Breeds of American Shepherds and features of their maintenance

A dog is a friend of man. And people, as you know, are more than seven billion. And each is unique, and each needs a friend. Therefore, it is not surprising that scientists have bred a wide variety of dog breeds - from miniature Chihuahuas to giant Tibetan mastiffs. Now everyone can choose a friend for themselves, guided by personal preferences.

A dog is one of the animals that live in close proximity to a person for whom he is responsible. Therefore, before you get yourself a pet, it is advisable to study the needs of a particular breed regarding feeding, conditions of detention, behavior, upbringing, characteristics of caring for an animal, and so on. Our today's story is about American Shepherd Dogs. You will learn what breed varieties exist, how they differ and how to properly care for them.

The countries of origin of the animal are Canada, the USA and Switzerland. This breed belongs to the group of herding dogs. Individuals have a strong muscular body of medium size. The growth of males at the withers reaches 70-75 centimeters. Females are somewhat smaller, their height usually does not exceed 60 cm. The body weight of the male is on average about 40 kilograms, and the female - 35. Of course, the weight of the dog largely depends on the lifestyle: the quality and quantity of food, daily routine, activity.

But it is worth remembering that you cannot overfeed the animal - this can serve as a prerequisite for the development of diseases. The ears of the "Americans" are erect, the tails are usually long and fluffy, in shape reminiscent of an arc. The whole body is covered with thick white hair with a well-defined undercoat.

In females, the coat is more modest, around the head and on the front legs is slightly shorter than the rest of the cover. Currently, dogs with long and medium length coats are bred. American Shepherd Dogs are loyal to their owner, devoid of aggression. They are strong and hardy animals. They remember and recognize "their" people, they can follow them everywhere "like a tail." Attentive dogs, it seems that they understand the slightest changes in mood and react to it.

They love to "sing" and talk with their masters. Therefore, it is important to correlate this information with your character. If a person prefers silence, then it is hardly worth getting such a dog. “American women” are eager for affection and encouragement, are curious and inquisitive, educated. Little attention is paid to outsiders. They are not prone to aggressive actions, do not show fear, but do not tolerate rough treatment.

They do well with work related to protection, security. They are excellent watchmen and shepherds. In principle, American dogs are better off in a country house, where more free space can be allocated for them to live and walk. However, it can be kept both in apartments and on the street.

For to take good care of the white American shepherd, you need to monitor the condition of the coat... Otherwise, these are not particularly whimsical animals. Since they have a white coat, they need to be bathed frequently (once a week) and combed out. It is recommended to use a stiff, fine-toothed brush.

White Shepherd Dogs are susceptible to diseases such as dysplasia of the joints (especially the hip and elbow), degenerative changes in the spine (osteochondrosis), eye diseases, and various allergic reactions. Previously, the problem of this breed was various systemic immune diseases, for example, SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), however, now they are quite rare in the population of these animals.

In food, these are unpretentious creatures, so it all depends on the owner. But it is desirable that the feed is balanced and contains all the necessary nutrients. The life expectancy of American Shepherds is up to 15 years.

The American Tundra Shepherd or Wolfdog is another breed that was developed in the United States. It differs in that it has not yet been officially recognized by national clubs. Such shepherd dogs are quite rare, especially outside the historical homeland.

Tundra Sheepdogs are the direct descendants of wolves. Initially, the breeding of these dogs was carried out by military structures according to the state idea. However, the first specimens turned out to be more like wolves than dogs, were distinguished by increased aggressiveness, and were difficult to train. It was decided that they were unsuitable for military service and for living with people. The project was closed. However, then it was continued on a private basis.

Wolf dogs are recommended to be socialized as early as possible. This means that even as puppies they need to be introduced into the family, devote a lot of time, communicate, train. TWhen the shepherd is eight months old, it will be easier to adapt to humans. It is important to remember that at this moment you need to educate the puppy, teach it to execute commands, show who is the owner. At the same time, you need to clearly see the border between self-confidence, severity and rudeness. A wolf dog does not like to be rude to itself and can grow even more aggressive.

With proper upbringing, hardy, strong and active individuals are obtained from tundra shepherd dogs. They can be used for hunting, security, as guides, rescuers, search dogs.

According to the conditions of detention, this is an unpretentious animal.However, he needs physical activity. Therefore, you need to walk the dog well, giving it the opportunity to run. It is also advisable to take into account that the size of the dog is not miniature (it can reach up to 80 cm at the withers), so it needs the appropriate space. In caring for a pet, it is important to pay attention to the following points:

• good nutrition;
• combing, during molting, you need to carry out the procedure more often;
• trimming claws;
• cleaning the ears and rinsing the eyes;
• timely vaccination.

American Tundra Shepherd Dogs are susceptible to the following diseases:

• dysplasia of the joints (hip, elbow);
• pericarditis;
• allergic reactions;
• diabetes mellitus and other problems with the pancreas;
• heart defects;
• eye diseases (cataracts, retinal or corneal degeneration);
• various tumors;
• epilepsy.

Most of the diseases are inherited from the German Shepherd, however, due to the strength of the wolf's body, with proper care, they rarely get sick. Life expectancy is up to 12 years.

The American Canadian Shepherd is another representative of the white shepherd breeds. Was obtained by crossing German Shepherds with a light coat. These dogs are distinguished by their devotion, loyalty, friendliness, calmness, attentiveness, vigilance. They love children, can act as a "nanny". Show no signs of aggression towards humans or other dogs. This breed is also large. Her height can reach 70 cm, and her body weight is 40 kg.

American-Canadians can live both in apartments and in private houses. However, in any case, you need to give the animal adequate physical activity - running, walking. Otherwise, caring for them is quite simple and does not differ from keeping dogs of other breeds: balanced nutrition, bathing, combing. This breed can perfectly perform the following tasks: guarding the premises and people, looking after, tracking, "nanny" (this is also a herding dog). Maybe just a companion friend. The American Canadian Shepherd is suitable for an active, athletic person.

In the 19th century, the Basque Shepherd Dogs were brought to the United States of America from Australia, which became the progenitors of the Aussies, along with the Bernese Mountain Dogs, Collies and Pyrenean dogs. That is why this breed is called Australian, despite its true origin. Among the shepherd dogs, "Australians" are babies. The growth of males at the withers does not exceed 58 cm, bitches - 53 cm. Body weight - 30–32 kg. The color of the Aussie is often heterogeneous - tricolor, marbled black, marbled red. The eyes are blue, golden brown; heterochromia is not uncommon.

Australian Shepherds rank first in the world among all dog breeds in terms of intelligence. They are excellent shepherds, they love children, they are ready to obey the owner always and in everything. Teams grasp on the fly. In care, these cute creatures are unpretentious. However, like other shepherd dogs, they need physical activity, long walks and competent training. Life expectancy of Aussies is 10-13 years.

In the next video, you will find the characteristics of the Australian Shepherd (Aussie).