If you are planning to adopt a new Aussie dog, you must be trying to understand its personality traits, temperament, etc. Considering all these factors before adopting a gives an idea about whether the dog will be ideal with your lifestyle or not. Apart from personality traits and temperament, the size also differs from one dog breed to another. Choosing the right sized dog is very important. This factor may affect the selection of a dog. In this post, we will talk about the physical size of Australian shepherds.
How big does an Australian shepherd get?
Talking about male Australian shepherds, they can grow between 20 to 23 inches tall at full maturity. Talking about female Australian shepherds, they can grow between 18 to 21 inches tall at full maturity. And, male Australian shepherds can weigh somewhere between 51 to 64 pounds, while female Australian shepherds can weigh somewhere between 31 to 44 pounds.
Some people prefer small breed dogs, while some like adopting large dogs. Depending on your preferences, you can decide whether Australian shepherd is right for you or not. Australian shepherds are medium-sized dogs.
The physical size of the Aussie isn’t the only factor you need to consider before adopting the dog. Apart from size, knowing and understanding the dog breed’s temperament and personality traits is also very important.
For example, if you have an inactive and busy daily routine, it is not advisable to adopt a highly energetic dog. By getting a high energy level dog, the important thing will be to provide exercises and physical activities on a regular basis. And, due to your busy daily routine, you may not be able to provide regular exercise.
Australian Shepherd Growth
The size and weight of both Aussie male dog and an Aussie female dog will differ based on their age. As the dog will grow, its weight will increase depending on its size. To figure out whether your Aussie dog has an ideal weight, you can make use of Australian shepherd growth chart.
Growth of Australian shepherd Dog Male
Depending on the size, the weight of an Australian shepherd dog male when he is 3 months could range between 9.7 and 11.9 kgs.
When it becomes 6 months old, the Australian shepherd dog male’s weight could range somewhere between 18 and 22.3 kgs.
And, when it gets 1 year old, its weight could range between 24.2 and 30.8 kgs.
The growth of an Australian shepherd male dog will end when he becomes of 16 months.
Growth of Australian shepherd Dog Female
Depending on the size, the weight of an Australian shepherd dog female when he is 3 months could range between 6.5 and 9.7 kgs.
When it becomes 6 months old, the Australian shepherd dog female’s weight could range somewhere between 11.9 and 18 kgs.
And, when it gets 1 year old, its weight could range between 15.5 and 24.2 kgs.
The growth of an Australian shepherd female dog will end when he becomes of 16 months.
Is an Australian Shepherd a Good Family Dog?
Yes, Australian shepherds are good family dogs. Aussies are friendly, loving, and affectionate. To keep Australian shepherds happy, you need to provide them with a lot of care and love. The good thing is the Aussie dog will get along with families, kids, and other dogs. However, Aussie’s reaction toward strangers may or may not be good.
The loving and friendly nature of the Australian shepherd dog breed makes it one of the best breeds for families. Though Aussies are good with kids and other dogs. However, keep in mind that this breed also has high herding instincts. When they do not get enough exercise, their chasing instincts increase.
So, if you have small kids, then adopting this dog breed is not recommended. Aussies are also prone to run for chasing small animals as well. When you socialize your Aussie with your kids and small animals from the beginning, then he may not run behind for chasing.
Are Australian Shepherds Smart?
The smartness or intelligence is something most people look before select any dog. The intelligence level of a dog creates a big impact on training. This is important if you want your dog to learn your commands and instructions faster.
One of the great characteristics of Aussies is they are very smart and intelligent. They are so smart that they have been tied as 42nd smartest dog breed for obedience and working intelligence. They got this position in an experiment conducted by Stanley Coren. The experiment was about knowing the smartness and intelligence level of different dog breeds. In that experiment, Border Collie got the first rank and now they are considered as a smart dog breed in the world.
Due to the high intelligence level, training an Aussie dog will not be so hard. If you are looking for a dog breed that is easy to train, then Australian shepherd can be a good choice. Aussies are easy to train. To teach a new command, it will take just around 15 to 25 repetitions.
Do Aussies bark a lot?
This answer to this question will differ from one individual Aussie dog to another. As the individual personality of all Aussies will be different, we cannot say that all Australian shepherds bark a lot. However, the majority of Australian shepherds bark a lot. In fact, they are also considered a noisy breed. They may bark at strangers, other animals, etc. The solution to controlling their barking habit is providing regular training.
One of the main reasons why Aussies barking too much could be lack of enough physical activities. When Aussies don’t get enough exercise and physical activities, they are prone to destructive behavior.
What age do Australian shepherds stop growing?
Depending on the dog breed you select, the growth chart will differ. For example, German shepherds stop growing when they become two to three years old.
Talking about Australian shepherds, they stop growing when they become 16 months old.
When the Aussie is growing, you need to focus on providing healthy and nutritious food. And, make sure the diet you provide to your Aussie will not get him underweight or overweight. Depending on the Aussie’s nutritional requirements, it should be provided.
How long does Australian shepherd live?
On average, the life expectancy of an Australian shepherd breed is 13 to 15 years. Note that Aussies are prone to different health problems. And, their health problems may decrease their lifespan,
The health problems in an Aussie dog is mainly based on its genetic background. Here are some of the health problems you may find in an Aussie:
- Congenital deafness
- Congenital heart disease
- Congenital ocular (eye) disease
- Epilepsy
- Hip dysplasia
- Hyperuricosuria
- Hypothyroidism
- Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
Among all these health problems, Congenital heart disease is one of the highest risk diseases. Many of these diseases can decrease the lifespan of an Aussie.
This is the reason why it is advisable to get the Aussie dog from a popular breeder. When you get the Aussie dog from a non-reputable breeder, just because it is providing the dog for comparatively less price, the chances are the dog already has some health conditions.
After adopting a new Aussie dog, it is also advisable to get a check-up from a vet. It will help you know if the dog has any health issue.
How to Help Aussie Live Longer
Although life and death are not in our hands, but there are different ways through which you can help your Aussie live a bit longer when he is suffering from any health conditions. Here’s how:
Feed right
The first important thing is feeding the right food to the Aussie. When you provide nutritious and healthy food to your dog, it can increase its lifespan. Make sure to have a proper balance of crude protein and crude fat in the food. Apart from food, water intake is also important. The recommended daily water intake is 8 to 9 ounces per 10 pounds of the Aussie’s weight.
Exercising
Exercising is something which can also help to improve the health of Aussie. The amount of exercise you should be providing to your Aussie could differ based on its age. Aussie puppies don’t need intensive exercise, while adult Aussies do require regular intense exercise.
Visit vet regularly
Last but not least, to ensure your dog’s health condition is fine, regular vet checkups will be very important. Your veterinarian will also guide you regarding the daily routines for your Aussie. Through regular vet visits, your Aussie will get vaccinations on time, which can help to improve its health.
Final Thoughts
Because of the affectionate, loving, and friendly nature of Aussies, they are one of the best breeds for families and kids. This medium-sized dog breed can grow between 20 to 23 inches tall at the full maturity if it is a male dog. And, if its female Aussie dog, it can grow between 18 to 21 inches tall at the full maturity.