Australian Shepherds are intelligent, hardworking, energetic, sociable, loyal and the perfect family-friendly dogs. Australian Shepherds are also known as Aussies. This medium-sized dog breed is ideal for families with kids.
From the name, it seems that this dog breed has would be originally from Australia, but this is not true. In reality, this breed was originated from the United States (in the 19th century.).
When it comes to appearance, Aussies come in a wide variety of color combinations. Some colors Australian Shepherds come in are-
- Blue Merle
- Red Merle
- Red tricolor
- Black
- Black tricolor
- Red
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Blue Merle Australian Shepherd Guide
Among different variations of Australian shepherds, in this post, we will discuss Blue Merle Australian Shepherds. Blue merles are bright eyes Australian shepherds. The look of blue marle Aussies made them the most popular Australian Shepherd variation.
It is not just about the color that makes this variation of Aussie attractive. It is more about the combination of colors and patterns. The term Blue merle is used to describe the coat color of the dog breed.
No matter whether you have blue merle, red merle, red tricolor, black, black tricolor, or red color Aussie, the difference is just about the appearance of the dog. So temperament and personality of all these Aussies are the same.
As we have seen there are different color combinations of Aussie dogs. The blue merle Australian shepherd dog has a combination of blue, gray, black, and white in the fur.
If you are finding a loving, affectionate, and friendly dog breed, Aussie could be the right choice for you. The Blue Merle Australian Shepherd will be affectionate and loving to your family. Apart from this, the dog is also ideal for families with kids. If you have any other pet dog, then also you can consider adopting this breed.
If you are a new adopter and you have not adopted any dog before, then this breed is might not be for you. Talking about sensitivity level, Australian shepherds have a high level of sensitivity.
The Aussies are very loving and affectionate to their dog owners, and if you own an Aussie, you can’t leave him alone for long periods. Doing so may lead to destructive behavior. When they are alone, they are likely to suffer from separation anxiety, depression, and boredom. So make sure you or you always have someone to take care of your Aussie.
Price of Blue Merle Australian Shepherds
The price of Aussies with different color variations are not the same. All types of merle colored Australian shepherds are not so common, they are of high demand. So if you want to own a blue merle Aussie, you have to pay a high price. The average price of an Australian shepherd can be around $600 to $700. Talking about Blue Merle Aussies, they may cost you somewhere between $800 and $1000.
Then if you are looking at getting a Mini or Toy Aussie you can look to spend $1k+ all the way up to $2k+ depending on the breeder and blood lines.
If there also is also the instance where the Aussie has Heterochromia iridis other wise known as two different colored eyes. This is a rarity so the price will increase based on that.
You may also have the opportunity to adopt a Blue Merle Aussie at your local ASPCA if you are lucky. Then you will just usually have to pay for their shots and some fees, but much cheaper then getting from a breeder. Also check your local classifies like Craigslist, Newspaper, and even places like Facebook Marketplace you never know. Somebody may just have to move across seas and can’t take their Aussie with them or whatever reason.
If you don’t have the money to buy one from a breeder always look to adopt first. Adopting is a great thing and you save a dogs life and can give them a great home.
Variations of Blue Merle Australian Shepherds
As we have seen Australian shepherds are of different variations like blue merle, red merle, red tricolor, black, black tricolor, etc. Blue merle is not a particular coat color. Talking about blue merles, they can also be of different variations.
The price factor could be affected due to the variation of the particular type of Australian shepherd as well. So here are the four variations of blue merle Aussies:
1. Solid Blue Merle Aussie
Solid Blue Merle Aussies have the base color of gray and black spots or patches. They are not the common type of Australian shepherds. The spots or patches can be on all over the body of the solid blue merle Aussie. It can be of different sizes and shapes.
2. Blue Merle Tri Aussie
As the name suggests, Blue merle tri Aussie is a combination of three different colors. Among the four variations of blue merle Aussies, this one is the most common. They have patches on their white/gray coat. The combination of white and tan on blue merle tri Aussie gives them a beautiful and unique appearance.
3. Blue Merle & White Aussie
Blue Merle & White Aussie is the popular variation of blue merle Aussies after blue merle tri Aussies. Blue merle & white Aussies do not have copper & tan markings on their coats, as tri Aussies have. Due to their appearance and looks, they are often mistaken with Husky dogs, especially when they are small.
4. Blue Merle & Tan Aussie
Unlike Blue Merle tri Aussie and Blue merle & white Aussie, blue merle & tan Aussie is not the common variation among the four variations of blue merle Aussies. They have splendid blue merle, black patches on their gray fur and they also have some tan & copper markings.
Exercise Needs
No matter whether you choose blue merle, red merle, or any other color Aussie dog, the exercise needs and personality of the dog will be the same. So this is about the exercise needs of all the Australian shepherds.
