General Appearance:  Confident, strong desire to work, reserved with strangers, intelligent, trainable, curious, loyal to owner.  Water resistant coat.

Size, Proportion, and Substance:  Height-18 to 23 inches at the withers.  Weight-45 to 60 lbs.

Background:  The Australian Shepherd is very intelligent and highly trainable.  He was bred to herd livestock and your family may become part of the flock he protects.  Tales have been told of Aussies leading children away from busy streets by the hand or placing themselves between family members and poisonous snakes.  If you can't provide an outlet for the Australian Shepherd's energy, this is not the breed for you.  Bred for outdoor life, today's Aussie has a coat that is almost self-cleaning.  Occasional brushing to remove burrs is all that is necessary.  The Aussie has a naturally docked tail. Aussies don't tend to stray very far due to the herding talent.  Aussies love purposeful activity hiking, Frisbee, playing ball, and agility.  