What is Australian Shepherd?
The '''Australian Shepherd,''' sometimes referred to as the '''Aussie Shepherd''', is a medium-sized breed of dog developed in the [[United States]], despite its name. {{Infobox dog breed|image=Redtriaussie01.jpg|name=Australian Shepherd|image_size=|imagedimensions=|nickname=Aussie Shepherd|altname=Aussie|image_caption=An Aussie Shepherd on show.|origin=United States|color=Tri colored, (black/red/blue), Bi colored, Blue Merle, etc.|maleweight=18-32&nbsp; kg (40-70lb)|femaleweight=16-29kg (35lb-65lb)|maleheight=48-58cm (19-23in)|litter_size=roughly 5-10|femaleheight=46-56cm (18-22in)|coat=Typically straight, but may have curls.|life_span=Roughly 12-14 years}}It is very similar in its appearance to the [[English Shepherd]] and [[Border Collie]], and indeed, studies have shown they are very similar in relation.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/pdf/S2211-1247(17)30456-4.pdf |title=Genomic Analyses Reveal the Influence of Geographic Origin, Migration, and Hybridization on Modern Dog Breed Development |last1=Parker |first1=Heidi G. |display-authors=etal |date=25 April 2017 |journal=[[Cell Reports]] |language=en-US |volume=19 |issue=4 |publisher=[[Cell Press]] |pages=697–708 |doi=10.1016/j.celrep.2017.03.079 |doi-access=free |access-date=14 February 2025}}</ref> Like many [[herding]] dogs, they show considerable drive and energy, being best at jobs such as [[Search and rescue|search and rescue dogs]], disaster dogs, [[Therapy dog|therapy dogs]], [[Guide dog|guide dogs]], etc. For these reasons, they have become the 17th most popular dog breed in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=Australian Shepherd Dog Breed Information|url=https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-shepherd/|access-date=2020-11-27|website=American Kennel Club|language=en}}</ref> == Physical trait information == [[File:A_seven_month_old_male_Australian_Shepherd.jpg|right|thumb|A seven-month-old male Australian Shepherd]] === Size === The Australian Shepherd is usually a medium-sized breed. They can weigh from {{convert|