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1
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2
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- Are neither Australian nor shepherd
- only herding breed that developed in the United States.
- easy to train, easy to housebreak, and eager to please
- quite demanding of their owners' time and attention and want to be
constantly with them --
“velcro” dogs
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3
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- Because of their association with the Basque sheepherders who came to
the United States from Australia in the 1800's.
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4
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- four acceptable colors: black, blue merle (a marbling of gray and
black), red (ranging from light cinnamon to liver), and red merle
(marbling of red and silver or buff).
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5
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- Must have color that completely encircles the eyes
- May have eyes of any color or combination of colors from glassy blue,
amber, hazel, to all shades of brown
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6
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- Tails are naturally bobbed or docked
- can have a white blaze on the face, white markings on chest, neck, and
legs and copper-colored markings on face and legs
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7
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- hip dysplasia
- hereditary eye problems
- von Willebrand’s disease, and thyroid disease
- seizures
- discoid lupus erythematosus (an autoimmune disease)
- cleft palate
- patent ductus arteriosis (a
circulatory abnormality)
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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- Should be of medium size (any size that fits your bed, lap, or best soft
chair)
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13
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- “Give eye“, that is, stare intently. The intensity of the
stare, when a potato chip is halfway to the mouth, can be measured on
the Richter Scale.
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14
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- Eyes should reflect intelligence, caring, brightness, sensitivity,
inquisitiveness, and love. It is impossible for any Aussie to fail this
rigorous standard.
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15
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- Are capable of nudging the hand on to the head for a pat, to call for
additional cleaning by encouraging presentation of body parts that have
not been licked, or placing a toy in the hand for a game.
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16
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- Exposing teeth in a grin or smile is considered a desirable
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17
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- The correct Aussie butt is sometimes referred to as a wiggle-butt
- should be able to run like the wind to catch or chase a tennis ball or
Frisbee or walk quietly with
his human friend. There are no disqualifying faults under this standard
so older and disabled pups are given full points.
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18
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- How many Aussies does it take to change a light bulb?
- First, I'll put all the little light bulbs in a little circle . . ..
- One, but just *try* to convince them that the burned-out bulb is useless
and should be thrown away.
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