Working Australian Shepherd vs Show – Which is a Better Choice?
As a newcomer to the Aussie scene, you are sure to be repeatedly confronted with the two terms “working Australian Shepherd” and “show Australian Shepherd”.
What is behind these terms and how do these dogs differ from each other?
Can a newbie train a working Australian Shepherd, or should a family choose a dog from a show line?
Show Australian Shepherd
These dogs are primarily bred for the purpose of achieving the highest possible rating at (beauty) shows. There are such exhibitions in many places and by many associations.
Puppies that do not reach the quality of a future show champion are often offered as easy-to-use family dogs.
At the exhibitions, the dogs are judged in rings, separated according to males and females and different age groups, solely with regard to their beauty and the correctness of their physique.
Character, motivation, performance, health, robustness, and sporting opportunities play a subordinate or no role in the assessment. It’s all about having the most beautiful dog possible in the ring.
Often the show judges prefer dogs with a lot of colors and distinctive markings, a very strong, heavy build, a lot of fur, and with large sizes within the standard.
Since these exhibitions often take place with many people and dogs in a confined space, there are often few opportunities to run around. The dogs often spend a long time in so-called exhibition cages at the exhibition until it is their turn. Dogs with a “chilled” mind is much easier, and it turns out that show line breeders usually breed a type that can be characterized as follows:
They are often more difficult to motivate and sensitive in warm temperatures due to the pronounced coat and strong undercoat. Sometimes they have to get a lot of grooming so that the undercoat does not become matted and starts to smell.
Character defects such as fearfulness, insecurity, or aggressiveness can easily be covered up by an experienced exhibitor. Therefore the championship does not guarantee a first-class character.
Working Australian Shepherd
The original Australian Shepherd was and is still a pure working dog who tirelessly helps the ranchers with their work.
He was selected to have a lot of interest in cattle, to be easily trainable, to have a high level of stimulus and drive control, and the desire to work with and please his humans.
This package creates the fascination of the dog. It seems as if he only has eyes for his owner, obeys the slightest word, can do the most incredible tricks, and is successful in every area of dog sport.
But for breeding, the following applies: “If you don’t use it, you lose it”.
This means that characteristics and physical traits that are not constantly requested and checked by the breed as part of a meaningful selection are lost or changed to a form that no longer corresponds to the original characteristics.
Working line dogs were selected solely on the basis of their work performance and robust health, which means that these dogs have comparatively few problems with diseases of the musculoskeletal system such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, and Osteochondritis dissecans. Epilepsy is also comparatively rare in working Australian Shepherds.
However, since they are not bred with a particular beauty standard in mind, they are often much lighter and smaller in size, have lighter, narrower heads and often significantly less and very easy-to-care-for fur, and are therefore often not as colorful and impressive as their colleagues from the show ring. Upright ears instead of the button ears desired for the show ring also appear from time to time.
We've Got The Answers; You Have The Dog-related Questions
Owning a dog is no simple task. They require a ton of care, from being bathed to fed to checked over by the vet. With so much to do, how can you keep track? labrador retriever allergies human article for will give you some simple tips to help you get the job done right.
Take care to keep your dog cool while traveling during the summer by car. Even with your air-conditioning on, the dog may become over-heated in his pet carrier. A simple and low-cost countermeasure is freezing a few gallon jugs of water and placing them near him where he can curl up and cool off.
If your young dog is teething and gnawing at everything, buy him a fun chew toy and keep it in the fridge. Not only does this provide him with a good alternative to your furniture, but the cold will help to make his gums feel better. Most younger dogs gnaw out of necessity, not poor manners.
Brushing your dog's teeth is important, but it is not easy. If your dog is resisting, once a day simply lift their lips and use your finger to rub their teeth lightly. Do it quickly at first, and then begin to draw out the time you spend performing this action. This will help them get use to the process. After that, you can begin using an actual brush and toothpaste.
Try hand signals in conjunction with verbal commands when training your dog. Your dog might learn commands more easily using this approach. Try each way to see what works well with your dog.
Make sure you have the correct dog supplies. Before bringing your dog home for the first time, be sure that you are equipped with the right supplies. Every dog needs a good sized food and water bowl, a collar and leash, toys, and a comfy place to sleep. Also, remember to purchase an identification tag immediately.
Not everyone is good at training dogs, so quit trying if you see things are not going as well as planned. Instead of beating yourself up about it, get in touch with a trainer in your area. Since they have more experience with dogs, it may be much easier for them to train yours.
You may be tempted to use your favorite hair shampoo on your dog, but this should not be done. Human shampoo can cause dog skin to dry out. Instead, find a quality shampoo that is made for dogs. When you bath your dog, make sure to rinse all of the residue out of his fur.
If your dog is still getting used to the grooming process, only work with him or her in short bursts. Groom for about five minutes and then stop and move on to another activity. Eventually, start adding on two or three minutes to your total grooming time until your pet is able to handle a full session.
You might find a pure breed dog at the pound. Lots of dog owners take animals to the pound when they can't care for them any longer. Call the pound to see what they have available. You may save a poor dog's life if you do this.
When training your dog, consistency is everything. You must be consistent at all times. If your dog is not allowed to jump on people as they walk in, don't allow your dog to do it even if a person says they don't mind being jumped on. You should also make sure that everyone that's around your dog understands your rules and are consistent with them.
If you are not allowed to place a fence in your yard but want your dog to run freely there, consider an electric fence. Electric fences are easy and inexpensive to install, and they can help to keep your free roaming pet safely contained. Using them will require a little training, but they are quite effective if you put the work in.
You need to ensure your dog will come back if he runs away; that is why you need to have a collar with his information on it. To make it more likely that your dog finds its way home to you should it become lost, outfit it with a collar that has identification tags attached. Include your dog's name and your phone number on the tag. Additionally, you can put a micro-chip on your dog.
If you are thinking about getting a dog, it is crucial that you choose a bread wisely. For instance, if you have children, large vicious dogs may not be a good idea. Or, if you live in an apartment, smaller breeds may be better. Pick a dog that works well with your lifestyle.
Were you aware that vitamins can be harmful to dogs. If your dog is eating a balanced diet,do not give him additional vitamins. An overabundance of vitamins may harm their joints, bones, and blood vessels. Speak to a vet before beginning any dog vitamin regimen.
Always be the boss with your dog. A dog is not only much more apt to be obedient when you are in command, he'll also be much happier. Dogs need to know what's expected of them and that they are being led. This gives them a sense of security and you a more peaceful household.
If you leave your dog with a boarder, there are certain things you need to tell them. First, make sure the boarder has a number to reach you in case of an emergency. Also, tell them of any behavioral issues you dog has. If the dog needs special foods or medication, let the boarder know this as well.
Make sure that you spend adequate time on each thing that you try to teach your dog. Even though your dog might catch on to something, for example the "sit" command, it may not be mastered. You'll want to make sure that the command is done every time that you ask no matter what situation you are in before you move onto a new command.
When you bring a new dog home, the first thing you should do is make sure they'll always be able to get back to you. Invest in a safe collar and a tag that contains both your name and phone number. Most lost dogs don't make it home, but with a good tag, you can be sure yours will.
While perfection is elusive, the simple ideas you have read here are easy to implement, bringing benefits immediately. When you have more questions, seek out the answers online on forums or by reading other articles. As long as you continue to try to be the best dog owner you can, you will achieve it every day.
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