FYI: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!

Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

Home

Not A Typical Aussie

by Claire
(Toronto, ON)

My Aussie will be 1 year at the end of September, he is not a typical Aussie. He has zero drive. He will chase a ball maybe twice and then stop, won't touch a frisbee and only plays tug until a bird flies by. I want to get him into agility but he isn't too excited about it. It seems like he just doesn't want to work for anything but food.

I have had him for about a month, we adopted him from a family that didn't have enough time for him. Me and him have a bond but he doesn't want to do anything for me unless I have a treat. Does anyone have any idea on how I can get him more in touch with his Aussie ways. Anything helps.

Thanks!

Comments for Not A Typical Aussie

Click here to add your own comments

Not your Typical Aussie
by: Anonymous

I have found out that all dogs are different. I have an aussie that is typical - loves to fetch her ball and has tons of energy. I have a lab that refuses to fetch 99.9% of the time. Sometimes she gets the urge because of competing with the aussie.

Typical?
by: Nonnie

I have two Aussies. They are half-sisters, three years old.

One is a mini blue Merle with blue eyes, Bailee, who has drive and energy that doesn't stop unless she is asleep. We don't say the word "frisbee" out loud. She will go nuts! She loves anything you will throw for her. If she gets to jump for it, all the better.

The other is a toy black tri, Maggie. She likes to watch others play. When we get the frisbees out she gets very excited. She does not try to jump high enough to get it out of your hand, however!

We go outside and throw the frisbees. Bailee is all over it. Maggie races out to where her frisbee landed while Bailee has already snagged hers and we are throwing again. Maggie lays down beside her frisbee, alert, smiling, very pretty and proceeds to eat grass! She will NOT bring the frisbee back to you. She does not like to play "tug-of-war" with a rope.

These personalities are exactly the same as they were the first brought them home at about three months! They are both protective, sweet, loving, incredibly smart and I hope they live to be very old!

Love your Aussie!

Aussie personalities
by: Anonymous

We now are on our fourth Aussie a male blue merle pup and this one has what seems to be unlimited energy but when he decides he is tired he quits and will not move, at only 11 weeks. All of our dogs have had their own personalities. The first was hyper active extremely intelligent and would not take any guff from anyone. She had boundless energy and loved to run through 2 feet of snow like it was tall grass. She could talk to you without speaking and was a wonderful companion who died a premature accidental death.

The second one was from an estate, a female farm dog who was not spayed when we got her but had been beaten with a cane by the farmer who had her. At first she did not like small children and we kept her away from them, after a year or so she figured out that nobody was going to hurt her again and she became the most gentle loveable 95 pound lap dog that anyone could want.

Our third, her son had a very laid back disposition who would watch you throw a ball and sometimes go to it, look at it, and then look at you as if to say "So what do you want me to do with that?" He was a wonderful watch dog and a great companion.

At this point I would say Aussies are like people they are who they are and they have definite traits that are there and they may, or may not, be willing to change.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Australian Shepherd Q & A.

Have Dog Training Questions?

Check out these introductory dog training videos...

I want my dog to stop being aggressive.

I want some help training my new puppy.

I want my dog to stop barking at everything.

I want my dog to walk nicely and calmly on the leash.

I want my dog to listen and come every time I call!

Back to Home

⌃ TOP ⌃

All Content Copyright © 2006-2024 by Anton Hout,
Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com. All rights reserved.

Disclosure: If you make a purchase via a link on this site, I may receive a commission from various affiliate programs, and as an Amazon Associate and Chewy affiliate I also earn commissions from qualifying purchases—at NO extra cost to you. See the Disclosure page for more information. Thank you!

As stated in our Privacy Policy, Australian-Shepherd-Lovers.com
does not sell your personal information.