before.
What is great though, is that they don’t tend to be aggressive towards people they know and trust. They have lower than average incidences of biting or growling at their owners, due to their intense levels of loyalty. But this does come with a few downsides, like protective traits and territorial habits.
(paid link) Reactions to Other Dogs
Australian Shepherd dogs have higher stranger aggression, dog aggression and dog rivalry. That means they are more than averagely likely to pick fights with dogs they don’t know, as well as those in their own household.
The Australian Shepherd And Kids
Is an Australian Shepherd with kids, a good mix? Well the answer is, it depends partly on the age of the kids, partly on whether you are adopting an older dog and how well socialized that dog is. Or on whether you are bringing home a puppy.
A high energy dog can be a great companion for older children but may be a bit much if you have a toddler. Especially if the dog is under a year old. Young dogs tend to be clumsy and careless and fast. This means inevitable collisions and falls. Raising a puppy and a baby together is something that many people find appealing. And further down the road it can work well, but be warned that the first couple of years can be very hard as both puppies and babies need a lot of attention.
Herding instincts can involve nipping at ankles and if often misplaced to young children too.
Rebecca says
We have a toy Aussie that is now a year old. She absolutely loves strangers but still protective of home when she hears noises outside. She gets along well with our cats but we have one cat that is not a fan of her herding her and they can get aggressive with each other when the cat gets mad. We tried socializing her several times with other dogs starting at 6 months old but she hates all dogs she encounters and gets territorial. She has only gotten territorial with one stranger while walking her to go potty at night while we were traveling. Otherwise she tries to befriend anyone she encounters. She’s really great with small kids but she does tend to jump on them. I’ve read that they are easy to train but we still have issues with her having accidents in house. We’ve tried several techniques for training but being a toy she can’t hold it for long and has accidents. She’s very needy with the family so we’ve had no luck with kennel training.
Christina Sharp says
I got an Aussie mixed with lab… she was supposed to be mixed with German Shepherd. She herds and bullys our chihuahua and yorkie so they hide from her. I’m trying my darnedest to train her out of it but… how do you train out instincts? She’s so sweet she loves people she licks the cats … she used to play with the yorkie! They played chase, wrestled, tug of war, they were best friends when she was tiny… any ideas would be appreciated
Peter says
I have a mini aussie that I got from a veterinarian friend (she took him in after he was ditched at her office) and he’s fairly defensive/aggressive towards dogs his size and larger, but gets along great with smaller dogs.
He’s 9 years old and wasn’t properly socialized before she took him in. He’s been in a couple of scuffles because of this and has been bitten more than once, and “ragdolled” a few times too many. It’s mostly out of fear of being attacked, and we make a point to avoid places with other dogs because it stresses everybody out.
He’s incredibly sweet with us, though, and gets along great with our Chihuahua (also a sweetheart, rarely barks and loves to cuddle)
Annie says
We have two Australia Shepherd’s, one male and the other female, they are litter mates. The female was the runt of the pack but now is the alpha dog at our home. She has control when she is with her brother and is very aggressive with him. We have an Air B&B in our backyard where the dogs are, so we get a-lot of new people. We have noticed that the female has a tendency to jump and bark when first meeting the guest but gets better with them as they get comfortable at our home. On the other hand, our male dog is a bitter, but only with men. More than a few times has our male dog bitten male guests and we don’t know why he does so. He is the sweetest dog with me and listens to all my commands. He obeys and has never once bitten me. They are 9 months old now and this just frequently became a problem for he has never done so before even when he was a puppy. They both never nipped at our heels ever and they are well leash trained. We need all the help we can get and welcome any suggestions. Please help us out.
JP says
I had a wonderful red merle Aussie. He was a delight to be around. He was raised with another older dog the first six years of his life and a kitten who grew into a cat when he was five with a second kitten/cat added after our older dog passed away. When he walked on a leash he would prance and wiggle his butt, always pulling me over towards people so they could give him a pet on the head. The only aggression he expressed was towards coyotes who sometimes crossed our paths walking in the neighborhood. He instinctively knew they didn’t belong and would raise a ruckus while I threw rocks at them. However out on the trails he really never bothered the coyotes, sensing that they were not a danger there. He was an absolutely gorgeous dog physically and in spirit and we were blessed to have had him live his life with us.
