Australian Shepherd

Sheepdogs & cattledogs

Medium

Median 13.7 y

FCI group 1 · Sheepdogs and Cattledogs (except Swiss Cattledogs) · The breed standard (FCI 342)

Median survival across 286 UK dogs (VetCompass, McMillan 2024) · half live 10–16 y

The Australian Shepherd, also known as the Aussie, is a breed of herding dog from the United States. Despite the name, the breed was developed in California in the 19th century. It is believed to have its origins in sheepdog breeds from northwest Spain, as well as collies imported, alongside sheep, from Australia and New Zealand; the breed reportedly took its name from this trade.

Smart

Energetic

Work-oriented

Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · reference ranges from the Kintail breed dataset

Adult weight

Reference

Male

22.7–29.5 kg

Female

18.1–24.9 kg

Breed club figure (the American Kennel Club)

Weight for age

Stock data

Male

Female

Expected range

Expected range from the breed's own adult weight, kilograms. Growth reference: Salt et al. 2017, WALTHAM (15–30 kg band).

Heat cycles · females

Stock data

First heat

8–12 mo

typical

Interval

180 d

typical

Bleeding

~9 d

typical

Proestrus 9d

Estrus 9d

Diestrus 52d

Anestrus 110d

General figures for dogs, not for this breed — individual cycles vary widely.

Questions people ask

Adult males usually weigh 22.7–29.5 kg and females 18.1–24.9 kg. Most are close to their full size by around 15 months, though the last little bit of filling out takes longer. Growth reference: Salt et al. 2017, WALTHAM (15–30 kg band).

No Australian Shepherd cycle figures are published here yet, so this is general guidance rather than a breed number: most females have a first season somewhere between six and fifteen months, and cycles then settle to roughly every 180 days. Smaller breeds tend to start earlier and larger ones later.

The median is 13.7 y. Median survival across 286 UK dogs (VetCompass, McMillan 2024) · half live 10–16 y. How the later years go comes down to weight, teeth, exercise and regular check-ups far more than to the breed.