Aussies are very playful, active and energetic. With such a great energy level, it is essential to provide regular and sufficient exercise to the Australian shepherd. They have high energy levels as well as high exercise needs.
If you have adopted an Australian shepherd, it is important to provide your dog with enough exercise so that you can help him stay fit and healthy. If you don’t help your Aussie burn his high energy, he is likely to gain weight faster, as this breed has the high potential for weight gain.
When the energy of Australian shepherds is utilized correctly, they don’t just gain weight faster, but they are also likely to create destructive behavior. If you don’t help your Aussie burn his energy through physical activities like exercise, playing, etc., he will find his way to do that.
Not providing enough exercise will get them bored, destructive, and loud. Destructive and negative behavior includes barking for long hours, chewing excessively, chasing cars or other animals, and creating a mess in the house.
Hence make sure your Australian shepherd is getting enough exercise, to avoid destructive behavior in them. They need around 30 to 60 minutes of exercise every day. And, make sure for 30 to 60 minutes of exercise, you provide them with high-energy activities.
How to Keep Your Aussie Busy?
As we have seen, Aussies are energetic and active, it is essential to keep them busy. Aussies require so much exercise to stay healthy and happy. Keeping them busy will keep them physically fit and avoid building destructive behavior in them. There are various ways through which you can keep your Australian shepherd dog busy. Here are some of them:
1. Toys & Games
One of the best ways to keep your Aussie busy is through toys and games. Australian shepherds are active and playful, they love to play. There are various interactive toys in the market that can keep your dog busy. Such toys also provide mental stimulation to your dog. You can provide your dog with some exciting puzzle toys, chew toys, and slow feeders or any other treat toy.
2. Exercise
Australian shepherds are very energetic. Their exercise needs are very high. To help them stay fit, healthy, and in shape, it is essential to provide them enough exercise and physical activities. Talking about the exercise needs of Aussies, they need at least 1 hour of exercise daily. To make the exercise exciting for your dog, you can fetch play with your Aussie dog, take him to the park, and also teach to play flyball.
3. Training
Training is also a great way to keep your Australian shepherd dog interacted and busy. The good thing about Aussies is they are intelligent and they are easy to train. So you don’t have to spend so much time providing training for a particular thing. You can join for obedience classes. In classes, your dog will be trained by professional trainers. Apart from this, you can also train your Aussie for basic commands.
Blue Merle Australian Shepherds & Shedding
For an allergenic person, it is important to choose a hypoallergic dog breed or any low-shedding dog breed. Here we have discussed everything you need to know about Australian shepherds shedding:
Do Blue Merle Australian Shepherds Shed?
No matter whether you own a blue merle, red merle, red tricolor, or any other color of an Australian shepherd, shedding level of all these color dogs are the same. The variation is just about the color and appearance of the dog.
Before owning any dog breed it is essential to check out the level of shedding. This gives you an idea about the amount of shedding you can expect from that dog breed. Talking about Australian Shepherd, this dog breed shes throughout the year. The level of shedding increases during the spring season. They shed a lot during the spring period because that is the time when they lose their winter coat. Make sure you properly groom your Blue merle Aussie and brush him regularly.
When it comes to grooming, this dog breed is not easy to groom. As Blue merle Australian shepherds shed year-round, the grooming gets a bit tough. So make sure you have someone to take care of it. It includes brushing, nail trimming, haircuts, bathing, etc.
Blue Merle Australian Shepherd Shedding for Allergic People
Do you own blue merle Aussie and you are pissed of its high shedding, right? There’s a certain proportion of people that are allergic to dog shedding. For allergic people, owning an Aussie can be a bit tough as this dog breed is high shedding.
In this situation, for allergic people, there are two options available. If you are allergic to dog shedding, you may consider choosing any of these two options:
- The first option is getting a hypoallergenic dog. This is the best option to go with when you are an allergic person and you can’t manage to deal with high shedding of your Australian shepherd. You can choose from many dog breeds that either don’t shed or shed very little.
- Another option you have available is taking some actions to minimize your dog shedding. You can go with this option if you want to own Aussie dog and you can manage to deal with shedding.
Final Thoughts
Aussies come in different color variations. Talking about Blue Merle Aussies, they also come in different variations. As demand and popularity of different Aussie variations are different, so their pricing also varies based on the variation. The average price of an Aussie is around $650. The price of Blue Merle Aussies maybe somewhere between $800 to $1000.
The smaller the Aussie usually the higher the price for example for Toy Blue Merle you can look to spend anywhere from $1,200 to $2,000 depending on the breeder. We personally drove quite a bit for our Toy Aussies to find the right breeder and after doing tons of research. So make sure you put in the work and research when looking for a breeder. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Then of course keep an eye out for adopting an Aussie this happens quite frequently like it does with a lot of dogs for various reasons. This should be your first option if you aren’t looking for certain blood lines and just looking to get an amazing Aussie as your pet.