Kelly Gilbert says
I absolutely love my Aussie but he is extremely protective of me. He gets lots of love and has over an acre of land to run free in every day due to an invisible fence. Playing catch keeps his working nature in check. However, he is absolutely terrible around other people including my family and friends and will nip at everyone. I have a hard time taking him for walks due to other dogs also. Training is key for these pups. He is only 9 months old. Any advice?
Shaun m says
I understand your concern. We are on Aussie #3 and finally got it right. #1 (backyard breeder) was socialized well and tolerated strangers and other dogs but wasn’t particularly friendly with either. #2 (also backyard breeder) wasn’t socialized properly as we moved to a new state and didn’t know anyone. (Looking back, we could have found other ways). We loved Willie and he loved us but he could be aggressive to strangers and other dogs. Our current Tucker we researched breeders, met both mom and dad (friendly and calm) and paid dearly for him. We also went out of our way to socialize him, 5 years later he has never met a dog, cat or human that isn’t his best buddy. Our cat steels food from him as he’s eating and he doesn’t bat an eye. So my advise is breeding and socialization. You’ve chosen your puppy already so socialize, socialize, socialize. You’ve chosen the best buddy you’ll ever have, but you probably know that already.
Raymond Mullen says
My Aussie is a great dog and we love each other but she is fairly aggressive even to me at times if, for example she doesn’t want to take a bath, etc. She had 3 homes in the first year of her life. The first owners got transferred and couldn’t take her with them. They gave her to a neighbor of mine to try to find her a good home. That neighbor had 6 dogs, including pit bulls. I got her at 1 years old and have had her for 5 months. I believe this may have increased her tendency to be aggressive. I know I have a lot of work to do with her but she is worth it.
Dina says
We use a car seat harness on our girl for walks. Kinda like the Thunder Shirts, the harness settles her way down. So she does bark some, but it is way less that without the harness.
BART says
I’m thinking of getting a Texas heeler. Any thoughts? (Even though they aren’t fully Australian Shepherds)
Jordan L James says
Hi! I took in an 8 month old male Aussie that some acquaintances of mine needed to re-home. He is the sweetest teddy bear in the world but he is SO protective of me. He has nipped and been aggressive with every person who has come to my house. This aggression really only happens with men (which leads me to believe that he has been hit or abused by a man previously). He gets along wonderfully with my 3 year old female beagle and every other dog he has been around (big or small). I have a trainer that works with us weekly but I’m definitely a bit nervous about children being around in the future, etc. When people he doesn’t know come over, I have to put him on a 30′ tie out line…. Has anyone else had this experience???
Karlene Crabb says
Yes. Mine is also much more wary of men and I have had her from 3 months.
I socialise her everyday and trained every week for the first year.
She loves the dogs she knows but is very aggressive towards other dogs and does not like people in uniform. She is 6 years old now and it can still be quite stressful on every walk… definitely not relaxing especially when other dog owners allow their dogs to run up to her as I have to put her on a lead to pass.
Martin says
I had a full size female Aussie and a female mixed cattle dog and Aussie together. They were raised with my son and showed every sign of protecting him at all costs. They were very intelligent and easy to train. They loved to run and play together. They got along with our cats, kids that came and went with my son, and generally everyone and everything. But they were extremely protective of our family. Only once in the 15 years that we had our female Aussie that she showed any sign of aggression. That was directed at someone who was being verbally confrontational with us. The mixed Aussie would follow my son around the yard or lay near where he was playing. If somebody walked near the yard or down the street she’d always position herself between the people and our son even if we were in the fenced yard. If my wife and I argued, the Aussie female would put herself between us. It was many years since they passed away and before my second wife and I considered a new dog as she had a Pom for several years. I talked her into looking at a mini Aussie because she didn’t want a dog much larger than a Pomeranian. She fell in love with them the minute she saw them in person. We almost brought several home. We’ve had our female mini Aussie for several months now. She was easy to house break. She is full of energy. We play for about a half hour or so with indoor toys before breakfast. I take her for more than a mile long walk after that almost daily. Then we play off and on all day indoors and out. So, be prepared to give your Aussie a lot of attention and training and it will pay off. Pay close attention to their body language. They’ll tell you when they are hungry. They’ll let you know when they need out. She has socialized well with other dogs if introduced slowly. She loves our grand daughter and wants to play with any kids she sees while on walks. One thing that doesn’t get mentioned much about the Aussie blood (at least the ones I’ve owned and known) is that they love water. They will play with their water dishes, chase birds on the beach until they nearly pass out, jump into pools, follow you into the shower, and play in the sprinkler spray.
James Lavin says
Martin,
Looks to me that you’ve been made an expert on the aussie personality & traits. I’ve got an Aussie in the suburbs! I can’t seem to understand her fear from the family across the street! When she sees them outside, she flys at them, doing this “screaming bark” at them! They are friends of ours; good friends! The dog goes nuts on their little granddaughter! Holly never bites them, but she does that panic thing right at them, and then the evasive action starts! She is great on her leash. She wants to chase everyone that walks by our back, chain-link fence! Any thoughts? Jamie
Ron says
The article says Australian Shepherds are clever. My experience is that is an understatement. If you have one of those dogs (I have had them for 50 years), be prepared to match wits with them at every turn. They more than almost any other dog breed embody the proverb about an idle mind being the devil’s workshop. I forget who ran that commercial but there was a guy sleeping in his recliner chair, his blue merle Aussie getting a flash of inspiration, pushed the chair out the door, to the street, all around town, the guy still sleeping. The last scene shows them riding home in the car the dog wanted the guy to buy. Obviously an exaggeration, but deeply rooted in reality
James Borst says
It is interesting that Australian Shepherds are known to bark when strangers approach the family and home. My wife and I just had our firstborn daughter and we’ve considered getting a puppy to grow up with her. We may consider reaching out to an Australian Shepherd puppy breeder nearby to see if they have any puppies.
Raymond Mullen says
I would give that some serious consideration as new parents because the Mini-Aussie really wants to be ‘in charge.’ They are wonderful dogs but do have a bit of aggressive tendencies. They require a lot of attention which might be a problem. After having said all this, if you would be able to balance the attention your child would have a wonderful lifelong friend and protector.
Diane Lutman says
I got my first aussie 9 years ago. She was two months old when I brought her home. I did my research before she was born and knew that training would be required based on the nature of Aussies. She and I spent a lot of time training – started with puppy training, three levels of obedience training, and advanced training so she could visit nursing homes, etc. She is a well trained dog and obedient. She is an awesome companion and devoted to me. She is dog aggressive, especially when I am with her. But she does have doggie friends – it just takes time for her to accept them. Aussies are not for the faint of heart and really need owners who are able and willing to do a lot of work with them. We go for lots of long walks and when I am at a park where there are no other dogs or humans around I will let her off leash to run off some energy. So many aussies end up in shelters because people do not realize they need lots of training, lots of exercise, and need their owners to interact with them. Please think seriously about how much you are willing and able to give these dogs before you get one. They are awesome dogs and give their all for their owners. Please be willing to give your all before taking one of these wonderful dogs into your life.
Raymond Mullen says
I loved your comment,” Aussies are not for the faint of heart.” When I first got mine, I actually told my wife that I thought the dog had mental problems. She is a great dog, a bit aggressive at times but what a delight to be around. (except at bath time)
Angela Waterford says
My sister told me that I should get a dog because it’s been a long time since I grieved the loss of a pet, and she thinks that I’m ready to have one again. I think I’ll buy a toy Australian shepherd puppy if I can buy one from a breeder. Thanks for saying that they’re usually active and playful, so I’m sure that having one will let me become a happier person.